Try this Creamy Baked Rice with Prosciutto and Cheese for the ultimate comfort food. This dish brings together velvety béchamel, savoury prosciutto, and gooey melted cheese, all layered together and baked until perfectly golden.
As a busy parent, I love easy, make-ahead meals—especially ones I can prepare before picking up my little ones from school. Having dinner ready means I get to enjoy more relaxed, quality time with them. Baked pasta and rice dishes are a staple in my weekly meal plan, but I like to switch up the flavors to keep things exciting. This time, I decided to try my take on Riso al Forno alla Siciliana, a beloved baked rice dish from Sicily.
What is Creamy Baked Rice with Prosciutto and Cheese?
This variation skips the traditional tomato sauce and meat, leaning instead into rich and creamy flavours. In fact, you could think of it as a baked version of arancini al burro, the famous Sicilian rice balls filled with béchamel and cheese. Here, layers of cooked rice are mixed with a silky béchamel sauce, diced prosciutto, and melted cheese—such as scamorza, mozzarella, or provolone. The result? A beautifully crisp, golden crust that gives way to a luscious, cheesy interior. Every bite is a comforting blend of textures and flavours, making it a hit with both kids and adults alike.
What type of rice works best?
For this dish, short-grain or medium-grain rice, like Arborio or Carnaroli, works best! These types of rice are naturally starchy, helping everything bind together while staying creamy and delicious. They soak up all the flavours from the béchamel and cheese, making each bite extra comforting. I wouldn’t recommend long-grain rice, like basmati, as it stays too separate and won’t give you that rich, melt-in-your-mouth texture we’re looking for!
FAQs
Can I make this dish ahead of time?
Yes! You can even assemble the dish a day in advance, cover it tightly, and store it in the refrigerator. When ready to bake, bring it to room temperature for about 20 minutes before placing it in the oven.
Can I store leftover baked rice?
I recommend to only store leftover baked rice in fridge for not more than 1 to 2 days. When reheating, just make sure that the rice is heated thoroughly and is piping hot!
How can I make this dish vegetarian?
Simply omit the prosciutto. You can either leave it as is, or add sautéed mushrooms, spinach, or roasted vegetables for a delicious vegetarian version.
What’s the best cheese to use?
For the creamiest texture, use a combination of scamorza, mozzarella, provolone, or Parmesan. A mix of mild and sharp cheeses will give the best depth of flavor.
Baked Rice with Prosciutto and Cheese
Ingredients
- 800 ml vegetable broth
- 300 g rice carnaroli or arborio
- 350 g béchamel
- 200 g scamorza or low moisture mozzarella
- 150 g prosciutto cotto cooked ham
- 20 g butter
- 1 tbsp chopped parsley
- a pinch of saffron
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp salt
- grated parmesan cheese
- breadcrumbs
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180°C or 350°F.
- Bring to a boil a pot filled with vegetable broth. Once it starts to boil, add the rice and cook on low heat for about 15 minutes. Let the rice absorb all the liquid.
- Cube the cheese and prosciutto into small pieces.
- Once the rice is ready – whilst still hot – add the béchamel, butter, saffron, cheese, ham and the chopped parsley. Season with salt and pepper.
- Once everything is mixed, butter a baking dish. I used a glass dish with a volume of 3L. Add the mixed rice to the dish and gently press it down to pack it in. Sprinkle on top a layer of breadcrumbs and grated parmesan.
- Bake the dish on the middle rack of your oven for about 20 minutes until the cheese melts and the top starts having a light golden brown colour.
- Once ready, let it rest for a few minutes and serve warm!
If you have any questions, feedback or comments on this recipe, please leave a comment below. Please also rate this recipe by double clicking on the stars below. If you did make this recipe, tag @apronandwhisk and hashtag #apronandwhisk, as I’m curious to see what you create! Don’t forget to subscribe to the mailing list down below so to receive the recipe updates straight to your mailbox!
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