Creamy Lemon Asparagus Risotto with Parmesan
Servings: 4
Calories: 499kcal
This creamy lemon asparagus risotto recipe uses parmesan cheese to make a light, velvety sauce. It can be served as a main course or a side dish, and it's ready in under an hour.
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Equipment
- wide, deep skillet or dutch oven
Ingredients
- 1 bunch fresh asparagus
- 1 leek
- 3 tablespoon butter
- ¼ cup white wine
- 1½ cups arborio rice
- 7 cups water (you may need a little more or a little less)
- 1 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1 parmesan rind (optional, but adds so much yumminess!)
- 1½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- zest of one lemon
- freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Grate the parmesan on the small holes of a box grater, cut off the rind, and set aside. Use a microplane grater to zest the lemon, then juice it, set both aside.
- Cut the root end and the dark green part off of the leek, then slice it in half longways. Run it under cold water, opening up the layers with your fingers to rinse all the dirt and sand from the inside. Cut the leek into very thin slices and set aside.
- To trim the asparagus, hold onto each end and gently bend until it breaks. It will break exactly where it should! Discard the woody stems or save them to make vegetable stock.
- Rinse the asparagus and cut into 1-inch pieces. I like to cut these on the bias (at an angle) because it's prettier, but you do you!
- Prepare a large bowl of ice water. Place a large sauce pan over medium high heat and bring the water (or broth if using) to a low boil. Drop the chopped asparagus into the water and cook just until it turns a bright green color. Lift the asparagus out of the water with a spider or slotted spoon and transfer to the ice bath for about 30 seconds to stop the cooking. Transfer the asparagus to a kitchen towel to dry in one layer.
- Turn the heat down on the water, until it is just barely at a simmer, but not boiling.
- Place a wide, deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium low heat. Add the butter and let it melt, then add the leeks and cook until they are soft and translucent, but not brown, about 6-8 minutes.
- Turn the heat up to medium, add the arborio rice and stir constantly for about 1 minute to toast it. Then add the white wine and stir until it is completely absorbed.
- Add about 1 cup of the simmering water or stock to the rice along with the parmesan rind if using. Stir frequently, but not constantly, with a wooden spoon. I like to stir about every 30 seconds or so to make sure nothing is sticking. The liquid should be bubbling at a medium simmer, not too high and not too low. Once the liquid is mostly absorbed, add another cup and continue to cook and stir as directed. Repeat this process until the risotto rice is just barely al dente and you still have liquid in the pan. This should take 16-25 minutes.
- Remove the pan from the heat, add the kosher salt and parmesan cheese and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon. The cheese will melt and the remaining liquid will get creamy!
- Stir in the lemon juice and zest, then fold the asparagus into the risotto to warm it through. Taste for seasoning and adjust if necessary. Top with freshly ground black pepper and additional lemon zest if desired.
Notes
- Be sure to prep all of your ingredients and have them ready before you start cooking; This way, you never have to step away from the stove and can focus on stirring and making sure the risotto is absorbing water and the correct rate.
- Don't overcook the asparagus: It's important to remove the asparagus from the simmering water immediately after it turns bright green. If you leave it in too long it will overcook, get mushy, and lose that beautiful color. Remember that we are going to add the asparagus back into the risotto at the end to warm it up and it will cook more at that time, so we don't need to do all the cooking in the beginning.
- Water is just fine for risotto: In most cases, I prefer to use water instead of stock or broth to cook risotto. I feel like chicken stock or vegetable broth both add flavors to the risotto that can cover up the delicate taste of the lemon and asparagus. And it saves money!
- Don't cook away all the liquid: Risotto should be saucy, not cooked until dry. Make sure you still have liquid in the pan when you take it off the heat.
- Add the parmesan off the heat: Adding the cheese off the heat and stirring vigorously helps the cheese meld with the starches released from the rice to create an amazing, creamy sauce. This is called mantecatura in Italian.
- What does the parmesan rind do? Don't throw that little block of gold away! Although the outer rind is too tough to eat, there's a whole boat load of flavor in it. It adds creaminess, umami, salt, and richness to risotto, stock, soup, sauces, and more. I keep them in a zip top bag in the freezer until I need them for a recipe.
- Storage: Asparagus risotto is best when served immediately. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. You can reheat in the microwave, but the texture of the rice will become softer, and the sauciness will be gone.
- Vegan swaps: Substitute olive oil for the butter, and replace the parmesan cheese with ¼ to ½ cup of nutritional yeast. (Just taste before you add the full amount so you don't overdo it.)
Nutrition
Calories: 499kcal | Carbohydrates: 71g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 44mg | Sodium: 1406mg | Potassium: 391mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 1701IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 281mg | Iron: 6mg
