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Creamy Spring Pea and Mint Risotto

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A creamy and comforting risotto featuring fresh spring peas, fragrant mint, and melting Parmesan cheese. Perfect for quick weeknight meals or special seasonal dinners.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 ½ cups Arborio rice (300g)
  • 2 cups fresh spring peas, shelled (300g) or frozen peas
  • ¼ cup fresh mint leaves, chopped
  • 4 cups vegetable stock (1 liter), warm
  • ½ cup dry white wine (120ml), optional
  • 1 medium shallot, finely chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter (45g), divided
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • ¾ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (80g), plus extra for garnish
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest, optional

Instructions

  1. Warm the vegetable stock in a separate pot and keep it simmering gently on low heat.
  2. Blanch half of the peas in boiling water for 2-3 minutes until tender and bright green. Drain and set aside. Reserve the other half raw.
  3. In a blender, combine about 1 cup (240ml) of the warm stock with the blanched peas and half the chopped mint. Blend until smooth and set aside.
  4. Heat olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter in a large heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Add the chopped shallot and garlic, cooking gently for 3-4 minutes until softened but not browned.
  5. Add the Arborio rice to the pan, stirring to coat the grains in the butter and oil. Cook for 2 minutes until the edges look translucent but the center is still firm.
  6. Pour in the white wine and stir constantly until mostly absorbed. If not using wine, skip this step.
  7. Ladle in half of the pea-stock puree, stirring consistently until nearly absorbed. Then add the remaining warm vegetable stock about ½ cup (120ml) at a time, stirring frequently and waiting until the liquid is mostly absorbed before adding more. Continue for 20-25 minutes until rice is creamy and tender but still slightly firm.
  8. Stir in the raw peas and remaining chopped mint. Cook for another 2-3 minutes to warm through.
  9. Remove from heat and stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and freshly grated Parmesan cheese until melted and silky. Season with salt, pepper, and lemon zest if using. Taste and adjust seasoning.
  10. Let the risotto rest for 1-2 minutes before serving to allow flavors to meld and texture to settle.

Notes

Keep the stock warm to maintain cooking temperature. Stir gently but consistently to coax out creaminess without mushiness. If risotto is too thick, add a splash more stock or hot water; if too loose, cook a little longer. For a vegan version, omit butter and Parmesan and use nutritional yeast and cashew cream. Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for up to 2 days and reheated with added stock or water.

Nutrition

Keywords: risotto, spring peas, mint, Parmesan, creamy risotto, easy homemade meals, vegetarian, gluten-free

Find it online: https://katedishes.com/creamy-spring-pea-and-mint-risotto-recipe-perfect-for-easy-homemade-meals/