roasted asparagus & mushroom risotto

One of my favorite easy weeknight meals is vegetable risotto. Granted, it takes a bit of time on the stove to get the risotto to the right consistency, but it otherwise takes very little effort and only a few ingredients.

This seasonal take on the classic risotto, includes both mushrooms and roasted asparagus. I wanted to keep it relatively classic and simple for a weeknight, but I also wanted to take advantage of the beautiful, bright green asparagus spears I always see this time of year.

Simple city

As long as you have Arborio rice, broth, and some parmesan on hand, you can pretty much always throw together a risotto dish. This particular recipe adds a little extra pizzazz, with the garlic, shallot, mushrooms, and asparagus, but the crux of this dish is very simple and requires little preparation.

You’ll begin your work by adding the shallot, garlic, and mushrooms to a large skillet (or a wok) and simmering about an entire container of vegetable broth in a separate pot. You’ll use the simmering broth to slowly “feed” the rice, which is what will eventually give the risotto its soft, creamy texture.

You’ll add the rice to the skillet and simmer with some dry white wine if you have it before beginning to stir in the broth, a couple ladlefuls at a time. Over the next 30 minutes or so, you’ll continue to replenish the rice as it sops up the broth, stirring almost constantly. When your risotto is finished, you want it to be soft and creamy, but NOT soupy or mushy. That means be patient with the broth! Don’t overdo it, and allow the rice to absorb the liquid almost completely in between each feeding session.

While you’re cooking the risotto, you can roast the asparagus, and this will get added to the final dish at the end. Multi-tasking!

A little rice, a little broth, and a few extras

Here’s what you’ll need for this delicious risotto dish:

Arborio rice You’ll want this specific type of short-grain rice to achieve the best risotto results. A longer-grain variety won’t produce the right kind of texture we want here

Vegetable broth Any type of broth will work, but I wanted to keep this dish vegetarian, so I opted for veggie

White wine A dry white like a pinot grigio or sauvignon blanc works best for cooking. And once the bottle is open, you have an excuse to pour yourself a glass, right?

Cremini mushrooms These will give the dish a little umami boost

Garlic and shallot These will intensify the flavor of the risotto

Asparagus spears Try to find these as fresh as possible. If you get the chance, pick them up at a local farmer’s market

Parmesan cheese The icing on the cake! If we were eating cake and the parmesan was icing…

I hope you love this dish as much as I did. Buon appetito!

⟶ the recipe

roasted asparagus & mushroom risotto

ingredients

1 cup Arborio rice

4 cups vegetable broth

½ cup dry white wine

8 ounces cremini mushrooms, minced

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1 shallot, minced

½ cup grated parmesan

10-15 asparagus spears, trimmed

Small bunch of fresh parsley, chopped

Salt and pepper

Prep time

15 minutes

Cook time

30 minutes

Total time

45 minutes

4 servings

instructions

Heat some olive oil in a large skillet, and add the vegetable broth into a separate saucepan. Bring the broth to a boil, then reduce to a low simmer.

Add shallot to the large skillet and cook on medium heat until translucent. Add the mushrooms and garlic, and cook for a few more minutes until the mushrooms have become slightly tender. Then add the rice and let it toast for a few minutes. Pour in the wine and simmer until liquid has evaporated, stirring constantly so the rice doesn’t stick to the pan.

Now, stir the broth into the rice, 1-2 ladlefuls at a time, although this will depend on the size of your ladle. The rice should be just covered with liquid, and the broth should be simmering lightly, but not boiling. Adjust your heat accordingly. Once the broth has been completely absorbed, replenish the liquid. Repeat this process about 4 times or until all of the broth has been used up. The whole process should take about 30 minutes, and when finished, the rice should be VERY tender and all the liquid should be gone.

While the risotto is cooking, preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Cut the asparagus spears into 1-inch pieces, and arrange them on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast in the oven for 10-15 minutes or until tender and slightly crispy on the ends.

When the risotto has finished cooking, remove from heat and stir in the parmesan and asparagus. Serve topped with the parsley and additional parmesan.