Risotto Agli Asparagi Vegano Recipe

Prepare asparagus

Wash asparagus. Trim woody ends and separate into two portions: about 300 g (tips + tender stems) for the asparagus cream and 100 g (whole spears) for the garnish. Reserve both portions separately.

Blanch garnish spears

Bring a saucepan of salted water to a boil. Add the 100 g garnish spears and blanch 1–2 minutes until bright green and tender-crisp. Immediately transfer to an ice bath to stop cooking. Drain and toss with 2 tbs olive oil, 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper. Set aside for plating.

Cook asparagus for cream

In a medium saucepan, add the reserved 300 g asparagus pieces and the diced potato. Cover with about 300 ml water and a pinch of salt. Bring to a simmer and cook 8–10 minutes until both asparagus and potato are very tender. Reserve 60–80 ml of the cooking liquid and drain the vegetables.

Blend cream

Transfer the cooked asparagus and potato to a blender. Add 120 ml unsweetened soy or oat cream, 120 ml water (or use reserved cooking liquid for more flavor), 2 tbs nutritional yeast, 1 tsp lemon juice and 1/2 tsp salt. Blend on high until completely smooth and silky, about 1 minute. Taste and adjust seasoning. Keep warm on low.

Warm broth

Place 1 L vegetable broth in a pot and keep it at a gentle simmer over low heat; you will ladle it into the rice hot.

Sauté aromatics

In a wide heavy-bottomed skillet or saucepan, heat 2 tbs extra-virgin olive oil over medium heat. Add the finely diced onion and a pinch of salt; cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent and soft, about 5–6 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook 30–45 seconds until fragrant.

Toast rice

Add 320 g arborio rice to the pan and stir to coat the grains with oil. Cook 1–2 minutes until the edges of the grains look translucent but the center is still opaque, stirring constantly to avoid browning.

Deglaze with wine

Pour in 120 ml dry white wine and stir until mostly absorbed by the rice.

Cook risotto

Begin adding the simmering broth, one ladle (about 120–150 ml) at a time, stirring frequently. Wait until most of the liquid is absorbed before adding the next ladle. Continue this process for about 16–18 minutes, or until the rice is al dente and has a creamy consistency. Keep the heat at medium-low so the rice simmers gently.

Incorporate asparagus cream

When the rice is just shy of done (after ~15 minutes), stir in about two-thirds of the asparagus cream (reserve some to swirl for presentation). Add 2 tbs vegan butter (or olive oil), 1 tsp lemon zest and 2 tbs chopped parsley. Continue to cook and stir 1–2 minutes so the cream warms and integrates; the risotto should be loose and creamy. If mixture becomes too thick, add a splash of the hot vegetable broth or reserved asparagus cooking liquid to loosen.

Adjust seasoning

Taste and adjust salt and pepper. Stir in remaining tablespoon amounts of vegan parmesan if you like a cheesier finish (optional) and remove from heat. Let risotto rest, covered, 1–2 minutes to settle.

Plate

Spoon risotto into warmed bowls. Drizzle or spoon the reserved asparagus cream over each portion (about 1 tbs each) for visual contrast. Top each serving with 3–4 blanched asparagus spears and a sprinkle of vegan parmesan and chopped parsley. Finish with a small drizzle (about 1 tsp) of extra-virgin olive oil and a tiny pinch of lemon zest.