This electric skillet asparagus risotto with lemon zest is a bright, vegetarian side dish or main to serve at your Easter lunch or dinner. The addition of lemon zest and white wine is balanced out with the earthy asparagus and nutty Parmesan cheese.
If you’re serving it as a side dish, it pairs well with various meats or vegetarian proteins and is easy to reheat if you have any leftovers. It also works as a filling main dish if you and your guests are vegetarian.
Ingredients
- green asparagus
- olive oil
- white or yellow onion
- Arborio rice - its creamy texture makes it perfect for risotto
- white wine - like a Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc
- lemon
- vegetable broth
- butter
- Parmesan cheese
How to Make it
- Boil some water in your electric skillet by turning the dial to 400ºF and covering with the lid.
- Cut the asparagus into 3 parts. Cook in the boiling water until tender, about 5 to 10 minutes (depending on the thickness). Drain and reserve.
- Heat the olive oil in the electric skillet at 300ºF. Add the onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes, stirring constantly.
- Turn the skillet up to 375ºF. Add the rice. Using a wooden spoon, mix it around with the oil and then let it sear for 1 minute.
- Stir in the wine and lemon juice, and cook until the alcohol evaporates, about 1 minute.
- Add a few ladles of the warm broth. Sprinkle with some salt and pepper. Give it a mix.
- Lower temperature to 250ºF and cook for about 20 minutes in total - You will be adding more broth into the rice and mixing it in while it is cooking. Each time it looks like the liquid has been absorbed, you can add a ladle full (about ½ cup - You may not need all of the broth) and stir it in. Stir frequently so that the rice does not stick to the bottom. You will know it’s ready when the rice has a creamy and slightly firm but not crunchy texture.
- Turn off the heat and stir in the reserved asparagus, butter and parmesan cheese until the butter is melted. Check the seasoning and add more salt and pepper, if needed.
- Top with lemon zest. Serve immediately.
Tips & Tweaks
Do not rinse the rice ahead of time or you'll remove the starch--which gives the risotto its signature creaminess.
The recipe calls for white wine, but do not worry about the alcohol content; as the dish is simmering, the alcohol in the white wine is cooked out. However, if you are hesitant to use white wine, vegetable broth would be a great substitute. The asparagus risotto already calls for vegetable broth, so just replace the wine with ½ cup more.
To get a little extra tang, you can serve lemon wedges on the side.
This side dish can be matched with any meat such as this electric skillet pot roast. For Easter, one of the best and most popular meats to serve is ham. While the risotto is light and acidic, roasted ham is salty and sweet with its Dijon mustard and brown sugar. This will give more varied flavors and textures that complement each other.
Lamb is another great option because it is leaner, gamier (meaning they are grass-fed), and it is the most popular Easter symbol, matching the holiday.
Storage & Reheating Instructions
If you have any leftover risotto, I wouldn’t recommend freezing it. It can harden and when it is reheated, the texture of the rice will be grainy. Refrigeration is the best option and risotto lasts up to about 5 days, so that is plenty of time to eat it up.
To reheat the risotto, you can:
- Boil ¼ cup broth for each cup of risotto.
- Add the risotto to the broth, and stir it for a few minutes or until mixed in.
- If it is still too thick, add a little more broth or water.
Did you enjoy this electric skillet risotto? Let me know in the comments and please share the recipe!
📋Recipe
Electric Skillet Asparagus Risotto With Lemon Zest
Ingredients
- 1 bunch green asparagus - ends trimmed
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup white or yellow onion - chopped
- 1 cup Arborio rice
- ¼ cup white wine
- 1 lemon - juiced and zested
- 4 cups vegetable broth - warmed
- 2 tablespoons butter
- ¼ cup Parmesan cheese - grated
- salt and pepper - to taste
Instructions
- Boil some water in your electric skillet by turning the dial to 400ºF and covering with the lid.
- Cut the asparagus into 3 parts. Cook in the boiling water until tender, about 5 to 10 minutes (depending on the thickness). Drain and reserve.1 bunch green asparagus
- Heat the olive oil in the electric skillet at 300ºF. Add the onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes, stirring constantly.2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 cup white or yellow onion
- Turn the skillet up to 375ºF. Add the rice. Using a wooden spoon, mix it around with the oil and then let it sear for 1 minute.1 cup Arborio rice
- Stir in the wine and lemon juice, and cook until the alcohol evaporates, about 1 minute.¼ cup white wine, 1 lemon
- Add a few ladles of the warm broth. Sprinkle with some salt and pepper. Give it a mix.4 cups vegetable broth
- Lower temperature to 250ºF and cook for about 20 minutes in total - You will be adding more broth into the rice and mixing it in while it is cooking. Each time it looks like the liquid has been absorbed, you can add a ladle full (about ½ cup - You may not need all of the broth) and stir it in. Stir frequently so that the rice does not stick to the bottom. You will know it’s ready when the rice has a creamy and slightly firm but not crunchy texture.
- Turn off the heat and stir in the reserved asparagus, butter and parmesan cheese until the butter is melted. Check the seasoning and add more salt and pepper, if needed.2 tablespoons butter, ¼ cup Parmesan cheese
- Top with lemon zest. Serve immediately.
Equipment
Notes
- Do not rinse the rice ahead of time or you'll remove the starch--which gives the risotto its signature creaminess.
- If you have any leftover risotto, I wouldn’t recommend freezing it. It can harden and when it is reheated, the texture of the rice will be grainy. Refrigeration is the best option and risotto lasts up to about 5 days, so that is plenty of time to eat it up.
-
To reheat the risotto, you can:
- Boil ¼ cup broth for each cup of risotto.
- Add the risotto to the broth, and stir it for a few minutes or until mixed in.
- If it is still too thick, add a little more broth or water.
Nutrition
Nutrition information on In the Kitch is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. It may not include toppings and/or sauces.
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