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Creamy Spring Pea and Mint Risotto

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A creamy risotto featuring fresh peas, mint, and Parmesan cheese, perfect for spring and easy enough for weeknight dinners.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 ½ cups (300g) Arborio rice
  • 1 ½ cups (225g) fresh or frozen peas, thawed if frozen
  • ¼ cup chopped fresh mint leaves
  • 4 cups (1 liter) vegetable or chicken stock, warmed
  • 1 medium shallot, finely chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • ½ cup (120ml) dry white wine (optional)
  • 3 tablespoons (45g) unsalted butter
  • ¾ cup (75g) freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Instructions

  1. Warm your stock in a small saucepan and keep it at a gentle simmer on low heat throughout cooking.
  2. Heat olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a sauté pan over medium heat. Add shallot and cook for about 3 minutes until soft and translucent, stirring occasionally.
  3. Add minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.
  4. Stir in Arborio rice, coating each grain with the oil and butter mixture. Toast the rice for 2 minutes until slightly translucent around edges.
  5. Pour in dry white wine and stir gently until mostly absorbed. If skipping wine, start with warm stock in the next step.
  6. Add about ½ cup of warm stock to the rice. Stir frequently until liquid is mostly absorbed. Continue adding stock in ½ cup increments, stirring often, waiting for each addition to absorb before adding more. This takes about 18-20 minutes.
  7. While rice simmers, puree half the peas with a splash of stock or water until smooth. Set aside the rest of the peas whole.
  8. When rice is tender but still al dente (about 18 minutes), stir in pureed peas, whole peas, and chopped mint. The risotto will turn green and smell fresh.
  9. Remove pan from heat and stir in remaining 2 tablespoons butter and grated Parmesan until melted and creamy. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add a splash of warm stock if too thick.
  10. Let risotto rest covered off heat for 1-2 minutes. Serve immediately with extra Parmesan and mint leaves for garnish.

Notes

Keep stock warm to ensure even cooking and creamy texture. Stir gently and frequently but don’t obsess. Puree half the peas for creaminess and fold in whole peas near the end for texture. Use fresh Parmesan for best flavor and melting. If skipping wine, replace with warm stock. For vegan version, substitute butter with vegan margarine and Parmesan with nutritional yeast or toasted nuts.

Nutrition

Keywords: risotto, spring pea, mint, Parmesan, creamy risotto, easy risotto, vegetarian, Italian recipe

Find it online: https://wigglebite.com/creamy-spring-pea-and-mint-risotto-recipe-easy-homemade-parmesan-delight/