Creamy Spinach Risotto with Parmesan

Creamy spinach risotto with lemon and parmesan.

5 from 21 votes

This comforting spinach risotto is light, creamy and what spring dinners are made of! Full of bright flavors, including fresh lemon zest, savory sautéed leeks, tender spinach and sweet peas.

Prep Time10

Cook Time30

Total Time40

Course: Dinner, Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: leek risotto, lemon risotto, pea risotto, spinach risotto

Servings: servings

Calories: 486kcal

Author: Samantha Ferraro

Cost: $15

Equipment

Ingredients

2 tablespoons Olive oil
2 leeks cleaned and sliced thin
2 garlic cloves finely chopped
1 cup Arborio rice
1 cup white wine Pinot Gris or Pinot Grigio
6 cups low-sodium vegetable stock simmering
½ teaspoon Kosher salt
¼ teaspoon Ground black pepper
1 tablespoon lemon zest
1 cup fresh spinach
1 cup frozen peas
1 tablespoon butter
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese + more for garnish
Lemon wedges for serving
Basil leaves roughly torn, for garnish

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

To clean the leeks, slice off the root end and slive the white and light green parts into thin strips. Then submerge the sliced leeks in a bowl of water so the dirt settles to the bottom. Lift the leeks from the water and pat them dry before cooking.
Bring a wide skillet over medium heat and drizzle with olive oil. Add the sliced leeks and saute for 3-5 minutes until softened. Add the garlic and continue sauteing for another minute.
Add the arborio rice and saute the rice into the oil so all of the grains are lightly coated with the oil.
Pour the white wine into the risotto and stir until the wine has absorbed. Then stir in 1-2 ladlefuls of stock, at a time and continue stirring until rice absorbs liquid, for about 22-25 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Once rice is tender, stir in lemon zest and spinach and gently toss until spinach is wilted.
Turn off heat and add 1 tablespoon of butter, the peas and another small ladle of stock and stir to combine. Stir in grated Parmesan cheese and taste for seasoning.
Ladle spinach risotto onto wide bowls and garnish with fresh basil and a squeeze of lemon juice and additional grating of Parmesan cheese, if desired.

Notes

You may use all or less of the stock mentioned, depending how much your rice soaks up the liquid. After about 20 minutes of cooking, continually taste the rice for doneness.
As the risotto sits, it will thicken, so loosen, add another ladle of stock and stir over low heat to warmed through.

Nutrition