How To Reheat Risotto Without A Microwave

Do you have a lot of risotto leftovers in your fridge? I surely did, and I had a hard time searching for ways on how to reheat risotto back to its original taste. As you all know, putting risotto in the fridge will make it very dry. Reheating it in the microwave will make it even dryer.

Risotto is an Italian rice dish, usually cooked in broth with butter and onion. You can tell that it's done when it reaches a creamy consistency.

After a few research, I have discovered that the key to reheating risotto is by adding liquid. It may not taste exactly as before, but it can bring its creaminess back to your plate. I also found out that you can reheat risotto in two ways without the need of a microwave.

If you're curious to know what they are, continue reading to learn the items that you will need and the steps that you need to follow.

What You'll Need

Here are the items you're going to need before you can start with the steps on how to reheat risotto easily.

Step-by-Step Instructions

You can try two ways to reheat risotto using a steamer basket and a pan. Both these methods use a stove instead of a microwave.

Option 1: Reheating Risotto in the Steamer Basket

1. Get your chilled risotto

Whatever is left of your risotto from your fridge, remove it and turn it back to its creamy taste. As much as possible, use all the risotto leftovers so that you can prevent them getting spoiled.

2. Drop the steamer basket into the large pot

If you use an expandable steamer basket, just put the steamer basket gently into the pot. It will fit just right since its wings adjust its size according to the size of the pot.

3. Add water and bring it to a boil

In a large pot, add water. Fill it with just the right amount of water. As much as possible, don't let the bottom of the steamer basket touch the water underneath. After you have estimated the right amount of water, bring it to a boil. You may use high flame settings to speed up the boiling process.

4. Put a bowl of risotto in the steamer basket

As the water boils, put a bowl of chilled risotto into the steamer basket. The steam of the water will heat the risotto accordingly. If you have no steamer basket, you may use a metal colander. Just make sure that the hot water will not touch the bottom of the bowl of risotto.

5. Cover the pot

Cover the pot with a lid. As you do this, minimize the heat. It is best to steam the risotto under low heat. The steaming process may take some time, but it is the most effective way in keeping your risotto fresh.

6. Put a bit of white wine and butter

If you would like to bring back the creaminess of your leftover risotto, put a bit of butter and wine. Any of these two will revive the creamy consistency of your old risotto.

Option 2: Reheating Risotto in the Pan

If you have don't have the time for steaming your cold risotto, you may try this easy method to reheat.

1. Get your leftover risotto and put them in the pan

First, take out your chilled risotto from the fridge. Then, you can put all of them leftovers in the pan. Make sure that the risotto doesn't overfill the pan because you still have to add some liquid afterward.

2. Add white wine and butter

Put a bit of wine into the pan, but you may also use water or meat stock if you like. Add about half a cup of water or meat stock. If you would like to make it creamier, add a generous amount of butter into the mixture.

3. Stir the risotto

As the mixture starts to boil, stir it consistently. Stirring will fuse the ingredients better and it promotes an even distribution of heat.

4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 until soft consistency is achieved

If you find that your risotto is still dry, add another amount of white wine and butter. Stir it again until you reach the creamy consistency that you always desire.

Pro Tips on How to Reheat Risotto

Set aside a premixed liquid mixture

According to Epicurious, you may prepare the liquid mixture for reheating your risotto beforehand. Usually, we use about 5 cups of liquid to every 1 1/2 cups of rice.

Instead of using 5 cups of liquid fully, set 1 3/4 cups of liquid aside. You can use this remaining liquid to reheat the chilled risotto from your fridge later.

Stir constantly over low heat

Chef turned writer Suzy Bowler recommends stirring the risotto constantly over low heat when reheating. This will effectively remove the cold spots of leftover risotto. Using low heat will prevent the risotto from getting burned.

Add liquid

The Smart Kitchen suggests the use of liquids like broth, water, and white wine to bring back the soft texture of your cold risotto.

Just stir the mixture thoroughly. If you find that the risotto is still hard, add more liquid of your choice. Instead of throwing your leftover risotto away, you may choose any of the two options presented above to bring it back to life.