This is a one dish dinner that looks impressive and could not be easier. You do not cook the risoni on the stove, you layer everything in a baking dish, pour over boiling stock, and let the oven do the work.
The risoni soaks up all that garlicky, feta rich stock as it bakes, the prawns cook through, and the whole thing comes out fresh and comforting at the same time. One dish, no boiling pots, minimal washing up.
It feels like something you would order out, but it is genuinely a fuss free weeknight dinner.
Why You’ll Love It
It is a true one dish dinner, you layer, pour and bake, so there is no boiling and hardly any washing up. Frozen prawns mean you can make it straight from the freezer, the risoni cooks in the stock so it is full of flavour, and the feta and its oil make it feel a bit special. It is fresh yet comforting, and it is on the table in about 40 minutes.
The Shortcut That Makes It Work
You skip cooking the risoni separately. Everything gets layered in the dish, then boiling chicken stock goes over the top and the risoni cooks in the oven as it bakes, soaking up all the flavour. No boiling a pot of pasta, no draining, no extra pan, just layer, pour and bake.
Handy Tips
Use boiling stock, not cold, it gives the risoni a head start so it cooks through in the time given. Do not forget to tip in the oil and herbs from the feta, that is where a lot of the flavour lives. Give it a good stir when you take the foil off so the risoni cooks evenly, and if it looks a little dry, a splash more hot stock brings it back. Frozen prawns can go in straight from the freezer, just make sure they are cooked through before serving.
What To Serve With It
It is a full meal in a dish, but a simple green salad or some crusty bread on the side rounds it out nicely if you want a little more.
Leftovers / How to Store It
Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days, as with any cooked seafood. Reheat gently with a splash of stock or water, as the risoni firms up once chilled.
Don’t Forget to Share
Tried my Garlic Prawn Risoni Bake recipe? I’d love to see how you used it. Snap a pic and tag me on Instagram @steph_cooks_stuff, I love seeing your creations.
Garlic Prawn Risoni Bake
Prep Time 10 minutes 
Setting Time
30 minutes 
Total Time 40 minutes 
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Layer each ingredient in your baking dish (evenly please!).
- Crumble that feta all over and sprinkle the oil and herbs from it too.
- Pour your piping hot chicken stock.
- Now cover with foil and let it bake at 180C for 20 minutes.
- Uncover, give it a good stir and bake it again for another 10 minutes.
- Take it out, stir once more, and it's ready to steal hearts!
- So why wait? Give this a try and let your taste buds celebrate! Don't forget to share your masterpiece with me. Bon Appétit!
Nutrition
Video
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FAQs
Do I need to cook the risoni first?
No. That is the shortcut. The risoni cooks in the boiling stock in the oven, so it goes in dry and comes out perfectly cooked and full of flavour.
Can I use fresh prawns instead of frozen?
Yes. Fresh peeled green prawns work just as well. Frozen are handy because they can go in straight from the freezer, just make sure everything is cooked through.
Can I use a different feta?
Persian feta is lovely because it is creamy and comes in a herby oil you can add for extra flavour. A regular feta works too, you will just miss that oil, so add a little olive oil and dried herbs instead.
It came out a bit dry, what happened?
The risoni drinks up a lot of liquid. Make sure the stock is boiling when it goes in, and if it looks dry when you stir it, add a splash more hot stock.
Delicious and easy to make! Love that there’s only one pan!
Risoni doesn’t cook in the time it states, followed the recipe exactly and after 35 mins in the oven it was still a watery mess with over cooked prawns. Don’t bother unless you plan on not eating tea
Absolutely delicious when you want a super easy, quick dinner. It’s on rotation when we want a meat free dinner. You’ll be going back for seconds! 😍 Thanks Steph you’re amazing! 🩷
This one of the yummiest things I have cooked in ages!! I also added to parmesan cheese at the last stir OMG!!! We will be having this again next week!
I LOVE this recipe!!! I also add some chilli flakes and some white wine. Then at the end, a handful of palmisan cheese! SO GOOD!!!!!!!!!!!
This really didn’t work. Following the recipe there was too much liquid. When the prawns were cooked the risoni was a luggy mess. So disappointed that I spent a lot of money on this recipe and it was awful.
Hi Lyn, I am so incredibly sorry to hear this didn’t work out for you. It’s so disappointing especially when you’ve spent your hard-earned money on beautiful ingredients like prawns. This dish should be a lovely, creamy bake, not a soggy mess at all. Usually, if the risoni turns out a bit ‘luggy’ or watery, it means the pasta didn’t get the chance to properly absorb the liquid. This can happen if the chicken stock wasn’t quite boiling when it went into the dish, or if the foil seal wasn’t wrapped super tight to trap that cooking steam. Prawns can also be sneaky and release a lot of extra water if they are a standard supermarket frozen variety. I used the snap frozen ones from Aldi. I’d love to help you get this right next time. Did you happen to use boiling hot stock, and was your baking dish sealed completely flat with foil? Let me know so I can help you.