Easy Spring Vegetable Risotto
My easy spring vegetable risotto makes the best of seasonal green vegetables. This creamy vegetable risotto uses my basic risotto recipe, adding spring vegetables and basil for flavour, along with some parmesan cheese.
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Servings: 5 servings
Calories: 578kcal
Equipment
- chopping board
- Sharp knife
- Measuring jug
- measuring spoons
- medium saucepan
- Large saucepan or frying pan
- Ladle
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 onion (diced)
- 1 leek (finely chopped)
- 2 stalks celery (diced)
- 2 cloves garlic (crushed)
- 400 g risotto rice (use carnaroli or arborio rice)
- 180 ml white wine
- 1.5 l vegetable stock
- 100 g asparagus spears (woody base removed, stalks chopped into bite-sized pieces)
- 150 g frozen garden peas
- 80 g baby spinach (if using large leaf spinach chop leaves)
- 5 stalks cavolo nero kale (stalks removed and discarded, leaves chopped)
- 1 handful fresh basil (chopped)
- 100 g grated parmesan (to serve, optional)
- 50 g butter
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoon fresh basil pesto (garnish)
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil and butter in a large saucepan or frying pan over a medium heat.
- Add the onion, leek, celery and a pinch of salt, and sauté gently for 5 minutes, taking care to soften but not colour the vegetables (the salt will help with this).
- Add the garlic to the pan and stir gently for a further minute.
- Next add the rice to the pan and stir to toast the rice for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly. Do not leave the pan unattended otherwise the rice will stick.
- Now turn the heat up and pour the white wine into the pan and stir until the wine has reduced. At the same time place the stock into a separate saucepan over a low-medium heat to keep it warm.
- Turn the heat in the frying pan down to a low-medium heat and add a ladle of stock to the rice mixture, stirring to combine. Continue to add the stock a ladle at a time, reducing the stock after each ladle.
- Do not leave the pan unattended, give the rice a stir every 30 seconds or so to stop the rice from sticking. The stirring helps to release the starches in the rice, resulting in a creamier risotto.
- Check the rice at this stage, it should still have a little bite to it. So, with the last ladle of stock, add the asparagus and garden peas, cook for 3-4 minutes.
- Now add the spinach, kale and basil and allow to wilt into the risotto for 1 minute.
- Note: Once all the stock has been added into the risotto and reduced, this should take approximately 20 minutes, the rice should be al-dente and have a nice bite to it. DO NOT over cook the rice as this will ruin the risotto.
- Take the risotto off the heat and stir in the butter, Parmesan cheese, sea salt and black pepper.
- Check the risotto for seasoning, adding more salt and pepper if needed. Garnish with extra basil and a drizzle of basil pesto. Serve immediately.
Notes
Do not wash risotto rice, you want to leave the starch on the risotto as that's what gives risotto is creamy texture. Wash the rice and your risotto will be too watery.
Do not walk away from the pan when making risotto. Not only do you risk the rice sticking, you also need to stir the rice regularly to get the rice to release it's starches. It is the starch in the rice that give risotto its creamy, velvety texture.
Take time to taste and properly season the risotto before serving. Proper seasoning with sea salt and black pepper will make a big difference to the finished dish.
Nutrition Facts
Easy Spring Vegetable Risotto
Amount Per Serving
Calories 578
Calories from Fat 180
% Daily Value*
Fat 20g31%
Saturated Fat 9g56%
Trans Fat 0.3g
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g
Monounsaturated Fat 6g
Cholesterol 39mg13%
Sodium 978mg43%
Potassium 450mg13%
Carbohydrates 79g26%
Fiber 6g25%
Sugar 5g6%
Protein 15g30%
Vitamin A 2919IU58%
Vitamin C 23mg28%
Calcium 252mg25%
Iron 5mg28%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
• Please note that the nutrition information provided above is approximate and meant as a guideline only •
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