How To Cook A Perfect Pea Risotto

Looking for the ultimate spring or summer comfort dish? In this video, we’ll show you how to make the perfect pea risotto - creamy, al dente, and bursting with sweet, fresh pea flavour. Whether you're a home cook or a foodie looking to sharpen your risotto game, this step-by-step guide has you covered.

Check Out The Recipe Video Below

How To Cook A Perfect Pea Risotto

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 x Large Shallot or Small brown Onion (Finely Diced)

1 x Clove of Garlic (Finely Grated or Chopped)

Drizzle of Olive Oil

250g x Arborio Rice

750ml x Vegetable Stock

120ml x White Wine

300g x Peas (Fresh or Frozen)

50g x Parmesan Cheese (Grated)

Salt and Black Pepper to Taste

Grated parmesan, Thinly Sliced Radish,  and Pea Shoots to Garnish (optional)

Method

Prepare the base:

In a wide sauté or frying pan, heat a drizzle of olive oil over medium-low heat. At the same time, pour your vegetable stock into a small saucepan and keep it gently simmering - hot stock helps maintain an even cooking temperature for the rice.

Sauté aromatics:

Add the diced shallot (or onion) to the pan with a pinch of salt. Cook gently for 3-4 minutes until soft and translucent, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute until fragrant but not browned.

Toast the rice:

Stir in the Arborio rice and cook for 1–2 minutes, stirring continuously. This step toasts the grains lightly and helps them absorb liquid more evenly.

Deglaze with wine:

Pour in the white wine and stir until nearly all of it is absorbed. This step brightens the flavour and starts releasing the starch from the rice.

Build the risotto:

Add the hot stock one ladle at a time, stirring frequently and allowing each addition to absorb before adding the next. This should take around 10-15 minutes total. Reserve a small amount (about 100ml) of the stock for the pea purée.

Make the pea purée:

While the risotto is nearly cooked, place two-thirds of the peas (about 200g) into a blender or food processor with the reserved hot stock. Blitz until smooth. For extra smoothness, you can pass the purée through a sieve - optional.

Finish the risotto:

Once the rice is just tender with a slight bite (al dente), stir in the pea purée and the remaining whole peas. Cook for another 2–3 minutes until the texture is creamy .

Enrich and season:

Take the pan off the heat and stir in the grated parmesan. Taste and season with salt and plenty of black pepper.

To Serve

Spoon the risotto into warm bowls and finish with a little more parmesan. Garnish with thinly sliced radishes and fresh pea shoots for brightness, crunch, and a touch of elegance.