Fresh Spring asparagus are perfect in this risotto that also features a bright not from the lemon juice and zest. Perfectly creamy, ready in about 30 minute, this dish will leave you comforted and satisfied.
Song of the day: Missing Piece - Vance Joy
Spring asparagus
Asparagus is such a lovely and versatile Spring vegetable. We eagerly wait to see the first asparagus appearing at the markets, but we have to wait a little longer to taste local Alberta asparagus. In the end, every year, the first recipe we make is Asparagus Risotto, with a touch of lemon. Fresh and bright like a Spring day.
Risotto is fairly easy if you follow some basic steps. Follow along.
The prep - part 1
- Heat up oil and 1 tablespoon of butter in a medium-deep saute pan. Add in onion, garlic clove, optional a pinch of chili flakes, and saute for 1-2 minutes. Lightly season with salt and pepper.
- Then throw in rice (we use Carnaroli) and coat well, letting it toast for about 1 minute.
- Pour in white wine, stir, and cook until wine dissipates for about 2 minutes.
The prep - part 2
- Toss in chopped asparagus (reserving the tips for later) and mix to blend with the rice.
- Keep heat to a medium setting, and start pouring a couple of ladles of broth into the rice mixture and stir. Once the broth dissipates add one more ladle at a time, stirring frequently after every addition.
- Add the tips of the asparagus at half the cooking time. Continue adding broth and stirring for about 18-20 minutes. Taste for donneness and seasoning and adjust eventually. Remove the garlic clove.
Almost there - part 3
- Turn off the heat when there is still a bit of the liquid left, and the rice has an al dente texture.
- Lastly, add the lemon juice and zest, and a good handful of Parmigiano.
- Also, a pat of butter, then stir vigorously until incorporated. Cover and let sit for a couple of minutes.
Skip butter and Parmigiano for a vegan version
Time to plate
This Spring Asparagus Risotto with Lemon smells amazing and entices you to eat. Actually, risotto does not like to wait. It is best eaten right away when it's still creamy and warm. The longer it sits, risotto keeps cooking and absorbing the liquid, which may result in dry overcooked rice. When plating, we like to sprinkle additional Parmigiano or Grana Padano on our risotto.
Spring Asparagus Risotto
All in all, this risotto is a wonderful seasonal dish. Healthy, nutritious, tasty. The Carnaroli rice has a lovely nutty al dente texture, the asparagus stems are perfectly cooked, and the tips that we added at half the cooking time, kept their bite and shape. Finally, the lemon, with its juice and zest, brings freshness and brightness to the earthy asparagus.
More asparagus recipes
It is the season! Here are some of our favorites:
- Asparagus croquettes (baked or air fried)
- Simple Stove top Lemon Asparagus
- Spring Focaccia with Lemon Asparagus
- Easy Spring Penne with Asparagus and Guanciale
Spring Asparagus Risotto with Lemon
Spring asparagus are perfect in this risotto that also features a bright not from the lemon juice and zest. Easy meal ready in about 30 minute
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 2-3 servings 1x
- Category: Risotto, vegetarian
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
- 1 bundle of asparagus
- ¾ cup Carnaroli rice
- 1 small onion or shallot
- 1 garlic clove, whole, lightly smashed
- a pinch of chili flakes, optional
- salt and pepper
- ¼ cup white wine
- 4-5 cups vegetable broth
- a pat of butter
- ¼ cup Parmigiano Reggiano
- ½ lemon, juice and zest
Instructions
- First, trim the bottom of the asparagus ends (about 2 inches). Wash and clean the asparagus. Cut the tips and set aside. Take the stems and chop into 1 cm length.
- Pour vegetable broth into a pot and simmer on very low heat.
- Heat up oil and 1 tablespoon of butter in a medium-deep saute pan. Add in onion, the garlic clove lightly smashed, optional a pinch of chili flakes, and saute for 1-2 minutes. Lightly season with salt and pepper.
- Then throw in rice and coat well, letting it toast for about 1 minute. Pour in white wine, stir, and cook until wine dissipates for about 2 minutes.
- Toss in chopped asparagus (reserving the tips for later) and mix to blend.
- Keep heat to a medium setting, and start pouring a couple of ladles of broth into the rice mixture and stir.
- Once the broth dissipates add one more ladle at a time, stirring frequently after every addition.
- Add the tips of the asparagus at half the cooking time. Continue adding broth and stirring for about 18-20 minutes. Taste for donenness and seasoning and adjust eventually. Remove the garlic clove.
- Turn off heat when there is still a bit of the liquid left, add in a pat of butter, the lemon juice and zest, a good handful of Parmigiano, and stir vigorously until incorporated. Cover and let sit for a couple of minutes. The rice keeps cooking and absorbing the liquid.
- Lastly, spoon into dishes and sprinkle with freshly grated Parmigiano. Serve immediately. Risotto does not like to wait.
Notes
When making risotto, we like to use Carnaroli rice, you can use Arborio, and also Vialone Nano.
The asparagus tips are the most delicate so we like to add them at about half the cooking time to preserve their shape and firm texture.
Skip the butter and Parmigiano to make it vegan.
I love baking and kneading dough because it takes me to a happy place in my soul.
Allyssa says
Thank you so much for sharing this spring asparagus risotto with lemon recipe! Fam really loves it and it's really tasty! Will make it again!
It's a favorite seasonal recipe, happy you loved it too! Thanks!
Giacomo Delaney says
This really is a great recipe, we’ll definitely be making it again very soon. Grazie Mille
Prego, Giacomo! So happy you liked the risotto 🙂 .