Creamy lemon risotto with green peas, Parmesan cheese and fresh basil
Italian Recipe

Lemon risotto with peas and basil

The lemon risotto is cooked little by little with hot vegetable broth. Peas are added shortly before the end to keep them sweet and green; lemon juice is carefully dosed.

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Total time 40 min
Calories 525 kcal
Servings 4 servings
Difficulty Medium
By the Published Updated Editorially approved

Why this recipe works

Stir risotto until creamy, without boiling the rice until soft

Toast the risotto rice in oil until the grains turn translucent on the edges. Add the hot stock in portions to keep the temperature from dropping. Finally, the mantecatura of Parmesan and cold butter binds, with the pot already next to the heat and the rice remaining al dente.

Vegetarian Dinners Lunch Summer Recipes One-Pot Recipes

Recipe

Lemon risotto with peas and basil

Creamy risotto gets a light summer note from lemon, peas and basil. Parmesan and cold butter only bind the rice grains after cooking.

Ingredients

4 servings

Method

  1. 1

    Keep broth hot

    Heat vegetable stock in a saucepan and keep warm just below boiling point. Prepare the shallot and garlic separately.

  2. 2

    Sweat rice

    Heat olive oil in a large saucepan. Sauté shallot for 3 minutes until translucent, stir in garlic briefly. Add rice and roast for 2 minutes until the grains are slightly translucent on the edges.

  3. 3

    Cook risotto in portions

    Deglaze with white wine and boil almost completely. Add a ladle of hot stock and stir regularly over medium heat. Do not add until the liquid is almost absorbed.

  4. 4

    Add peas and lemon

    After about 13 minutes stir in the peas and grated lemon. Cook for another 4 to 5 minutes until the rice is al dente. Season with 2 tbsp lemon juice, salt and pepper.

  5. 5

    Risotto

    Remove the pot from the heat. Stir in the Parmesan cheese and cold butter vigorously, add a little stock if necessary and let rest covered for 2 minutes. Cut the basil and fold in just before serving.

Kitchen know-how

Tips for Lemon risotto with peas and basil

Keep broth really hot

Cold liquid interrupts the cooking process and makes the starch release uneven. Keep the broth in a second saucepan at a constant temperature.

Gradual dosing of lemon juice

Acid acts differently depending on the lemon. Start with two tablespoons and add more after Parmesan and butter.

Variations

How to adapt this recipe

Add 100 ml of hot vegetable stock and 1 tsp of lemon juice to the rice. The rest of the preparation remains the same.

Fry 250 g pieces of asparagus separately for 6 minutes and add them to the risotto together with basil.

Nutrition per serving

525kcal
72.0 gCarbohydrates
16.0 gProtein
18.0 gFat

Values are estimates and may vary depending on the ingredients, brands, portion size and preparation method used.

Frequently asked questions

FAQ about Lemon risotto with peas and basil

Carnaroli remains particularly good al dente, Arborio is more readily available and becomes very creamy. Long grain rice does not give off enough starch for the typical binding.

Risotto thickens further after the heat. It should flow slowly from the spoon when serving; stir in a little hot stock before serving if necessary.

It is best served fresh. To prepare it, you can cool the rice on a baking tray after about ten minutes of cooking time and cook it later with hot stock.

Frozen or fresh peas only need about five minutes. Add them towards the end to keep them green and not flour.

Keep cooking

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