Lemon asparagus risotto

Lemon asparagus risotto has all the comfort factor you'd expect in a risotto, with the fresh flavors and colors of spring. It's light and bright, and a delicious main or side.

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Risotto is one of those dishes that some people find a little intimidating. Or simply the idea of needing to stand over it while it cooks is too annoying. I can understand, but in actual fact it's really a lot easier than you might think.

Yes, it takes a little time, and you do need to stir a bit. But you can easily do other things at the same time and just keep coming back to it. And the result is most definitely worth the little effort.

This lemon and asparagus risotto is a lovely bright, spring-inspired take on the classic. It still has the same basic method and texture of a classic risotto, but the lemon added at the end gives it a lighter finish. It's the perfect balance of fresh and comforting.

Risotto origins and core ingredients

Risotto can be traced back to the 16th century and originates in the Northern regions of Italy. Rice was first introduced to Italy in the 14th century by the Arabs, first in Sicily then growing regions gradually moved north. The oldest written recipe is for risotto alla Milanese, saffron risotto, from the 1800s.

Most risottos start with the same base of softened onion and garlic, followed by rice, de-glazing with white wine then stock as the main liquid to cook the rice. Then, you finish the dish off with some parmesan cheese and, often, some extra butter to help build up that creamy texture. Each of these ingredients adds to the flavor and texture of the end dish. 

Over the years, the dish has evolved to include variations with a range of additions, from pumpkin risotto to chestnut risotto, versions with mushrooms, seafood and more. This lemon risotto, risotto al limone, is another great variation on the theme.

Tips for making risotto

Since, as I say, risotto can feel a little intimidating, here are some tips to help it work well:

• Use arborio rice, or other rice intended for risotto like carnaroli. This makes a huge difference - these varieties of rice release starch as they cook that gives the creamy texture yet still has a slight bite. Other types of rice don't cook in the same way.
• Use warm stock - it's tempting to not bother heating the stock but this would be a mistake. Warm stock helps the temperature stay constant which helps that starchiness come out. It also helps avoid overcooking as you don't need to turn the temperature up to re-warm it each time you add stock.
• Soften the onion first - this helps to add some sweetness and flavor that you'll taste throughout the dish. So don't rush past it or skip it.
• Toast the rice - this, too, adds to the flavor. It also coats the grains in the fat that helps in how it cooks to get that classic texture.
• Simmer rather than boil - another key to not over-cooking or burning part of the dish is to keep the temperature steady and not too high. You want the rice to absorb the liquid, not just evaporate, so cook over medium heat and reduce if needed.
• Stir, but not too much - you want to stir the rice a bit to help get that texture and for it to cook evenly. But at the same time, you don't want to break up the grains. So, just now and then is fine and best.
• Taste towards the end - you can judge a lot by looking, but it's worth tasting a grain as it seems near done to check. If it has just a little bite, you are close, so are probably at the point of adding the last of the stock (and in the case of this risotto, the vegetables). You don't want to add too much stock that it becomes overcooked and mushy.
• Finish off the heat - add the lemon juice, lemon zest and grated parmesan cheese after you take it off the heat. This saves these ingredients getting too hot which can cause them to not taste quite as good or be the wrong texture.

I know this may sound like a lot, but honestly, it really isn't! With just the tiniest bit of practice, you'll be happy to add it to your regular rotation.

For this particular version, I've made things a little easier by cooking the asparagus and peas in the stock at the end of cooking. There's no need to cook them separately.

Just add the chopped asparagus stems first, with the last ladleful of stock. Then add the asparagus tips and the peas shortly after as they need less time to cook.

Ways to adapt this dish

While I've kept this simple with asparagus and peas, you can easily adapt this to taste. For example:

• Try some other light spring-like vegetables such as arugula or snap peas. While less seasonal, zucchini also works well. Some may need a quite sautee or steam separately to ensure they cook. Whatever you choose, keep them mild in flavor to make sure it doesn't take away from the lemon. 
• Dice some salmon and add it at the end to cook in the last of the broth then mix through as you add back the vegetables.
• Add some grilled shrimp or fish such as swordfish or tuna alongside or served on top.

You can serve this dish as a main course in itself, as larger portions, or serve it as a side. It works particularly well with fish and seafood, as mentioned above, as well as with chicken. You could also serve it with various salads. 

Try these other savory lemon dishes:

• Lemon pork meatballs
• Avgolemono soup
• Lemon mascarpone pasta
• One pot lemon garlic chicken with vegetables
• Plus get more tasty spring recipes in the archives.

See some of my favorite cooking tools and ingredients in the Caroline's Cooking Amazon store. 

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This post was originally shared in May 2015, and has been updated, primarily with new photos.