I just love a good creamy risotto. 'Risotto' is style of cooking rice so that it is more creamy. The creamy happens because the rice is cooked in some type of broth and it releases starches making the entire dish thicken and become creamy. Long grain rice doesn't work so well for this. Short grained rice, particularly Arborio rice is the best. The shorter the grain the more starch. If you wanted to make a simple pot of arborio rice, you simmer some rice in veggie or meat broth and stir and stir, adding more broth when the liquid is almost absorbed until rice is tender! Do it with a wooden spoon. The texture of the wood helps to rub the rice and release more starch, making it creamy and delicious. That simple creamy rice is comfort food at it's finest.

Now that you have the gist of what arborio rice is and it's marriage to risotto.. here is one of my favorite

risottos. It is simple and fast and only a tiny bit of mixing going on compared to other risotto recipes. Chop up your veggies, combine with marinara sauce, chicken/veggie broth and rice in a greased casserole dish and you are pretty much done!

bowl of baked tomato risotto next to baking dish

Baked Tomato Risotto

This simple creamy rice is comfort food at it's finest.

5 from 1 vote

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Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 1 10

Total Time: 1 20

Servings: servings

Calories: 423kcal

Author: Kadee & Desarae

Ingredients

▢ 2 medium zucchini or yellow squash
▢ 28 ounces spaghetti sauce
▢ 14 ounces chicken broth sub vegetable broth for vegetarian
▢ 4 ounces canned mushroom slices
▢ 1 cup Arborio Rice
▢ 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese 8 oz.

Instructions

Cut zucchini length wise in half then in slices.
Combine with spaghetti sauce, broth, mushrooms and rice in a sprayed 3 qrt. dish.
Bake covered for 30 mins at 350 degs.
Remove from oven and stir in 1 cup of cheese.
Cover and bake for another 30 mins.
Remove from oven, top with cheese and place back in oven for 5-10 mins to melt cheese and until rice is tender.

Notes

PRESSURE COOKER: Combine vegetables, 2 c spaghetti sauce, and rice in pressure cooker (omit broth). Select rice setting, cook for 6 minutes with quick release. Stir in cheese, serve.