Can you freeze risotto? Here are our tips for storing risotto successfully.
Because risotto is rice, it takes a bit of preparation and it hardly seems worth it to make a small batch. Storing it is a bit of a challenge, though.
For the most part, freezing risotto is not recommended because rice can become hard when it is frozen. That’s why it’s best to eat risotto immediately after cooking it, but you can successfully store it for two or three days in a plastic bag in the refrigerator. You should also keep a bit of the veggie stock you initially used when preparing the risotto. Store this separately in a sealed container.
When you are ready to reheat it, put the stock in a saucepan and bring it to a boil. Pour a little into a separate pot and add the risotto. Heat the risotto over low heat, stirring frequently and adding stock a little at a time until the desired temperature and texture is attained.
An Exception
If you are absolutely dead set on freezing your risotto, there is a trick you can use. Separate the part you want to freeze before it’s finished cooking. If you are cooking a big batch of risotto, and you know you will not eat all of it in one sitting, set the portion you want to freeze aside when it is half-cooked. You can freeze this as a smaller batch to be cooked all at once at a later date. Alternately, you can freeze individual portions to cook later. Remember to prepare extra stock and freeze it, too.
When you are ready to defrost and finish cooking your risotto, put it in the refrigerator to thaw overnight. Finish cooking it over low heat, stirring occasionally and adding more stock as needed.
Follow This Special Recipe For Frozen Pumpkin Risotto
You can prepare this recipe ahead of time, freeze it and enjoy it at a later date.
You’ll need:
- 2 tablespoons of butter
- A cup of onion, diced
- 2 teaspoons of garlic, minced
- A cup of arborio rice
- A half cup of canned pumpkin
- 3 cups of vegetable broth, split into thirds
- A teaspoonful each of:
- poultry seasoning
- black pepper
- dried thyme
- salt
- A bay leaf
- A quarter cup of Parmesan cheese, grated
- 3 tablespoons of heavy whipping cream
Here’s what you’ll do:
Turn your stove-top burner to medium heat. Melt the butter in a high-sided skillet. Add the diced onions and sauté gently until translucent. Add the garlic and continue cooking for about half a minute. Stir in the rice, making sure it is thoroughly coated with the butter. Add a third of the veggie stock, all of the pumpkin puree and the spices. Continue stirring gently until all of the liquid has been soaked up. Add another third of the veggie stock. Continue cooking and stirring until it is absorbed. Add the remaining veggie stock and continue cooking and stirring until the risotto has reached a pleasing, thick consistency.
Remove the skillet from the stove-top and stir in the cream and the cheese.
When you are ready to freeze this dish (or its leftovers), let the risotto cool completely and place it into an appropriately sized Zip-lock freezer bag. For the entire recipe, you will need a one-gallon bag. Press extra air out of the bag, seal it, label it and freeze it.
When you are ready to reheat the risotto, prepare a little veggie stock in a saucepan. Place the frozen risotto in the pan and warm it slowly, covered over a low burner. You’ll need to keep a close eye on it. Break it up and stir it as needed to prevent scorching. Continue adding veggie stock if needed.
