Red Wine Rice Gratin with Ham and Mozzarella
A hearty, crowd-pleasing bake where fluffy rice cooked in bold red wine layers beautifully with diced ham, fresh tomatoes, and bubbling melted mozzarella. Simple pantry staples come together into a stunning gratin that's perfect for feeding a hungry crowd.
🛒 Ingredients
8 servings
- 1 litre (4¼ cups) dry red wine
- 4 cups long-grain rice
- ½ medium onion, finely diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 4 ripe tomatoes
- 400 g (14 oz) thick-cut ham
- 400 g (14 oz) mozzarella cheese
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- Dried oregano, to taste
- Salt, to taste
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Directions
- 1
Dice the ham and mozzarella into roughly 1 cm cubes. Set aside separately.
- 2
Halve the tomatoes, scoop out the seeds, and cut them into small cubes. In a large bowl, toss together the tomatoes, ham, mozzarella and a generous pinch of dried oregano. Mix well and set aside.
- 3
Finely dice the onion and mince the garlic. Rinse the rice under cold water until it runs clear.
- 4
Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Sauté the onion and garlic until softened and lightly golden. Add the rice and salt, pour in the entire litre of red wine, and cook over medium heat until fully absorbed, adding a splash of water if needed.
- 5
In a large baking dish, alternate layers of wine-cooked rice and the ham-tomato mixture, gently stirring with a spoon between each layer, until all ingredients are used up.
- 6
Bake in a preheated oven at 180 °C (350 °F) for 10 minutes, until the mozzarella is melted and bubbling. Serve hot straight from the dish.
💡 Chef's Tip
Use a medium-bodied dry red wine — a Merlot or Côtes du Rhône works beautifully. Avoid overly tannic wines as they can make the rice taste bitter. The rice will turn a gorgeous deep burgundy colour.
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