If you love creamy, buttery risotto but lack the time and patience of adding broth and stirring, over and over, then you will love this Simple Lemony Shrimp and Asparagus Baked Risotto. That’s right – it’s BAKED, and doesn’t require your constant attention! I added sautéed shrimp, blanched asparagus and lemon to turn this tasty side into an elegant entree! This simple baked risotto recipe is easy enough for a weeknight dinner, but it also makes an elegant dinner party main course.
The only thing to remember, is that you really should use Arborio Rice, in order to achieve risotto’s signature creaminess. Arborio rice is capable of absorbing large amounts of liquid and produces a creamy risotto with a hearty texture. The only rice to really avoid is long-grain, like basmati or jasmine, as it doesn’t have enough starch content to achieve the creaminess of Arborio rice, which is readily available in most grocery stores.
Baked risotto is also so easy to customize to your tastes – we love this dish with the addition of sautéed mushrooms.
Trust me. You need this in your life. Enjoy!
Pair with a side salad and a buttery Chardonnay, and create a restaurant quality dining experience for your family!
Lemony Shrimp & Asparagus Risotto
Course: SeafoodDifficulty: Easy6
servings10
minutes55
minutesThis simple baked risotto recipe is easy enough for a weeknight dinner, but it also makes an elegant dinner party main course.
Ingredients
1 lb. asparagus – cut into 1 inch pieces
3 cups vegetable broth – warm
2 cups water
1/2 white onion – diced
3 cloves garlic – minced
4 tablespoons unsalted butter – divided
1 1/2 cups Arborio rice
1 cup Parmesan cheese – grated
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 lb. shrimp – peeled & deveined
1 Lemon
1/2 teaspoon – red pepper flakes (optional)
Flat leaf parsley – chopped
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and bring 3 cups broth & 2 cups water to simmer in a saucepan. Add asparagus & simmer, uncovered about 4 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer asparagus to an ice bath, then drain and set aside. Keep broth on Low heat on cooktop.
- In a Dutch oven, cook onion in 2 tablespoons butter and 1/4 teaspoon salt over Medium heat until softened, about 5 minutes. Then add rice and cook, while stirring, for about 2 minutes longer. Then add 4 cups of heated broth that asparagus cooked in, reserving 1 cup for later.
- Cover & bake rice mixture at 350 degrees, for 45 minutes, until most of the liquid is absorbed & rice is al dente. In the last 10 minutes that rice is in oven, saute the shrimp. Heat a large skillet over Medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons butter, lemon juice, a handful of the parsley and red pepper flakes(if desired) to skillet. Stir for 2 minutes, then add shrimp. Cook 3-4 minutes, flippng halfway through
- Remove rice from oven after 45 minutes and add remaining cup of broth, wine, Parmesan cheese, 1 tablespoon butter, and salt & pepper. Stir vigorously for 2 minutes, then add asparagus and mix thoroughly. To serve, top risotto with shrimp, additional Parmesan and chopped parsley for garnish. Delicious finished off with a squeeze of lemon on top!
I made this for dinner after a hectic day at work. It was very easy and delicious! It was also elegant enough for company. This will be one of my new go-to meals.