Roasted Tomato Risotto

This simple roasted tomato risotto is incredibly flavorful thanks to tangy roasted tomatoes, sauteed onion, and a dash of wine. It makes a wonderfully decadent meal for weeknights and weekends alike.

If you’ve been too intimidated to make risotto due to rumors of this classic Italian dish’s difficulty, I’ve got the recipe for you. This simple roasted tomato risotto is surprisingly easy to make, requires only a little babysitting, and is incredibly flavorful despite a short list of ingredients.

The key to this creation is the inclusion of our oven-roasted tomatoes. These deliciously tangy, garlicky, and herby tomatoes add a bowlful of complex flavor to the base of creamy Arborio rice. Paired with a sauteed onion, chicken stock, and white wine, this flavor combination is sure to be enjoyed by the entire family.

Like other risottos, this one takes some patience to make, but even novice chefs will be able to follow our simple recipe. Our easy approach to cooking this dish makes it a great option for weeknights or a perfectly decadent dinner for special occasions. Serve it alongside our rosemary bread and arugula salad for a full meal you won’t soon forget.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Uses Pantry Staples. Aside from the onion, this delicious dish is made up almost entirely of staples you likely already have in your pantry or cellar (especially if you’ve already canned a batch of our oven-roasted tomatoes).
• A Cost-Effective Meal. All those simple ingredients mean this recipe is impressively cost-effective to make. Save even more by using garden-grown tomatoes and onions and homemade chicken stock.
• A Fresh Take on a Classic. Risotto is a classic Italian dish with a reputation for being difficult to make. But this recipe is highly forgiving and easy to get right thanks to our simplified approach.
• Meal-Prep Friendly. The ooey-gooey nature of this risotto makes it easy to store and reheat without losing the flavor and texture. This makes it a wonderful choice for making ahead and for meal prep.

What Is Risotto?

The first risotto recipe showed up in the Italian history books in the 1800s, but you can trace this classic dish’s origins back to the 13th century. That’s when Arab traders brought short-grained rice to Italy from Asia. 

This variety of rice has a high starch content that reacts differently to liquids than long-grain rice. It also happens to grow incredibly well in the humid regions of Lombardy, Veneto, and Piedmont.

Over the centuries, Italians in these areas experimented with rice recipes, eventually discovering the unique talents of these short-grained varieties. 

Slowly mixing short-grained rice with warm broth over heat entices these grains to release their starch. This creates a creamy base that can be mixed with a variety of vegetables for an inherently decadent dish.

Risotto is most often made with Arborio rice, but Carnaroli and Vialone Nano varieties also work. It is typically served as a side dish but can be easily elevated and served as a main dish, as well.

How to Make Roasted Tomato Risotto

This risotto recipe takes a little patience, as they all do, but don’t be intimidated. It actually comes together rather easily with a short list of ingredients and just a handful of steps. 

Let’s take a quick look at what goes into this recipe and how to make it.

Key Ingredients

I’ve found that the key to this yummy risotto is the simple yet flavorful ingredients that go into the base.

• Roasted Tomatoes. This recipe relies heavily on our oven-roasted tomato recipe. Using these tomatoes in your dish will produce the best results. But if you don’t have fresh plum tomatoes on hand to make it, you can always opt for canned roasted tomatoes. 
• Arborio Rice. Arborio rice is easy to find and necessary for making this recipe. You can substitute Carnaroli and Vialone Nano if you happen to have them on hand but don’t use brown rice or other long-grain varieties as they aren’t starchy enough to recreate the creamy texture you need.
• Chicken Stock. I’ve found that chicken stock (especially homemade chicken stock) brings the best flavor to this recipe. But you can always substitute vegetable stock to make this recipe vegetarian.
• White Wine. The classic risotto texture comes from the short-grained rice, but it’s the inclusion of wine that gives this dish its classic flavor. You can use white cooking wine or the leftover dry white wine of your choice.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Add onion to an oiled, heated saucepan. Cook until soft.

2. Add rice and stir to coat with oil and onion. Salt and pepper to taste.

3. Add wine and 2 cups of stock. Bring to a boil then simmer until the stock is absorbed.

4. Add tomatoes, garlic, and another cup of stock. Cook until the stock is absorbed.

5. Continue adding stock one cup at a time. Remove from heat once you achieve a creamy texture.

6. Add cheese and butter. Stir to combine.

7. Serve with grated cheese on top.

Recipe Tips, Variations, and Substitutions

• Be patient. The key to that classic creamy texture is to slowly add small amounts of warm stock to the rice and let it absorb before adding more. As you get closer to the end, I suggest adding only a splash of stock at a time so the final product isn’t too liquidy.
• Keep your stock warm. I’ve made this dish successfully using cold broth, but it certainly goes faster if your stock is hot when you add it to the pan. I recommend pouring all your stock into a saucepan and warming it up before you begin.
• Make it vegan. You can easily make this dish vegan-friendly by substituting vegetable broth and vegan butter. 
• Add spices. This recipe is light on herbs and spices because much of that flavor comes from the oven-roasted tomatoes. If using canned tomatoes, I recommend adding herbs such as fresh basil, fresh thyme, and dried basil leaf.
• Bake it. If you don’t have time to babysit the stove while making this meal, you can try baking it in the oven instead. Start with about half the stock and check it halfway through, adding stock as needed. 
• Use cherry tomatoes. One fun variation of this recipe that I especially like to do in the spring is to roast cherry tomatoes and add them in place of the roasted plum tomatoes. 

Make Ahead and Storage Recommendations

This dish can easily be made ahead and reheated as needed. 

To do this, simply make the dish as instructed, then place it in a large baking dish with a lid. Store it in the refrigerator for up to five days.

Once you’re ready to eat it, stir in an additional ½ to 1 cup of stock and place the dish in the oven at 350 degrees. Cook until it’s warmed through.

Leftovers should also be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for up to five days after the dish is first cooked. You can reheat it in the oven as instructed above, in a saucepan with a splash of extra broth, or in the microwave.

Serving Suggestions

This risotto makes a great side dish or main, depending on what you serve it with. Here are a few of my favorite pairings. 

• Quick and Delicious Seared Wild Salmon – If you’re looking for a main to pair with this risotto, this yummy and easy salmon dish is a great option.
• Herb and Flower Salad – This gorgeous salad is full of fresh flavors to elevate the savoriness of the risotto.
• Sautéed Fiddleheads with Shiitake Mushrooms & Garlic – This side takes some searching to find the ingredients, but it’s worth the hunt.
• Sweet Potato and Sun-Dried Tomato Braided Bread – This homemade bread is stunning and delicious, and pairs wonderfully with the tangy flavors of this risotto.
• Honey-Roasted Carrots with Rosemary – The sweetness of this side dances perfectly with the savoriness of our roasted tomato risotto.