Name: Easy Baked Risotto
Total time: 45 min
Cuisine: ItalianEurope
Ingredients: 5 cups low-sodium chicken broth; 1/2 cup water; 2 bay leaves; 4 tablespoons unsalted butter; 1 onion , minced; Salt and pepper; 2 cups Arborio rice; 3 cloves garlic cloves , minced; 1/2 cup dry white wine; 2 1/2 ounces grated Parmesan cheese (1 1/4 cups); 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

Why This Recipe Works

Recipes for baked risotto that took all of the ingredients, threw them into a baking dish, and placed them in the oven always resulted in either undercooked rice or mush. At the end of the day, we found we couldn’t skip softening the onions, sautéing the rice and garlic, or reducing the wine on the stovetop. Instead of using a shallow baking dish, we found a better approach: pressing aluminum foil onto the rice inside a Dutch oven, which trapped moisture and yielded a superior consistency. We finished our Easy Baked Risotto with chopped parsley and a generous amount of Parmesan cheese.

Before You Begin

Be sure to use low-sodium chicken broth or the risotto will be too salty. Use a rasp-style grater to grate the Parmesan cheese.

Instructions

HEAT BROTH Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees. Bring broth, water, and bay leaves to simmer in medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Cover and keep warm over lowest possible heat.

TOAST RICE While broth is warming, melt butter in Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion and 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook until lightly browned, about 6 minutes. Stir in rice and cook until edges begin to turn translucent, about 2 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add wine and cook, stirring until completely absorbed, about 1 minute.

BAKE AND FINISH Pour warm broth over rice. Cover Dutch oven with sheet of aluminum foil, pressing down so that it rests on top of broth. Crimp foil around edges and cover pot with lid for tight seal. Bake until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed, about 15 minutes. Discard bay leaves. Stir in Parmesan cheese and parsley and season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve.