Risotto is one of those notoriously intimidating meals that needs a little more babysitting than your average easy dinner recipe. Is the babysitting worth it? I certainly think so! But do I want to stand over a hot stove and constantly stir every time I make this fantastic dish? Not really.

Luckily, my Easy Baked Risotto recipe takes care of that. It has everything you love about risotto, except for the babysitting. Just add rice, broth, and veggies to a pot, pop it in the oven, and let it bake. It’s the ultimate low-effort, high-reward meal I like to quickly throw together after work or for date night with Miguel.

Risotto Ingredients

Arborio rice – This is the only rice I use when I make risotto (with the exception of my orzo risotto recipe). It’s a type of short-grain rice with a high starch content, giving risotto its signature creaminess (without needing any cream).

Stock – I’ll use chicken stock when I want my risotto to be super savory, or vegetable stock when I’d rather keep things vegetarian.

Lemon – I used freshly squeezed lemon juice to brighten the whole dish (bottled is fine, too). For an extra hit of lemony flavor, feel free to zest the lemon before juicing it, then sprinkle it on top at the end.

Frozen peas – Remember to thaw the peas in the fridge before stirring them into the risotto.

This list is to provide further clarification on a few of the ingredients. See recipe card below for the full ingredient list. 

Variations

• Swap the peas – Out of frozen peas? Use another frozen veggie you have, like green beans, broccoli, or zucchini.
• Use seasonal vegetables – I recommend substituting the peas for asparagus tips in the spring, sliced leeks in the summer, and roasted butternut squash in the fall.
• Extra-creamy baked risotto – Stir in a dollop of mascarpone at the very end to make it extra mouthwatering. 
• Vegan option – You can make vegan baked risotto with vegetable broth, non-dairy butter, and vegan parmesan cheese or nutritional yeast.

How to Bake Risotto

Step 1: Heat the broth. Heat the broth in a pot over medium heat until it’s warm, but not boiling. Remove the pot from the heat. 

Step 2: Make the base. Add the rice, warm broth, shallot, garlic, and some of the butter to a large, oven-safe pot (I used a shallow Dutch oven). Stir gently to combine.

Step 3: Bake the risotto. Cover the pot and move it to the oven to bake.  

Step 4: Add the rest. Take the pot out of the oven and stir in the lemon juice, cheese, peas, and salt, then finish with the butter. Add more lemon juice, salt, or pepper to taste, and enjoy! 

Erin’s Tips and Tricks

• Warming the broth ahead of time helps the rice start cooking the second it hits the oven. Cold broth might give you unevenly cooked or crunchy rice.
• Rest the risotto for a few minutes before serving to give the rice time to absorb any extra broth and become nice and fluffy.
• Every oven is a little different, so I would start checking for doneness around the 25-minute mark. You’re looking for rice that’s tender but still has a slight bite (al dente).

Baked Risotto FAQs

Serving Suggestions

Miguel and I serve risotto for any occasion, whether we’re having a casual dinner or a date night. We like to pair it with a simple spring salad like this radish salad or this baby kale salad with honey-mint vinaigrette, and a side of sautéed asparagus. 

Baked risotto is pretty filling on its own, or you can top it with a grilled chicken thigh, pan-seared shrimp, or a baked salmon filet.

Storage

Refrigerator: I find that risotto is best served fresh, but if you have leftovers, keep them covered in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.

Freezer: Pack the cooled risotto into a freezer-safe bag or container and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw it in the fridge overnight before reheating. 

Reheating: Reheating risotto can be a little tricky, but I find that warming the leftovers in a skillet with a splash of broth and gently stirring works wonders.

More Risotto Recipes

VGVegetarianGFGluten Free

Tomato Risotto

GFGluten Free

Chicken Risotto

Shrimp Risotto

VGVegetarianGFGluten Free

Butternut Squash Risotto

If you made this recipe, be sure to leave a comment and star rating below. Thanks!

Making raw veggies taste their best is kind of my thing. Everyone loves my buttery maple roasted carrots, and my honey roasted parsnips are always a hit around the holidays. I always make sure to have a platter of these colorful Oven-Roasted Root Vegetables at Thanksgiving and Christmas, too. They taste indulgent but are actually so healthy!

I went with a combination of sweet potatoes, carrots, red onion, and beets tossed with olive oil, fresh rosemary, thyme, salt, and pepper for this easy side dish. Just take these veggies as a suggestion, though. You can easily use parsnips, rutabaga, or even winter squash and swap the herbs or spices to suit your taste buds.

From the gorgeous colors to endless ways to customize them, these roasted winter vegetables are so simple to make and are a must-have for any cold-weather meal. One bite and you’ll understand why I can’t stop making them!

Roasted Root Vegetable Ingredients

Root vegetables – Of course! I used sweet potatoes, carrots, red onion, beets, and garlic. All of these veggies are super hearty and roast in the same amount of time.

Olive oil – Coating the vegetables in olive oil encourages browning and helps them taste their best. You can technically skip the oil if you’d rather keep the recipe oil-free, but the veggies won’t be as caramelized or flavorful.

Herbs and seasonings – The vegetables are seasoned with a blend of salt, pepper, fresh rosemary, and thyme.

This list provides further clarification on a few of the ingredients. See the recipe card below for the full ingredient list. 

Variations

• Change the vegetables – Feel free to add parsnips, rutabaga, turnips, and celeriac to the sheet pan if you want. Winter squash (butternut, delicata, honeynut, etc.) technically isn’t a root veggie, but it will fit right in with the others.
• Seasoning ideas – You can season the vegetables with a sprinkle of smoked paprika, cumin, curry powder, or a pre-mixed blend. Herbes de Provence, Italian seasoning, Cajun seasoning, or chipotle blend would all be delicious.
• Different herbs – Use sage leaves, fresh oregano, or tarragon instead of rosemary or thyme.
• Garnish ideas – Once they’re out of the oven, garnish the vegetables with chopped nuts or seeds (almonds, walnuts, or pepitas), crumbled feta or goat cheese, a drizzle of lemon juice, honey, or balsamic glaze, or spoon my lemon yogurt sauce over top.

How to Roast Root Vegetables 

Step 1: Coat. Toss the chopped sweet potatoes, carrots, onion, beets, and garlic with olive oil and salt until coated. 

Step 2: Roast. Lay the vegetables in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet, then roast in the oven for 25 minutes. 

Step 3: Finish. Take the baking sheet out of the oven and sprinkle the fresh herbs over the top. Return the pan to the oven and continue roasting until the veggies are fork-tender and lightly golden around the edges. Serve hot and enjoy!

Erin’s Tips and Tricks

• Don’t overcrowd the vegetables. If necessary, roast them on two pans instead. Giving them all a little breathing room will allow the hot air to circulate and caramelize every edge.
• The veggies are done roasting when they’re fork-tender. I like to do a quick “taste test check” at the 35-minute mark; if the veggies are sweet, crisp-edged, and melt a little on your tongue, they’re done.

Oven-Roasted Vegetables FAQs 

Storage

Make ahead: You can chop your vegetables and refrigerate them in a resealable bag for up to 24 hours before roasting. 

Refrigerator: Transfer any cooled leftover veggies to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days.

Reheating: For the best texture, reheat roasted veggies in the oven or air fryer at 400°F for 10 to 12 minutes or until they’re hot and crisp again. The microwave will also work, but it will make the vegetables soggy.

Say hello to creamy, fall-flavored comfort in a bowl! I can’t get enough of this Butternut Squash and Sage Risotto. It’s nothing short of mouthwatering, and the cubes of tender squash in every bite bring some serious cozy vibes.

Now, it’s true that risotto is known for being tedious, but I personally find it almost relaxing to make. The hardest part is chopping the squash (and you can always buy pre-chopped squash anyway)! Just stir a splash of broth at a time into a skillet with the risotto rice and butternut squash until the consistency is luxurious, then finish it off with plenty of cheese.

If you love indulging in my baked risotto or tomato risotto during summer, then you’ll surely enjoy digging into this butternut squash risotto during autumn.

Butternut Squash Risotto Ingredients

Broth – I went with vegetable broth since this is a vegetable-forward recipe. Chicken broth will also work if you don’t need this dish to be vegetarian.

Butternut squash – Chop a fresh butternut squash into cubes yourself, or save time by buying pre-chopped squash instead. Frozen squash will also work here (no need to thaw it ahead of time), but it will take slightly longer to cook. If butternut squash isn’t available or in season yet, you can make this recipe with sweet potatoes, pumpkin, or another winter squash instead.

Fresh sage – Opt for fresh sage leaves, not ground sage. The leaves add a subtle earthy warmth here, and any extras are used for garnish.

Rice – Arborio rice is the only rice that will work for risotto. The small grains are extra starchy, giving this dish its signature creamy texture.

Parmesan cheese – Shred the parmesan from the block yourself rather than using pre-shredded cheese. Trust me, the freshly shredded stuff melts so much nicer!

This list is to provide further clarification on a few of the ingredients. See recipe card below for the full ingredient list. 

Variations

• Wine-free – If you’d rather skip the wine, simply replace it with an equal amount of vegetable broth and a splash of apple cider vinegar or lemon juice.
• Dairy-free – For vegan butternut squash risotto, make this with vegan butter and meltable shredded vegan parmesan cheese.
• Add winter spices – Add a pinch of cinnamon or nutmeg when you add the other spices for a subtly sweet flavor.
• Crispy sage garnish – Lightly fry the reserved sage leaves in a skillet with a shallow layer of olive oil until they’re crispy, then transfer them to a paper towel-lined plate. Top them on the risotto and enjoy the crunch!
• More garnish ideas – Top the finished risotto with crispy bacon, goat cheese, fresh parsley, or a drizzle of maple syrup.

How to Make Butternut Squash Risotto

Step 1: Warm the broth. Pour the broth into a saucepan and heat it over medium-low.

Step 2: Sauté the squash. Sauté the butternut squash cubes in a skillet over medium heat. Add the shallot, garlic, sage, and salt and sauté for 4 more minutes. 

Step 3: Toast the rice. Add the rice to the skillet and stir it for 1 minute. Pour in the wine and stir continuously until the rice has absorbed most of the liquid.

Step 4: Add the broth. Ladle 1 cup of broth into the skillet with the rice at a time. Simmer until it’s absorbed, then add more broth. Continue this process until you’re out of broth.

Step 5: Finish with cheese. To finish, stir in the butter and parmesan cheese until melted. Garnish the risotto with extra sage leaves, cheese, salt, and pepper, then enjoy!

Erin’s Tips and Tricks

• Toasting the grains of rice is important because it deepens their natural flavor and prevents a gloopy consistency.
• Risotto 101 is all about keeping the broth warm while the rice cooks. If it’s cold, the broth will shock the rice, and the rice will take longer to cook.
• You’ll know the risotto is done cooking when you drag a wooden spoon along the bottom of the pan and the liquid doesn’t immediately fill the empty space.
• Serve this as a comforting fall side dish next to my apple pecan salad, or top it with air fryer chicken breast to turn it into a main dish.

Storage

Risotto is typically best served fresh, but the leftovers can be stored for later.

Refrigerator: Transfer the cooled risotto to an airtight container and refrigerate it for up to 3 days. 

Freezer: Or freeze the leftovers in a freezer-safe bag or container for about 1 month. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before serving. 

Reheating: Reheat the risotto in a skillet with a splash of broth. Heat over medium-low heat and stir until it’s warmed through.