Spring Vegetable Lemon Risotto (Printable)
Creamy risotto bursting with asparagus, peas, spinach, and lemon zest for a fresh spring flavor.
# What You'll Need:
→ Fresh Vegetables
01 - 1 cup asparagus, cut into 1-inch pieces
02 - 1 cup fresh or frozen peas
03 - 1 cup baby spinach, roughly chopped
04 - 1 small leek, white and light green part only, thinly sliced
05 - 1 medium zucchini, diced
→ Rice & Broth
06 - 1 1/2 cups Arborio rice
07 - 4 cups vegetable stock, kept warm
08 - 1/2 cup dry white wine
→ Aromatics & Flavor
09 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
10 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
11 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
12 - Zest of 1 lemon
13 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
14 - 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese (plus extra for serving)
15 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
16 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
# Steps:
01 - Heat the olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a large, heavy-bottomed skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat.
02 - Add the leek and cook gently for 3–4 minutes until softened. Add garlic and zucchini; cook for another 2 minutes.
03 - Stir in the Arborio rice and cook, stirring constantly, for 1–2 minutes until the grains are well coated and slightly translucent at the edges.
04 - Pour in the white wine and stir until mostly absorbed.
05 - Add the warm vegetable stock one ladleful at a time, stirring frequently and allowing each addition to be absorbed before adding the next. This will take 18–20 minutes.
06 - After about 10 minutes of adding stock, stir in the asparagus and peas. Continue to add stock and stir until the rice is creamy and al dente, and the vegetables are tender.
07 - Stir in the spinach and cook for 1–2 minutes until wilted. Remove from the heat.
08 - Add the remaining 1 tablespoon butter, lemon zest, lemon juice, Parmesan, and parsley. Stir vigorously to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
09 - Serve immediately, garnished with extra Parmesan and parsley if desired.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The way the spring vegetables keep their bright pop of color while the rice becomes impossibly creamy is pure magic on the plate
- Lemon makes everything taste like sunshine and suddenly your dinner feels like a celebration even on a Tuesday night
02 -
- Warming your stock before adding it is the secret difference between gummy and creamy risotto
- The vigorous stirring at the end releases starch and creates that restaurant style texture
03 -
- Restaurants make risotto look effortless because they have mastered the stock addition rhythm, do not rush this step
- The risotto will continue to absorb liquid after you remove it from the heat, so stop when it is slightly looser than you want it to be