Asparagus and Courgette Risotto with Lemon

An easy vegan risotto that's naturally creamy, this asparagus and courgette risotto with lemon is full of flavour and perfect for dinner. If you thought it wasn't possible to have creamy, rich risotto without dairy, you're in for a surprise.

Making vegan risotto is often a challenge because you don't get to use the two things that make regular risotto rich and creamy: butter and parmesan. But make no mistake, it's still possible to enjoy a scrumptious risotto as a vegan.

This risotto with courgette and asparagus is a delicious dinner that's perfect for those nights you want something comforting and special at the same time. It's also great with a glass of white wine.

There are multiple ways to go about using asparagus and courgettes in risotto, and my way involves shallow frying the veggies in a bit of olive oil. This makes them so much more flavourful than simply steaming them. If you want to cut down on oil, you can steam the asparagus and add the courgette during the last five minutes of cooking the risotto.

How to make the perfect vegan risotto

There are a couple of tips that make this asparagus and courgette risotto so good that people won't believe it's vegan.

First, you need to use the right rice. Carnaroli is the best choice for risotto because it has a firm texture and high starch content, which is essential for making the risotto creamy.

If you don't have Carnaroli, you can substitute it with Arborio rice, which is the second-best choice for risotto. It's still a starchy rice, but it doesn't keep its shape as well as Carnaroli.

Second, use some nutritional yeast just like you would do with parmesan for regular risotto. This will give the rice a subtle cheesy flavour while making it extra creamy at the same time.

Recipe notes and tips for the best risotto with asparagus

• If you want the risotto to be more on the loose side, you can add an extra 250 ml (1 cup) of vegetable stock.
• You can add some extra veggies to the risotto if you want, such as aubergines, for example.
• Stir the risotto frequently, but not continuously, because doing that will add air to it and make it gluey. However, if you don't stir enough, the rice will stick to the bottom of the pan. It's also important to agitate the rice, so it releases the starches.
• Well-cooked risotto is al dente, which means fully cooked, but still a bit firm to the bite.
• Always cook risotto on low heat, so it simmers instead of boiling. This is the best way to cook rice evenly.
• Make sure the vegetable stock is warm when you add it to the pan, so it's doesn't halt the cooking.

If you enjoyed this asparagus and courgette risotto with lemon, have a look at some of my other dinner recipes:

Vegan Penne alla Vodka

Vegan Creamy Pasta e Fagioli

Creamy Vegan Artichoke and Spinach Pasta

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Asparagus and Courgette Risotto with Lemon

An easy vegan risotto that's naturally creamy, this asparagus and courgette risotto with lemon is full of flavour and perfect for dinner. If you thought it wasn't possible to have creamy, rich risotto without dairy, you're in for a surprise.

5 from 18 votes

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Course: Risotto

Cuisine: Italian

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes minutes

Servings: 4

Calories: 266kcal

Author: Paris | Vegan Cocotte

Ingredients 

1x2x3x

• ▢ 2 tablespoon olive oil, divided
• ▢ 7 oz (200 g) asparagus tips, chopped in 1 inch pieces
• ▢ 1 medium courgette, diced
• ▢ 2 shallots, diced
• ▢ 4 garlic cloves, minced
• ▢ 8 oz (225 g) Carnaroli rice
• ▢ 2.5 fl oz (75 ml) dry white wine
• ▢ 1 lemon, juice and zest
• ▢ 4 cups (1000 ml) vegetable stock
• ▢ 2 tablespoon nutritional yeast
• ▢ 1 handful rocket
• ▢ 1 ounce (30 g) pine nuts, toasted
• ▢ Salt and pepper

Instructions

• Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large pan and fry the asparagus for 5 minutes until it softens a bit. Add the diced courgette and continue to cook for another 5 minutes until both the asparagus and courgette are soft. Remove them from the pan and set aside.
  2 tbsp olive oil

  7 oz asparagus tips

  1 medium courgette
• In the same pan, heat the rest of the olive oil and fry the shallot for 1-2 minutes until it softens. Add the garlic and continue to fry for 20 seconds until fragrant.
  2 shallots

  4 garlic cloves
• Next, add the rice to the pan and toast it for about 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Lower the heat and add the white wine, lemon juice, and lemon zest and cook for 1-2 minutes until the alcohol evaporates.
  8 oz Carnaroli rice

  2.5 fl oz dry white wine

  1 lemon
• Pour ¼ of the stock in the pan and cook until the liquid is absorbed, stirring as needed. Continue to add the stock one quarter at a time until the rice is creamy and soft. The rice is done when it's tender but still has a bit of a bite. Return the fried asparagus and courgette to the pan and stir well.
  4 cups vegetable stock
• Stir in the nutritional yeast, rocket, and pine nuts. Season to taste and serve immediately, with extra rocket and toasted pine nuts on top, if you like.
  2 tbsp nutritional yeast

  1 handful rocket

  1 ounce pine nuts

  Salt and pepper

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 266kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 10g | Sodium: 795mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 5g