Oh, risotto. Your reputation precedes you. Notoriously labor intensive, requiring time and constant attention to what’s happening on the stove, and lots of stirring, stirring, stirring. Hardly the dish I want to make on a weeknight when I just want dinner to be ready already!

On the other hand, baked risotto is a dream come true. A true one-pot wonder, this risotto requires very little stirring and almost zero attention while it cooks. After just 45 minutes in the oven, you have a pot of warm and comforting creamy rice with minimal effort.

You start on your stovetop, using your favorite enameled cast-iron Dutch oven or French oven. By now you know I love my Staub cocotte and it’s a particularly useful tool here. There are lots of brands available, but one of the reasons I prefer Staub is because of the well-fitting lid. The heat gets locked in tight, so the top of your risotto cooks at the same rate as the bottom. CLICK HERE to buy a Staub cocotte from Relish!

After sautéing onion and garlic and toasting the rice, you pour in most (but not all) of the broth. Then, you cover and bake for about 45 minutes. While the mixture steams in the oven, the rice absorbs the broth, softening and turning into a rich, creamy dish. When the rice comes out of the oven, you stir in asparagus, another half cup of broth, and an egg yolk. The starch from the arborio rice thickens the broth and makes a glorious, restaurant-quality dinner.

This risotto recipe is asparagus-forward, but you can add in whatever vegetables or toppings you might enjoy. I think stirring in peas would be delicious, or you could top with crispy bits of pancetta or bacon. My personal tweak was that I replaced the Parmesan cheese with nutritional yeast (it’s a dairy thing!). In fact, if I would have omitted the egg yolk and used vegetable stock instead of chicken, I could have had a completely vegan version of this recipe. Swap in whatever flavors and ingredients you enjoy!

OVEN-BAKED SPRING RISOTTO

INGREDIENTS

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 ½ cups arborio rice
½ cup white wine
4 ½ cups chicken stock
1 tablespoon freshly grated lemon zest
Salt and black pepper
2 cups asparagus (1-inch spears), blanched
1 egg yolk, whisked
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Italian flat leaf parsley, chopped, for garnish
Chives, chopped, for garnish

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
In a medium cast-iron cocotte, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook for 2 to 4 minutes, until translucent. Add the garlic and rice and cook for another minute, or until the rice is coated with the oil and the garlic is fragrant.
Stir in the wine, 4 cups of the stock, the lemon zest, and a big pinch of salt and pepper. Cover and bake for 45-50 minutes, until most of the stock is absorbed.
Carefully remove the lid and fold in the blanched asparagus. Cover again and let the asparagus steam for a minute or so (just to warm it a bit). Add the egg yolk, the remaining 1/2 cup of stock, and the Parmesan, and stir well.
Taste and add salt and pepper if needed. Spoon into bowls and serve garnished with parsley and chives.

Recipe adapted from The Staub Cookbook (2018), courtesy of Zwilling J.A. Henckels.