Risotto is always a great choice at dinner parties because it can be prepped in advance, made in large amounts, and made to meet nearly any health requirements. This lemon asparagus risotto is one of my absolute favorite variations and perfect for spring when asparagus in in season!

I write a lot about risotto since it truly is one of my go to recipes when entertaining. But whether I’m making this lemon asparagus risotto, or a different flavor, I always follow the same method. The truth is, risotto looks super impressive but it is actually one of the easier dishes you could make. Like with most Italian food, it is just simplicity at its finest.
Because this is basically an asparagus risotto it has to be made with fresh ingredients. Canned asparagus will not work in this dish so you are really stuck with only a few months a year to really enjoy this dish. I recommend using fresh, skinny shoots as they are not only more beautiful, but better tasting.
What You Will Need
As with all of my risotto recipes there are a few kitchen tools I suggest you have. Of course, you can make substitutions as you see fit; this is just what I recommend.
How To Make The Best Lemon Asparagus Risotto
Like with all of my risotto recipes, I use the same ‘perfect risotto‘ method. This means generally staying true to the authentic Italian method, but replacing the white wine with fortified wine, and using more stock than you would think.

Ingredients (4 People)
- 175 grams Rice (1 cup) – You will need to use a proper risotto rice when you make this dish for a reason. They have more starch which provides that signature creamy consistency. The easiest to find is Arborio, but Vialone Nano and Carnaroli are two premium options if you can find them.
- 1.5L Chicken Stock (6 cups) – You can use vegetable stock if you want to make this dish vegetarian (or vegan with other substitutions as well) but the msot important thing is to make it homemade. Or at the very least buy a high quality store-bought version.
- 250 ml Dry Vermouth (1 cup) – Normally I always recommend Lillet Blanc which is a French fortified wine, however I have not been able to find it for sale for a couple months. This time I subbed in Carpano Dry (pictured) and I found it also works well, although I’d still go with Lillet as the slight sweetness balances the lemon better.
- 150 grams Green Asparagus – This is different than white asparagus but you are probably more used to the green version anyways. Aim for fresh, skinny shoots as they have the best flavor.
- 2 tbsp Olive Oil
- 2 Shallots – Finely diced
- 1-2 Lemons – Zested with a microplane, and juiced
- 3 cloves Garlic – minced
- 50 grams Butter (a little less than half of an American stick) – European butter, 82% fat minimum
- Parmigiano Reggiano – To taste. You can also use another hard, salty cheese like Grana Padano, Gran Biraghi, or Pecorino Romano in this recipe. I actually used biraghi in this recipe, and often use grana padano, but I always recommend Parmigiano since it is the easiest to find in most places.
- Salt – If needed. I have salted my stock, and the cheese is quite salty, so I don’t add any extra, but feel free to do so if you wish.
Instructions

Start by washing, then cutting your asparagus into evenly sized, bite size lengths.

Add a little olive oil to a pan and when medium-hot sauté the asparagus pieces until lightly fried. Then remove and set aside.

Add more oil to the pan and then toast the rice. Add the shallots and allow them to soften. Finally add in the garlic, stir for 10-15 seconds, then pour in the cup of vermouth. When the liquid is nearly fully evaporated you can start adding the chicken stock a quarter cup at a time (but start with a half cup at the beginning to get things underway). Stir the pan with your spoon to ensure no rice is sticking to the bottom, and that you are activating all the starch you can.

Zest your lemon(s). I aim for roughly 2 tablespoons of lemon zest, which might be two lemons worth if yours are small. But you can be a little under or over; It’s okay. Then cut the lemon(s) and squeeze out around 50 ml (about a quarter cup) of juice.

When you are on your last cup of stock add your lemon zest, lemon juice, and cheese to the pan. Stir everything together and lower the heat if needed. Remember, risotto is quite liquid. If you run your spoon down the middle of the pan, and the rice doesn’t immediately fill it back, then you need to add more stock and turn off the heat as it is overcooked.

Right when you are about to finish add in your sauteed asparagus pieces and mix them in.

Risotto will continue to evaporate liquid even after you turn off the heat, so plan on stopping a couple minutes before you normally would. The photograph above is a good representation of what this lemon asparagus risotto should look like in the pan when you finally turn off the heat. Lemon risotto can have a tendency to be tart so give it a taste here and see if you need to adjust the salt level.
How To Serve Asparagus Risotto
You often see risotti served molded in fancy restaurants, and that to me, is the sign of an improperly made risotto. I’m not trying to be a food snob, but risotto should be quite ‘soupy’ which means it’s impossible to mold.
The best way to serve this would be to scoop some into a small, shallow bowl. Garnish with a light shaving of cheese and maybe some microgreens if you like. It’s that simple!
More Risotto Recipes You Might Like
Saffron Risotto With Duck Breast
Rabbit Risotto With Confit Oyster Mushrooms
Roasted Butternut Squash Risotto
Langoustine Risotto (Risotto agli Scampi)

Lemon Asparagus Risotto
Equipment
- 1 Pan
- 1 Wooden Spoon
- 1 Grater or Microplane
Ingredients
- 175 grams Rice 1 cup – You will need to use a proper risotto rice when you make this dish for a reason. They have more starch which provides that signature creamy consistency. The easiest to find is Arborio, but Vialone Nano and Carnaroli are two premium options if you can find them.
- 1.5 L Chicken Stock 6 cups – You can use vegetable stock if you want to make this dish vegetarian (or vegan with other substitutions as well) but the msot important thing is to make it homemade. Or at the very least buy a high quality store-bought version.
- 250 ml Dry Vermouth 1 cup – Normally I always recommend Lillet Blanc which is a French fortified wine, however I have not been able to find it for sale for a couple months. This time I subbed in Carpano Dry (pictured) and I found it also works well, although I’d still go with Lillet as the slight sweetness balances the lemon better.
- 150 grams Green Asparagus This is different than white asparagus but you are probably more used to the green version anyways. Aim for fresh skinny shoots as they have the best flavor.
- 2 tbsp Olive Oil
- 2 Shallots Finely diced
- 1-2 Lemons Zested with a microplane and juiced
- 3 cloves Garlic minced
- 50 grams Butter a little less than half of an American stick – European butter, 82% fat minimum
- Parmigiano Reggiano To taste. You can also use another hard salty cheese like Grana Padano, Gran Biraghi, or Pecorino Romano in this recipe. I actually used biraghi in this recipe, and often use grana padano, but I always recommend Parmigiano since it is the easiest to find in most places.
- Salt If needed. I have salted my stock and the cheese is quite salty, so I don't add any extra, but feel free to do so if you wish.
Instructions
- Cut your asparagus into even, bite size pieces. In a large, flat bottomed pan add a glug of olive oil and saute the asparagus until just lightly fried. Remove asparagus and set aside.150 grams Green Asparagus, 2 tbsp Olive Oil
- Add more oil to the pan if needed, then add your rice. Lightly fry the rice for a minute or so and add the shallots. When the shallots are translucent add the garlic and stir the pan for 10-15 seconds. Then deglaze with the vermouth all at once.175 grams Rice, 250 ml Dry Vermouth, 2 Shallots, 3 cloves Garlic
- Stir the pan until all the liquid is nearly gone, then add half a cup of stock. Continue adding stock a quarter cup at a time while stirring. You don't need to stir 100% of the time, but do stir often so the rice doesn't stick to the bottom and the starches activate fully.1.5 L Chicken Stock
- When there is about a cup of stock left add in the lemon zest, juice, and some cheese to taste. Continue stirring.1-2 Lemons, Parmigiano Reggiano
- When there is a quarter cup of stock left turn off the heat. Add the stock and butter and mix to combine, then add the reserved asparagus pieces. Mix. The excess liquid will continue to evaporate so your risotto will be perfect when ready to serve. Taste and adjust salt if needed.Salt, 50 grams Butter
- Plate your lemon asparagus risotto in a shallow bowl and sprinkle over another grating of cheese.

Would this work with spargle?
Hi Miriam,
You can make a risotto with spargle, but you have to peel the white asparagus and cook it for longer in the beginning as they tend to be a bit woodier.
Lovely risotto recipe. This is pretty much how I make mine from before but I like your tip about the vermouth!
Lovely risotto recipe inspiration. Saved to make when spears are in season