I Tried Ina Garten’s Risotto Recipe Hack

If you’ve ever watched Top Chef, Masterchef, Chopped, or similar cooking competition shows, you know that there’s almost guaranteed to be drama ahead if a chef decides to make risotto. At their core, risotto recipes are quite humble, calling for rice, broth, aromatics (often some type of onion and garlic), and optional mix-ins like cheese, vegetables, wine, and meat. And they don’t take all day; most risotto recipes can be on the table in 30 minutes or so.

The plot thickens when you consider the technique and the timing, though. Traditional risotto recipes start by sweating the aromatics, then toasting the rice, followed by adding just enough warm broth to cover the top of the rice in the pot. From there, you’ll stir the rice until it absorbs most of the broth and plumps up, and repeat that broth-stir-absorb process until the rice is tender, creamy, and cooked to your desired doneness. 

Technically, it’s not an extremely daunting recipe (especially when you compare it to something like mole sauce or beef wellington), but it does require attention, a fair amount of hands-on time, your personal judgement to know when to stop adding broth, and some vigilance to not overcook or undercook the grains.

So as much as I adore wowing dinner party guests with creations like Risotto with Caramelized Onions, Bacon, and Mushrooms that adhere to that classic procedure, I was instantly intrigued when I was flipping through Ina Garten’s latest cookbook, Go-To Dinners, and landed on her recipe for One-Pot Oven Risotto.

How to Make No-Stir Risotto

Ina is all of us at the start of a Food Network segment circa 2010 when she says, “You know when people say they like to come home and make risotto and stir it—they find it relaxing? I think, ‘no they don’t! It’s just annoying!’”

This inspired Ina to see if she could workshop a better way using the oven. The result is a brilliant risotto hack that she has used for her classic Easy Parmesan “Risotto” and the new One-Pot Oven Risotto that I found in her 2022 cookbook.

Fans who have made that Parmesan rendition have commented on the Barefoot Contessa’s recipe to confirm that “this recipe always makes me seem like I’m a better cook than I am,” and admitting that it’s the “only way I’ll make risotto going forward, changing up the ingredients as desired.” “I was used to standing at the stove stirring constantly for (what felt like) hours, so I was nervous about making risotto this way, it seemed TOO easy,” another chimed in. “I should know by now to not doubt Ina, it turned out so good!”

The process reminds us of our Vegetable-Pesto Risotto Casserole. Here’s how it works: “You could stand at the stove stirring risotto for 25 to 30 minutes, or you could combine the ingredients in a Dutch oven, throw it in the oven for 35 minutes, and spend the time doing something more fun,” Ina writes in the introduction to the recipe. “I know which I would choose!”

Same, Ina. Same. 

Here’s a quick look at how to make Ina’s no-stir risotto recipe.

1. Sweat the shallots. In the same Dutch oven you’ll use to bake the rice, add a splash of olive oil and cook onions and your chosen vegetable until al dente. (Ina opts for asparagus, although broccolini, broccoli, snow peas, or snap peas also work—or stir in frozen peas just before serving.) Transfer this foundation to a bowl.
2. Prepare the rice. Add a little more olive oil and the arborio rice, stirring to coat the rice with oil. Pour in most of the chicken stock and a pinch of saffron (if you have it). Bring this to a simmer, and add the lid.
3. Bake the risotto. In a 350° F oven, bake for 35 minutes, or until the rice is tender and the liquid is absorbed.
4. Add the finishing touches. Remove the Dutch oven from the oven, lift off the lid, and stir in a glug of white wine, 1 more cup chicken stock, some freshly-grated Parmesan cheese, a couple pats of butter, plus a pinch of kosher salt and a bit of black pepper, to taste. Stir in the pre-cooked vegetables or frozen peas and serve warm with more Parm, if you like.

What Does Ina Garten’s One-Pot Oven Risotto Taste Like?

Ina’s baked risotto recipe packs all of the flavor and creaminess of a traditional risotto recipe, just with far less effort. It’s richly savory thanks to the Parmesan cheese, layered with flavor from the shallots, stock, and wine, and is similarly silky to the stand-and-stir risotto recipes I’ve made in the past. 

Tips for Making No-Stir Risotto

Here are a few helpful notes we discovered while researching and testing Ina’s oven risotto recipe that might come in handy if you try it, too.

• Use kosher salt—or half as much table salt. One of the most common complaints from Barefoot Contessa fans who tried the Easy Parmesan “Risotto” recipe was that it came out far too salty, even if they used unsalted butter and low-sodium stock. Ina calls for kosher salt to season, which tastes about half as salty as conventional table salt. If you’re using table salt in this or any recipe that asks for kosher, use half as much as is called for.
• Stick with a dry white wine. You don’t want anything too high in residual sugars—or that’s not tasty enough that you wouldn’t drink it on its own. We recommend popping open a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio/Gris, Albariño, or unoaked Chardonnay. You can find solid bottles of all of the above in the $15 to $25 range at most wine shops.
• Consider serving it as a risotto bar. If you’re serving risotto as a main dish, try setting out a spread of topping options so every diner can dress up their own bowl with their desired proteins (such as sautéed shrimp, shredded rotisserie chicken, or crispy bacon or prosciutto) and garnishes (like other fresh herbs, pesto sauce, toasted bread crumbs, or lemon zest). 
• Reheat leftovers like Ina. If you’re lucky enough to have leftovers, Ina suggests adding a little white wine and reheating single servings in the microwave until hot. Top with a little extra grated Parmesan and dive in.

The Verdict on Ina’s No-Stir Risotto Method

One of the biggest hurdles I have as a host is trying to be present for guests while executing the menu and serving a series of warm dishes for every course. Ina’s risotto hack solves that problem, so I can actually be enjoying quality time with my visitors—rather than the stove! I’ll definitely be making this again; switching up the vegetables based on the season.

To round out the ultimate Ina-style menu in a way that can all be prepped almost entirely ahead, I plan to start with a charcuterie board, pair the risotto with an all-in-one entree like Sheet-Pan Chicken with Lemons and Green Olives, then cap things off with a make-ahead dessert such as Vintage Hot Milk Cake with berries and whipped cream or 3-Ingredient Apple Spice Cake. As Ina says, “how easy is that?”