When prepared well, risotto is bursting with flavour and character and is a delicious meal to serve up to the family. But as a rice-based dish, it can be challenging to calculate your portion sizes. If you’re left with a couple of portions of risotto the following day, is it possible to reheat it?
To reheat risotto, pop it into a microwave-safe dish with a splash of water then microwave for a few minutes. You can also reheat risotto in the oven or on the stovetop.
How to Reheat Risotto
We will introduce you to three ways to reheat risotto safely to ensure you can enjoy the leftovers without ruining the delicate texture and consistency of this Italian favourite.
You can reheat risotto in the following three ways:
How to Reheat Risotto in the Microwave
The quickest and simplest way of reheating risotto is to place it in the microwave. Below are the steps you need to follow:
- Transfer to a Microwave-Safe Dish
Remove your risotto from the fridge and transfer it to a microwave-safe dish. - Add Moisture
To ensure your risotto doesn’t dry out during the reheating process, add a splash of water, broth, or wine to the mixture, stirring it before placing it in the microwave. - Reheat
Turn your microwave on and reheat your risotto on a medium setting for around two minutes. Remove the dish and stir the risotto. At this stage, you may have to add some more moisture. Return the dish to the microwave for two minutes until the risotto is piping hot. - Enjoy
Your risotto is ready to be served! Consider melting some butter and grating some cheese on the top to give it an extra creamy taste.
How to Reheat Risotto in the Oven
If you have a little more time on your hands, consider reheating your risotto in the oven. This ensures it’s evenly reheated and won’t dry out as quickly. The following steps inform you of how to reheat risotto in the oven:
- Preheat Oven
Before removing the risotto from the fridge, preheat your oven to around 350F/180C. - Prepare Risotto
Line a tray with butter and add your risotto evenly on top. Add a splash of wine, water, and broth to the mixture and ensure it’s evenly distributed throughout. - Bake
Transfer the tray of risotto to the middle shelf of your oven and allow it to bake for around six minutes. Then, remove your risotto from the oven and stir well before returning it to the oven, leaving it for another six minutes. - Enjoy
Once your risotto is nice and hot, it’s time to remove it from the oven and enjoy! You could always add a layer of grated cheese around eight minutes into the baking time, and you will have a delicious crispy topping to your risotto once it’s done.
How to Reheat Risotto on the Stovetop
The third and final way of reheating risotto is to do so on the stove. Some people think this is the best way to preserve risotto’s moisture content, but you need to be careful not to overheat it. Here are the required steps to reheat risotto on the stove:
- Prepare a Non-Stick Frying Pan
Add some butter or oil to the base of a non-stick frying pan and heat gently over medium heat. - Add Risotto and Moisture
Add your risotto to the pan, ensuring you coat it with a splash of moisture (wine, broth, or water) to ensure it doesn’t dry out. - Heat
Heat your risotto for between five and eight minutes on medium heat, stirring consistently to ensure it doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan. You may need to keep adding moisture to prevent it from drying out.
- Enjoy
As soon as your risotto is piping hot, remove the pan from the stove and serve.
Yes, it does. Providing that you add a splash of moisture to prevent it from drying out and then add plenty of additional cheese, a reheated risotto is delicious.
How to Reheat Risotto Successfully
Here are our 3 tips for reheating risotto successfully:
- Defrost First – If you’ve frozen leftover risotto, ensure you defrost it before reheating it. Failing to do so can make the risotto stodgy due to the excess moisture content, so make sure you thaw it in the fridge before reheating.
- Use Within 3 Days – You can keep your risotto leftovers in the fridge for around three days, but you shouldn’t keep them any longer than this. If you don’t think you will use your leftovers within a few days, transfer them to the freezer, as this will preserve your risotto for a few months.
- Keep it Moist – If you don’t add moisture to your risotto before and during the reheating process, it will almost certainly dry out. You can use stock, broth, water, or wine to keep your risotto moist, so make sure you don’t forget to add it during the reheating process!
Is It Safe to Reheat Risotto?
Yes, it’s perfectly safe to reheat risotto. You just need to be mindful of how you keep your leftovers, as risotto left on the work surface overnight won’t be good for anyone.
As soon as you’ve finished eating and your leftovers have cooled, cover them and place them in the fridge or freezer. This way, your risotto will be safe to reheat and will taste fresh and delicious whichever of the three methods you use to reheat it.
Reheating Risotto? FAQs
If you still have questions about reheating risotto then these might help you out:
Reheating rice has a bad reputation. But if you store it correctly and don’t leave it to sit out at room temperature for too long, reheating risotto is not dangerous.
Yes, it is safe to eat risotto cold, as long as it was stored in the fridge as soon as possible and not left out on the worktop at room temperature.
The risotto will keep in an airtight container for around 3 days. It’s important that it is covered and put into the fridge as soon as it has cooled.
Yes, you can reheat risotto made with any ingredients but, if it contains meat, then it’s even more important that you ensure each piece of meat is fully heated through when reheating the risotto.
No! This is not a good idea. Once rice reaches room temperature, bacteria can begin to form. As soon as it has cooled to room temperature, the risotto should be refrigerated and NOT left out overnight.
Ross is a freelance writer with a passion for delicious food and drinks, having worked in the hospitality industry in the past. He began working with Let’s Foodie when it first launched to provide information on how to reheat, freeze and microwave different foods.
