Asparagus Risotto
Last Updated on April 29, 2020 by Annie
Creamy risotto bursting with the fresh flavor of lemon, this asparagus risotto makes the perfect side for those fresh stalks in the spring!
I am the first to admit that I grew up eating the most basic vegetables, if you can consider iceberg lettuce to be a vegetable… So it will come as no surprise to anyone that I did not originally enjoy asparagus. In fact, I didn’t like it the first handful of times it crossed my plate.
This changed when I found the wonderful world of the Trader Joe’s frozen food section. Now, there were really only about 5 things I sought TJs out for in the beginning of my adult grocery shopping life, flowers, cheese, frozen pizzas, chocolate dipped graham crackers, and more cheese. Unfortunately, this list was about to change, and not just because dairy was causing all of the digestive issues in my life…no I was still oblivious to that. This change came from an unexpected direction.
Something people did not tell me when I got married was that my eating habits would be upended. Even though Jason and I dated for 7 years before we got married, there was still a huge change when we moved in together. He wanted more vegetables on the plate while I was content to have a cheese board with a glass (or bottle) of wine and call it a night. To compromise (ah the key to a happy marriage) I told him I would be happy to add more vegetables (lie) if he would be happy to join me on the shopping trips.
Ladies, if you are reading this and you have made this fatal mistake you probably know what happened when he joined me on this outing. He questioned things that went into the basket, he put things you NEVER buy into the cart, and he suggested items without having a clear idea for what to do with them. That being said, we agreed on adding something to the cart neither of us had tried and found it was the gateway to my love affair with asparagus, the frozen asparagus risotto.
This creamy side dish can be made in under 30 minutes and pairs well with steak or chicken. Or you could even toss in some shrimp. Unfortunately when I transitioned to a dairy free life, this frozen food staple with its cheese, milk, and butter had to go. In my never-ending quest to prove dairy-free food can still be delicious, remaking the risotto that broadened the horizons of my palate was right at the top of the list.
HOW TO MAKE ASPARAGUS RISOTTO
To begin, bring a medium saucepan filled with water to boil. While the water is heating, trim the base of the asparagus and chop the stalks into 3/4 inch or smaller pieces.
Once the water is boiling, add about 1 tsp of salt, stir and allow to return to boil. Once boiling add the chopped asparagus and cook for 2-3 minutes. After 2-3 minutes, drain the asparagus and set aside.
Using the same sauce pan pour the broth and the water into the pan and heat over medium low while you begin to make the risotto.
In a 12 inch skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook about 3 minutes. Stir in the arborio rice to the pan and cook until translucent, about 2-3 minutes.
Carefully pour the wine into the pan and stir, allowing the rice to absorb the crisp wine. If you are not using wine simply replace the wine with additional broth or water. Next add in 1/4 cup of the water/broth mixture. Stir and allow rice to absorb the liquid between each addition. At the beginning it will absorb more quickly, as time goes on it will take a little longer for the additional liquid to absorb.
Do not rush this process by increasing the heat, this ensures the risotto fully absorbs the liquid to make a soft and tender risotto. If you increase the heat, more of the liquid will boil off rather than absorbing into the rice, leaving you with a crunchy risotto.
Once all of the liquid has been absorbed, salt and pepper the dish and squeeze lemon juice into the risotto. Toss in the blanched asparagus and allow flavors to marry for about 3-5 minutes.
Serve and garnish with additional lemon juice and chopped basil.
WHY BLANCH THE ASPARAGUS?
By blanching the asparagus you quickly cook it in boiling water. This allows the asparagus to retain a crisp bite while also keeping its flavor. This process also allows the asparagus to keep that bright green color and wash and excess dirt from the surface.
WHY HEAT THE LIQUID BEFORE ADDING IT TO THE RISOTTO?
Cooking risotto can often be a time consuming adventure. To help speed up the process, heat the vegetable broth before adding into the risotto. This helps keep the risotto at a constant temperature instead of cooling it off with each addition.
WHAT KIND OF WINE SHOULD I USE IN THE RISOTTO
For this risotto I recommend using a dry, crisp white wine such as Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc. Do not get the cheapest bottle on the shelf because you are “using it to cook with”, this might negatively impact the flavor of your risotto. I tend to pick a bottle that I am also happy to drink as the recipe only calls for a quarter cup. Whitehaven makes an excellent Sauvignon Blanc that fits the bill perfectly.
DAIRY FREE CHANGES TO RISOTTO
For this version, a few changes helped obtain that creamy texture without adding any cream or cheese. For starters we use olive oil to sauté the onions. No creams or cheeses are used in the risotto and it still results in a creamy filling risotto bursting with spring flavor.
Did you try out this creamy asparagus risotto? Comment below with how the recipe went or share a picture on Instagram by tagging @mylifeafterdairy so I can share your life after dairy adventures in my story!
OTHER DELICIOUS SIDES
Craving more delicious sides to go with your dinner? Here are a few sides we add to our dinners:
Rice– Just plain and simple, this rice recipe cooks up in under 30 minutes for the perfect side of long grain every time.
Lemon Basil Risotto- Nothing says spring like a fresh side of lemon basil risotto.
Sweet Potato Casserole– Not just for the holiday season, this filling and flavorful casserole makes the perfect side year-round!
Asparagus Risotto
This creamy asparagus risotto makes the perfect vegan side dish for spring.
Ingredients
- 1½ c. Asparagus cut into ¾ in pieces
- 2 Tbsp. Olive Oil
- 1 Onion diced
- 2 cloves Garlic diced or microplaned
- 1 c. Arborio Rice
- ½ c. Dry white wine optional
- 2 c. Vegetable Broth
- 1 c. Water
- 2 Tbsp. Lemon Juice
- Salt to taste
- Pepper to taste
Instructions
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To begin, trim the ends off the asparagus and chop your asparagus into ¾ inch pieces. Bring a medium sauce pan filled with water to boil. Once boiling generously salt the water, return to a boil and add the chopped asparagus. Cook for 2 minutes, drain and set aside.
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In the drained saucepan heat 2 cups vegetable broth with 1 cup water. Bring to a simmer.
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In a 12 inch skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook about 3 minutes. Stir in the ariboro rice to the pan and cook until translucent, about 2-3 minutes.
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Carefully pour the wine into the pan and stir, allowing the rice to absorb the crisp wine. If you are not using wine simply replace the wine with additional broth or water. Next add in 1/4 cup of the water/broth mixture. Stir and allow rice to absorb between each addition. At the beginning it will absorb more quickly, as time goes on it will take a little longer for the additional liquid to absorb.
-
Do not rush this process by increasing the heat, this ensures the risotto fully absorbs the liquid to make a soft and tender risotto. If you increase the heat, the rice will not absorb enough liquid and your risotto will be crunchy.
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Once all of the liquid has been absorbed into the rice, salt and pepper the dish and squeeze lemon juice into the risotto. Toss in the blanched asparagus and allow flavors to marry for about 3-5 minutes.
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Serve and garnish with additional lemon juice and chopped basil.