Risotto Pilaf Baked in the Oven With No Stirring

This Italian risotto pilaf recipe uses the same ingredients as risotto, Carnaroli or Arborio rice, onion, butter and homemade stock, but all the stock is added at once and the rice is baked covered in the oven. Without stirring, the grains stay firm and separate instead of creamy like a risotto. In Italy we simply call it riso pilaf.

Jump to:

• Ingredients
• Instructions
• How to serve it
• Why it is a perfect side dish
• Top tips for risotto pilaf
• Difference between pilaf and risotto
• Recipes you might also like
• Frequently asked questions
• 📋Risotto Pilaf Baked in the Oven With No Stirring

My mother learned this dish at her amateur cooking classes at the Cordon Bleu in Rome.

She made it instead of risotto whenever she was short of time, on a busy day or for a dinner party, when she did not want to be stuck in the kitchen as the guests arrived.

Risotto has to be stirred while it cooks, and this is what makes it impractical for a dinner party.

I have seen many no-stir risotto methods, like the instant pot or the pressure cooker, but they are not the same as a risotto.

When the stock goes in all at once, the rice is practically boiled.

For this reason, I prefer to bake the rice in the oven as a pilaf, the way my mother did.

To get the right result every time, follow the instructions strictly, including the quantities, the oven temperature and the baking time.

This baked rice is very versatile and goes with most vegetables, meat or seafood, and it works well at dinner parties, especially when you have celiac guests.

For a festive dinner, you can layer the same rice in a bundt mould in three colours to make a tricolor rice timbale filled with a stew of your choice.

For more versatile side dishes to make at dinner parties, you can read: Italian roasted potatoes, Gratin Dauphinoise Recipe, Yorkshire Pudding, Light and Fluffy Italian Homemade Gnocchi, Gnocchi alla Romana or Fried polenta

Ingredients

• Carnaroli or Arborio rice: the type of rice is very important, do not substitute with long grain rice. It has a different cooking time and will absorb less water. Alternatively, you can use Spanish rice for paella. If you want the classic risotto version, here is how I make my Carnaroli risotto.
• homemade chicken stock: you can substitute with brown beef stock for extra flavor or vegetable stock for vegetarian version
• butter: you can substitute with olive oil, but the butter gives this dish a special flavor
• Diced onion
• freshly grated Parmesan: you can stir it in at the end or serve it on the side, depending on the main dish.

You can find the measurements in the recipe card below.

Instructions

1. Stir fry the onion with the butter at very low heat; the onion should not burn.
2. Once the onion becomes translucent, add the rice.
3. Keep the heat medium-low and stir the rice in the butter until the grains are dry and evenly heated. In Italian this step is called rincrudire, and the rice should not turn brown.
4. Place it into a covered larger baking dish or ceramic dish and add the warm stock
5. Cook it covered in a hot oven at 430 F - 220 C for 20 minutes.
6. Serve immediately by sprinkling fresh parsley and/or Parmesan cheese

Hint: the ratio of rice vs stock, baking temperature, and cook time is gauged for risotto rice. If you are using Basmati rice or wild rice the cooking time may change and you may have to reduce or increase the amount of stock a different kind of rice will absorb a different amount of liquid when cooking.

How to serve it

As I mentioned before, this baked rice can be served with almost anything.

If you serve it with the main dish with a nice sauce, the rice will give a nice texture without overpowering it with flavor.

For example, it will go very well with the orange sauce of the Magret de Canard a l'Orange , Italian chicken with peppers or the creamy chicken marsala.

Also a good companion to lamb ragu, fish pie or baked swordfish.

When I made this video I served it with my Italian veal stew.

Like this pilaf, my rolled stuffed turkey breast is a good dish for a dinner party, because it can be cooked the day before.

For a vegetarian version, you can use vegetable stock and serve it with a rich vegetable stew like Italian baked ratatouille or giambotta.

Why it is a perfect side dish

The uncooked rice is first heated in butter with the onion at medium-low heat until the grains are dry.

Then it is cooked in the oven at a very high temperature, immersed in stock.

Because all the grains are equally dry, they absorb the stock evenly and remain nicely firm.

You will have nice fluffy rice to combine with juicy main dishes like stews or casseroles.

If you want to make it creamier, mantecato, you can add some parmesan at the end.

Simple Side Dishes for Juicy Mains

Here are some easy-to-make options that pair beautifully with any succulent main.

Semolina Gnocchi alla Romana is a traditional Italian dish made from semolina flour, milk, butter, Parmesan cheese, and eggs, baked to a creamy, cheesy delight with a crispy top.

Microwaving potatoes until tender and then baking them ensures fluffy insides with a crispy exterior, making them a perfect quick side dish.

Italian roasted potatoes, tossed with olive oil, garlic, rosemary, and sea salt, are roasted until golden and crispy, offering a flavorful accompaniment.

Yorkshire pudding, made from a simple batter of flour, eggs, and milk, bakes into light, airy puffs that are perfect for soaking up gravy.

Crispy fried polenta, made from cornmeal and fried to golden perfection, adds a crunchy texture and rich flavor that complements juicy mains beautifully.

Top tips for risotto pilaf

• For this baked pilaf, I use Carnaroli or Arborio rice for risotto. You cannot use other types of rice as the cooking times will be different.
• Heat the rice in the butter at medium-low heat until the grains are dry, without letting it turn brown
• You can cook the onion and the rice in butter ahead of time and bake it just before serving it
• Use the exact quantities of rice vs. stock, baking time, and temperature; it will be perfect each time
• Use a baking dish with a tight fitting lid; otherwise, you can cover the baking pan with aluminum foil
• Store the leftover rice in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the fridge

Difference between pilaf and risotto

Pilaf and risotto differ in how the stock is added. For risotto, the hot stock goes in a little at a time while the rice is stirred, which releases the starch and makes it creamy.

For pilaf, the stock goes in all at once and the rice cooks without stirring. This recipe is short grain rice cooked with the pilaf technique.

Risotto is an Italian dish that originated in the northern region of Lombardy.

It is made by heating short-grain rice in butter or oil until the grains are dry and then adding hot broth while stirring.

This method creates a creamy texture and releases starch from the rice, giving it a rich and velvety consistency.

Risotto is often finished with parmesan cheese, butter, and other ingredients such as mushrooms, seafood or vegetables.

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Frequently asked questions

Is baked rice pilaf the same as risotto?
No, it uses the same rice and the same ingredients as risotto, onion, butter and stock, but all the stock is added at once and the rice is baked covered without stirring. The grains stay firm and separate instead of creamy. If I want it creamier, I stir in some Parmesan at the end, although it will never be the same as risotto.

Can I use Basmati or long-grain rice?
No, the stock, the oven temperature and the baking time in this recipe are gauged for risotto rice like Carnaroli or Arborio. Long-grain rice has a different cooking time and absorbs less liquid, so the result will not be the same.

Can I make it ahead?
Yes, I cook the onion and the rice in butter ahead of time and bake it just before serving.

Can I use water instead of stock?
No, with water the rice would be flavorless.

Can I double the recipe for a party?
Possibly, but I have never tried it and it may not work.

How do I store and reheat leftovers?
I store the leftover rice in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. To reheat it, I stir fry it in a pan or warm it in the microwave. You can also use the leftovers to make crispy fried risotto cakes.

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