Sartu di Riso is one of our favourite baked Italian risotto casserole recipes.
The main dish is a local speciality in Naples, featuring a baked risotto casserole stuffed with variety of fillings and flavourings.
Our easy Sartu di Riso recipe is the perfect entree to serve at an Italian-themed dinner party. The dish is beautifully presented, sure to wow your guests and it helps that kids love it too!
Our Italian baked risotto recipe features flavourful wholesome ingredients like onions, carrots, celery, garlic, bay leaves, olive oil, tomatoes, basil, parmesan and mozzarella cheese.
Save this story to Pinterest!
What Is Sartu Di Riso?
Sartu di Riso is a local dish served in Naples, Italy.
It is typically prepared with seasoned arborio risotto rice that is baked in a dish and stuffed with a variety of fillings. Once finished baking in the oven, the pan is turned over and a crispy golden brown baked risotto casserole is removed and then sliced before serving.
Many authentic and traditional Sartu di Riso recipes include stuffing ingredients likeseasoned ragu, peas, pancetta, mushrooms, fior di latte or provolone cheese, meatballs, sausage, boiled eggs and chicken livers.
Rice, a product imported by the Aragonese in the Kingdom of Naples, did not find success in Southern Italy, except in Sicily, where it was introduced by Arab traders. It was adopted by the Salerno School of Medicine and prescribed as a cure for the sick, but not by the people, who preferred pasta.
Culinary historians believe sartu was born from the need to adapt this dish to the taste of the royal court, under the influence of the Austrian queen Maria Carolina. French court cooks created the dish in the 18th-century, enriching the rice with a variety of seasonal ingredients.
Travel to Italy by Baking Sartu Di Riso at Home
I love traveling to Europe!
During my first visit to the continent I traveled for 5 months by train and plane. I had the opportunity to eat my way through Ireland, Scotland, England, Wales, Portugal, Spain, France, Belgium, Holland, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland,Russia, Estonia, Latvia, Poland, Czech, Germany, Austria, Croatia, Bosnia, Hungary, Slovakia, Greece, Turkey and Italy.
What I love most about traveling to Italy is the opportunity to sample unique dishes in each region and city. The dishes in Tuscany (Florence, Pisa, Volterra, Saturnia, Pitigliano, Sorano, Montalcino, Siena) are unique from what you’d find in Venice, Modena, Milan, Rome, and Amalfi Coast.
If you’re looking to taste Sartu di Riso with locals on a holiday in Italy we suggest traveling to Naples, which is also home to the iconic Neapolitan Pizza.
Once back home from an Italian holiday you’ll have a newfound appreciation for the flavours of Italy and can impress friends and family by making our homemade Sartu di Riso recipe!
Where To Eat Sartu Di Riso
If you live in a large city in Canada or America you’ll likely have access to a local Italian restaurant that serves authentic Sartu di Riso.
Haven’t traveled to Italy before? It may be helpful to first sample Sartu di Riso at a local Italian restaurant to better understand how the dish is served. You can determine the ideal portion size, your favourite filling ingredients and what delicious side dishes to serve with it at the table.
In Toronto, popular Italian restaurants in Yorkville, King West and Ossington that may serve fresh Baked Risotto Casserole include Bar Vendetta, Buca, Superpoint, Amano, Fabbrica, Oretta, FIGO, Nodo, Locale Mercatto, The Good Son, Taverna Mercatto, Ascari Enoteca, Il Fornello or Gusto 101.
My Family Loves Baked Risotto
I love cooking Sartu di Riso for my family and friends.
There truly is nothing more satisfying than slicing through a crispy risotto casserole to reveal a surprise filling featuring oozing melted mozzarella cheese.
In a rush to cook a wholesome meal for a big family during a week that is looking really hectic? Our easy Risotto Bake can be prepared a day or two in advance. Simply store the assembled Sartu di Riso in the fridge until ready to bake it and serve.
Sartu di Riso is perhaps best served to a celebratory crowd, when up to 10 people are coming over for a special dinner like a birthday party. Put the casserole in the oven when guests arrive so they can enjoy the seductive smells wafting over from the oven.
Let the risotto casserole cool for a few minutes before inverting it onto a plate so it comes out clean without sticking to the inside of the pan. Your guests will love watching as you remove the first slice, delighted by the hidden filling reveal, stringy melted mozzarella cheese!
Health Benefits
Our Sartu di Riso recipe is packed full of healthy ingredients!
Olive Oil is ranked as one of the healthiest fats and is a staple in the Mediterranean diet. It contains vitamins E and K and plenty of beneficial fatty acids and antioxidants.
Onions are a humble vegetable packed with vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals. Regular consumption of onions can help boost digestive health and reduce the risk of developing heart disease.
It is only recently that scientists have begun to identify the components responsible for garlic’s myriad health benefits. Rich in phytochemicals and potassium, garlic helps boost your immune system, fight cancer and protect your heart.
Celery is a great source of antioxidants, reduces inflammation and supports digestions.
An excellent source of vitamin A and the phytochemical beta-carotene, carrots help keep your eyes and bones healthy, and may help protect against several types of cancer.
Rich in a group of phytochemicals called carotenoids, tomatoes may help reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke, and provide protection against cancer. Tomatoes are also a good source of immune-boosting vitamin C.
Basil is an excellent source of vitamin K and manganese; a very good source of copper, vitamin A (in the form of carotenoids such as beta-carotene), and vitamin C; and a good source of calcium, iron, folate, magnesium and omega-3 fatty acids making it quite nutrient rich!
Nearly 50% of the people in the world get over 50% of their daily calories from rice. If eating brown rice featuring nutritious bran you’ll enjoy health benefits like cancer risk reduction and diabetes control.
Consuming dairy products (such as milk and cheese) provides health benefits — especially improved bone health. Dairy foods provide nutrients that are vital for health and maintenance of your body. These nutrients include calcium, potassium, vitamin D, and protein.
Eggs contain two vital nutrients that are not present in many foods: iodine and vitamin D. Eggs are also rich in tissue-building protein and vitamin B12, which helps your body manufacture blood cells.
Baked Risotto Cooking Tips
This tomato ragu and cheese stuffed baked risotto casserole is quick and easy to make at home.
- We suggest using a high quality nonstick Bundt Pan to bake this yummy risotto casserole.
- You can make vegetarian Sartu di Riso by substituting chicken broth for vegetable stock.
- Our recipe shows you how to make Sartu di Riso from scratch. You can make the risotto from start to finish, however this recipe is also a great way to use up leftover risotto you may have in the fridge. If we make risotto for our family on a Saturday night we double the recipe so we can use the cold leftovers to prepare this baked risotto casserole for a special Sunday night feast.
- We’ve included a recipe for a simple homemade tomato ragu but if you’re looking for a quick & easy recipe hack feel free to use your favourite store bought marinara sauce.
- We’ve used fresh fior di latte but you could also use regular mozzarella cheese or get fancy with creamy burrata.
- We suggest serving this dish with an Italian red wine like sangiovese, montepulciano or barolo.
- We suggest serving Sartu di Riso with an aged Italian cheese like Parmigiano Reggiano but you could also use Piave Stravecchio, asiago or pecorino.
What To Serve with Sartu Di Riso
There’s nothing more comforting than cozying up to a steaming plate of cheesy Sartu di Riso.
If you’re hosting an Italian-themed dinner party feel free to serve Baked Risotto Casserole in a buffet alongside Corzetti Pasta, Burrata Bruschetta Crostini, Culurgiones Sardinian Cheese & Potato Stuffed Pasta, Caramelized Shallot Pasta in Cream Sauce, Instant Pot Short Rib Ragu, Cheesy Polenta, Creamy Warm Orzo Lemon Salad, Involtini di Pollo, Parmesan Ditalini Soup, Aperol Gin Cocktails and Amaretto Disaronno Sour.
For a light lunch or dinner, pair this risotto bake with fresh salads like Romaine Salad With Tahini Caesar Dressing, Vegetarian Roasted Pumpkin Feta Salad, Roasted Beetroot Salad, Garlic Lemon Chickpea Avocado Salad and Fennel, Apple, Celery and Roasted Hazelnut Salad.
After dinner why not dazzle your guests with one of our popular desserts such as Kardemummabullar Swedish Cardamom Buns , Gevulde Speculaas, Turmeric Pumpkin Spice Indian Cake, Chewy Easter Toffee Cadbury Mini Egg Cookie Bars, Oat Flour Cookies with Chocolate Chips, Dark Chocolate Lindt Lindor Cookies, Maraschino Cherry Cupcakes Recipe or Cinnamon Babka For Chocolate Lovers.
Storing Sartu Di Riso
If you have leftovers store them in the fridge in an airtight container for 3-4 days. Simply pop a serving in the microwave the following day for an quick and tasty lunch. Or if you have a toaster oven reheat to ensure the exterior maintains its desired crispy texture.
We do not suggest freezing leftover Sartu di Riso as when it thaws and reheats it loses its structure and tastes mushy.
You May Also Enjoy Reading…
- Mizeria Creamy Polish Cucumber Salad Recipe
- Easy Creamy Warm Orzo Lemon Salad
- Easy Healthy Roasted Vegetable Couscous Recipe
- How To Make Healthy Sweet Potato Rice
- How To Make The Best Canadian Salad Recipe
- Healthy Garlic Lemon Chickpea Avocado Salad
- Easy Healthy Vegetarian French Onion Soup Recipe
- Cajun Louisiana Cream of Shrimp Soup Recipe
- Lebanese Lentil Soup Recipe: Healthy Adas Bil Hamod
- Ajiaco Cubano Recipe: Healthy Cuban Soup with Chicken
- Traditional Polish Sour Rye Zurek Soup Recipe
- Swedish Sandwich Cake: Easy Homemade Smorgastarta Recipe
- Chinese Ginger Garlic Soup Recipe for Colds
- Easy Citrus “Rojak” Singapore Salad Recipe
- Easy Homemade Jamaican Chicken Soup with Dumplings Recipe
- Healthy Roasted Pumpkin and Sweet Potato Soup Recipe
- Healthy Roasted Sweet Potato and Red Pepper Soup Recipe
Step By Step Sartu Di Riso Recipe Video
Sartu Di Riso Italian Baked Risotto Rice
Equipment
- Bundt Pan
- Dutch Oven
- Wooden spoon or spatula
- French knife
- measuring cups
- measuring spoons
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp Olive Oil
- 1 cup Onion finely chopped
- 1 cup Carrots finely chopped
- 1 stalk Celery finely chopped
- 4 Garlic cloves minced
- 3 Bay Leaves
- Kosher Salt
- 1 tbsp Tomato Paste
- 2 28 oz cans Canned Whole Tomatoes
- 1/4 cup Basil Leaves
- 1.5 cups Parmesan grated
- 2.5 cups Arborio Rice
- 5 cups Chicken broth
- 2 Eggs beaten
- 2 tbsp Butter
- 1 cup Italian Bread Crumbs
- 8 oz Fresh Mozzarella Ball
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large pot or dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrot, and celery, stirring occasionally, until the onions are translucent, 3-5 minutes.
- Add garlic, a pinch of salt, 2 bay leaves, and the tomato paste. Stir until the tomato paste begins to caramelize on the bottom of the pan, 1-2 minutes.
- Add the canned tomatoes and break them apart with the back of a wooden spoon. Add basil and reduce the heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes until the sauce has thickened. Discard the bay leaves, and basil. Set the sauce aside to cool.
- Prepare the rice. In a large pot over medium-high heat, add the rice and stock and stir to combine. Add the remaining bay leaf and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, then immediately cover and reduce to a simmer. Simmer for 15 minutes without removing the lid. After 15 minutes remove from the rice from the heat, stir, and transfer to a large bowl to cool for 5-10 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 400˚F.
- Once the rice has cooled, taste to check if it needs more salt, then add the eggs and grated Parmesan cheese. Mix thoroughly with your hands.
- Generously coat the inside of a bundt pan with butter. Add the breadcrumbs and tilt the pan around to coat. Once well-coated, tap out excess crumbs into a bowl and reserve.
- Using your hands, line the bundt pan with an even layer of the rice, bringing it up to about ½ an inch from the top of the pan. Tear or slice the mozzarella and layer it over the rice. Cover with a layer of tomato sauce. Top with a layer of rice mixture and smooth with the back of a spoon to seal in the sauce completely.
- Top with reserved bread crumbs and brush with oil or spray with cooking spray to ensure a crunchy crust forms.
- Bake for 45-55 minutes, until golden brown and edges have crisped. Remove from the oven and cool for 15 minutes before flipping out of the pan.
- Fill the cavity with any remaining tomato sauce and garnish with basil and Parmesan. Slice and serve hot.
Nutrition
Some of the links in this story use affiliate links. This means that if you make a purchase through our site, Dobbernationloves will earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Your support helps us to produce comprehensive content.
Save this story to Pinterest!
One of my favourite crowd pleasers. My only suggestion is please substitute high quality Italian canned tomatoes for the no name ones. It makes a huge difference in the sauce and only costs a couple of dollars extra.
Yum!