Spring Pea and Asparagus Risotto
Simple springtime risotto featuring English peas, asparagus, lemon and parsley! This risotto is baked in the oven and requires minimal stirring.
Updated by Kathryne Taylor on September 5, 2024
Good morning! I’m feeling a little blinky after the three-day weekend, how about you? Like, today feels like Monday but it’s really Tuesday. Blink. Why is my to-do list so long? Blink. Blink. Need more coffee.
Blink. This risotto has been on my list since I figured out how to make baked brown rice risotto last fall. Risotto made with brown rice takes almost twice as long to cook (fact), but my method of baking it in a Dutch oven and stirring it for just a few minutes at the end seriously cuts down on effort.
For this springtime take on risotto, I kept it simple and steamed the peas in the pot during the last ten minutes of baking. I opted to roast the asparagus while the pot is in the oven, since roasted asparagus tastes best.
It all comes together painlessly and leaves plenty of time to clean up and sip some leftover white wine while the risotto bakes in the oven. Let me know how you like it!
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Spring Pea and Asparagus Risotto
Simple springtime risotto featuring English peas, asparagus, lemon and parsley! This risotto is baked in the oven and requires minimal stirring. The recipe is designed for brown arborio/short grain brown rice so any grain substitutions will affect baking time. (White arborio rice will only need to be baked for 40 to 45 minutes.) Look for brown arborio/short-grain brown rice at well-stocked grocery stores or health food stores. Skip the wine if you don’t drink, but it adds a lovely depth of flavor. Recipe yields 4 to 6 servings.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 cup chopped yellow onion (about 1 small yellow onion, chopped)
- 2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
- 5 cups (40 ounces) vegetable broth, divided (if your broth comes in 32-ounce containers, feel free to avoid opening another container by substituting 1 cup water for 1 cup broth in step 3)
- 1 ½ cups brown arborio/short-grain brown rice
- 1 big bunch of fresh asparagus spears (about 1 pound)
- 1 ½ cups fresh English peas (about 8 ounces)
- 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- ½ cup dry white wine, optional
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, diced
- 1 teaspoon sea salt, more to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- Pinch red pepper flakes, to taste
- Zest and juice of ½ lemon, preferably organic (about ¼ teaspoon zest and 1 tablespoon juice)
- Handful chopped fresh parsley, for garnish
Instructions
- Make sure your oven rack is in the middle position and place another rack in the lower third of the oven. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a medium Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and turning translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook until the garlic is fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes.
- Add 4 cups broth (or 3 cups broth and 1 cup water), cover, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Remove from heat and stir in the rice. Cover the pot and bake for 55 minutes.
- Meanwhile, prepare the asparagus by snapping off the tough ends and discarding them, then slicing the spears diagonally into 1 ½-inch long pieces. On a large, rimmed baking sheet, toss the asparagus with 1 tablespoon olive oil and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Set aside for now.
- Once the risotto has been in the oven for 55 minutes, transfer the asparagus to the lower rack of the oven. Carefully remove the pot from the oven and take off the lid. Quickly dump the peas inside, cover the pot again and return it to the oven for another 10 minutes. (This will give the peas time to steam.)
- Remove the pot from the oven, but leave the asparagus in for another 5 to 10 minutes, until tender and roasted to your liking. Remove the lid and pour in the remaining cup of broth, the Parmesan, wine, butter, salt, a generous amount of pepper, a pinch of red pepper flakes and the zest and juice of half your lemon.
- Using a big spoon, stir vigorously for 2 to 3 minutes, until the rice is thick and creamy. Stir in the roasted asparagus. Season to taste with salt and pepper, divide into bowls and top with a generous sprinkling of chopped fresh parsley.
Notes
Recipe adapted from my mushroom risotto and cauliflower risotto.
MAKE IT VEGAN: The starch in the short-grain rice is responsible for most of the risotto’s creaminess, so you can skip the Parmesan and add a vegan butter substitute or some extra olive oil, to taste, in place of the butter. You might want to add nutritional yeast, to taste, for some cheesy flavor.
STORAGE SUGGESTIONS: This risotto keeps well in the refrigerator, covered, for a few days.
CHANGE IT UP: Feel free to skip either the peas or the asparagus for a more simple (but still plenty green) risotto.
IF YOU MUST USE WHITE ARBORIO RICE: Bake it for 40 to 45 minutes, until tender to the bite, and proceed as directed.
If you don’t have a Dutch oven: Use a large saucepan instead, then carefully pour the boiling broth and rice mixture into a casserole dish. If the casserole dish has an oven-safe lid, use that; if not, cover it tightly with foil. Bake as directed.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.
This spring risotto is such a beauty! I still haven’t made risotto with brown rice but it has been on my list of things to make ever since you blogged about it for the first time. Thanks for reminding me to finally make it! xx
I made this tonight for Easter dinner tomorrow and it is scrumptious!! Wow – what wonderful flavors. Can’t wait to serve it to my family. thanks for sharing.
Perfect suggestion. I’m making this tonight!
Hope you loved it, Niki. Please let me know!
I did, thank you! Even my super picky 10 year old said “This is actually quite delicious!”
Hooray! That makes me happy. Thank you, Niki.
Love this idea! Peas and asparagus are such a natural combination! And I love that you linked to a brown arborio rice option – I’m always struggling to find one when I’m in the mood for risotto!
I’ve been on a risotto kick lately, especially since it’s perfect to toss peas into : ) Happy Monday/Tuesday Kate!
This looks delicious! And Cookie appears to be patiently waiting for a chance to get a small taste. Too cute!
I don’t eat risotto often enough, but I like asparagus a lot. Sounds delish x
Risotto is my favorite meal in the whole world!!! And one of my faves is adding in asparagus to it!!! This is ridiculously yummy looking!!!
Spring risotto is by far one of my fav meals! Thanks for sharing your version.
Oh my goodness how delicious! I don’t have much risotto but I’d love to give it a go one day :)
Hi.
I don’t have a cast iron dutch oven. Will this work in a glass casserole dish?
Hi Shavonne, I think the air-tight feature is important here. If your casserole dish has an oven-safe lid, then yes, I think that would work.
Thank you for responding! Wish me luck!
Do you think fresh fava beans could be subbed for the peas?
Yes, I think so! I don’t have any experience with fresh favas, but if they generally cook at the same rate as peas, I think they’ll do great. If they need more time, you might throw them into the pot earlier.
Mmmm, what a delicious meal! Peas are a very much underrated vegetable.
That’s such a funny way to describe it but I know exactly what you mean! I’m feeling very blinky after the long weekend too. :)
I love a good risotto and this one looks perfect! And I think the extra effort of using brown rice is totally worth the health benefits.
I really need to try this – your baked method is fascinating! Annnnd this flavour sounds perfect. Love!
looks amazing!!! I love peas
This looks wonderful, I love pea and asparagus risottos, I have never used brown arborio rice but regularly use spelt instead. I will be trying this soon as I always wanted to try oven baked risottos! H x
I’m definitely going to give this a try – we loved the mushroom version! My mom is coming into town and I’m putting this on the menu. Thanks!
Thanks, Bet! Please let me know how it turns out for you!
Yum! This risotto is perfection!
This risotto looks delicious, Kate! I love that you used brown rice because that’s the only kind I like to use and I think it tastes so much better. Looking forward to trying this!
this is THE risotto of the season … perfect I love that !
Three day weekends definitely have their pluses and minuses…with the minuses being that the rest of the week feels so crazy and rushed! But worth it for that extra day of freedom.
I love so much that this is mostly hands off. Makes risotto-making so easy!
How do you adjust the cooking time and liquids for long grain rice?
Hi Lindsay, I’m sorry, but long-grain rice won’t work well for risotto. It lacks the starch that makes risotto so creamy. If you can find short-grain brown rice, you’ll have much better results!
Just made – lovely with roasted
snowpeas, asparagus and radishes from the garden, using garlic scapes and tarragon from my garden – yum!
Hi Sally! Your version sounds stellar. Glad you enjoyed it!
This looks fantastic! I can’t wait to make it this week.
I just made this for dinner tonight! I used white arborio rice since it was all I had (I cooked it for the 40 minutes instead of 55) and I stirred in some baby spinach towards the end until just wilted. SO GOOD. I love the subtle lemony goodness – very springy. I’ve never made risotto in the oven before. It was so easy! Really great recipe, I’ll definitely make again.
Thank you, Nicole! I love that you added spinach. Yay, glad you enjoyed this one.
Comparing this recipe with a Barefoot Contessa recipe with similar ingredients. I haven’t made either one yet, but I notice that your recipe uses ingredients that are much more budget-friendly. Thank you for concocting inspiring menu items that are kind to my body and my bank account!
Well, that is fantastic to hear! Thank you, Anne. I don’t address grocery costs much when I cook, but I do my best to keep them low.
I just moved to a city with a fabulous farmers market and great grocery (found brown short grain!) and this is the first real “meal” I’m cooking in our new home. Thanks!
Thank you so much for sharing this recipe.It looks so yummy.
I made it vegan, but added a small tablespoon of tahini for some extra nutrition. The nutty flavour combined with the lemon zest made it taste fantastic!
Now that is a great idea! Thanks, Emilie! Glad you enjoyed the risotto.
Yep, me again. This risotto was another winner and wanted you to know. (I’m on a roll with cooking, apparently.) Made the vegan version, and sub’d an intense little rose instead of the white wine (since that was all I had in the house), so intense that I just used a quarter cup. Let the whole thing cook two or three minutes at the end on the burner when I was stirring because the flavours weren’t quite melding, and that did the job. So good! Even better as leftovers next day with a big side of rapini. Thank you for your hard work and your great taste buds!
Yay! Thank you, Anna K! :)
Hi Kate! I’m wondering if you think I could use frozen peas? I’m not sure where to find fresh ones at this time of year in Vancover :) Thanks!
Hi! I have been on your email list forever and kept saving recipes, but until last week I haven made anything. Then I made Quinoa- Broccoli Gratin and this Risotto tonight. My family and I LOVED both. I can’t believe that I am actually excited to cook now and try more recipes. I am happy to find out that you are the kind of cook that creates food which fits our taste buds.
BTW, this is the first time I have commented on anyone’s blog, but I had to say THANK YOU! :)
Thank you so much, Nikoleta! Delighted to hear that you enjoyed your first C+K recipe and hope you love the others just as much!
Hi! I am planning on making this Friday for a dinner party, but could only find canned peas at the grocer’s. How does this affect the recipe?
Thanks in advance for your help!
Unbelievable. Thank you. It was the best sharing to Fresh Connection Brighton now. X
Hi Kate, I tried this recipe today and it turned out great! I really like your method of cooking the rice in the oven…it’s so easy! I can’t wait until lunchtime so I can enjoy it!
Using the oven makes a huge difference in prep time and effort, so I’m happy you welcomed the change! Thanks, Kristen.
We have just made this! It was the best way to welcome spring :)
Such an easy and yummy recipe!
Yay! I’m so glad. Thanks, Adi.
Loved this! Baked risotto is so much less stressful than stovetop risotto!
Agreed!
Sooo excited to try this tonight!!!
As much as I would love to try making it in the oven, I can’t because I will be making a few other things… can i make this on the stove top? Have you tried it?
Thanks in advance!!
So delicious! I made it for dinner tonight and we all absolutely loved it. Takes a while to make but most is hands off time. Easy to put together and it has such a good flavor. Another winner!
I’m glad you think it pays off! Thank you, Annika for the review.
Can this recipe be made Easter morning and served later in the day for dinner?
I think it’s best served right away, but sure! Just reheat before serving.
This was easy to make and really delicious. It takes time in the oven, but not at all finicky. Will definitely be making this again!
Great to hear, Beth!
This is absolutely amazing! I swapped out peas for mushrooms and can’t get enough. Brava!
Thank you, Courtney!
Thank you for this recipe!!! I made it for a dinner party last night, and it was fabulous!!! It’s too hot to have my oven on, so I just followed your directions but made it in my rice cooker, and it came out beautifully — none leftover, which is a good sign, since it means everyone loved it, but too bad, because I would like to have had it for lunch!!! (I also used frozen peas, and it was still delicious!)
I’m really glad it was such a hit! Thanks so much, Diane for sharing and for your review.
Just made this for dinner tonight and it was amazing!!! My hubby and 3 kids couldn’t say enough good things and I loved that it was healthier because of the short grain brown rice. I also made it vegan and it still came out nice and creamy. Thank you very much
Family favorite, I love it! Thanks for your review, Valerie.
Just made this for dinner tonight and it was amazing!!! My hubby and 3 kids couldn’t say enough good things about it and I love that it was healthier because of the short grain brown rice. I also made it vegan and it was still very creamy, Thank you very much.
You’re welcome!
Delicious! Love the mushroom risotto and this was a great alternative for spring time. Makes such good portions and reheats perfectly for lunch.
I’m happy you liked it, Kate! Thanks for the review.
This recipe is AMAZING! I can’t believe how easy the baking was vs. the stovetop method for risotto turned out. The lemon and chili flakes were awesome and really made it pop. Thank you for this recipe! Side note: why do people comment that this recipe looks good? Isn’t this an opportunity for people who made it to comment on how it actually turned out?
So good and super easy! I’ve never made risotto in the oven but it turned out perfectly.
Great to hear, Christina!
My ultra picky husband said this risotto was better than the best risotto he had in Italy!!! Thanks for this recipe!
I love that! Thank you, Jess.
I made this dish last night. Incredibly easy, super delicious, and I now know how to make the ever elusive risotto. Thank you!!!
You’re welcome, Tamara!
Hi Kate, is it possible to make this dish without the vegetable broth? Please let me know. Regards!
You need the liquid base, sorry!