Spring Pea Asparagus Risotto (Printable)

Creamy Arborio rice with fresh peas, tender asparagus, and fragrant herbs for a light, satisfying seasonal dish.

# What You'll Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 1 cup fresh or frozen peas
02 - 1 bunch asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
03 - 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
04 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
05 - Zest of 1 lemon
06 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

→ Rice

07 - 1 ½ cups Arborio rice

→ Liquids

08 - 4 cups vegetable stock, kept warm
09 - ½ cup dry white wine

→ Dairy

10 - 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
11 - ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

→ Seasonings

12 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
13 - 2 tablespoons olive oil

# How-To Steps:

01 - Heat olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook until translucent, about 3 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.
02 - Add Arborio rice and cook, stirring constantly, until edges of the grains are translucent, about 2 minutes.
03 - Pour in the white wine and stir until fully absorbed by the rice.
04 - Begin adding warm vegetable stock one ladleful at a time, stirring frequently. Wait until most of the liquid is absorbed before adding more stock.
05 - After about 10 minutes of cooking, stir in the asparagus pieces. Continue adding stock and stirring.
06 - When rice is al dente, about 18–20 minutes total cooking time, stir in the peas.
07 - Once rice is creamy and tender and all stock is absorbed, remove from heat. Stir in remaining 2 tablespoons butter, Parmesan cheese, lemon zest, and chopped parsley. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
08 - Serve immediately, garnished with extra Parmesan and fresh parsley.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The way fresh spring vegetables cut through the richness keeps it surprisingly light
  • Its that rare dinner that feels elegant but comes together in under an hour
  • Lemon zest brightens everything up like sunshine on a plate
02 -
  • Risotto keeps cooking off the heat, so remove it when the rice still has a slight bite to it
  • Warm stock is non negotiable, cold stock shocks the rice and ruins the texture
  • The stirring process releases starch, which is what makes it creamy without adding cream
03 -
  • Have your stock warm and ready before you start cooking, there is no time to heat it mid recipe
  • Use a wooden spoon or spatula, metal can break up those delicate rice grains

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