Baked Risotto With Greens and Peas

By Kay Chun

Updated March 31, 2026

  • A Dutch oven filled with arborio rice and greens is photographed from overhead. A wooden spoon juts into the pot from below.
    Yossy Arefi for The New York Times (Photography and Styling)
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Total Time
30 minutes
Rating
5(6,662)
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

  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

  • ½ cup finely chopped yellow onion

  • 1 small garlic clove, minced

  • 1 cup Arborio rice (about 7 ounces)

  • Kosher salt and black pepper

  • 4 ounces 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)

  • 3 ½ cups low-sodium chicken, vegetable or mushroom broth

  • 4 ounces baby spinach (about 4 packed cups)

  • 1 cup frozen peas, thawed

  • ¾ cup grated Parmesan (3 ounces), plus more for garnish

  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter

  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

49 grams carbs; 37 milligrams cholesterol; 445 calories; 9 grams monosaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 10 grams saturated fat; 22 grams fat; 5 grams fiber; 867 milligrams sodium; 14 grams protein; 3 grams sugar

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
6,662 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?

Alicia

Used all kale, no spinach. Also used fresh peas and should have cooked a bit before adding. Otherwise delicious and so easy.

M

Great use of miscellaneous greens - chard (diced stems in with the onions) in the oven with a couple of rosemary sprigs, then baby kale and lots of lemon zest at the final mix in - delicious!

Pat

I added some fresh dill, substituted more spinach for the kale (since I didn't have any) and substituted the asparagus for the peas, as suggested in the notes. The dill brightened it up and the asparagus added a bit more texture. It was really good. I had made it initially exactly as the recipe. Not sure I liked either version better, but I think the one with dill and asparagus was more memorable.

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