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Lemony Asparagus Risotto
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Lemony Asparagus Risotto

Nothing says spring like asparagus!  Asparagus risotto is kicked up with a touch of lemon to give it  extra freshness.
Course Main Course
Cuisine Italian
Keyword risotto, asparagus risotto
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings 4 servings
Calories 632kcal

Ingredients

  • 7 cups chicken broth preferably homemade
  • 1 bunch asparagus (approximately 1 lb)
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 medium onion diced
  • 1 1/2 cups Arborio or Carnaroli rice
  • 1/3 cup white wine
  • 1/2 lemon zested
  • 2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano cheese
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • salt, to taste

Instructions

  • Place chicken broth in a small sauce pan and bring to a simmer. 
  • Trim woody ends off asparagus and rinse well. Chop asparagus in 1 inch pieces, separating the stems from the tips and set aside.
  • In a large dutch oven, heat oil on medium heat and sauté onion until translucent. Add rice and stir until it is coated with the oil and lightly toasted, about 2 minutes. Pour in the wine and cook until it has evaporated. 
  • Begin adding hot broth to your rice mixture with a ladle, one scoop at a time, and stir. When the broth has been absorbed, continue adding broth, one ladle full at a time. 
  • After about ten minutes of cooking, add the chopped asparagus stems. Continue adding broth as before. After five more minutes, add asparagus tips to the rice mixture. 
  • Continue cooking until the rice is tender but still has some bite to it. Total cooking time may vary from 20-25 minutes. Add salt to taste.
  • Remove from heat and stir in lemon rind, lemon juice, grated Parmigiano cheese and butter. Serve immediately with extra Parmigiano at the table

Notes

 
  • The key to cooking risotto is to make sure your broth is hot.  Keep your pot of broth simmering on the stove top next to your risotto pot.
  • For a vegetarian version, simply swap out vegetable broth for chicken broth. 
  • The broth must be added a bit at a time and more is added when the broth has been absorbed by the rice.  A good trick I learned is to drag a wooden spoon across the bottom of the pot. If you leave a space as you drag the spoon, you know it's time to add more broth.
  • After about 20 minutes of cooking, taste your rice to see if it's almost ready.  It should be tender but with some bite to it.  If you have run out of broth and your rice is not completely cooked, just add some water but make sure to heat it first.

Nutrition

Calories: 632kcal | Carbohydrates: 83g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 36mg | Sodium: 856mg | Potassium: 801mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 1137IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 200mg | Iron: 7mg