This version centres on two choices: adding stock gradually and keeping the ham for the finish. The rice cooks with onion and is finished with mature cheese; the slices provide contrast at the last moment, rather than frying throughout the cooking time.
4 main courses · about 35 minutes · 320 g rice and 80 g ham. Adjust stock to absorption and serve freshly made.
Ingredients and timing for 4 servings
Preparation: about 10 minutes. Cooking: about 25 minutes. Approximate total: 35 minutes.
Approximate timings: adjust cooking to the ingredient’s texture and its packet directions.
- 320 g risotto rice
- 100 g peeled onion
- 20 ml olive oil
- 1 litre vegetable stock with no added salt, plus a little extra if needed
- 30 g grated mature hard cheese
- 80 g sliced cured ham
Step-by-step method
- Chop the onion and cut the ham into manageable pieces using clean utensils. Heat the stock in a separate pan and keep it hot. Store the ham as directed on its pack until needed.
- Heat the oil in a wide pan. Cook the onion over medium-low heat for about 5–6 minutes until soft. Add the rice and stir for about 2 minutes without burning it.
- Add a ladle of hot stock. Stir frequently and add another when the previous ladle is almost absorbed. Follow the rice packet’s indicative cooking time; start checking texture around 16–18 minutes into this stage.
- When the rice is cooked and still loose, turn off the heat and mix in the cheese. Add a little more hot stock if it thickens too much: it should spread gently on the plate.
- Divide between four plates and distribute the 80 g ham over the top. Serve immediately rather than leaving cooked rice waiting in the pan at room temperature.
Jamones Paco Heredia for this article
Current selection from the related collection. Check format, weight and directions on each product page.
Jamones Paco Heredia
Current selection from the related collection. Check format, weight and directions on each product page.
View the collection →Adapt the recipe to your kitchen
One litre of stock is a shopping allowance, not an amount you must pour in. Rice variety and pan affect absorption. Add gradually and look for cooked grains in a creamy mixture, without making soup.
Taste the cheese and ham together before deciding whether salt is needed. Cool and refrigerate leftover rice promptly; do not rely on leaving it out and reheating later. See the linked official guidance for rice leftovers.
Cooked rice storage: Community of Madrid guidance.
The selection follows the Jamones Paco Heredia catalogue. Check the collection for current products and their details.
Pumpkin variation for the same four servings
Add 300 g peeled, deseeded, coarsely grated pumpkin. After softening the onion, add the pumpkin and cook over medium-low heat for about 6–8 minutes until tender; add a little stock if it sticks. Continue with the rice and the remaining method, adding stock according to absorption. Allow this extra step on top of the base timing and check the grain. Keep the 80 g of ham for finishing. An editorial suggestion without a kitchen trial; the images show the base recipe.
Choose your ham and plan your purchase
You need 80 g of ham for the four suggested portions. Compare 80 g sliced ham packs and check that the listing is for ham if following these ingredients. The carousel may also include shoulder.
Cebo Iberian ham and 100% Iberian bellota ham are different categories; the recipe does not require the most expensive one. Check the specific product's ingredients and storage instructions. For other formats, explore ham to buy.