I remember my first dinner party clearly. I was younger, obviously, and at university and it was while my parents went away. I didn’t have a big alcohol filled party but instead had a dinner party where I invited 7 of my nearest and dearest over for a 3 course meal. I had no idea how to have a dinner party really, and my mistake was making a risotto. I couldn’t sit down and enjoy the company of my guests – instead I was the one chained to the stove stirring the rice and adding ladleful after ladleful of stock. I hated being stuck in the kitchen while everyone was having a good time – and worse still I had chained myself to the stove so I had no-one to blame but myself.
I was talking to a friend about this and she told me some clear and easy instructions for a baked risotto where you simply put everything in an oven proof baker and bake it for 40 minutes. The ratio is this: 1.5 cups of arborio rice to 4.5 cups of stock. That’s it and you can make all sorts of variations and whatever flavour that you usually like. No pfaffing about and stirring or standing there checking to see whether the rice has absorbed the liquid (about the culinary equivalent of watching paint dry). This is set and forget. Ever since then I’ve made it loads of times, with different flavours. Today I was making a three cheese version, only because I had some cheese that needed to have been used.
I used the Small Cow Fettice Feta that I bought from the Easter Show although once I saw how cute the little imprint was, I almost didn’t want to use it. I also used some reggiano and tallegio although you could really use whatever cheeses that you have. There is one condition though and that is that you don’t leave it to sit for too long. As you can see I did as the phone rang and I started another one of my usual long phone calls and it got a little dryer than I would have liked. Eat it straight away and you will be rewarded.
Forget It Three Cheese Risotto
An original recipe by Not Quite Nigella
- 1 1/2 cups arborio rice
- 4 1/2 cups chicken stock
- 1 1/2 cups of grated cheeses (I used feta, reggiano and tallegio)
- basil leaves
- salt and pepper to taste
1. Preheat oven to 180C/350F. Rinse rice and empty into a deep non stick baking tray or dutch oven. Scatter cheeses on top and mix to combine. Pour hot stock over, season with salt and pepper and cover with foil and bake for 40 minutes. Bake this close to the time you want to serve it as it gets a bit drier as it sits.
After sitting for about 1 hour-not ideal. Eat it straight away.
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34 Comments | Add your own
Wow, this does look wonderful! And oddly enough, I was just mere minutes ago, talking to the hubby about eatting risotto soon
Great minds think alike!
Well I haven’t tried one of these no-stir risottos but it definitely does seem easier than slaving over the stove! Will be giving this ago soon!
This is the only kind of risotto i have ever made! I also add in the last few ingredients 15 min to the end, and some extra stock and give it a stir…
Perfecto!
What an excellent tip! does this work if i wanted to make mushroom risotto as well?
This is so fantastic! Having stir in stock continuously is exactly what puts me off making risotto, as I mentioned in an earlier comment. I’m so glad you’ve found an alternative, one that looks extra tasty too!
Will definitely give it a go sometime
Baked risotto – great idea!
I was exactly u at a dinner once-sweating over a flame and stirring in the stock. It was so boring! Thanku for a better way to make it =)
how coincidental! I just saw giada making risotto on the Food Network and was craving it so much…but wasn’t sure I wanted to hover over the stove for that long! wonderful tip!
This looks great! Will definitely give it a go. By the way, are you off the the Good Food and Wine Show this year? I just bought my tickets. Going on Saturday and will be at the Riedel masterclass and also at Matt Moran’s session.
Gordon Ramsey will be there and most of the VIP seats are gone already.
The risotto looks so yummy… And I LOVE the little cow printed in the cheese!
Nice work, I need to try a no stir risotto…love them but too mauch time! I still have the other portion of my fetta left too and no idea what to do with it!
I’ve always hated making risotto due to effort (time wise) you need to put in but your tip just makes it easy peasy.. Thanks Lorraine
2nd Sunday in a row I’ve made something of yours.. I’m officially a groupie lol!
I used tasty and mozzarella cheese and only 4litres of stock and 1/2 cup of dolmio onion and garlic(was given to me by a friend who gets the leftover produce from Masterchef)plus some thyme…
Kids and hubby scoffed it for lunch and gave me time to pack away my shopping and put on my bacon bone soup…
Now I need to go buy some more arborio and I’ve found a use for the dolmio which I wasn’t sure I’d use at all!
Yea…cooking risotto can be quite tedious. I’ve never tried baking! I’ll have a go next time =)
The risotto looks so warm and tasty! I don’t know if I would have been able to use that feta either, so cute!!
I’ve never baked risotto from the start, but I have put it in the oven whilst it’s still quite wet to finish it off and give it a nice ‘crust’. Definitely will give it a try as it IS tedious to stand over it, constantly stirring.
Ah cleaver idea! I’ve tried something similar with rice cooker (well technically it’s more like pilaf though.) and now it’s been doing more than cooking rice
great idea – must try it for those nights when I can’t be stirring constantly
Now, I bake my brown rice, but never a risotto. Gotta give it try! Looks great. I love the cow imprint on the cheese, so cute.
Great tip – I hate hanging around stirring risotto. Who’s got time when we’re busy multi tasking around the kitchen? Will have to try this one soon!
Oh, yummy! I just made risotto the other night (with ramps! so spicy!) and had to teach my boyfriend to stir it while I fried some chicken. I don’t mind stirring risotto but this is a great technique to have when I have to make something else at the same time – and the cheese looks so melty and good!
Wonderful looking ristto Lorraine – I am a bit hit and miss with my risotto efforts. I see what you mean about the cute cow cheese – you almost want to frame it.
Oh that looks fab! I’ve never tried baking it – I have a microwave version that has never failed me (I’m such a pleb!)
what a cute cheese with the cow imprint! a baked risotto sounds like a wonderful idea! I’ve always been weary of risotto dishes just cuz I don’t want to be stirring away at the stove
The thought of having to use that cute little cheese ~ ’tis heartbreaking! Nevertheless, the risotto looks really good and cheesy. It must have been gorgeously fragrant, too. ;D
this looks so yummy! i love the way that cow looks on the cheese
MMMMM…Lorraine: your risotto looks a real beauty! Yum Yum Yum!!!
2 cheeses is decadent, 3 is divine! As a cheese lover, you’ve got me drooling Miss NQN
Awesome! I’ve made many risotto’s working in a restaurant and this would have made life easier. Imagine having to tend a batch large enough to feed 50-ish people!
As for the drying out. You can try what we did as we made all our risotto in large batches and then reheated it for service. Simply add a small amount of stock and rework it on the stovetop when you’re ready to serve. This way you can make it as far ahead as you need.
Wow, that looks so simple and beautiful. I love the 3 cheese idea. Would love to try it with brown short grain rice.
Hi ArtemisIII-Thankyou! Hehe how funny is that? Great minds certainly think alike!
Hi ESZ-They’re so much easier believe me! Excellent, I’d love to know what you think of it!
Hi Janna-Oh great!
Yup that’s a good idea too!
Hi Usha-Thankyou!
I’m sure it would work on it!
Hi Steph-I know, it’s so boring isn’t it
Especially when you think what else you could be doing! Thanks, if you do I’d love to know what you think of it! 
Hi Barbara-Hehe thankyou!
Hi Brianna-Hehe bad memories huh? You’re welcome, I hope you like it!
Hi Sophia-Oh cool, what timing and the best of both worlds!
Hi romaverona-Thankyou! I’m thinking of giving this year’s show a miss having been to the last few. I’d love to see Gordon Ramsay again but I think all the good seats for him are long gone. Very cool-do report back!
Hi Paula-Hehe thankyou! Yes it made it almost too cute to use!
Hi Reemski-They’re a lifesaver for a weekday dinner. Use it in this?
Hi foodie-central-Wonderful! You’re more than welcome!
Hi Liss-That’s brilliant! Ahh very good use of an ingredient that you thought you’d get no use out of-bravo!
Hi pigpigscorner-Excellent, I’d love to know what you think of it if you make it
Hi Feasting on Art-Hehe the perils of buying adorable produce huh?
Hi Su-yin-Ahhh interesting tactic! I admit I love the “crust” from baking-surely that’s the cooks’ treat?
Hi Yas-Thankyou! Oh yes a rice cooker would be great for that too I would imagine
It’s always good to find new uses for appliances 
Hi Johanna-Definitely and with Sylvia that might be quite a few nights!
Hi Bethie-Ahhh baked brown rice sounds very interesting! Hehe I know, so adorable!
Hi Forager-Thankyou! Borne out of laziness and frustration
Exactly! When I cook I’ve got a dozen other things going on!
Hi anna-Yes it’s great if you have a helper although my kitchen is tiny so there’s no room for a helper
Thankyou!
Hi Cakelaw-Thankyou so much! Oh really? What a shame-but this one is a neverfail recipe. I’ve made it so many times
Hehe
yes I hurt to use it!
Hi Victoria-Thankyou! Hey whatever works for you is good! I don’t judge!
Hi Alexandra-Yes sometimes you just don’t have time for it! It was years between risottos for me for that very reason
Hi Midge-I know!
Thankyou, it was so creamy and melty and good!
Hi Dorothy-Thanks so much! It’s such a cute idea isn’t it!
Hi Sophie-Thankyou so much!
Hi Christie-Haha good to hear Miss Fig & Cherry!
Hi QuintLyn-Oh wow yes for that many people must have been an enormous feat indeed!
Good idea! I will do that next time. Great to know thankyou!
Hi Carolyn-Thankyou so much! Now that would be interesting indeed!
Thanks for that, I just got a dutch oven so will be making this as soon as I re-stock on rice
Cheers
Zo
i think i’ve just become a fan of risotto, something i never thought could happen.
Hi Zo-You’re welcome! I hope you like it!
Hi grace-Hehe really? how very cool indeed!
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