Asparagus is a versatile vegetable that I love. It can be the star of its own dish, or it can be a tasty and healthy complement to a large variety of dishes. Its hearty, earthy flavor puts it in the heavyweight category of vegetables but it has a very delicate flavor.
Like most green veggies, asparagus is packed with nutritional properties and can find its way into just about any dietary lifestyle.
Although asparagus used to be a purely seasonal vegetable, now can be found all year round in almost all grocery stores.
If you want to know more about asparagus and its properties, you can read more in my below post.
Delicate in flavor and soft in texture, risotto with asparagus is a simple but refined first course, which is suitable for many occasions, even the most special ones such as a romantic dinner for two, which we have every evening.
By carefully following only a few easy steps, you’ll make a simple but refined and exquisite vegetarian dish, which enhances the delicious taste of a much loved and versatile vegetable: asparagus.
Cooking risotto is a typical Italian preparation. Only in Italy, in fact, is the rice brought slowly to cook with the addition of a little broth at a time.
Ingredients for 2 person:
- 3 green asparagus trimmed, cut into rings
- 1 glass of Carnaroli or Arborio rice
- 20 g of butter
- 1 litre hot vegetable broth
- grated Grana Padano or Pamersan Cheese
- extra virgin olive oil
- salt
- 100ml white wine (optional)
Difficulty: | Easy |
Preparation: | 5 min |
Cooking: | 30-35 minutes |
Portions: | 2 |
Directions:
Start by preparing the vegetable broth.
I usually don’t have enough time to prepare my broth at home from scraps but I like to use a good vegetable stock cubes. Is easy and very fast.
Just bring to boil water and put inside the stock cubes and voila, the vegetable broth is ready. Usually it goes 1 stock cube to 1 litre of water but you need to follow the indications mentioned on the box of stock cubes.
Tip: For additional flavour add into the broth the woody ends off the asparagus stalks.
Trim the asparagus
Before cutting your fresh asparagus, you’ll need to wash it thoroughly to remove any dirt. Dirt is usually found toward the bottom of the plant but sometimes also at the top of the stalks. Rinse the asparagus stalks with cold water and dry them with a paper towel.
After that, remove the white, woody ends of the asparagus stalks. These are the fibrous, chewy bits that you don’t want to bite into but you can add them into your stock for additional flavor.
Lay your asparagus on the cutting board so that the ends line up evenly. Cut off the woody part and continue to cut the rest of the asparagus stalks into rounds.
Tip: If the stalk is extra woody or thick, you may want to peel it as well before cutting the rounds. This usually applies to asparagus stalks that are thicker than average.
Now is time for the risotto.
In a large pan heat a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil over medium-high heat and add the rice stirring until is nicely coated.
When the rice starts to get toasted, stir in the wine, if using – it will evaporate almost immediately then add the broth one ladleful at the time, continuing to stir until the liquid is almost completely absorbed, then add another ladleful.
Add also the asparagus and continue to add one ladleful of vegetable broth at the time, and stirring almost constantly, until the rice is “al dente” or tender, but still firm to the bite, about 20 minutes.
Tips:
- Remember that a risotto prepared with the wrong rice … is not a risotto! Use only Carnaroli or Arborio rice.
- Don’t wash the rice! The floury patina is not a defect of the grain, but a characteristic that contains important substances that guarantee the compactness of the grain during cooking.
- Toast the rice well. It is an important phase in the preparation of risotto.
Time for the creaminess
Turn off the heat. Add the grated parmesan cheese and butter and give the risotto a thorough stir to incorporate the butter and cheese, add salt to taste if needed and serve straight away.

Note: The vegetable stock amount given is approximate. You may need a little more or less. If you end up needing more stock and you find yourself without, just use water.

I simply love it!

Asparagus risotto

Delicate in flavor and soft in texture, risotto with asparagus is a simple but refined first course, which is suitable for many occasions, even the most special ones such as a romantic dinner for two.
Ingredients
- 3 green asparagus trimmed, cut into rings
- 1 glass of Carnaroli or Arborio rice
- 20 g of butter
- 1 litre hot vegetable broth
- grated Grana Padano or Pamersan Cheese
- extra virgin olive oil
- salt
- 100ml white wine (optional)
Directions
- Start by preparing the vegetable broth Just bring to boil water and put inside the stock cubes and voila, the vegetable broth is ready.
- Trim the asparagus Before cutting your fresh asparagus, you’ll need to wash it thoroughly to remove any dirt. Dirt is usually found toward the bottom of the plant but sometimes also at the top of the stalks. Rinse the asparagus stalks with cold water and dry them with a paper towel. After that, remove the white, woody ends of the asparagus stalks. These are the fibrous, chewy bits that you don’t want to bite into but you can add them into your stock for additional flavor. Lay your asparagus on the cutting board so that the ends line up evenly. Cut off the woody part and continue to cut the rest of the asparagus stalks into rounds.
- Now is time for the risotto In a large pan heat a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil over medium-high heat and add the rice stirring until is nicely coated. When the rice starts to get toasted, stir in the wine, if using – it will evaporate almost immediately then add the broth one ladleful at the time, continuing to stir until the liquid is almost completely absorbed, then add another ladleful. Add also the asparagus and continue to add one ladleful of vegetable broth at the time, and stirring almost constantly, until the rice is “al dente” or tender, but still firm to the bite, about 20 minutes.
- Time for the creaminess Turn off the heat. Add the grated parmesan cheese and butter and give the risotto a thorough stir to incorporate the butter and cheese, add salt to taste if needed and serve straight away. Note: The vegetable stock amount given is approximate. You may need a little more or less. If you end up needing more stock and you find yourself without, just use water.
Course: First Course, Author: Ribana, Cooking Time: 30 minutes
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Have a lovely weekend!
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Fra i miei preferiti! Buon weekend!
Grazie mille cara! Sono contenta che ti piace 😋 Ti auguro una splendida settimana 🌸
Anche a te! Grazie.
This looks insane x
Thank you very much 😉 And delicious too 😉😋
It looks delicious!
Thank you very much 😉 It was really delicious 😋
Ribana, when Jack and I come over to your place for dinner – please could we have some asparagus risotto – I can tell you we would love it! Especially me!
With much pleasure dear Mel! A double portion for you then 😉😋 It has such a delicate flavor 😉😋 Yummmmm 😋
Another fine recipe
Thank you very much Derrick! 😉
Rice Rice rice 🤓 A touch of South India, or maybe other countries too 😂. Looks delicious, ☺️ The difference is we usually make a gravy and rice separately 😁 this is together 😃 and that why we have this name 😉 Lovely recipe for a weekend ✨🙋 Have a Lovely weekend 😻💐😍
Thank you very much Simon! Yes, in Northern Italy rice is pretty common 😉 We enjoy a good risotto with pretty much everything 😉 Far away countries but similar habits 😉
Hope your weekend was great! Wish you a lovely week ahead Simon! 😉🤗
Oh that’s great , that means we have risotto every afternoon 😁 Have a wonderful Week Ribana ✨🎉💐
Oh wow, every afternoon? Not so often in Italy or at my home though 🤪
Thank you Simon! Have a lovely week too 🤩😉
Rice was all time food for south indians, now we know that it’s not healthy to eat rice when we sit all day, it’s for people that works in the sun not for us 😁
Yes, as with all foods, better to be consumed in moderation 😉
Beautiful. Asparagus is such a lovely vegetable, and your risotto really allows it to shine.
Thank you very much 😉 I’m glad you like it! I love the delicate flavor of asparagus! And it gives such a nice touch to the risotto 😋
Wow — look forward to tasting this recipe. Excellent prose.
Thank you very much 😉 I’m glad you like it! Enjoy it 😉😋
So creamy and delicious. No better comfort food from any cuisine!
Thank you very much Dorothy! Very true! The perfect comfort food 😉😋
Looks sooooooooooo good.
Thank you very much 😊 It was super creamy and delicious 😋
We love risotto in our house. Adding asparagus is a great idea!
Thank you very much 😊 I’m glad you like it! Yes, the combination it works perfectly 😉😋
We have an asparagus patch in our garden. We never really do anything with it and year after year it gives us masses of delicious asparagus. I am copying some of your recipes for next year.
That’s great Anne! You should try it as is really delicious and is very versatile…can cook it in so many ways 😉 And it has a wonderful flavor 😋😉
We use rice at lunch time accompanied with curries, fried rice, biriyani etc so we can’t avoid rice but this is an amazing new asparagus flavored risotto !! 👌😃💌
I know in Indian cuisine rice is a staple 🍛😉 it goes well with so many dishes 😉😋
Adding minimum quantity of rice with other ingredients brings out an aroma and will make a healthy diet I think !! 🤗
Have a great day friend 💕!!
Yes, as with all the foods, eating a little bit of everything is good and in this way we can enjoy everything 😉
Have a lovely day Suni! 😉
Asparagus has a flavor that I think goes perfectly in a risotto…nice creation.
Very true! Asparagus has a delicate flavor that combines perfectly with the creaminess of the risotto 😉😋
Oh thank goodness I’m having noodles right now, if not I’ll be starving for craving risotto haha 😀
Hahaha…after noodles you can go with risotto 😉😋
hahaha 😂 No!
“Wonderfully” and “tastefully” elaborated.
Thank you very much ☺️