Asparagus & Pea Risotto Recipe
Looking for a dish with aspara-gusto? Tying together silky rice, sweet peas, and asparagus with a cheesy, herby finish, this asparagus and pea risotto is like a warm hug – combined with a fresh burst of green.
You will need
Serves 2-3
- 5 cups / 1.25 litres vegetable stock
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons vegan butter (or an additional 2 tablespoons olive oil)
- 1 onion, diced
- 11/2 cups / 300g risotto rice (arborio or carnaroli)
- 1 bunch / 185g of asparagus, finely chopped stems and tops sliced in half
- 1 cup / 125g fresh or frozen peas
- 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
- 1/4 cup chives, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice (optional)
- Salt, to taste (depending on the stock you use)
- Freshly cracked pepper, to taste
To garnish:
- Drizzle of olive oil
- Vegan parmesan cheese (or vegan cheese of choice)
- Pea or radish sprouts (optional)
Recipe: Heartful Table
Directions
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Step 1
Heat the vegetable stock in a pot and have it on a gentle simmer, ready for the risotto. It’s important that your stock is warm/hot when making this dish.
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Step 2
In a heavy bottom pot on medium-high heat, add the olive oil, butter and onion. Sauté for a couple of minutes until the onions start to get a bit of colour.
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Step 3
Add in the dry rice, and the asparagus stems, stirring to combine. Sauté for around 5 minutes. This will lightly toast the rice and help it absorb the oil and butter.
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Step 4
Reduce the heat to medium, adding the peas and pour in one ladle of stock (which should be just enough to cover the rice). You don’t want the stock to cover more than just the rice. Mix well. Make sure to mix every 30 seconds to a minute, so it doesn’t stick to the bottom and cooks evenly.
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Step 5
As soon as the stock starts to evaporate from the bottom of the pot, add in more stock. Keep repeating the process until you use all but the last ladle of the stock.
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Step 6
At this stage, add in the asparagus tops, nutritional yeast, chives, and the remainder of the stock. Stir well.
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Step 7
The rice should be cooked. Turn the risotto off and stir in the lemon juice (if using), salt and pepper. Stir well and taste to make sure you’ve seasoned it well.
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Step 8
Cover the pot fully with the lid and let sit for 3 minutes to finish cooking in its own steam.
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Step 9
Serve immediately with a drizzle of olive oil, some freshly grated vegan parmesan cheese, and sprouts (optional).
Hot tip!
You can add a little more stock if you like your risotto soupy and wet, or leave it as is if you prefer the risotto firm and creamy.
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Recipe: Heartful Table
