Baked Risotto With Greens and Peas

By Kay Chun

Updated March 31, 2026

Baked Risotto With Greens and Peas
Yossy Arefi for The New York Times (Photography and Styling)
Total Time
30 minutes
Rating
5(6,474)
Comments
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This easy baked risotto eliminates the constant stirring required in traditional risotto recipes. It’s laden with vegetables, namely kale and spinach, but other leafy greens like Swiss chard or collard greens would work equally well. If you happen to have some extra asparagus, sub it in for the peas. This risotto makes a great starter or side dish, but you can also turn it into a vegetarian main course by using vegetable or mushroom stock in place of the chicken broth, and topping it with sautéed mushrooms, a fried egg or crispy tofu slices. Leftovers can be refrigerated for two days and reheated with more broth, or repurposed into crunchy rice cakes or arancini. Simply form into patties or balls, coat in bread crumbs and shallow-fry until golden and crunchy.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings
  • 2tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • ½cup finely chopped yellow onion
  • 1small garlic clove, minced
  • 1cup Arborio rice (about 7 ounces)
  • Kosher salt and black pepper
  • 4ounces green or lacinato kale (about ⅓ bunch), stems separated and thinly sliced, leaves stacked and cut into ¼-inch-thick ribbons (about 4 packed cups)
  • 3½cups low-sodium chicken, vegetable or mushroom broth
  • 4ounces baby spinach (about 4 packed cups)
  • 1cup frozen peas, thawed
  • ¾cup grated Parmesan (3 ounces), plus more for garnish
  • 3tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1tablespoon lemon juice
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

445 calories; 22 grams fat; 10 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 9 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 49 grams carbohydrates; 5 grams dietary fiber; 3 grams sugars; 14 grams protein; 867 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Heat oven to 375 degrees. In a large Dutch oven, heat oil over medium. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and stir until fragrant, 1 minute. Add rice, season with salt and pepper, and stir until coated in oil and lightly toasted, 2 minutes.

  2. Step 2

    Add kale, season with salt and pepper, and stir until wilted, 30 seconds. Add broth and bring to a boil over high heat.

  3. Step 3

    Cover and bake until almost all of the liquid is absorbed and rice is tender, about 20 minutes.

  4. Step 4

    Stir in spinach and peas until spinach is wilted. Add Parmesan, butter and lemon juice, and stir until well blended and saucy. (Liquid will continue to absorb as risotto sits.) Season with salt and pepper. Serve in bowls and top with more Parmesan.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
6,474 user ratings
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Comments

mtlago

I’m not one to comment but this dish was delicious! Risotto is typically so labor intensive and I have three toddlers at home, so I’m limited on time and patience. This meal was perfect. I followed it exactly as described. There were questions listed above about how to finish the meal... You bake the risotto in the stock pot you started with, pull it out after twenty minutes and add the rest of the ingredients. The risotto comes out very hot, so no need to use a flame at the end.

Debbie

This is the Julia Child approach to risotto, except that she starts it at 375, reduces to 325 after 5 minutes. Absolutely the only way I ever make risotto, and no matter what the addition — tomatoes, mushrooms, roasted butternut squash — it’s perfect every time.

Anne MacPherson

Step 4 is a bit unclear. Do you add the ingredients, stir and put back in the oven or finish it on the stove top?

AJH

Made exactly as written. It was fantastic!

Barbara

In place of the Kale and spinach, I stirred in a half bag of frozen butternut squash chunks, the frozen peas and a half pound of asparagus cut into one inch slices and then I covered it and baked it for 20 minutes. Then continue with the recipe adding Parmesan, butter and lemon juice, and stir until well blended and saucy.

BCD

Ideal with tender spring nettles. A perfect meal for spring clean out of the freezer with the bottom of freezer peas and spinach.

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