Creamy Risotto with Asparagus and Ramps (Gluten Free)
A delicious, one pot creamy risotto made with peak spring ingredients — asparagus and ramps. The ultimate spring risotto recipe!
Servings: 4
Calories: 397kcal
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup Arborio rice
- 1 bunch ramps 12-15
- 1 bunch fresh asparagus 12-15 spears
- ½ cup dry white wine
- 4 cups broth vegetable or chicken
- ¼ cup Parmigiano Reggiano cheese freshly grated
- 1 lemon zest of whole, juice of half
- ½ cup fresh flat leaf parsley
- 1 clove garlic
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Add broth to a saucepan, cover and bring to a simmer on low.
- Trim the woody ends from the asparagus and cut into one inch pieces.
- Clean and thoroughly dry the ramps. Remove the roots from the ends of the ramps, keeping as much of the bulb as possible. Slice the bulbs and stems thinly. Thinly slice the leaves and keep separate.
- Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat and add olive oil. Sauté asparagus pieces for 2-3 minutes until bright green and slightly crisp. Remove from pan and set aside.
- Add 2 tablespoons of the butter to the pan and sauté just the thinly sliced ramp bulbs and stems. Save the leaves for later. Cook for 2-3 minutes until softened.
- Add arborio rice to the sautéed ramps and toast the rice for another 2-3 minutes until it's translucent around the edges and has a slightly nutty aroma.
- Add the wine to the toasted rice and sautéed ramps and stir until the pan looks almost dry.
- Add in one ladle of broth and stir frequently until the liquid is almost totally absorbed. Repeat this process, ladling in hot broth one spoonful at a time, stirring frequently until rice is al dente. It should be tender but still have a bit of bite to it. This will take about 18-22 minutes.
- When the last of the liquid is almost absorbed and the rice texture is to your liking, stir in the sautéed asparagus and thinly sliced ramp leaves.
- Remove risotto from the heat and stir in the juice of half a lemon, parmesan cheese and the remaining butter.
- Top each portion with gremolata and serve immediately.
Notes
- Only use short-grain rice - Arborio is recommended.
- Toast the rice - this is a super important step. Toasting the rice until it becomes translucent creates a shell around the grain that allows it to slowly absorb liquid without getting mushy. This is how you nail that irresistible creamy consistency with the perfect al dente bite.
- Use hot broth - adding cold liquid drops the temperature of the pan, shocks the rice and results in uneven, mushy or gluey texture. Hot liquid keeps the cooking temperature consistent and gradually releases the starch in the rice allowing that creamy, emulsified sauce to develop.
- Add broth one ladle at a time - rinse and repeat until all of the liquid is gradually absorbed. Adding liquid in small increments guarantees even absorption and builds rich flavor and perfect texture. This specific cooking process is what gives risotto that signature creaminess.
- Add butter and parmesan at the end - remove it from the heat and add a chunk of cold butter at the end. As the butter melts while stirring, it will give it that glossy richness that makes risotto so delicious.
Nutrition
Calories: 397kcal | Carbohydrates: 55g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 27mg | Sodium: 1117mg | Potassium: 377mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 2780IU | Vitamin C: 34mg | Calcium: 143mg | Iron: 6mg