This pea & asparagus risotto with bacon is the perfect risotto recipe for the end of Spring/beginning of Summer time. It’s filled with seasonal asparagus, fresh or frozen peas and crispy bacon, while also being flavoured with lemon, chives and, of course, parmesan cheese. This is an easy risotto recipe to cook up that will impress friends and family alike.
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Erm, I think I’m slowly coming to the realisation that risotto might be my favourite food? To be honest I’m wondering how it has taken me this long to figure this out?!
But can you blame me?! Into that base of creamy, ricey goodness you can add just about anything, ANYTHING, to make a meal that is comforting, balanced, and, most importantly, delicious.
Hit that rice up with your fave seasonal veggies, herbs, meats, fish, spices, even alcohol, to create a risotto that feeds whatever you are craving. You can fight me on this one but you wont win 🤷♀️
And so to add to the growing list of risotto recipes already on the blog (see my Herb and Lemon Risotto or my Pearl Barley Risotto recipes for full risotto-y goodness) I present you with this little number: Pea and Asparagus Risotto with Bacon.
Bacon is cooked until it is golden brown and textured like sun, we add in leeks, risotto rice, your favourite white wine and then we jump on the stock, stir, repeat train until your rice is almost cooked through. Add in those delicate little asparagus spears and frozen or fresh peas (chefs choice!) to cook for 5 minutes before finishing off with lemon juice, chives, butter, salt, pepper and a (very) generous helping of parmesan cheese.
Et voila! A simple risotto recipe, perfect for Spring or the beginning of Summer while asparagus is still in season. Eat it outside on a sunny evening with a glass of chilled white wine while the birds sing and the sun goes down. Or you could do what I do and eat it straight out of the pan, spilling half of it down your t-shirt. Live your best life honey 😘
HOW TO MAKE Asparagus and Pea Risotto
Time needed: 1 hour.
- Cook your bacon and your leeks
Fry the bacon in a small amount of oil until it is nice and crispy. Turn the heat down and add the leeks to the pan, cooking them until the have softened.
- Add the rice and wine
Add the risotto rice to the pan and stir until the grains are coated with oil. Then add in the white wine and cook until it has reduced down.
- Begin adding the stock
Add a ladleful of hot stock to the pan. Stir regularly to help release the starch from the grains of rice. When the stock has been absorbed by the rice add another ladleful of stock. Repeat this until the rice is cooked through – around 20 minutes.
- Cook the veggies
Add the asparagus and peas to the pan along with another ladleful of stock. Cook for around 5 minutes until the veggies are tender.
- The finishing touches
Turn off the heat, then stir in parmesan cheese, butter, chives, lemon juice, salt and pepper.
- Serve and enjoy!
Serve in bowls and garnish with chopped chives and grated parmesan.
Asparagus and Pea Risotto FAQ
Allow the risotto to cool to room temperature for no longer than two hours. Transfer the risotto to an air-tight Tupperware container and store in the fridge for 3-4 days.
Once cooled as above, transfer the risotto to a freezer-safe container and store in the freezer for up to three months.
To defrost, transfer the container from the freezer to the fridge and leave it to thaw for up to 24 hours. Alternatively, you can use the defrost setting on your microwave.
Transfer the risotto to a saucepan or casserole pot with a few tablespoons of water. Heat on a medium
heat for approximately 7 minutes, stirring regularly, until the risotto is piping hot all the way through. Add more water if the mixture is a little too thick.
Alternatively, you could reheat the risotto using a microwave. Microwave for approximately 3 minutes, stirring halfway through, until the risotto is piping hot. Cooking time will vary depending on your microwave.
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE…
- Roasted Pepper and Aubergine Bake with Feta and Harissa
- Honey, Lemon and Dill Salmon with Asparagus
- One-Pot Chicken and Rice
- Penne Carbonara with Prawns, Courgette and Asparagus
- Summer Vegetable Risotto from Anna’s Family Kitchen
Pea & Asparagus Risotto with Bacon
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Pea & Asparagus Risotto with Bacon
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Risotto
- Cuisine: Italian
Description
This Pea and Asparagus Risotto with Bacon is a super simple Spring/Summer recipe that packs in lots of fresh flavours!
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 200 grams bacon lardons
- 1 leek, ends removed and diced
- 250 grams arborio rice
- 150 millilitres white wine
- 800 millilitres vegetable or chicken stock (see note)
- 200 grams fresh or frozen peas
- 200 grams asparagus spears, woody ends removed and sliced into 1cm
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 10 grams chives, finely chopped
- Juice of half a lemon
- 50 grams parmesan cheese, plus more for garnish
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a heavy-based casserole pot to a medium-high heat, then fry the bacon lardons for 5 minutes until golden and crispy.
- Turn the heat down to a medium-low, then saute the leeks for 5-7 minutes until they are soft and translucent.
- Add the risotto rice to the pan and cook for 1 minute, ensuring the rice grains are coated in the oil.
- Pour the white wine into the pan and cook down until it has reduced to almost nothing.
- Heat your stock in a separate saucepan until it is hot but not simmering or boiling.
- Add a ladleful of hot stock to the risotto, stir regularly to encourage the starch to be released from the rice. When the stock has been absorbed by the rice, add another ladleful of stock and stir. Repeat this process until the rice is almost cooked through – this takes around 20-25 minutes.
- Once the rice is almost done, add the asparagus and peas to the risotto along with another ladleful of stock. Cook for 5 minutes until the vegetables are tender.
- Turn off the heat then stir in the butter, parmesan cheese, lemon juice and chives.
- Taste the risotto and add salt and lots of pepper as desired.
- Garnish with chopped chives and grated parmesan. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- You may need slightly more liquid than is listed. It will depend on the rice you are using, the pan you are using and the heat of your pot. If you run out of stock, you can use water from a freshly boiled kettle to add to the risotto.
Keywords: asparagus risotto, pea risotto, bacon risotto, asparagus and pea risotto, easy risotto recipe, simple risotto recipe,
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