I Tried Ina Garten’s Recipe for One-Pot Oven Risotto and It Just Might Be the Best Rice Dish I’ve Ever Tasted (2024)

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Nathan Hutsenpiller

Nathan Hutsenpiller

Nathan Hutsenpiller is a photographer and writer residing in Queens, NY. He specializes in portrait, street and skateboard photography while also pursuing a career in photojournalism. Some of Nathan's photos have been featured in the upcoming book "Heart" by Lucas Beaufort, celebrating 40 years of skateshop history.

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published Nov 2, 2022

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I Tried Ina Garten’s Recipe for One-Pot Oven Risotto and It Just Might Be the Best Rice Dish I’ve Ever Tasted (1)

Growing beyond her hit show, Barefoot Contessa, Ina Garten has long since solidified herself as a staple figure in American food culture. In my opinion, the best-selling author and television host has a special way of bringing you into her world, whether it be through her new show, Be My Guest, ​​or by way of useful kitchen hacks you weren’t aware of. And due to a recent stumble upon her recipe for a one-pot oven risotto, I was instantly brought into her world yet again.

Although I was nervous about my first attempt at the recipe, something about it being one of Ina’s originals gave me all the confidence I needed. Featured in her new cookbook, Go To Dinners: A Barefoot Contessa Cookbook, this is one I couldn’t wait to take a swing at.

Get the recipe: One-Pot Oven Risotto

How To Make Ina’s One-Pot Oven Risotto

Begin by preheating your oven to 350°F and grabbing a medium (11-inch) Dutch oven. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat, then add thinly sliced shallots and cook for 2 minutes. Slice a pound of asparagus at 45-degree angles — about 1-inch apart — and add to the pot, cooking for an additional 5 minutes. Stir occasionally until al dente, then transfer to a bowl and set aside.

Using the same Dutch oven, heat up another tablespoon of olive oil and add the Arborio rice, stirring until the rice is coated with oil. Next, add 4 cups of chicken stock and 1/2 tablespoon of saffron threads. You’ll want to bring that to a simmer before covering and transferring to the oven to bake for 35 minutes.

Once the rice is tender and the liquid has been absorbed, remove from the oven and add a half cup of white wine, stirring until well incorporated. Add another cup of chicken stock, a cup of Parmesan cheese, 3 tablespoons of butter, 2 1/2 teaspoons of salt, and 1 teaspoon of pepper. Stir aggressively with a wooden spoon for a few minutes, until the risotto is looking thick and creamy. Add more chicken stock if necessary, as you’ll want to keep the risotto very creamy. Finally, stir in the prepared asparagus and shallot mixture, and serve hot with a little extra Parmesan on top for taste.

"Go-To Dinners: A Barefoot Contessa Cookbook" by Ina Garten$35$18.10Amazon

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My Honest Opinion of Ina’s One-Pot Oven Risotto

Full disclosure: I was very unsure about making risotto. Being that I rarely ever eat it, I was not sure that I had the skills to make Ina proud when making it myself. To my surprise, however, I learned just how easy of a recipe this is and if you just follow the directions to the T, you’ll be enjoying an amazing meal in under an hour!

I’m mostly impressed with the simple list of ingredients combined with the outstanding flavor they all present, and how the final product left me craving second and third helpings. This is a recipe that is perfect for any family dinner, and while I can just make rice any day of the week, Ina’s risotto makes me feel like I did something extra special.

3 Tips for Making Ina’s One-Pot Oven Risotto

  1. Add more chicken stock.Make sure to have enough chicken stock on hand to accommodate using at least 5 cups’ worth. During the latter part of the recipe, you’ll want to have at least an extra cup on hand to use in keeping the risotto’s creamy consistency.
  2. Parmesan for the win. While the recipe calls for a single cup of finely grated Parmesan, I opted to add extra during the final steps of the recipe, pouring in a little at a time until I was satisfied with the taste. Trust me — your tastebuds will thank you later.
  3. Have an open mind. If you’re like me and you’ve never made risotto before, remember to follow the instructions closely and don’t be afraid to get things wrong. This is a simple recipe and if you approach it with an open mind, you just might find some fun ways to alter the taste to your liking. Plus, you could stumble upon a new way to impress future dinner guests, too.

Get the recipe: One-Pot Oven Risotto

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Recipe Review

I Tried Ina Garten’s Recipe for One-Pot Oven Risotto and It Just Might Be the Best Rice Dish I’ve Ever Tasted (2024)

FAQs

Can you make risotto ahead and reheat? ›

Pro tip: You can make your risotto ahead of time!

If you want to make your risotto ahead and serve it later, follow the recipe up to the final addition of stock, and then STOP. The risotto will be slightly undercooked. To re-warm, you just add the last ladle of stock, then the cream and cheese.

Is there a special way of cooking risotto? ›

Many people believe risotto requires constant stirring and attention, but this is a myth. You can make a beautiful creamy risotto by toasting the rice for a few minutes in the fat and aromatics, then adding three-quarters of the broth, covering, and simmering for 10 to 15 minutes, until the rice is just al dente.

Do you cover the pan when cooking risotto? ›

Whatever type of risotto you're making, use piping hot stock – it means the grains will start to soften and cook straight away. It's a good idea to keep your stock in a covered pan over a very low heat on the back of the hob while the risotto cooks.

Can you cook risotto in a rational oven? ›

Cook risotto, sear meat and deep-fry chips, all with a single appliance: the Rational VarioCookingCenter®.

How do restaurants cook risotto so quickly? ›

The key, instead, is to undercook the risotto and cool it rapidly to prevent that rice from overcooking, so you can easily finish cooking it later.

What is the secret to a good risotto? ›

Always use warm stock.

Warming the broth before adding it to the warm rice coaxes more starch out of each grain of rice and helps prevent it from overcooking. Cool broth takes longer to warm up in the risotto pan and may shock the grain into holding onto its starches while the rice itself continues to cook.

What is the secret ingredient in risotto? ›

Use Salted Water Instead of Broth in Risotto

It's an ingenious tip on many levels. First and foremost, you don't have to run to the store to buy stock, which saves you time and money. Also, the flavor of store-bought broths or stocks varies widely and can sometimes overpower the other ingredients in your risotto.

How do restaurants make risotto so creamy? ›

The stock is added a little bit at a time and should be fully absorbed into the rice before more stock is added. This process can take up to 45 minutes and will result in a delicious creamy mixture of al dente rice.

What is the best broth for risotto? ›

Broth: Homemade chicken broth is always the best choice for flavor, but you can use store-bought chicken broth for convenience. Choose low-sodium broth and adjust the seasonings at the end.

What is the best rice for risotto? ›

Arborio is the most popular short-grain rice for making risotto. It is capable of absorbing large amounts of liquid and produces a relatively creamy risotto with a hearty texture. Carnaroli is a plumper, larger grain of rice that has a high starch content.

When to add butter to risotto? ›

Remove the pan from the heat, add 1 knob of butter and the Parmesan, then stir well. Place a lid on the pan and allow to sit for 2 minutes – this is the most important part of making the perfect risotto, as this is when it becomes outrageously creamy and oozy like it should be.

What is Gordon Ramsay's recipe for risotto? ›

ingredients
  1. 1 large shallot, chopped finely.
  2. 4 tablespoons olive oil.
  3. 8 ounces baby portabella mushrooms, sliced.
  4. 10 ounces arborio rice.
  5. 12 cup dry white wine.
  6. 4 cups low sodium chicken broth.
  7. 8 ounces plum tomatoes, skinned, seeded and finely chopped.
  8. 1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped.

How does Hell's Kitchen cook risotto so quickly? ›

"Boil salted water, throw in the rice, boil it for nine minutes, strain it and throw it on a sheet pan. It's 90% cooked, so all you're doing is just picking it up. Once it's blanched, I can make risotto, from beginning to end, in three minutes."

How is risotto cooked in Italy? ›

Risotto alla parmigiana

Add the rice, brown it over high heat, and add some red wine. Continue cooking, stirring often and adding some hot broth, little by little. After about 12 minutes, when the risotto is still al dente, add some diced scamorza cheese and let it melt.

How do you reheat risotto without drying it out? ›

Add a small amount of broth or water to the risotto to restore moisture. Heat the risotto over low to medium-low heat. Stir frequently to ensure even heating and prevent sticking. Once the risotto is heated through and has regained its creamy consistency, remove it from the heat and serve.

Can you fridge and reheat risotto? ›

Yes, reheating risotto is perfectly safe. You just have to be careful about how you store your leftovers, as risotto left on the counter overnight isn't good for anyone.

What advance preparation can be done to risotto in order to serve it throughout a service period without losing quality? ›

Expert-Verified Answer. To serve risotto throughout a service period without losing quality, stop cooking earlier, cool it down quickly, store it in the fridge, and reheat when needed.

Does mushroom risotto reheat well? ›

Mushroom Risotto will thicken in the refrigerator due to the starch in the rice, but you can easily thin it out to and restore it to its glory. To reheat risotto: Add risotto and some chicken broth or water to a skillet, about ¼ cup liquid for 1 cup risotto. Heat over medium heat until warmed through, stirring often.

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