Spring Risotto with Vegetables (Risotto Primavera)

ByAnna + Liz Published Updated
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Spring Risotto with Vegetables! When you combine spring vegetables such as chopped green and yellow squash, carrots, frozen peas, and onions with Arborio rice, you get this delicious rich velvety creamy dish called risotto primavera!

Spring Risotto with Vegetables by 2sistersrecipes.com

Spring Vegetable Risotto (Risotto Primavera)

Creamy spring risotto with vegetables is a perfect one-dish meal for those meatless nights. And this time of year it is ideal to make this comforting dish. The title “risotto primavera” in Italian, means Springtime, meaning you can find an array of colorful spring vegetables at the farmers market.

 

The Italian Rice called Arborio…

Arborio rice is the name of the rice that’s primarily used in Italian risotto dishes. For this recipe, we prefer to use Superfino Arborio Extra.  It’s a much finer, and more delicate rice that cooks into a very creamy texture when it’s cooked slowly. 

Risotto usually takes about 20 minutes to cook.  It needs nurturing and constant stirring. So you won’t be able to walk away from the stove too long.

A white dinner plate filled with a risotto mixed with chopped vegetables.

Ingredients Needed for Risotto with Spring Vegetables (Risotto Primavera)

  • 2 cups of Arborio Rice ( I used Superfino Arborio Extra)
  • 2 Tbsp. salted butter
  • 3 Tbsp. olive oil
  • 1 medium onion -chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves- diced
  • 1/2 cup white wine
  • 2 small carrots
  • 2 green zucchini
  • 1 yellow zucchini
  • 1 cup  frozen peas
  • 32-ounce chicken stock – simmering
  • 1  to 2 cups of water – simmering ( extra, if needed)
  • 2 pinches crushed red pepper
  • 3 Tbsp.  fresh parsley- finely chopped
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

How To Make Spring Risotto with Vegetables

This recipe for Spring risotto with vegetables with take some time to make and patience as well. But in the end, it’s all worth it. You can follow along below or jump down to the bottom of this post for our full recipe card. But first, let’s run through the steps to show you what’s involved before you start:

A. First, Prep the Broth:

In a small saucepan, simmer the broth over low heat, and keep it warm. This will help speed up the cooking process and cook the rice evenly.

B. Sauté the Vegetables:

1.  In a medium-sized soup pot.  Heat 2 Tbsp. olive oil and 1 Tbsp. of butter.  Add the medium chopped onion, and sauté until soft and golden.

2.  Next, pour 1/4 cup of white wine and simmer for 2 minutes.

Pouring in some white wine into the pot with onions.

3.  Add all the chopped vegetables, crushed red pepper, and parsley.  Simmer for about 10 minutes until vegetables have softened.  Season with salt to taste.  Turn off the heat.  Cover and set aside.

A pot filled with freshly chopped vegetables, and frozen peas.
A pot filled with cooked mixture of chopped vegetables.

C. Cook the Rice:

1.  In a large saucepot, heat 1 Tbsp. olive oil and 1 Tbsp. of butter.  Add small chopped onion and sautéed until softened. 

2. Once again, pour 1/4 cup of white wine and simmer for 2 minutes.

3. Add the 2 cups of rice and stir for one minute.

4. Slowly add about 1 cup of the chicken broth to the rice.  Raise the heat to medium.  Stir the rice occasionally until all the liquid has been absorbed.   Repeat this process adding the broth slowly until the rice is almost cooked, about 15 minutes, or until the rice is tender to the bite.

D. Finally, Combine Everything:

     1.  Add the vegetable mixture to the rice mixture. Stir for another 2 minutes.  Add some water if needed.
     2.  Taste the rice, and season with some salt and pepper to taste. If rice is done, turn off the heat.
     3.  Mix in 1 Tbsp. of butter and 1/2 cup grated cheese. Serve with extra cheese at the table.  Serves 6 to 8.

Pouring a mixture of cooked veggies into a another pot that's simmering rice.

Recipe Tips…

  • Spring is a great time to cook with fresh, vibrant produce. So try making this risotto dish with fresh asparagus, leeks, and zucchini.
  • Risotto takes time and patience, but the end result is so worth it. Your family will love you for making this for dinner.
  • Serve Immediately: This is a dish you need to serve it as soon its done. It will be creamy, but the longer it sits and cools down, it will lose it’s creamy texture.
  • You can reheat leftovers in the microwave and with small increments for reheating. Also, you can reheat leftover in a small pot, but you will need to add additional liquid to loosen the rice up to get that creaminess you want.
  • Store leftovers in a sealed container, and keep chilled. It will stay fresh for up to 3 days.
  • You can freeze leftover risotto too, and for up to one month.
A white plate filled with a serving of risotto loaded with spring vegetables.

Serve and Enjoy!

Risotto is a dish you need to serve as soon it’s fully cooked. You can serve risotto primavera with your favorite salad and a glass of Chianti to complete the meal.  It’s flavorful, colorful, and a great way to introduce a new dish to the kids with vegetables.

Enjoy!!

More Risotto Recipes

If you tried our Spring Risotto with Vegetables, let us know and leave a comment.   We love to hear from you.  Also, snap a photo and share it on Pinterest, be sure to tag us #2sistersrecipes and @2sistersrecipes.  We’d love to see what you cooked!  🙂

Spring Risotto with Vegetables (Risotto Primavera)

Spring Risotto with Vegetables (Risotto Primavera)

Yield: 6 to 8 Servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes

Spring Risotto with Vegetables is a lovely dish loaded with delicious veggies and creamy rice. When you combine spring vegetables such as chopped green and yellow squash, carrots, frozen peas, and onions with Arborio rice, you get this delicious rich velvety creamy dish called risotto primavera!

Ingredients

  • 2 cups of Arborio Rice ( I used Superfine Arborio Extra)
  • 2 Tbsp. salted butter
  • 3 Tbsp. olive oil
  • 1 medium onion -chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves- diced
  • 1/2 cup white wine
  • 2 small carrots
  • 2 green zucchini
  • 1 yellow zucchini
  • 1 cup frozen peas
  • 32-ounce chicken stock - simmering
  • 1 to 2 cups of water - simmering ( extra, if needed)
  • 2 pinches crushed red pepper
  • 3 Tbsp. fresh parsley- finely chopped
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving at the table

Instructions

    Prep the Broth:

    1. In a small saucepan, keep your broth warm over low heat. This helps the risotto to cook easily and evenly.

    Sauté the Vegetables:

    1. In a medium-size soup pot. Heat 2 Tbsp. olive oil and 1 Tbsp. of butter. Add the medium chopped onion, sauté until soft and golden.
    2. Pour 1/4 cup of white wine and simmer for 2 minutes.
    3. Add all the chopped fresh vegetables, crushed red pepper, and parsley. Simmer for about 5 to 7 minutes until vegetables have softened. Add the peas, and cook for 1 minute more,
    4. Season with salt to taste. Turn off the heat. Cover and set aside.

    Start the Risotto:

    1. In a larger saucepot, heat 1 Tbsp. olive oil and 1 Tbsp. of butter. Add small chopped onion and sautéed until soften.
    2. Pour 1/4 cup of white wine and simmer for 2 minutes. Add the 2 cups of rice and stir for one minute to sauté.

    Add the Broth Gradually:

      1. Slowly add about 1 cup ( one ladle at a time) of the chicken broth to the rice. Raise the heat to medium. Stir the rice occasionally until all the liquid has been absorbed.

      2. Repeat this process, and wait until each additional is mostly absorbed before adding the next, Then adding the broth slowly until rice is almost cooked, about 15 minutes, or until the rice is tender to the bite.

      Combine Everything:

      1. Add the vegetable mixture to the rice mixture. Stir for another 2 minutes. The rice should be creamy and al dente. Add some water, if needed.

      2. Taste the rice, and season with some salt and pepper to taste. If rice is done, turn off the heat.

      3. Stir in 1 Tbsp. of butter and 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese. Optional: You may stir in some lemon juice, about 1 tablespoon, and a teaspoon of lemon zest. Lastly, season with salt and pepper to taste.

      4. Spoon into bowls and serve with extra grated parmesan cheese at the table. And enjoy!

    Nutrition Information:
    Yield: 8 servings Serving Size: 1 serving
    Amount Per Serving: Calories: 330Total Fat: 18.6gCarbohydrates: 36gFiber: 6.8gSugar: 4.4gProtein: 9.3g

    Did you make this recipe?

    Mention @2sistersrecipes on Instagram or tag #2sistersrecipes!

    © 2 sisters recipes
    Cuisine: Italian / Category: Rice and Grains

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    Happy Cooking!!  😉

    Thanks for stopping by!  

    xo  Anna and Liz

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    8 Comments

    1. In step 10 of the directions, it says to add 1/2 c grated cheese, and the last step says serve with extra cheese, but there isn’t any cheese on the ingredient list.
      What type of cheese should be used?

      Reply

      1. Hello Shara,
        Happy New Year! …and welcome to our recipe blog. It’s so nice to meet you! Thank you for pointing that out to us, we will go in and edit that detail. The grated cheese we usually add to our risotto dishes is always grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. I hope this helps!

        Reply

    3. I love your Spring Risotto with Vegetables! So gorgeous and healthy. Love all these colorful Spring veggies. 🙂

      Reply