Authentic Riso al Forno Recipe: Italian Baked Rice Perfection

Ingredients

• 0.75 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
• 0.5 cup dry bread crumbs
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 yellow onion, sliced
• 1 (23 ounce) jar tomato puree (passata)
• 1 cup low-sodium vegetable broth
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 0.25 cup chopped fresh basil
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 1 tablespoon dried thyme
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
• 0.5 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1.25 cups uncooked short-grain white rice
• water as needed
• 1 cup cubed provolone cheese

Instructions

1. In a bowl, combine Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese with bread crumbs; set aside for later.
2. Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until it becomes tender and translucent, approximately 8 minutes. Incorporate tomato purée, vegetable broth, peas, basil, oregano, thyme, garlic, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Stir to combine, bring to a simmer, and cook for 5 minutes. Add rice and mix thoroughly. Cover and simmer, adding a small amount of water if needed to prevent sticking, until the rice is tender, about 18 minutes.
3. While the rice simmers, preheat your oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
4. Take the Dutch oven off the stove and gently mix in the provolone cheese. Sprinkle the reserved bread crumb mixture evenly over the top.
5. Bake in the preheated oven until the top is bubbly and beautifully browned, approximately 15 minutes.

Nutrition

• Calories: 443 kcal
• Fat Content: 17 g
• Fiber Content: 6 g
• Sugar Content: 9 g
• Sodium Content: 909 mg
• Protein Content: 17 g
• Cholesterol Content: 24 mg
• Carbohydrate Content: 58 g
• Saturated Fat Content: 7 g
• Unsaturated Fat Content: 0 g