A perfect cozy dinner for two! This simple springtime recipe is rich in garlic and savoury Parmesan, with fresh lemon juice and zest then finish off with fresh herbs of dill and parsley. The seasonal asparagus is a healthy and delicious addition to this flavourful and elegant risotto recipe.
This is a perfect meal for any day of the week. It is so easy with a few ingredients and a meal your family or guest will love. I chose to use frozen wild shrimp, keeping it simple and you can easily prep the ingredients ahead.
Springtime is a perfect time to make this risotto recipe with asparagus. When the asparagus are at their peak and choose stalks that are about 1/2 inch thick for this recipe as they hold up well for this dish.
Sometimes, we often look at a recipe and think it would be too difficult to make and in my experience I have had people say they hesitate to make risotto because they never get it right. Well, practice does make perfect, but I have found risotto isn’t as difficult as it may seem. All it takes is time and patience and before you know it, the risotto is done!
TIPS
The process of cooking risotto is adding one ladle full of broth at a time on a low-medium temperature to allow the rice to absorb the liquid.
As you add the broth, it is important to stir constantly, this prevents the rice from burning. Continue adding the next ladle of broth when the rick becomes dry.
This technique releases the Arborio’s natural starches, creating this lovely creamy risotto.
The last 4-5 minutes is when you add the asparagus, once all of the liquid is gone, check the asparagus, it should be tender yet still crunchy. Overcooking the asparagus results is in less vibrant in colour and soft stalks.
INGREDIENTS
Vegetables: shallots, garlic and asparagus
Oil: recommend a good quality extra virgin olive oil
Rice: Arborio is recommended and perfect to make risotto
Shrimp: medium-large wild frozen shrimp or fresh shrimp
Wine: a dry white wine, such as chardonnay
Broth: either chicken or vegetable broth are the best options
Cheese: Parmesan cheese adds are creaminess and pungent flavour
Herbs: dill and parsley work really well for this dish
INSTRUCTIONS
Gather your ingredients, measure, chop, minced and slice.
Heat olive oil in a cast iron pan or skillet over medium heat. Add shallot and saute for 2 minutes, add garlic and cook for another minute, until fragrant.
Add rice and cook for 3-4 minutes until the rice begins to turn golden in colour stirring constantly, avoid burning the rice. Add wine and cook until the wine evaporates. Begin adding the stock, one ladle at a time, stirring constantly and allow to cook for 2-3 minutes. Continue adding the stock a ladle at a time and once the stock is absorbed, repeat the process until the risotto cooked. Season with salt and pepper. The last 5 minutes, add asparagus, lemon juice and zest and Parmesan cheese. It should take 20 minutes for the risotto to cook.
Meanwhile, season shrimp with salt and pepper. Melt butter in a small skillet or fry pan, over medium heat, cook the shrimp 2-3 minutes. Flip the shrimp and cook another 2-3 minutes.
Check seasoning and add salt and pepper if needed. Transfer the shrimp in with the risotto, add dill and parsley. Add extra Parmesan cheese is desired. Enjoy!
STORING, REHEATING AND FREEZING
Risotto is best when it is freshly made but you can still enjoy it as leftovers. Store the risotto in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 days. To reheat this recipe, I like to add it to a skillet at a low temperature with a few drops of water, stock or broth so it doesn’t dry out when heating it. This will help the risotto to become creamy again.
DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE….PLEASE A REVIEW WITH A COMMENT AND RATING. I KNOW MY READS WOULD REALLY LIKE TO HEAR YOUR FEEDBACK. THANK YOU! 
Shrimp and Asparagus with Fresh Herbs Risotto
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Heat olive oil in a cast iron pan or skillet over medium heat. Add shallot and saute for 2 minutes, add garlic and cook for another minute, until fragrant.
- Add rice and cook for 3-4 minutes until the rice begins to turn golden in colour stirring constantly, try to avoid burning the rice. Add wine and cook until the wine evaporates. Begin adding the broth, one ladle at a time, stirring constantly and allow to cook for 2-3 minutes. Continue adding the broth a ladle at a time and once the it is absorbed, repeat the process until the risotto cooked. Season with salt and pepper. The last 5 minutes, add asparagus, lemon juice and zest and Parmesan cheese. It should take 20 minutes to cook the risotto.
- Meanwhile, season shrimp with salt and pepper. Melt butter in a small skillet or fry pan, over medium heat, cook the shrimp 2-3 minutes. Flip the shrimp and cook another 2-3 minutes.
- Add salt and pepper if needed. Transfer the shrimp in with the risotto, add dill and parsley. Add extra Parmesan cheese is desired. Enjoy!
Nutrition
Tried this recipe?
Let us know how it was!