This slow cooker risotto delivers the same creamy, luxurious texture as the traditional method—without the constant stirring. Just toss the ingredients in your slow cooker, set it, and walk away. It’s a game-changer for busy weeknights or easy entertaining.
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Why You’ll Love This Slow Cooker Risotto
- Hands-off method: No standing and stirring for 30 minutes.
- Perfect texture: Slow, gentle heat creates a naturally creamy sauce.
- Endlessly versatile: A fantastic base for endless flavor variations.
- Impressive yet easy: Feels fancy without the fuss.
Ingredients & Tools
- 1 ½ cups Arborio rice
- 4 ½ cups warm chicken or vegetable broth
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ cup dry white wine (like Sauvignon Blanc)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cubed
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Tools: A 4- to 6-quart slow cooker
Notes: Using warm broth helps maintain temperature. Dry white wine adds crucial acidity.
Nutrition (per serving)
| Calories: | 380 kcal |
| Protein: | 10 g |
| Fat: | 14 g |
| Carbs: | 52 g |
| Fiber: | 2 g |
Serves: 4 | Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 2 hours (on High) or 3-4 hours (on Low) | Total Time: 2 hours 10 minutes (plus resting)
Before You Start: Tips & Ingredient Notes
- Don’t rinse the rice. The dusty starch on Arborio rice is what creates the creamy sauce. Rinsing it washes this away, and you’ll end up with a much less creamy final dish.
- Why warm broth? Adding cold liquid to a slow cooker can significantly drop its internal temperature, leading to uneven cooking. Warming your broth first helps everything come to a gentle simmer more quickly and evenly.
- The power of patience at the end. When you add the butter and cheese at the end, let the risotto sit for 10-15 minutes with the lid on. This resting period allows the starches to fully relax and absorb the last bit of liquid, resulting in the perfect creamy consistency.
- Grate your own Parmesan. Pre-shredded cheese contains anti-caking agents that can make your sauce a bit grainy. A block of Parmigiano-Reggiano or Grana Padano, freshly grated, will melt into a silky, smooth dream.
How to Make Slow Cooker Risotto
Step 1: Start by warming your broth in a saucepan over low heat. You don’t need a rolling boil, just a good, steady warmth. While that’s heating, finely dice your onion and mince the garlic. The goal is small, uniform pieces so they melt into the background of the risotto, providing flavor without big, crunchy bits.
Step 2: Add the olive oil, diced onion, and minced garlic directly to the bowl of your slow cooker. Turn it to the high setting and let the aromatics cook for about 15-20 minutes with the lid off. You’ll notice them becoming soft and fragrant—this step builds a fantastic flavor base without needing a separate pan.
Step 3: Now, add the Arborio rice to the slow cooker. Stir it well to coat every grain in the oil and onion mixture. Toast the rice for a minute or two; you might hear a faint sizzle. This toasting step helps the rice kernels stay firm at their core, which is key for achieving that classic al dente texture in the finished risotto.
Step 4: Pour in the white wine. It will sizzle and steam dramatically, which is exactly what you want. Stir continuously for a minute until the wine is mostly absorbed. This cooks off the harsh alcohol taste, leaving behind a wonderful, nuanced acidity that brightens the entire dish.
Step 5: Carefully pour in all of your warm broth. Add the salt and pepper, and give everything one final, good stir to ensure no grains of rice are stuck to the bottom. Place the lid on securely. Now, here’s the easy part: you can walk away. Cook on high for about 2 hours. Do not stir during this time—trust the process.
Step 6: After 2 hours, the rice should be tender with a slight bite, and most of the liquid will be absorbed. It might look a bit soupy, but don’t worry. Now, stir in the cubed butter and the ½ cup of freshly grated Parmesan cheese. The mixture will immediately start to look creamier and more cohesive.
Step 7: This is the most important step for the perfect texture: turn off the slow cooker, put the lid back on, and let the risotto rest for 10-15 minutes. This allows the rice to fully hydrate and the starches to thicken the remaining liquid into a luxurious, velvety sauce. Give it one final stir before serving, and dig in.
Storage & Freshness Guide
- Fridge: Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- Freezer: Not recommended—texture becomes grainy upon thawing.
- Reviving: Reheat gently on stovetop with splashes of broth to restore creaminess.
Serving Suggestions
Complementary Dishes
- Simple Roasted Chicken — The crispy, savory skin and juicy meat are a perfect textural contrast to the creamy risotto, making for a truly comforting and complete meal.
- Garlic Sautéed Shrimp — A quick sear in garlic and butter adds a luxurious, restaurant-quality feel and a lovely pop of protein that pairs beautifully with the rice.
- A Bright Arugula Salad — Tossed with a lemony vinaigrette, the peppery arugula cuts through the richness of the risotto and cleanses the palate beautifully between bites.
Drinks
- A Crisp Sauvignon Blanc — The same wine you used in the recipe will mirror those bright, citrusy notes and its acidity will balance the dish’s creaminess flawlessly.
- A Light Italian Red — A Chianti or Barbera with low tannins won’t overpower the risotto, instead offering a fruity counterpoint that’s surprisingly delightful.
- Sparkling Water with Lemon — For a non-alcoholic option, the bubbles and citrus are fantastic for resetting your taste buds and making each mouthful feel fresh and new.
Something Sweet
- Lemon Sorbet — Its sharp, clean, and icy-cold finish is the ultimate palate cleanser after a rich and savory meal, leaving you feeling refreshed.
- Dark Chocolate Espresso Truffles — Just one or two of these intense, bittersweet bites provide a deep, satisfying end to the dinner without being too heavy.
- Panna Cotta with Berry Compote — The silky, delicate texture of panna cotta continues the creamy theme but in a sweet, elegant way that feels like a real treat.
Top Mistakes to Avoid
- Stirring during the cook time. Unlike stovetop risotto, the slow cooker method relies on undisturbed, even heat. Lifting the lid lets out steam and heat, which can lead to unevenly cooked rice. I’ve messed this up before too, thinking a quick peek wouldn’t hurt—it does!
- Using the wrong type of rice. Only short-grain rice like Arborio, Carnaroli, or Vialone Nano has the high starch content needed to create a creamy sauce.
Slow Cooker Risotto
Make perfect, creamy Slow Cooker Risotto with no stirring! This easy, hands-off recipe is a game-changer for busy weeknights. Get the full recipe here!
Ingredients
For the Ingredients & Tools
-
1 ½ cups Arborio rice
-
4 ½ cups warm chicken or vegetable broth
-
1 medium yellow onion (finely diced)
-
3 cloves garlic (minced)
-
½ cup dry white wine (like Sauvignon Blanc)
-
2 tablespoons olive oil
-
½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (plus more for serving)
-
3 tablespoons unsalted butter (cubed)
-
1 teaspoon kosher salt
-
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
-
Start by warming your broth in a saucepan over low heat. You don’t need a rolling boil, just a good, steady warmth. While that’s heating, finely dice your onion and mince the garlic. The goal is small, uniform pieces so they melt into the background of the risotto, providing flavor without big, crunchy bits.01
-
Add the olive oil, diced onion, and minced garlic directly to the bowl of your slow cooker. Turn it to the high setting and let the aromatics cook for about 15-20 minutes with the lid off. You’ll notice them becoming soft and fragrant—this step builds a fantastic flavor base without needing a separate pan.02
-
Now, add the Arborio rice to the slow cooker. Stir it well to coat every grain in the oil and onion mixture. Toast the rice for a minute or two; you might hear a faint sizzle. This toasting step helps the rice kernels stay firm at their core, which is key for achieving that classic al dente texture in the finished risotto.03
-
Pour in the white wine. It will sizzle and steam dramatically, which is exactly what you want. Stir continuously for a minute until the wine is mostly absorbed. This cooks off the harsh alcohol taste, leaving behind a wonderful, nuanced acidity that brightens the entire dish.04
-
Carefully pour in all of your warm broth. Add the salt and pepper, and give everything one final, good stir to ensure no grains of rice are stuck to the bottom. Place the lid on securely. Now, here’s the easy part: you can walk away. Cook on high for about 2 hours. Do not stir during this time—trust the process.05
-
After 2 hours, the rice should be tender with a slight bite, and most of the liquid will be absorbed. It might look a bit soupy, but don’t worry. Now, stir in the cubed butter and the ½ cup of freshly grated Parmesan cheese. The mixture will immediately start to look creamier and more cohesive.06
-
This is the most important step for the perfect texture: turn off the slow cooker, put the lid back on, and let the risotto rest for 10-15 minutes. This allows the rice to fully hydrate and the starches to thicken the remaining liquid into a luxurious, velvety sauce. Give it one final stir before serving, and dig in.07
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