Tomato Confit Risotto

Risotto has always been one of our go-to weeknight dinners, but we tend to make it mostly in the colder months (see here and here). With tomato season in full swing, we’ve been looking for new ways to use them. This easy baked risotto was perfect.

Tomatoes have a high sugar content, so the more they break down in cooking, the sweeter they get. We’d seen an article about making tomato confit in the oven, which is basically tomatoes baked so long that they get super soft and sweet as candy. This baked risotto kills two birds with one stone. While the tomatoes are turning into a sweet treat, the herbed rice absorbs the liquid from the tomatoes, cooking to creamy perfection.

If you’ve had stuffed tomatoes in Italy, this takes it one step further. It’s really easy to make.

Use a paring knife to cut around the stem of the tomato and remove the top (save for later). Cut into the core of the tomato at a 45-degree angle, and do this with the tomato on a cutting board, not in your hand (for safety). Use a small spoon or melon baller to scrape out the inside of the tomato and reserve all the seeds and pulp you collect in a small bowl. Arrange your hollow tomatoes in a gratin dish (we used this one that we have been using for everything lately). Season with salt and pepper.

Season your tomato pulp mixture with salt, pepper, and a pinch of sugar, then add the minced garlic clove and herbs, and a drizzle of olive oil. Taste for seasoning, then mix in the rice. You’ll want to use a risotto rice, not plain white rice (our favorite is this one). Spoon the rice mixture into the hollow tomatoes, then cover each tomato with a top. Drizzle once more with olive oil, then cover with foil and bake until the tomatoes are extremely soft and sweet and the rice is cooked perfectly, about an hour.

We served this to friends and everyone wanted more! We’ll for sure be making this again before tomato season comes to an end.

Thanks to Staub for partnering with us for this feature.