Asparagus risotto is creamy to perfection, light, comforting, and nutritious. If you love asparagus, you'll love it even more with risotto.
This is an easy recipe, and with our step-by-step instructions, you'll learn how to make risotto like an Italian.
This asparagus risotto recipe is easy, although there are a few simple steps one must follow to make a creamy yet not-too-runny risotto with an "al dente" grain of rice that's so satisfying in the mouth.
Here we follow the classic recipe for risotto, the one I learned while attending cooking school in Italy. This recipe is not vegan, although you can easily make it so by keeping out the parmesan cheese or replacing it with a vegan alternative.
And while asparagus risotto is a little more elaborate than the typical easy dinner recipes you find on this blog, it's still a recipe you can make in well below 45 minutes (around 30 if you have some practice).
It's the perfect vegetarian recipe for a special occasion with your loved one or family. And it's perfect for cooking while having a conversation, stirring it patiently while enjoying a glass of dry white wine or prosecco.
Ingredients
Rice: you can only use risotto rice to make risotto. It has the right amount of starch and the right texture. Good varieties are Arborio rice, Carnaroli, Vialone Nano, and Roma. But in most supermarkets, you'll find it simply as Risotto Rice. Note: do not wash risotto rice before using it.
Asparagus: you can use fresh asparagus or frozen asparagus. If in the season, I'd recommend fresh ones as they keep their texture better and won't get mushy.
Garlic: a couple of crushed garlic cloves to sauté the asparagus. Garlic doesn't go in the actual risotto.
Olive oil: to cook the asparagus and toast the rice.
Shallot: we use it to make a quick flavor base for the rice to fry in. You can replace it with white or yellow onion.
Dry white wine: this is used to deglaze the pan after the rice has been toasted. It adds acidity to the risotto, which means more flavor. If you prefer not to use wine, you can replace it with vegetable stock. Use ½ cup dry white wine for 2 cups of rice.
Vegetable broth: the liquid to cook the rice. You can make it yourself from scratch or use a ready-made one. What's important is that you bring it to a simmer and keep it hot before adding it to the rice. Also, add the woody ends of the asparagus to the stock to infuse it with the asparagus flavor and make the risotto really tasty. Use 4 cups of vegetable stock for 1 cup of rice. Here we use double that since we cook 2 cups of rice.
Salt and pepper: I only add salt and pepper to the asparagus and, if necessary, a pinch to the risotto. Generally, ready-made vegetable broth has enough salt to season the whole dish. If you decide to add salt, do so at the end, shortly before serving the dish.
Butter: classic Italian risotto has butter in it. We prefer to make it with dairy-free butter made with unsaturated vegetable oils such as canola oil and olive oil. Use whichever butter you prefer.
Parmesan: try to find "Parmigiano Reggiano" or "Grana Padano" if you can. They are high-quality hard cheese imported from Italy. They are naturally lactose-free, and they pack your risotto with plenty of savory flavors (umami) that no other cheese can match.
If you prefer to keep this asparagus risotto vegan, then opt for a vegan parmesan alternative, or keep it out completely and just add vegan butter instead.
Instructions
Step 1: Cook Asparagus.
Trim the woody ends of the asparagus stalks with a sharp knife and set them aside for later.
Thinly slice asparagus into disks, but keep the tips of the spears whole.
To a non-stick pan, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil, the asparagus (not the woody ends), a crushed garlic clove, ½ teaspoon of salt, and a few twists of pepper.
Sauté the asparagus on medium heat for 5 minutes. Set aside. The asparagus should not be fully cooked at this stage as we finish them later in the risotto.
Step 2: prep the vegetable broth.
Add the vegetable stock and the woody ends of the asparagus to a saucepan or to a pot. Bring to a simmer, and keep hot.
Step 3: toast the rice.
Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to a large skillet or a dutch oven. Set the heat to medium. When the oil is hot, add the finely chopped shallot. Fry the shallot for 2 minutes until translucent. From now on, keep the heat on medium.
Add the risotto rice to the pan and stir with a wooden spoon. Toast the rice for about 1 minute, stirring continuously. Note: do not wash the risotto rice before cooking it.
Add the white wine and keep stirring until the wine is fully evaporated.
When the wine is completely gone, add 1 ladleful of hot vegetable stock. Keep stirring continuously. When the pan starts to dry up, add 1 more ladleful of vegetable stock, and keep stirring.
Repeat this for 12 minutes, stirring continuously and adding 1 ladleful of hot vegetable stock as soon as the pan dries up.
The rice should never stick to the bottom of the pan, and you should never add too much broth at once.
Step 4: add asparagus.
After 12 minutes, add the asparagus to the rice. Keep stirring and adding hot vegetable stock until the rice is cooked.
Keep stirring and adding stock for about 5 more minutes, or until the rice is al dente, with a light bite.
Risotto should cook between 16 and 18 minutes, from when you add the first ladle of broth. Start tasting the rice often at around the 15-minute mark. When you taste it, you should clearly feel the "heart" of the rice grain between your teeth, and it should feel slightly undercooked.
At this point, you should also adjust for salt, if necessary.
Final step: add butter and cheese.
When the risotto is al-dente, and the last ladle of broth has been almost completely absorbed, turn the heat off. Now it's time to "mantecare" the risotto. That means adding your butter and cheese of choice.
In our case, we add vegan butter and Parmigiano Reggiano. Stir gently, off the heat, until butter and cheese are fully combined with the rice. Now let sit for 2 minutes, covered with a lid. This final step is crucial for any good risotto, so don't skip it.
After 2 minutes, stir the risotto one more time, and if too dense, add a little more vegetable stock, keeping in mind that risotto should not be too runny nor too thick. It should have a perfectly creamy texture.
Serve this asparagus risotto on a flat or slightly curved plate(not in a deep plate or bowl). Optionally, sprinkle with some extra Parmigiano Reggiano and a twist of freshly ground black pepper. Eat with a fork.
Variations
Lemon Asparagus Risotto
A quick and easy variation is to garnish with the grated zest of an organic lemon on top. Lemon goes well with asparagus, making this asparagus risotto fresh and zesty.
Not everyone likes lemon zest on their risotto, so let people choose if they want to add it. Some prefer to garnish with finely chopped fresh herbs, such as fresh thyme or flat-leaf parsley.
Fancy Asparagus Risotto
If you want to make this dish super fancy, then you could add:
- toasted and chopped almonds on top,
- oven-roasted asparagus spears (just the tip of the asparagus),
- thinly sliced raw asparagus (use a vegetable peeler) tossed in a pinch of salt and lemon juice.
Serving suggestions
This asparagus risotto is a fulfilling meal, and we generally serve it as a main course, either with a light starter before it or with a vegetable side dish after.
Check out our vegan appetizers roundup to get inspired. Some of our favorite starters to go with this risotto are:
- crunchy tomato bruschetta,
- cherry tomatoes stuffed with vegan tuna,
- easy vegan frittata with chickpea flour (make with asparagus, zucchini, or mushrooms).
If you are looking for a nice side, check out our vegetable side dish roundup. Among our favorite sides are:
- shaved Brussels sprout salad
- fennel and orange salad
- panzanella - or Italian bread salad
More asparagus recipes
If you like asparagus, check out our other recipes:
- air fryer asparagus - one of our favorite ways to eat asparagus.
- tofu soup with asparagus - incredibly simple and satisfying.
- steamed asparagus - healthy, tender-crisp, and incredibly juicy.
- grilled asparagus - smokey, crisp, lemony, and lightly charred.
- boiled asparagus - probably the easiest way to cook asparagus on the stovetop.
- baked asparagus - everyone loves roasted asparagus.
- asparagus frittata (vegan) with chickpea flour.
Storage
Store leftover asparagus risotto in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave. On the second day, the risotto will be stickier and less creamy. We do not recommend freezing risotto.
Recipe
Asparagus Risotto
Ingredients
For the Asparagus
- 16 ounces (1 lb) asparagus
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic crushed
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 twists black pepper
For the Risotto
- 8 cups vegetable broth + trimmed woody ends of asparagus
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 shallot finely chopped
- 2 cups risotto rice Arborio variety
- ½ cup dry white wine
- 2 tablespoons vegan butter or regular butter
- ½ cup parmigiano reggiano or grana padano
Instructions
STEP 1: COOK ASPARAGUS
- Trim woody ends of asparagus with sharp knife. Set trimmings aside to add to vegetable broth later.
- Thinly slice asparagus into disks, but keep the tips of the spears whole.
- Sauté asparagus with olive oil, crushed garlic, salt, and pepper for 5 minutes. Should be tender but not fully cooked. Set aside.
STEP 2: PREP THE VEGETABLE STOCK
- Add the vegetable stock and the woody ends of the asparagus to a pot. Bring to a simmer, and keep hot.
STEP 3: COOK THE RICE
- Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to a large skillet. Set the heat to medium. Add finely chopped shallot and fry for 2 minutes.
- Add risotto rice, and toast for 1 minute, stirring continuously with a wooden spoon.Add the white wine and keep stirring until the wine is fully evaporated.
- When the wine is completely gone, add 1 ladleful of hot vegetable broth. Keep stirring continuously. When the pan starts to dry up, add 1 more ladleful of vegetable broth, and keep stirring.Repeat this for 12 minutes, stirring continuously and adding 1 ladleful of hot vegetable broth as soon as the pan dries up.
STEP 4: ADD ASPARAGUS
- After 12 minutes, add the asparagus to the rice. Keep stirring and adding hot vegetable stock until the rice is cooked al dente. It should take 5 more minutes.
- Risotto should cook between 16 and 18 minutes, from when you add the first ladle of broth. Start tasting the rice often at around the 15-minute mark. When you taste it, you should clearly feel the "heart" of the rice grain between your teeth; it should be al dente.At this point, you should also adjust for salt, if necessary.
FINAL STEP: ADD BUTTER AND CHEESE
- When the risotto is al-dente, and the last ladle of broth has been almost completely absorbed, turn the heat off. Add your butter and cheese of choice. In our case, we add vegan butter and Parmigiano Reggiano. Stir gently, off the heat, until butter and cheese are fully melted in the rice. Now let sit for 2 minutes, covered with a lid.
- After 2 minutes, stir the risotto one more time, and if too dense, add a little more vegetable stock, keeping in mind that risotto should not be too runny nor too thick. It should have a perfectly creamy texture.
- Serve risotto on a flat or slightly curved plate (not in a deep plate or bowl). Optionally, sprinkle with some extra Parmigiano Reggiano and a twist of freshly ground black pepper. Eat with a fork.
Notes
Nutritional Values
If you liked this recipe, you might also like:
Leave a comment and star rating :-)