Lemon asparagus risotto
A bright spring risotto with tender asparagus, lots of lemon and parmesan, creamy without a drop of cream.
- 45 min total
- 40 min hands-on
- A little more hands-on
- Serves 4
- About $3.38 a serving
- 520 calories
- Vegetarian
- Gluten-free
Dolly says: Read the steps once before you start. Everything goes smoother after that.
Ingredients
For 4 servings.
- 5 cups vegetable broth
- 1 lb asparagus
- 2 shallots, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1½ cups arborio rice
- ½ cup dry white wine (optional)
- ¾ cup grated parmesan
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 lemon, zested and juiced
From your pantry
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- ¾ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
Each serving has about 520 calories, 14 g protein, 75 g carbs and 18 g fat, and costs about $3.38 at typical US grocery prices. Both are estimates from what the recipe uses.
Missing something?
- No grated parmesan? Parmesan wedge works.
- No butter? Ghee works.
- No lemons? Limes work.
Steps
Tap an underlined word for a quick explanation.
Pour the broth into a and keep it warm over low heat.
Saucepan. A saucepan is a pot with tall, straight sides and one long handle. It’s for things that need depth, like rice, sauces or a few boiled eggs.
How you’ll know: The food fills it about halfway, leaving room to bubble without spilling over.
Low heat
Snap the woody ends off the asparagus and cut the spears into 1-inch pieces, keeping the tips separate.
Dolly’s tip: Bend a spear near the bottom and it snaps right where the tough part ends.Heat the oil in a large, wide pot over medium heat. Add the shallots and cook 3 minutes, until soft, then stir in the garlic for 30 seconds.
Medium heatTimer: 3 min
Add the rice and stir 2 minutes, until the edges of the grains look see-through. If you’re using wine, pour it in and stir until it’s gone.
Medium heatTimer: 2 min
Add a ladle of warm broth and stir often until it’s almost absorbed. Keep adding broth a ladle at a time, stirring, for 10 minutes.
Medium heatTimer: 10 min
Stir in the asparagus stalks and keep adding broth for 8 to 10 minutes more, adding the tips halfway, until the rice is tender with a little bite.
Medium heatTimer: 9 min
Dolly’s tip: Taste a few grains. They should be soft outside with a tiny firm center, not crunchy.Take the pot off the heat and stir in the parmesan, butter, lemon , lemon juice, salt and pepper until creamy.
Zest. Zest is the thin, colored outer layer of citrus peel, rubbed off on the smallest holes of a grater. It holds the fruit’s fragrant oils, so it adds bright flavor without the sourness of juice.
How you’ll know: You see bright flecks and smell citrus right away; stop when you reach the white layer, which is bitter.
Dolly’s tip: If it’s stiff, loosen it with a splash of the warm broth.Serve right away with extra parmesan on top.
Plan this in Dollop, and get the grocery list
Dollop puts this dinner on a night that suits your week, lists only what you still need to buy, and walks you through each step while you cook.
