This Vegan Asparagus Risotto is ridicuously creamy, flavorful, and surprisingly easy to make! With crispy roasted asparagus and dairy-free lemon risotto, you will love this fresh & bright spring risotto!
Between my Vegan Pumpkin Risotto and Butternut Squash Brussel Sprout Risotto, I'd say I have made my fair share of risotto recipes.
While my other recipes have focused on the flavors of Fall, I really wanted something a bit lighter to enjoy during Spring or Summer. That's why I decided to create this asparagus risotto that is a bit lighter, fresh, and just as delicious!
Ingredients:
Ingredient notes:
- Arborio rice: This is crucial for the right texture of risotto! Here's the arborio rice I used for this recipe.
- Soy milk: Can be substituted 1:1 with any dairy-free milk. I prefer unsweetened soy milk because it is thicker and has a mild flavor, but oat milk is another great option.
How to make lemon asparagus risotto
Season & roast the asparagus
Remove and dicard the tough ends of each asparagus stem. Then, cut the remaining stem into about 3 long pieces (about 3 inches each).
Add the asparagus to a baking tray and season with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and oil.
Then, add the tray of seasoned asparagus to the oven and roast at 400F for 20-25 minutes.
I recommend removing the tray from the oven and mixing the asparagus halfway through so it cooks evenly. Once it's cooked, just set it aside for later.
Make the lemon risotto
While the asparagus is roasting, make the vegan lemon risotto!
First, sauté the shallots and garlic in vegan butter.
After that add in the arborio rice. Stir and toast the grains for about 1 minute. This helps the risotto get that desirable soft chewy texture!
Next, deglaze the pan with white wine. This helps to remove any stuck bits to the bottom of the pan and adds a lot of flavor to the dish.
Then add in the vegetable broth, soy milk, lemon juice, and lemon zest.
Cook the lemon asparagus risotto continuously until the rice is soft, chewy, and completely cooked through. The end texture of this vegan spring risotto should be creamy & thick.
Put it all together!
Add the roasted asparagus to the lemon risotto and mix everything together for a truly delicious vegan asparagus risotto!
Then, serve as is or topped with vegan parmesan cheese and a little bit of extra lemon zest for an even tastier dish.
FAQ & Tips:
Is this asparagus risotto gluten-free?
Yes! Risotto is naturally gluten-free as long as you stick to using rice as the base.
How do I store asparagus risotto?
Leftover vegan risotto can be stored in a closed container in the fridge for 3-4 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month.
To defrost, put the container in the fridge the day before you need it and then heat up on the stove or in the microwave until warmed throughout to enjoy.
I can't wait for you to try this fresh, bright, and absolutely delicious Vegan Asparagus Risotto! The mix of seasonal roasted asparagus and lemony risotto is just perfect together. Enjoy!
-TSG
More fresh gluten-free dinner ideas you will love:
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Vegan Asparagus Risotto
Ingredients
Roasted Asparagus
- 1 bunch asparagus ends trimmed and cut into 3-inch pieces
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil or avocado oil
- ¼ teaspoon salt add more or less to taste
- ¼ teaspoon ground pepper
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
Lemon Risotto
- ¼ cup vegan butter
- 2 shallots thinly sliced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 ¼ cups arborio rice dried/uncooked
- ½ cup white wine
- 2-2 ½ cups vegetable broth start with 2 and add up to 2 ½ cups as needed
- 1 cup soy milk or other plant-based milk
- 2 Tablespoon lemon juice
- ½ Tablespoon lemon zest the zest of 1 lemon
- ½ teaspoon dried parsley
- ½ teaspoon salt add more or less to taste
- ¼ teaspoon ground pepper add more or less to taste
Instructions
First, prep & roast the asparagus
- Preheat the oven to 400F and prep the veggies. Trim about 1 inch off the ends of each asparagus stem and discard the tough ends. Then, cut the remaining asparagus stems into 3 pieces about 3-inches long. You can also slice the shallots and mince the garlic needed for the risotto at this time.
- Add the asparagus to a baking tray and season with the oil, salt, garlic powder, and pepper. Toss together until the asparagus is coated.
- Add the tray of seasoned asparagus to the oven and roast for 20-25 minutes. I recommend removing the tray from the oven and tossing the asparagus halfway through roasting so that it cooks evenly.
- Once the asparagus is fully cooked, remove from the oven and set aside.
Cook the lemon risotto
- While the asparagus is roasting, make the risotto. Add the vegan butter to a dutch oven or large pot and turn on the heat.
- Once the butter has melted and is beginning to bubble, add in the sliced shallots and minced garlic. Cook for 2-3 minutes until the garlic is fragrant and the shallots are beginning to turn translucent.
- Next, add the arborio rice to the pan. Mix it with the shallots and garlic for about 1 minute to toast the grains.
- Immediately add the white wine to deglaze the pan and remove any stuck bits of food from the bottom of the pan.
- Then, add the vegetable broth, soy milk, lemon juice, lemon zest, and the seasoning including the salt, pepper, and dried parsley to the pan. Mix together and reduce the heat to medium.
- Cook the risotto until all the liquid has been absorbed and the rice is fully cooked, chewy, and al dente (about 30-40 minutes). If the liquid is being absorbed too quickly and the rice is not cooked yet, just add ¼ cup more vegetable broth at a time until the risotto is fully cooked through.
- Once cooked, remove the lemon risotto from the heat and add in the roasted asparagus. Mix together and then serve as is or add vegan parmesan and lemon zest on top for an even tastier dish. Enjoy!
Notes
- Soy milk can be substituted 1:1 for any dairy-free milk like oat, almond, etc.
- Leftover risotto can be stored in a closed container in the fridge for 3-4 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month.
- To defrost frozen risotto, move it to the fridge the day before eating and then heat in the microwave/ on the stove top until warmed throughout.
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