Easy No-stir Spring Risotto with Asparagus and Peas

❓What is risotto?

Risotto is a traditional Italian rice dish that has a creamy consistency with rice that is al dente, which means firm to the bite in Italian. It's made with special short-grain Italian rice called Arborio Rice, that have a high starch content, which creates the dish's signature creaminess.

✨Why you'll love this recipe?

• No constant stirring required! Find another reason for an arm workout! This recipe does not require any stirring.
• Celebrates fresh produce with tender asparagus and sweet peas. And, since you can find these pretty much all year round, you can also make it in summer!
• Looks impressive but is actually foolproof - just as perfect for entertaining as it is for weeknight dinners.
• Creamy and comforting without being heavy - the ideal spring transition meal.

📋Recipe Ingredients

As always, simple recipes work best when high-quality ingredients are used to create layers of flavor that come together beautifully.

• Arborio Rice: Special short-grain arborio rice with high starch content creates the signature creamy texture of risotto.
• Vegetable or Chicken Broth: Infuses the rice with flavor while providing the necessary liquid for cooking. I always use low-sodium broths in my recipes. Use vegetable broth to keep the dish vegetarian.
• White Wine: Adds complexity and brightness with its acidity, balancing the dish's richness.
• Olive Oil: Used for sautéing, with pure olive oil providing a buttery taste and extra virgin offering earthier notes.
• Onion: I use white onion in this recipe, but you can also use shallots or any mild onion variety. Forms an aromatic base that enhances the entire dish.
• Asparagus: Contributes vibrant green color, fresh flavor, and valuable nutrients.
• Peas: Use fresh or frozen.
• Parmesan Cheese: Always use a good quality Parmesan. I prefer buying a wedge and shredding it myself. Definitely not the one that comes in a shaker bottle. Delivers salty, nutty richness and extra creaminess.
• Heavy cream and cream cheese - not traditional, but I love the extra creaminess and the slight tang.

Don't forget to check out the recipe card below for a complete list of ingredients along with the quantities.

📔Substitutions, Additions, and Variations

• Gluten-Free - Good news! This risotto with asparagus and peas is naturally gluten-free, just double-check your broth to ensure it contains no gluten additives
• Vegan - Skip heavy cream and cream cheese and use nutritional yeast or a vegan Parmesan alternative instead of cheese
• Protein Options - Add cooked or grilled chicken, shrimp, or pancetta for a heartier meal

👩‍🍳Steps to make this recipe

The reason we can make this risotto without stirring is because of a magic machine - a pressure cooker. I use a regular pressure cooker, but I have added Instant Pot instructions as well to make the same recipe.

• Step 1: Set your pressure cooker on medium-high heat, add olive oil. Add the chopped onion (shallot) and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 2 minutes. Add the arborio rice and stir until it looks slightly translucent and has a nutty aroma, about 3 minutes.
• Step 2: Pour in the wine and stir until the wine is reduced to half, another 2 minutes, and then add the broth.
• Step 3: Cover the cooker with the lid and lock into place. Increase the heat to high and wait till the pressure reaches high or the cooker “whistles”, lower the heat to low, and cook at high pressure for 10 minutes (I use a timer).
• Step 4: While the rice cooks, cut the asparagus and thaw the peas in the microwave or in warm water.
• Step 5: When the ten minutes of cooking time are over, carefully release or vent the pressure and release the steam completely. When the steam stops, carefully remove the lid of the pressure cooker.
• Step 6: Let the risotto rest for 5 minutes. Turn the heat back on to the lowest setting. Gently mix in seasoning, asparagus pieces, peas, and stir in the heavy cream, cream cheese, and add the Parmesan. Stir to combine and season with salt and pepper.
• Step 7: Spoon the risotto into a serving bowl, garnish with some more Parmesan, and serve immediately.

💡Pro Tips!

• Broth Color: The color of the broth you use will add a tinge to the risotto so choose accordingly. Chicken broth adds a nice flavor but vegetable broth works great too to make this dish vegetarian.
• Warm your broth before adding it to the rice - this helps maintain the cooking temperature and ensures even cooking
• Don't rinse your rice - the starch on the outside is essential for creating that creamy risotto texture
• Let the risotto rest for 5 minutes after adding the final ingredients - this allows the flavors to meld and the texture to become perfectly creamy

🫙Storage, freezing, and reheating instructions

• Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. The risotto will thicken as it cools.
• Reheat gently on the stove with a splash of broth or milk to restore its creamy consistency.
• Freezing - I do not recommend freezing this risotto.

🛠️Equipment

The heart of this recipe is a Pressure Cooker. My favorite is the traditional kind, though the Instant Pot works the same. The pressure cooking makes it perfect to cook the rice without stirring. This method creates the most evenly cooked, creamy spring risotto with asparagus and peas with minimal effort.

Creamy, flavorful risotto without the constant stirring? Yes, please!

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How to make No-stir Risotto in Instant Pot?

• Set your Instant Pot to saute mode (medium) and add olive oil. Add the chopped onion (shallot) and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 2 minutes. Add the arborio rice and stir until it looks slightly translucent and has a nutty aroma, about 3 minutes.
• Pour in the wine and stir until the wine is reduced to half, another 2 minutes, and then add the broth. Cancel the saute mode.
• Turn the pressure cooker mode ON. Place the lid and lock it in with the valve in the "sealing" position. Set the pressure cook timer to 10 minutes.
• When the ten-minute timer beeps, release the pressure by carefully turning the valve to the "venting" position. When the steam stops, carefully remove the lid of the pressure cooker.
• Let the risotto rest for 5 minutes. Turn the saute mode back on (low). Mix in seasoning, asparagus pieces, peas, and stir in the heavy cream, cream cheese, and add the Parmesan. Stir to combine and season with salt and pepper.
• Turn the saute mode OFF and serve the risotto warm.

❓FAQ

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