Risotto is the king of all rice dishes. It is the marriage of “form and function”, filling and affordable, luscious and elegant. Traditional risotto recipes call for constant stirring of rice and broth, which, when entertaining, can put a damper on your own enjoyment. Don’t get me wrong, I love the lonely job of preparing a meal for others, but sometimes, spending time with your friends is more important than spending time with your kitchen. Hence, I propose the baked risotto. This recipe produces an equally creamy risotto, without the constant stirring. So that you can enjoy your friends, while your Dutch oven produces the most decadent, satisfying meal.
As a celebration of this season’s produce, I added mizuna and green peas, a beautiful pairing of bitter and sweet. Adding cumin powder to the rice while toasting helped develop a deep aromatic flavor. 
Invite friends over, make this risotto, and enjoy with wine, while breathing spring air in.
Totally Baked, Creamy Bitter Green Risotto
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Description
This baked risotto combines the creamy texture of traditional risotto with the ease of a hands-off cooking method, featuring the seasonal flavors of mizuna and sweet peas.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/4 onion, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 handful almonds, roughly chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin powder
- Pinch of salt
- 3/4 cup (160g) Arborio rice
- 1/2 cup (1dl) white wine
- 3 cups (7dl) vegetable broth
- 1/2 cup (75g) peas, fresh or frozen
- 1 cup mizuna or other bitter greens, chopped
- 2 tablespoons butter
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C).
- In a small saucepan, bring the vegetable broth to a simmer and keep warm.
- In a Dutch oven over medium-low heat, add the olive oil and heat until fragrant.
- Add the chopped onions and cook for about 5 minutes until soft and translucent.
- Stir in the cumin powder and minced garlic, cooking for an additional minute until aromatic.
- Add the Arborio rice, stirring to coat the grains in the oil and spices.
- Pour in the white wine and cook, stirring occasionally, until the wine is mostly absorbed.
- Add the almonds and a pinch of salt, then pour in the simmering vegetable broth.
- Cover the Dutch oven with a lid and transfer to the preheated oven.
- Bake for 30 minutes, until the rice is tender and creamy.
- Remove from the oven and stir in the peas, chopped mizuna, and butter until the greens are wilted and the butter is melted.
- Serve immediately, garnished with additional almonds if desired.
Notes
You can prepare the rice several hours ahead of time. Cook for 30 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 200°F (90°C) to keep warm until ready to serve. Stir in the greens and peas just before serving to maintain their vibrant color and freshness. This dish pairs well with a crisp white wine.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 3
- Sodium: 500
- Fat: 12
- Carbohydrates: 50
- Fiber: 4
- Protein: 8
- Cholesterol: 15
