Spring Pea Mint Risotto (Printable Version)

A creamy risotto with fresh peas, mint, and Parmesan, perfect for seasonal gatherings.

# What You'll Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 1 cup fresh or frozen green peas
02 - 1 small onion, finely chopped
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced

→ Rice

04 - 1.5 cups Arborio rice

→ Liquids

05 - 4 cups vegetable stock, kept warm
06 - 0.5 cup dry white wine

→ Dairy

07 - 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
08 - 0.5 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving

→ Herbs & Seasonings

09 - 0.25 cup fresh mint leaves, finely chopped
10 - 2 tablespoons fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
11 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
12 - Zest of 1 lemon

# How to Make It:

01 - Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add chopped onion and cook until soft and translucent, approximately 4 minutes. Stir in minced garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
02 - Add Arborio rice to the pan and cook while stirring until grains are lightly toasted and evenly coated with butter, about 2 minutes.
03 - Pour in dry white wine and cook while stirring constantly until mostly absorbed, about 2-3 minutes.
04 - Begin adding warm vegetable stock one ladleful at a time, stirring constantly. Wait until most of the liquid is absorbed before adding the next addition. Continue this process until rice is creamy and al dente, approximately 18-20 minutes total.
05 - Stir peas into the risotto during the last 5 minutes of cooking to preserve their bright color and tender texture.
06 - Remove from heat and stir in remaining 1 tablespoon butter, Parmesan cheese, chopped mint, parsley, lemon zest, salt, and pepper. Mix thoroughly until creamy and well combined.
07 - Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Serve immediately, garnishing each plate with additional Parmesan cheese and fresh mint leaves.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It looks restaurant-quality but comes together in under an hour, which means you can actually enjoy your guests instead of being glued to the stove.
  • Fresh mint and bright peas make this feel like spring on a plate, even if the weather outside hasn't quite caught up.
  • The creamy, comforting texture fooled my most skeptical eater into asking for seconds without realizing there was no cream involved.
02 -
  • Risotto waits for no one—the magic happens when you serve it immediately, because it continues to absorb liquid and thicken as it sits, eventually going from creamy to chunky.
  • The constant stirring isn't just busywork; it's what releases the starch that makes risotto creamy, so resist the urge to walk away or multitask during those 20 minutes.
  • If your risotto feels too thick at the end, don't panic—stir in a splash more warm stock or even a splash of warm water until it reaches that flowing, creamy consistency that coats the back of a spoon.
03 -
  • Keep your stock genuinely warm in a separate pot—this seems small, but cold stock will shock the rice and extend cooking time unpredictably.
  • Don't be shy with the Parmesan at the end; that final handful is what transforms risotto from good to glossy and luxurious.
  • If you're cooking for guests, you can prepare everything up through toasting the rice ahead of time, then add the stock and settle in with your friends while the magic happens.
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