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Yields:
4 - 6 serving(s)
Prep Time:
10 mins
Cook Time:
50 mins
Total Time:
1 hr
Risotto is a slow-cooked, creamy, dreamy Italian rice porridge, flavored with ingredients like wine, some type of stock, lots of butter, and finely grated cheese. If that doesn’t describe the most comforting meal, I don’t know what does. However, risotto usually involves you next to the stove babysitting the rice, adding ladle after ladle of stock, mixing constantly for about 40 minutes until the rice has absorbed all the liquid.
Instead, here we mix the rice and flavorful blistered tomatoes with all the stock and bake in the oven until the rice absorbs most of the liquid. No stirring, totally hands-off. Top it all off with fresh burrata and let that cream ooze all over.
Looking for more recipes like this? Check out my cookbook, Pass the Plate, for even more shareable weeknight inspo.
Made this recipe? Let us know how it went in the comments below!
From the book PASS THE PLATE: 100 Delicious, Highly Shareable, Everyday Recipes by Carolina Gelen. Copyright © 2024 by Gelen Media LLC. Photograph copyright © 2024 by Nico Schinco. Published by Clarkson Potter/Publishers, an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group, a division of Penguin Random House LLC.
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Ingredients
- 1/4 tsp.
fennel seeds
- 4 Tbsp.
extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
- 1
small bunch fresh oregano or thyme (5 to 8 sprigs)
- 2 pt.
or 1 1/2 lb. cherry tomatoes
Kosher salt
- 1
medium shallot, finely chopped
- 1
heaping tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 cup
arborio rice
- 1 tsp.
freshly ground black pepper, plus more for serving
- 1 tsp.
red chile flakes
- 1/4 cup
red wine or water
- 1
garlic head, top cut off to expose cloves, root attached
- 1 cup
finely grated Parmesan
- 3 Tbsp.
unsalted butter
- 8 oz.
burrata, drained
Flaky sea salt
Directions
- Step 1Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- Step 2In a mortar and pestle, crush the fennel seeds roughly. (You can also do this by putting the seeds in a zip-seal plastic bag or between layers of a kitchen towel and going over them a few times with a rolling pin.)
- Step 3In a large heavy-bottomed Dutch oven, combine 1 tablespoon of the oil and the oregano and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, for 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and a hefty pinch of kosher salt and toss to coat the tomatoes in the oil. Partially cover the pot with a lid to keep the oil from splattering. Let the tomatoes cook, undisturbed, until blistered and slightly browned on one side, 4 to 6 minutes. Stir the tomatoes, replace the lid, and cook until the tomatoes are blistered all over and quite browned, 3 to 5 minutes. Scoop out about 1 cup of the tomatoes and reserve for plating.
- Step 4 Add the shallot and tomato paste to the Dutch oven and toss with the blistered tomatoes. Cook until the tomato paste is darkened, about 2 minutes. If the browned bits at the bottom of the pan start cooking too fast, add a splash of water and scrape up those bits with a wooden spoon. Add the remaining 3 tablespoons oil, plus the rice, black pepper, chile flakes, and crushed fennel seeds and cook until the rice is coated in the oil and the spices are fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the wine and stir for 1 minute. Add 4 cups water and a big pinch of kosher salt and bring to a boil. Halve the garlic head and place the halves on top of the rice mixture, cover the pot with a lid, and transfer to the oven.
- Step 5Bake until the rice has absorbed all the liquid, 30 to 35 minutes.
- Step 6Discard the herb sprigs, squeeze in the garlic cloves and discard the skins. Add the Parmesan and butter and stir until the cheese and butter are fully incorporated. If needed, add a splash of water to loosen the risotto. Taste and season with more kosher salt as needed.
- Step 7Tear the burrata right onto the risotto and top with the reserved blistered tomatoes, lots of olive oil, flaky salt, and black pepper.
- Step 8Divide the risotto among bowls and serve right away.
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