Risotto Doesn't Have To Cook Forever: Try This Restaurant Technique

Risotto is a creamy, savory Italian favorite that shines as either a side or a main dish and is delightfully versatile, but it has a major downside: the time it takes to prepare. While the technique is simple enough, cooking risotto means committing to upwards of half an hour of constant stirring, which is a lot to ask on a busy weeknight or when you have guests over for dinner and just want to enjoy yourself.

But professional chefs aren't babysitting a risotto pot all night long. Knowing how restaurants manage to get textbook-perfect risotto on your plate in no time flat can help you in your own kitchen, because it involves a trick that's easy to duplicate. Basically, you cook the rice only partially, cool it off quickly, then store it in the fridge until you are ready to serve. Since the risotto is already mostly cooked, you only need to add some stock and whatever perishable ingredients you desire, then stir until the liquid is absorbed and the risotto has hit the right texture. This should only take a few minutes!

One hack you should know: spread your par-cooked risotto onto a sheet pan when it's nearing doneness. That way, it will cool quickly, and the cooking process will stop so that carryover heat doesn't ruin your plan. Use a butter knife to make furrows in the risotto so that heat can escape more quickly. Of course, you should follow all your normal tips for how to safely store and reheat cooked rice, even though your risotto is still partially raw.

Picking the right rice will ensure that your trick for painless risotto cooking goes off without a hitch. This isn't the time to choose basmati versus jasmine; the rice you want for risotto is probably arborio (although carnaroli is one of a few starchy varieties that also work). If you choose the wrong rice, the cooking instructions won't be accurate, and you might accidentally overcook the grain, meaning it turns to mush in the fridge. Only cook your risotto until the outside is softened; the inside should still have a bit of "bite" to demonstrate that it hasn't cooked through.

Experts have had good success storing their pre-cooked rice in freezer bags pressed flat after the rice cools, which luckily don't take up much space in the fridge. Always make sure that you label your bags or containers with the date that you put the rice in the fridge so that it doesn't sit for too long. After all, cooked rice can only safely hang out for four to seven days in the fridge. Remember that any tender veggies or delicate accompaniments like mushrooms — or truffles! — that could wilt or spoil should be kept out of your risotto while it's in the fridge. Instead, add them when you are ready to finish cooking it up. As a finishing touch, shave some of that Parmesan you're storing in the fridge. Nobody will ever know you didn't babysit your rice for the better part of an hour right before serving!