This vegan asparagus risotto is creamy, fresh, and packed with both green and white asparagus for the best of both worlds. It's simple enough for a weeknight, but elegant enough to serve when you want something a little special.
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So, springtime it is; asparagus season is in full swing! And we're here to savor every bit of its goodness. And, oh, the many wonderful recipes with asparagus we can enjoy, like this elegant asparagus soup or the classic German combination of white asparagus with gravy. All. So. Delish.
But today, we're here for a green and white asparagus risotto. One that's creamy, springy, and oh-so-comforting, yet somehow fancy at the same time.
I confess, I am a true asparagus fan. After all, I live in Schwetzingen, the German Asparagus Town. While Schwetzingen might not be the only asparagus champion in Germany, they do take their asparagus love seriously here! There's even a statue on the marketplace dedicated to this springy produce, and the town's website highlights all the juicy deets of asparagus.
Why This Vegan Asparagus Risotto Is So Good
Green AND White Asparagus
Why settle for one when you can have both? (Double the asparagus, double the yum!) But if you're more into one asparagus color over the other (or that's what you have on hand), go with it, the risotto will still be yummy.
Coconut Oil, Really?
If you are open to a tiny adventure, do give coconut oil a try. It will add an extra oomph to this dish. Trust me on this one.
Still, you could easily swap it out for olive oil or rapeseed oil.
Lemon Zing
A squeeze of lemon juice and a sprinkle of zest brighten things up, always, especially in a risotto. And we'll be using the juice of a whole lemon, so lots of zing going on here.
Crunchy Walnuts
Walnuts might not be your typical risotto topping, but their nutty earthiness goes well with the elegant lightness of asparagus. Don't chop them too small; leave them halved if possible, because creamy rice + happy, crispy nut halves = a match.
🍽 Recipe
Creamy Vegan Asparagus Risotto (Green & White)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 yellow onion
- 3 tablespoons coconut oil divided (or olive oil)
- 500 g white asparagus*
- 500 g green asparagus*
- 300 g risotto rice
- 4 tablespoons dry white wine optional (you can use alcohol-free)
- 1 to 1.2 liters vegetable broth
- 4-6 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- Salt
- Pepper
- 1 lemon zest and juice
- ½ bunch basil leaves washed and chopped
Topping
- Handful of chopped walnuts
- Some basil leaves for decoration optional
Instructions
- Peel the onion and finely chop it.
- Wash the asparagus, remove the woody ends, and peel the lower parts of the white asparagus stalks (an economy/vegetable peeler works best). Chop all asparagus stalks into bite-size pieces.
- In a large pan, heat 2 tablespoons of coconut oil (or olive oil) and fry the onion until translucent (without coloring).
- Add the rice and cook for 3-4 minutes (it will sizzle), stirring continuously.
- Pour in the wine and keep stirring. You can omit this step if you're not using wine.
- Add the nutritional yeast to the vegetable broth and combine well; it's easiest using a whisk.
- Reduce the heat to low, and add the vegetable broth to the rice a ladle at a time, stirring continuously. Wait for the rice to soak it all up before adding the next ladleful.
- Add the asparagus pieces to the rice with the second or third ladle of vegetable broth.
- Continue until you've used all or almost all the stock. You might need just 1 liter of stock, so check the rice in between - it's done when it's soft but still a little al dente.
- Turn off the heat, and add chopped basil, lemon juice and zest, and 1 tablespoon of coconut oil (or olive oil).
- Season with salt and pepper, taste test, and adjust according to your taste.
- Serve topped with basil leaves and chopped walnuts.
Notes
- You can swap green asparagus for white and vice versa, just use whichever you prefer or have available.
Perfect Pairing
I'd suggest a side salad for some extra freshness and/or some hearty veggie patties for a satisfying meal. And - why not? - a crisp white wine (alcohol-free works great too!).
If you want to enjoy a full-blown asparagus meal, have a creamy white asparagus soup as a starter, and serve the asparagus risotto as a main.
Enjoy,
Ramona
PS: If you try it, tell me in the comments how it turned out. I'm always curious.
♥
charlotte diana says
Where I can buy risotto?
Ramona says
Rice suitable for risotto is stocked in Germany at any grocery store. The most popular rice is Arborio. If you can't find it where you live, you can try substituting it for another starchy rice, for example, sushi rice. Thai Jasmine rice works nicely too, although the dish might end up not being as creamy as with Arborio rice.