Smoked Salmon Risotto with Asparagus & Lemon

Why you will love this recipe

• No stirring required - well, a little bit, but not after you add the broth
• It's quick and done in under 25 minutes
• It's loaded with amazing flavor from smoked salmon, lemon juice & asparagus
• The perfect dinner party dish - quick and easy to make, yet delicious & "fancy"

What you need to make it

Ingredient notes & substitutions

• Risotto rice - I prefer carnaroli rice as the grains are more likely to stay intact, even if you stir it too much or overcook it slightly. Arborio rice is also great, but more sensitive. The amount of liquid needed can vary with the type of rice you use, so follow the amount on the package if you use a different kind.
• Lemon juice really needs to be fresh squeezed, bottled just won't do here!
• Salted and unsalted butter can be used interchangeable for this recipe. Add a pinch of salt at the end if needed.
• Dry white wine - pick a nice one for the best taste. And for the perfect pairing - serve the same wine alongside it. You can also use sparkling white wine.
• Asparagus - make sure to remove the tough end part (click the link to see how I do it)
• Cold smoked salmon can be swapped for hot smoked or pan seared salmon
• Fish stock - homemade makes it even better, but I just used a bouillon cube

How to make it

1. Start by melting butter in a pan over medium heat, and then add in the chopped shallots and fry for a few minutes, until golden
2. Add the risotto rice and fry for a minute, until most of the butter has been absorbed
3. Raise the heat to medium-high and pour in the wine
4. Cook for a few minutes, until almost all of the wine has cooked off or been absorbed

5. When you see most of the wine is gone, lower the heat to medium again
6. Mix in half of the lemon juice
7. Cook for 1 minute, until the sauce around the rice starts to look a bit sticky
8. Pour in the fish stock

9. Mix and bring to a simmer, then lower the heat to low
10. Cook for 16 minutes, without stirring but taking care that the heat is low enough so that the risotto doesn't burn
11. Gently mix in the chopped asparagus, then cook for 2 more minutes
12. Pour in the rest of the lemon juice

13. Season with ground black pepper
14. Add shredded parmesan, and mix gently
15. Add smoked salmon cut in pieces
16. Mix well, but gently, taste test, then serve your smoked salmon risotto topped with some shredded Parmesan!

Tips & tricks

• Don't stir! At least not while cooking after adding in the fish stock. Stirring can cause the rice grains to break.
• Don't add salt! Smoked salmon can be pretty salty, so hold the salt until you've tasted the final dish.
• Be brave - it's done earlier than you think! When you test it and you think it's almost done - then it's done.
• Add more stock if you need to - the amount needed depends on the type of rice you use
• Store leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container, for up to 2 days

Recipe FAQ

More no-stir risotto recipes

Love risotto? Then I have just the recipes for you!

• Shrimp Risotto with Asparagus & Basil
• Mushroom Risotto with Truffle Oil
• Salmon Risotto with Leeks & Lemon

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