Easy Asparagus Risotto

This easy asparagus risotto is a fabulous way to show off this delicious and much-prized star of the vegetable patch. Add some extra greens for a real celebration of spring.

Asparagus – a spring spectacular

In England, the asparagus season starts around St George’s Day – 23 April – bringing with it all the promise of spring. Whether you serve it with hollandaise sauce, slather it in butter, or turn it into the centrepiece of a main meal, asparagus time is a joy. I especially love griddled asparagus!

This easy asparagus risotto is a great way to make these delicious green buds the star of a main meal. I have added two types of peas (mange tout and petit pois), and lots of fresh lemon for a risotto primavera that is as nourishing as it is delicious. 

One of the great things about this dish is that you don’t lose any of the flavour of the asparagus to cooking water. It all goes into the dish. 

Why you will love this asparagus risotto

• A good risotto always makes an impression, even though it’s easy to make
• It’s a delicious way to make the most of asparagus with none of the flavour lost as cooking water.
• Packed full of green vegetables, it’s a great way to celebrate the early harvests. 
• It’s naturally vegetarian and easily adapted to suit vegans too with a dairy free cheese and a little extra oil instead of the butter. 

Ingredients

Asparagus – Mainland Europe loves forced white asparagus, grown in darkness to keep it from photosynthesizing. In the UK we love the more nutritious green shoots. If you use white asparagus, you need to peel the stems before you cook them. Trim off the woody end of the stems and cut into bite-size pieces. 

Stock – Use your favourite vegetable stock (or homemade, if you have it). 

Risotto rice – Risotto needs short grain rice. Arborio, carnaroli and the extra creamy vialone nano are the best known varieties. Use your favourite or whatever is available in the supermarket.

Mangetout (sugar snap or snow peas) – topped and tailed and sliced lengthwise. 

Peas (petit pois) – unless you can pick them the same day, frozen is usually better. 

Onion – a medium white onion, finely chopped. 

Garlic – peeled and chopped. If you have wild garlic, you could tear some leaves to stir in at the end of cooking instead. 

Dry white wine

Lemon – juice and zest

Olive oil

Butter

Salt and black pepper

Grana style hard cheese – Grated. Parmigianino Reggiano is great if you eat it, or a vegetarian or vegan alternative if you prefer.

How to make easy asparagus risotto

Step 1 – Heat the stock or make it with a stock cube and boiling water.

Step 2 – Heat the butter and olive oil in a heavy-based pan. Add the onion. Cook gently for about 5 minutes until soft, but not coloured. Then add the garlic and cook for a couple of minutes more. 

Step 3 – Add the rice and stir to coat it, toasting the grains. Coat the rice well with the butter and oil. As it heats, it will start to look glassy and transparent.

Step 4 – Add the wine. It will boil up and then evaporate.

Step 5 – Now start to add the stock. Do this slowly, a ladle or two at a time.

Step 6 – Stir the risotto gently as it cooks. This releases the starch and gives that classic creamy risotto texture. When each ladle of stock has been absorbed, you will hear a ‘sigh’ from the risotto. This tells you that it is time to add more liquid.

Step 7 – Cook the asparagus risotto for about twenty minutes, stirring gently. When the vegetables are tender and the rice is soft and creamy, turn the heat right down.  Add the vegetables and lemon about 5 minutes from the end of cooking time.

Step 8 – Allow the risotto to rest for a minute. Season to taste with salt and black pepper.

Step 9 – Stir in an extra knob of butter and the grated cheese before serving.

Hints, tips and variations

• In a risotto, the rice should become a creamy mass. In a paella, the grains are separate. The difference is all that stirring, which releases the starch from the rice. Keep stirring!
• Add any fresh spring greens to your risotto primavera – the more, the better. 
• The Italians say that rice is born in water but must die in wine. The alcohol does burn off and that flavour is a classic part of the dish. You can, however, just use a little extra stock instead.