Name: Roasted Cherry Tomato Risotto
Prep time: 10 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: makes 2 main dishes or 4 starters
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 450 g (1 pound) cherry tomatoes; 2 cloves of garlic; 1 tsp sugar; 2 tbsp olive oil; 2 tbsp olive oil; 1 onion; 300 g (1 1/2 cup) arborio rice; 85 ml (1/3 cup) white wine, like Chardonnay or Pinot Grigio; 750 ml (3 cups) Vegetable Broth; 25 g (1/3 cup) shredded parmesan cheese, plus for serving; 30 g (2 tbsp) unsalted butter; 1 bunch of fresh basil

Roasted Cherry Tomato Risotto

We don’t exaggerate when we say that Roasted Cherry Tomato Risotto is by far our favorite vegetable risotto (that is if we agree that tomatoes are a vegetable, but that’s a completely different discussion). This extra creamy, cheesy, melt in your mouth delicious risotto is simple to make, and there are zero fancy ingredients needed for this recipe. There is one important step that shouldn’t be left out, and that is roasting the tomatoes. Roasted cherry tomatoes are juicy, sweet, and they complement the risotto beautifully. They make it fancy enough for a special date night, yet the method is still simple enough to make on a busy weeknight day. Serve with some basil for freshness and extra shredded parmesan cheese for that cheesy flavor.

The best Roasted Cherry Tomato Risotto

Yup, we truly believe this is the best Roasted Cherry Tomato Risotto, at least the best we've ever made. We love:

it's super creamy and delicious, and the juicy roasted tomatoes are the best possible addition
the base is a simple risotto Bianco or white risotto, that is enriched with parmesan cheese and butter
the cherry tomatoes are beautifully caramelized, juicy, and delicious
the recipe is quick and easy to make, in under 40 minutes
tasty weeknight dinner during a busy week
could be served as a main dish or starter

How to make Roasted Cherry Tomato Risotto

As we already wrote, making Roasted Cherry Tomato Risotto is incredibly quick and simple. This is how we make it:

Roast the cherry tomatoes. Place them on a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, season, and place in the preheated oven to roast.
Make the creamy risotto Bianco. First, pan-fry the onion and rice, then add the vegetable stock (or broth) ladle by ladle.
Add butter and parmesan cheese for some extra flavor.
Using a fork, press down the roasted tomatoes to release those amazing juices.
Serve and devour

How to store Roasted Cherry Tomato Risotto

It's best to eat this risotto immediately. If you happen to have any leftovers, place them in an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to a day. Reheat in a saucepan and if necessary, add additional vegetable broth or stock and stir until the risotto is creamy. Reheat the roasted tomatoes in a skillet and serve with the risotto Bianco.

Preorder our cookbook "30-Minute Epic Roasts"

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Try these delicious risotto recipes too

METHOD

roasted cherry tomatoes

First, let's make roasted cherry tomatoes. Preheat the oven to 210 °C / 410 °F. Wash the cherry tomatoes under running water and tap dry. Place them on a baking sheet. Add two peeled and crushed cloves of garlic. Season with salt and pepper and sprinkle with a teaspoon of sugar. Drizzle with olive oil and toss to combine. Place in the preheated oven on the middle rack. Roast for 30 minutes.

Tip

The sugar will help caramelized the cherry tomatoes.
risotto

While the tomatoes are roasting, make the risotto. Place a large saucepan with the olive oil over low heat. Add the diced onion and cook for 6 - 8 minutes or until the onion is soft and caramelized while stirring occasionally. Add the rice, increase the heat to medium-high and cook for another 2 - 3 minutes, while stirring regularly. Add the white wine, cook for a minute for the alcohol to evaporate, while stirring regularly. Turn the heat to a simmer and add the first ladle of vegetable stock, stir and keep adding ladles of stock and stirring the risotto for about 16 - 18 minutes, or until the risotto is creamy and the rice is cooked al dente. Allow the stock to be absorbed before adding the next ladle.
risotto

Remove the risotto from the heat, add the shredded parmesan cheese and butter. Stir until the cheese and butter melt, then cover with a lid and leave stand for about 3 - 4 minutes.
serve

Remove the roasted tomatoes from the oven. Using a fork, gently press down each cherry tomato to release those amazing juices. Stir half of the juices into the risotto. Check the seasoning and season the risotto with salt if needed. Divide the risotto between two plates (or four plates if you are serving it as a starter). Arrange the roasted tomatoes on top and sprinkle with fresh basil and some parmesan cheese. Serve immediately.