You may have noticed that I love risotto! Risotto has been a favorite meal or side dish of mine for many years, even though my Italian family didn’t ever eat this dish (at least that I can remember). Here is one that I love for spring, with all the green colors and lemon flavors: our English Peas, Asparagus, and Lemon Risotto.
A versatile dish ~ gluten free, side dish, or main dish
Risotto is such a delicious and creamy dish; as well, risotto is made gluten free perfectly! Often it can be found gluten free when you are dining out. I found so many variations of this dish when visiting Italy. They were gluten free and were a perfect choice for a side or for my meal. I enjoyed it as a meal so many times in Italy and was so thankful!
While rice is naturally gluten free, if you need certified gluten free, check out Lundberg Farms Sustainable White Arborio Rice. RiceSelect Arborio Rice for Italian Risotto, Premium Gluten-Free Rice, Non-GMO, 32-Ounce Jar, (Pack of 1) is another certified gluten free brand. They also make an organic arborio rice which is also certified gluten free.
Beside the rice, you mainly need to think about the broth and seasoning used. Broth often can contain gluten, so always check when you are eating this dish out.
Gluten free alcohol ~
For this newest risotto, I also use a gluten free limoncello (made with grain free potato vodka). Now, the FDA and Celiac.com have stated that all gluten is removed in the distilling process. This process of distillation is said to eliminate the gluten protein from making it to the end product. All distilled alcohols are therefore considered gluten free, unless it has been added in the form of a gluten containing ingredient, after the distillation process.
However, that being said, it does seem to bother me. There are many others with celiac or gluten sensitivity which the same is true.
If grain alcohol also bothers you or a family member, you could look for a GF limoncello substitute. Or you could also just omit the limoncello completely or substitute a tablespoon more of lemon juice or a half of a teaspoon of lemon zest. I really love the hint of lemon flavor in this English Peas, Asparagus, and Lemon Risotto.
More on gluten free alcohols ~
For a list of gluten free alcohols, check out the UrbanTastebud.com, and their article, Gluten Free Alcohol List (Updated for 2025). They have noted that a microscopic amount of gluten remains after the distillation process. This is something I fully believe to be true, based on my own reaction to distilled grain alcohol.
You might also check out this article Gluten-Free Alcoholic Beverages – Celiac.com. They state, that some people do have a reaction to gluten containing grain spirits, like barley, rye, and wheat. “The best advice we can give is to trust your gut”, is a direct quote from the article. Everyone is different, whether celiac or severe gluten sensitive. It is clearly something you have to determine on your own whether you have a sensitivity to these distilled grains or you don’t.
So many options for risotto
There are so many combinations of ingredients you can use for risotto, but we were going for something a little different in this one. The lemon, white wine, and vegetables give it a light feel, and still it has wonderful creaminess with parmesan and butter.
While my husband isn’t a huge asparagus eater, he was able to just pick the pieces out and he ate the peas (which he doesn’t love either!). So, I can make this yummy English Peas, Asparagus, and Lemon Risotto, which makes me very happy!
What to serve this risotto with
Risotto can be a meal in itself. It has the starches, the cheese, and other ingredients to make it a perfectly satisfying main dish. But you can also pair the risotto to a main dish. This English Peas, Asparagus, and Lemon Risotto pairs well with seafood or fish as the main dish. You could even pan fry or grill some shrimp or scallops to add to the top of the dish.
When we served this dish the other day, I paired it with simple seafood packets. These seafood packets are an easy way to have an elegant meal right at home. While the recipe calls for grilling the packets, you can easily make these in the oven in parchment paper. Add whatever you like to the packets: clams, or shrimp, scallops, or fish cut into small pieces. The broth is honestly what makes them so flavorful. And paired perfectly with the English Peas, Asparagus, and Lemon Risotto. Check out the recipe for them here, Foil Wrapped Seafood (Gluten Free).
English Peas, Asparagus, and Lemon Risotto (Gluten Free)
Equipment
- 1 5 qt saucepan or skillet
Ingredients
- 1½ cups Arborio Rice, gf
- 1¼ cups dry white wine or substitute additional broth, gf
- 4½ cups vegetable or chicken broth, gf
- 1½ tbsp Extra virgin olive oil
- ½ large onion, minced
- 4 cloves garlic, crushed or minced
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1½ tbsp limoncello, gf
- ½ cup parmesan cheese, grated
- ⅛ cup English peas, out of shells and par cooked
- ¾ cup asparagus, cut into bite sized pieces, par cooked
- 2 tbsp butter, unsalted
- salt and pepper to taste
- ⅛ cup Italian parsley, minced garnish
Instructions
- Par cook the peas and the asparagus until almost tender. You can steam or microwave in a small amount of water for a minute or two. Set in an ice bath or ice cold water for several minutes. Drain and set aside.
- Heat the broth in the microwave until steaming hot. Heat a saucepan over medium heat. Add the EVOO and the onion and garlic and saute until soft. Add the rice, stir to coat and toast the rice for a minute or too. Add the wine and stir continuously until absorbed. Add a ladleful of broth. Stir until the liquid is mostly absorbed. Add the lemon juice and limoncello. Continue adding the broth in ladlefuls and stirring after until the liquid is mostly absorbed. Adjust the burner heat as needed.
- When the rice is tender and all of the liquid has been incorporated, remove from the heat. Add the parmesan, the peas and asparagus (reserving some of each for the top). Add the butter and salt and pepper to taste. Spoon into a serving bowl. Top with remaining parm, peas, and asparagus. Add parsley to garnish.