Last Updated on March 6, 2024 by Sabrina Currie
Easy creamy lemon asparagus risotto with parmesan is a simple and delicious twist on traditional risotto. It's a great vegetarian main dish or a fresh and bright side dish perfect for any dinner party. This creamy asparagus risotto recipe is quick, easy and full of rich flavor. Get a pan out and you'll be done in just 30 minutes!
Why I love this recipe
Risotto is a classic Italian rice dish that can be served as a side dish or a main course. While it requires frequent stirring, it is very easy to make and doesn't require many ingredients.
Years ago, while travelling in Australia, my girlfriends and I bought a bag of arborio rice. Each day we chose different add ins, one night was mushroom risotto, one a scallop risotto and another night chicken risotto and of course, we made asparagus risotto. Always served with a great glass of white wine, usually a bright Australian semillon or unoaked chardonnay, with a little poured into the risotto as well. It's an easy and economical meal that I love to this day.
Additionally, risotto is naturally gluten-free and easy to adapt to many other diets, including vegan. I've got lots of recipe ideas to serve with risotto, too, and if it's asparagus season where you are, try it in this fresh take on Nicoise salad, a Japanese inspired asparagus gomae or creamy broccoli asparagus soup.
Ingredients
It only takes a few simple ingredients to whip up this zesty lemon asparagus risotto recipe. Rice, asparagus and some aromatics are the key ingredients.
- Rice - Risotto rice is a short to medium grain Italian rice. It is traditionally made with Italian arborio rice, carnaroli rice, or vialone nano rice. These varieties have a high starch content but also hold their shape well, making them perfect simmered and stirred risotto.
- Asparagus - Fresh asparagus is best for this recipe. Canned or frozen asparagus won't have a nice texture and the flavor is not nearly as good. Cut it into 1-inch pieces. Reserve the tender asparagus tips for the garnish on top at the end.
- Wine - Choose a crisp, dry white wine that is unoaked. Sauvignon blanc is one of my favorites or use an unoaked chardonnay, pinot grigio or semillon.
- Lemon - Using the juice and the zest add great layers of lemon flavor to this spring time risotto. Be sure to zest the lemon first, before juicing for best results.
See recipe card for details
Substitutions + Variations
- Rice - Good risotto needs the right type of rice, but if you can't get the carnoroli, arborio or vialone rice varieties, you can use another kind of rice. Stay away from long grain rice and choose a short grained or medium grain rice. I've subbed sushi rice in a pinch with great success.
- Onion - I like using a shallot for it's deep, fragrant scent but you can easily substitute an equal amount of white, sweet or yellow onion instead.
- Cream - Cream is optional and not a truly traditional ingredient. I like it in this recipes because the subtle sweetness and extra body play well with the crisp asparagus. If you want, you can simply omit it, using a little extra broth or butter as needed at the end to get the consistency right.
- Stock - Vegetable broth is called for but chicken stock is a fine substitute. Low sodium or regular will work equally well.
- Add-ins - Want a little more in your risotto? Try adding in a half cup of cooked bacon bits, cubed ham or shelled peas 5 minutes before the end of cooking.
Step By Step Instructions
The cooking process for risotto is easy and meditative. Add the broth in steps, stir frequently to make the rice creamy, stir in cheese for delicious flavor and umami at the end, and enjoy!
Add half the lemon juice early on to get a mellow, deep lemon flavor and the rest of the juice at the end for some bright and fresh lemon flavor that pairs so well with asparagus.
Step 1. Slowly sauté shallot and crushed garlic cloves in a little olive oil or butter until fragrant. Add rice and stir well.
Step 2. Add the wine then add the vegetable broth in ½ c increments, stirring frequently. Keep your stock warm in a separate pot on the stove set to low heat so your risotto stays at a gentle simmer when adding in your stock.
Step 3. Cook until the rice is al dente for the best risotto. Add fresh asparagus about 5 minutes before the end of cooking to help keep its bright green color.
Step 4. Add cream and parmesan, stir through and then season to taste with salt and black pepper. Add chopped scallions, stir through and remove from heat.
(Stirring in a little extra butter or some cream at the end makes the finished risotto extra smooth and silky.)
Step 5. Garnish with extra herbs (fresh basil, chives, tarragon or thyme are lovely), lemon slices or blanched asparagus tips if you like.
Step 6. Serve it up hot with a glass of wine and some fresh crusty bread for an easy meal that looks like it was a labor of love!
How To Use Leftover Risotto
Leftovers are delicious reheated gently in a pan with a little extra liquid added as needed. Alternatively, you can make arancini by rolling tablespoons of cold risotto into balls, dipping in egg and bread crumbs and frying. (Store leftover risotto in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 4 days.)
What Goes With Risotto?
One of my favorite dishes, risotto is often served as an appetizer or primi before a main course of meat or seafood. It can also be served as a side dish with grilled chicken, seafood or vegetables, rich meaty stews, or with a main course salad.
Frequently Asked Questions
Risotto requires stirring to create the traditional creamy texture. Stirring helps loosen the starch from the rice to make a creamy 'sauce' but you don't have to stir constantly. You can make a salad or a cocktail while this cooks nearby, giving it a stir every few minutes. Stirring as the risotto cooks helps blend the starch from the rice into the flavorful cheesy sauce.
Asparagus takes awhile to get established (2 years for a good harvest if you've planted crowns, 4 if you start with the seeds!) but is very rewarding once you do. A perennial, it peeks up every spring with very little care required. Depending what variety you choose, they can be hearty to Zone 2 so you should be able to grow them anywhere on the British Columbia coast and of course south into Washington and Oregon. Once you get a bed established, it can produce for up to 20 years!
More Great Veggie Recipes
If you have any questions or comments, you can find me on Instagram, Pinterest and Facebook. I try to answer any recipe related questions quickly as I know you might be in the middle of making it.
Also check out my FREE PRINTABLE meal planner to make menu planning and grocery shopping a breeze and my shopping guide. And if you like this recipe, I would love it if you give it a star rating in the recipe card.
Cheers and happy cooking, Friends! Sabrina
📖 Recipe
Easy Creamy Lemon Asparagus Risotto With Parmesan
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
- 1 medium Shallot, finely diced
- 1 clove Garlic, minced
- 1 c Arborio Rice (or other short grain rice)
- ¼ c Dry White Wine
- 1 Bay Leaf
- 3 ½ c Vegetable Stock, heated
- 1 Lemon, zest and juice
- 2 c Asparagus, cut into 1 inch pieces
- ¼ c Parley, finely chopped
- ¼ c Chives, finely chopped
- ½ c Parmesan Cheese, grated
- c Heavy Cream
- Salt and Pepper
Instructions
- In a large pan with high sides heat olive oil on medium low, add shallot and garlic and cook gently until translucent.
- Stir in rice, wine and bay leaf.
- Start adding in stock ½ c at a time stirring every few minutes and adding more stock as it becomes absorbed.
- After 20 minutes when the rice is nearly done, add in the lemon zest, juice, asparagus and herbs and stir gently.
- Add in parmesan and cream and cook, stirring gently 5 more minutes and season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve in bowls and garnish with chives and more freshly grated parmesan cheese and pepper
Notes
Nutrition
Melissa says
I’m excited to eventually harvest my asparagus. I planted it last year. The recipe was easy to read on my phone.
SabCurrie says
Awesome!
Deb says
Recipe looks delicious. Beautiful photos. Inspiring
SabCurrie says
Thanks 💕