Lactose-free baked rice with asparagus, a very simple and tasty first course ideal for any occasion and perfect for these mild spring days. It’s great baked in the oven or in an air fryer. To complete this recipe you need a lactose-free bechamel, either homemade or store-bought, and tender small asparagus for quicker and more even cooking. For the rice I recommend using varieties suitable for baked rice preparations. Among the most recommended are Arborio and Carnaroli. Below I leave my other recipes for creating delicious baked rice dishes, and at the end of the recipe I will answer the most common questions on this topic.

Difficulty: Very easy
Cost: Inexpensive
Rest time: 30 Minutes
Preparation time: 40 Minutes
Cooking time: 50 Minutes
Portions: 4 servings
Cooking methods: Stovetop, Electric oven
Cuisine: Italian
Seasonality: Spring

Ingredients

1.5 cups Arborio rice
1.1 lb asparagus
1 tablespoon lactose-free butter
to taste onion (finely chopped)
2.5 tsp coarse salt (for cooking the rice)
2 cups bechamel (lactose-free)
7 oz lactose-free mozzarella
3.5 oz Parmigiano Reggiano PDO
2 ladles water (hot)

Tools

1 Pot
1 Pan
1 Knife
1 Cutting board
1 Ladle
1 Spoon
1 Bowl
1 Baking dish
1 Pan
1 Colander

Steps

To make Lactose-Free Baked Rice with Asparagus, you can prepare the lactose-free bechamel at home and let it cool. For my bechamel recipe click the bold link. Meanwhile, clean the asparagus by removing the toughest part of the stalk and cut the asparagus into pieces, then wash them under cold running water. Cook the rice in plenty of salted water. Drain it while still al dente and let it cool slightly.
In a large pan, sauté the onion in the butter and add the asparagus, cooking them for one minute. Then add two ladles of hot water — you can use the rice cooking water. Cook for 10 minutes.
In a bowl, combine the rice with the bechamel and two-thirds of the cheeses indicated in the recipe. Add the asparagus and mix well.
Pour the mixture into the chosen baking dish and top with the remaining cheeses. Bake in a preheated convection oven placed in the middle at 356°F for 30 minutes or until you achieve the desired gratin.
Let it cool slightly before serving. You can prepare the baked rice in advance, cool it and store it in the refrigerator for up to 48 hours, or freeze it in portions. If you prepare it in advance raw and keep it in the refrigerator, it will keep for one day.