This beautiful asparagus risotto with peas, known as Risotto Agli Asparagi in Italian, is the most delicious springtime dish. It’s creamy and rich but also light and fresh, thanks to the quick blended pea mixture that gets stirred into the dish. This gives it a pretty green hue, which makes it feel so bright and sunny. Top with asparagus spears and a dollop of mascarpone, and you have a perfect meal.
I know risotto can seem time-consuming, and to some extent, they aren’t the fastest recipe in the book. However, the results are so delicious, and I find the process so meditative actually. You just stir gently as the stock absorbs and watch it slowly turn creamy and thick. And this risotto recipe is such a good one. It’s fresh, light and zingy. I love the addition of lemon and mint. They pair so well with asparagus and peas, bringing so much flavour. I also find this Risotto agli Asparagi is simple enough for a weeknight supper but looks (and tastes) special enough to serve to guests who come round. To make it a little extra special, I have topped it with a parmesan crisp for a bit of texture (more details in the recipe card!), but this is, of course, optional.
Jump to:
- Why you will love this recipe:
- Ingredients:
- Substitutions and Variations:
- Here's how to make this delicious asparagus risotto with peas:
- Cooking Tips:
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Storage & Make Ahead Instructions
- Other recipes you might enjoy:
- Made this recipe and loved it?
- Asparagus Risotto (Risotto Agli Asparagi)
Why you will love this recipe:
- It is full of flavour thanks to the delicious combination of asparagus, garlic, Parmesan and lemon - with hints of mint.
- It is ready in under an hour and feels so luxurious for a midweek meal.
- It’s delicious with the fresh peas, mint and asparagus running through it. Plus, lots of butter and parmesan added makes it even better.
- Is easily adaptable for vegetarians and vegans.
- It is so versatile, you can switch up the cheeses and add extra veggies and herbs to suit your taste.
Ingredients:
Full recipe can be found in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post, just scroll down!
Red onion - This adds great flavour to the base of the risotto. White onion or shallot would work too.
Asparagus - using in season asparagus is the best way to make this risotto delicious. Try to use locally grown, too.
Peas - I use frozen peas or petit pois here, as I always have a bag in the freezer. You can use fresh if you have them but I know that’s a rarity.
Mint - I love the freshness that mint brings. It goes so well with peas and asparagus.
Garlic - I use 1 garlic clove for a subtle hint of garlic, you could add more if you prefer a stronger flavour.
Risotto rice - this Courgette Risotto (Risotto di Zucchini) gets its creaminess from the starchy rice (and continuous stirring). You could use arborio (which is easiest to find) or carnaroli rice here.
Stock - don’t worry, it doesn’t have to be homemade! A cube popped into some boiling water is what I do. You can use chicken or vegetable depending on whether you need this Risotto agli asparagi to be plant-based or not.
Parmesan - there are few dishes that aren’t improved by a generous dose of Parmesan in my humble opinion. Here it adds the most delicious umami flavour.
Mascarpone - This creamy, thick Italian cheese is similar in consistency to cream cheese and is used in sweet and savoury recipes.
Lemon - Adding a little lemon really lifts this dish.
Substitutions and Variations:
Asparagus: You could use white asparagus if you happen to have them.
Herbs: You could use parsley or basil, instead of mint.
Parmesan: You can use Pecorino if that is what you have. Gruyère also works well. Alternatively, swap for a vegetarian-friendly cheese that doesn’t use animal rennet - you want a hard cheese with a relatively strong flavour (a mature Cheddar would work).
Mascarpone: Use creme fraiche if you have it instead.
Toasted nuts: A sprinkling of roughly chopped toasted almonds, pine nuts or hazelnuts would add a delicious crunch to the finished dish if you want to add some texture.
Add pancetta: Crispy pancetta or bacon would be delicious. Fry off at the same time as the onion.
Here's how to make this delicious asparagus risotto with peas:
Here's a step by step guide for what you need to do, but you can find the full recipe at the bottom of the page for detailed instructions.
ONE: Heat the oven to 200c fan/ 220c conventional. First, prep the asparagus. Snap the very end off the asparagus to remove the woody ends. Then slice off the pretty speared ends, slice them in half lengthways, and set aside. Then finely slice the rest of the stalks.
TWO: Lay the pretty speared ends on a baking tray. Drizzle lightly with olive oil, salt and pepper and toss together. Then roast for around 8 minutes, until a knife goes through the spear with no resistance.
THREE: Add 1 tablespoon olive oil and butter to a large non-stick deep frying pan set over medium heat. Add the onion. Fry for about 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until starting to soften.
FOUR: Add the garlic and asparagus stalks and cook for 30 seconds before stirring in the rice. Cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring often, coating in the buttery onions and garlic.
FIVE: Gradually add a ladle of the hot stock to the rice allowing it to bubble over a medium heat whilst stirring constantly. Once almost all of the stock has been absorbed, add another ladle and continue stirring. Repeat this process until the rice is cooked and you have a lovely creamy risotto - this should take between 18-22 minutes.
SIX: Whilst the risotto is bubbling, cover the peas in boiling water to defrost them. Drain after a minute or two, then add to a blender. To the blender, add roughly 60ml chicken stock (take it from the pot on the hob already), mascarpone, the juice of half a lemon, 3 sprigs of mint, leaves stripped, salt and pepper.
SEVEN: Blend until smooth and creamy.
EIGHT: Once the risotto is ready (the rice is cooked and the stock is absorbed), add butter, the Parmesan and the blended pea mixture. Stir well to combine. Season to taste.
NINE: Stir until smooth and creamy, then serve up.
Cooking Tips:
Stock: It's important to make sure your stock is hot when you add it to the risotto so that it doesn’t drop in temperature. If you have any leftover Parmesan rind, pop it into the hot stock to infuse even more umami flavour.
Toasting the rice: When you add the rice to the pan, you want to toast it for 1-2 minutes until it's well coated in the onions and butter. This gives the risotto its best flavour. Don't brown the rice but you want it hot before you start adding the stock, for best results.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, risotto rice (often arborio rice) is a starchy, short grained rice that releases the starch as it cooks (which is what gives risotto that creamy consistency). Something like pudding rice is also short-grained but it is designed to completely soften. Stick with real risotto rice.
I like to stick to adding greens for my Risotto agli Asparagi. I often add a handful of spinach (making sure I cook off all the water), shredded spring greens or peas. Courgette and tenderstem broccoli are also delicious - just be mindful of adding them at the right point so they don't overcook.
Storage & Make Ahead Instructions
Yes! Although, of course, you do have to be careful with rice. When I worked in a restaurant, we would always make our risottos ahead of service. You simply cook the rice until it is 90% done (you want it to still have some crunch), then remove from the heat, cool quickly, cover and chill. You can do this up to 3 days in advance. When you want to serve it, pop the rice back in the pan and set over a low heat, slowly adding hot stock until it is ready. Finish with the butter & parm and tuck in!
Transfer to an airtight container and keep in the fridge for up to 4 days.
To reheat leftovers, either use the microwave or for best results, I would add it back to a pan with a splash of boiling water/stock. Heat over medium until piping hot and saucy all the way through. A knob of butter helps it turn thick and luscious again.
I wouldn't recommend freezing it - I find the rice hardens once frozen and defrosted so it's definitely best fresh!
Other recipes you might enjoy:
If you loved this risotto agli asparagi, you will love my Tomato Mascarpone Risotto or my Lemon Chicken Orzo for something a little quicker. For more spring recipes, try my Courgette Lasagne or Penne Amatriciana.
Made this recipe and loved it?
I would love love LOVE if you could leave a review in the comments… I love hearing what you thought, any changes you made, the stories behind what made you try my recipes. Also, if you share a photo on Instagram, please tag me @desertislanddishes, it makes my day to see you making my creations!
Asparagus Risotto (Risotto Agli Asparagi)
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 25 g unsalted butter
- 1 small red onion finely chopped
- 200 g asparagus
- 1 large garlic clove crushed
- 180 g risotto rice
- 1 litre hot vegetable or chicken stock
- 150 g peas/petit pois + a handful more for topping defrosted
- 1 heaping tablespoon mascarpone
- ½ lemon juiced and zested
- Small bunch of mint
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 50 g Parmesan grated
To serve:
- Dollop of mascarpone
- Lemon zest
- More parmesan for the parmesan crisp optional
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 200c fan/ 220c conventional. First, prep the asparagus. Snap the very end off the asparagus to remove the woody ends. If you bend the asparagus near the base of each spear, it should naturally snap off. Then slice off the pretty speared ends, slice them in half lengthways, and set aside. Then finely slice the rest of the stalks.
- Lay the pretty speared ends on a baking tray. Drizzle lightly with olive oil, salt and pepper and toss together. Then roast for around 8 minutes, until a knife goes through the spear with no resistance. It may take longer than this, as it really depends on the thickness of your asparagus.
- Add 1 tablespoon olive oil and butter to a large non-stick deep frying pan set over medium heat. Add theonion. Fry for about 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until starting to soften. Add the garlic and sliced asparagus stalks and cook for 30 seconds before stirring in the rice. Cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring often, coating in the buttery onions and garlic.
- Gradually add a ladle of the hot stock to the rice allowing it to bubble over a medium heat whilst stirring constantly. Once almost all of the stock has been absorbed, add another ladle and continue stirring. Repeat this process until the rice is cooked and you have a lovely creamy risotto - this should take between 18-22 minutes.
- Whilst the risotto is bubbling, cover the peas in boiling water to defrost them. Drain after a minute or two, then add to a blender. To the blender, add roughly 60ml chicken stock (take it from the pot on the hob already), mascarpone, the juice of half a lemon, 3 sprigs of mint, leaves stripped, salt and pepper. Blend until smooth and creamy. You may need more than 60ml chicken stock, it will depend on your blender so just add more as needed.
- Once the risotto is ready (the rice is cooked and the stock is absorbed), add the Parmesan, butter, and the blended pea mixture. Stir well to combine. Season to taste.
- Season with the zest of ½ a lemon and some more chopped mint. Serve up into bowls and then top with the reserved asparagus spears, some more peas, a dollop of mascarpone, lemon zest and the optional parmesan crisp.
For the optional parmesan crisp:
- Whilst the risotto is bubbling, you can use the oven to make a parmesan crisp for some texture on top. Keep the oven at 200c fan/ 220c conventional. Grate a good handful of parmesan. Line a baking tray with parchment paper then add the parmesan to the tray, arranging in a circular shape around 2cm thick. Place in the oven for 3-5 minutes until golden and bubbling.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool. As it cools, it will harden and turn into a crisp. Then place on top of the risotto when serving up for some delicious texture!
