Spring Vegetable Lemon Risotto (Print Version)
A vibrant risotto blending spring vegetables, fresh herbs, and zesty lemon for a flavorful dish.
# Recipe Ingredients:
→ 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 parts 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
# Directions:
01 - Heat olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a large, heavy-bottomed skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add leek and cook gently for 3–4 minutes until softened. Add garlic and zucchini; cook for another 2 minutes.
02 - Stir in Arborio rice and cook, stirring constantly, for 1–2 minutes until grains are well coated and slightly translucent at edges.
03 - Pour in white wine and stir until mostly absorbed.
04 - Add warm vegetable stock one ladleful at a time, stirring frequently and allowing each addition to be absorbed before adding next. Continue 18–20 minutes.
05 - After about 10 minutes of adding stock, stir in asparagus and peas. Continue adding stock and stirring until rice is creamy and al dente, and vegetables are tender.
06 - Stir in spinach and cook for 1–2 minutes until wilted. Remove from heat.
07 - Add remaining 1 tablespoon butter, lemon zest, lemon juice, Parmesan, and parsley. Stir vigorously to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
08 - Plate and garnish with extra Parmesan and parsley if desired.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The vegetables cook right into the rice so every bite carries spring in it, not just the polite garnish on top.
- You finally get to use that bottle of white wine you opened last Tuesday and forgot about in the refrigerator door.
02 -
- If the rice is done but the pot looks dry, beat in a splash more stock or even hot water; risotto should flow like lava, not hold its shape like fried rice.
- The Parmesan will thicken everything dramatically, so err slightly on the loose side before adding it.
03 -
- Save your parmesan rinds in the freezer and simmer them in the warming stock for umami depth that costs nothing.
- If the vegetables threaten to overcook before the rice finishes, lift them out with a slotted spoon and return them at the end.