TK TK TKI’m calling this weeknight fancy because that’s exactly what it is. This is the risotto I make when it’s raining on a Wednesday and I want something that feels cozy and intentional, but I absolutely do not want to stand at the stove stirring for half an hour.
This is oven-baked risotto, which means you do the important part up front — onions, garlic, good stock, Arborio rice — and then the oven takes over. Everything goes into one pot, it bakes for twenty minutes, and when it comes out you finish it with butter and Parmesan. That’s it. No ladling, no hovering, no stress.
The recipe itself is really just a base. A very good one. Once you have the method down, you can take it wherever you want depending on the season or what’s in your fridge. I’ve listed a few swaps below, but think of this as a formula more than a fixed recipe.
Less than ten minutes of active work, one pot to clean, and you end up with something that feels like it took way more effort than it did. Which, honestly, is the goal most nights.
Oven-Baked Risotto
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 onion finely chopped (about 1 cup)
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- ½ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup Arborio rice
- 2½ cups stock vegetable or chicken
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter divided
- 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- In a Dutch oven set over medium heat, add the olive oil. Add the onion and cook until translucent, about 3 minutes.
- Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute, until fragrant. Stir in 1 tablespoon of the butter and the black pepper, letting everything toast lightly.
- Add the Arborio rice and stir to coat in the fat, then pour in the stock and bring to a simmer.
- Cover the pot and transfer it to the oven. Bake for 20 minutes.
- Remove from the oven, uncover, and stir in the remaining tablespoon of butter and the Parmesan. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
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