Vegan Asparagus Risotto

This Vegan Asparagus Risotto is a healthy and easy spring dinner your whole family will love. Made in under 30 minutes using fresh spring ingredients.

This time of year is my absolute favorite!

There are my fave fruits and veggies available (like early cabbage, young potatoes, cherries, berries and soon enough, peaches and watermelons!), the weather is mostly nice, not too hot, the sun is not yet brutal, the days are longer, and as I am typing this in the early evening, Mitja and I are sitting outdoor on our terrace, enjoying a bowl of cherries and just chilling. It’s absolutely perfect.

So with the abundance of fresh produce, I am drawn to simple meals that I can make out of it, like this perfect Vegan Asparagus Risotto – made only with rice, asparagus, garden peas, and some staples and herbs. Simple food is the best!

Vegan Asparagus Risotto Ingredients

To make this tasty and easy risotto you will need the following ingredients:

• onion
• garlic, use a few cloves for extra flavor
• carrot, just one small to medium size will do. We like to simply peel it and grate it, so it almost disintegrates in the sauce. You can also dice it finely.
• asparagus, use fresh when in season – this will give it the best flavor!
• peas, you can use fresh or frozen, both will work fine (we usually just use frozen baby peas that are cooked in minutes)
• rice, you will need special risotto rice, we like to use arborio, Carniola, or sant andrea, but other risotto varieties will also work
• vegetable stock to add liquids and flavor, use homemade or store-bought, even a bouillon cube works fine
• olive oil, or other vegetable oil
• salt and pepper
• fresh herbs, like chives, parsley, and thyme

How to make Vegan Asparagus Risotto

I don’t know if you’re familiar with cooking risotto, and there sure are plenty of ways of cooking it. Some like to soak it in liquid and leave it undisturbed, and some swear by stirring it often to develop the creaminess.

I’ll usually stir the arborio rice often, especially in the early and late cooking phase, but I’ll leave short-grain rice be, like when cooking paella.

Risotto must be creamy and light, and not stuck to the pan, so that’s why I’ll go with stirring, as I did with this Vegan Asparagus Risotto.

So to make this risotto, first bring the vegetable broth to a light simmer in a pot, just enough to warm it up. Try to keep it warm for the time you’re cooking the risotto.

Wash the asparagus and cut off the tough ends, then cut it into smaller pieces, leaving the tops whole.

Heat up some olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Place in the asparagus tops and lightly stir-fry them for a minute or two, just enough that they soften and get a glaze. Remove from pan and set aside.

To the same pan, add chopped onions and sauté them until golden and translucent. Add minced garlic and carrots, sauté for a minute or two until fragrant, then add the rice and asparagus bits and stir it in well.

Let the rice toast for a minute or two, stirring often, then pour in half of the vegetable stock and let the rice absorb the liquids, stirring as needed. Bring the heat to a low and let the risotto simmer for about 10-15 minutes.

Stir every couple of minutes and add more liquid as needed.

When the rice is almost cooked, stir in the peas.

If your risotto looks dry at this point, add a bit more stock or water as needed.

Taste and adjust with salt and pepper as needed. Stir in chopped herbs.

If you want to make the risotto creamier, you can also add a dollop of vegan butter or olive oil at the end, and let it melt into the hot rice.

Serving Suggestions

Serve hot. Top with the reserved asparagus tops, some more fresh herbs, and a few drops of olive oil. Add some vegan parmesan shavings to taste.

Storage tips

Risotto is always best served immediately after is cooked, as it tends to dry as it sits and soaks up any leftover liquids.

You can, however, refrigerate any leftovers for up to 5 days. Add a splash of vegetable stock or water as you reheat it over low heat, and taste to adjust seasoning if needed.

More similar recipes:

• Vegan Barley Asparagus Risotto with Peas
• Vegetarian Farro Risotto
• Pearl Barley and Pumpkin Risotto
• Healthy Creamy Asparagus Soup
• Wild Asparagus Salad