Shrimp Asparagus Risotto

Indulge in the creamy goodness of Shrimp Asparagus Risotto! Made with plump shrimp and finished with parmesan cheese, this dish is a treat for your taste buds.

This seafood dish comes together in one pan and is great for a special occasion, date night, or any day of the week.

You may have heard that risotto is hard to make, but it’s pretty simple – you just need a little time and patience. Trust me, this seafood risotto recipe is well worth it!

For this recipe, you can either buy deveined shrimp, or you can go ahead and clean your own. Cleaning shrimp is much easier than might think! 

Once you see how simple it is to make risotto, you’re going to want to make it all the time! Give this Mushroom Risotto, Lobster Risotto, or this creamy Avocado Risotto recipe a try next. 

What ingredients will I need to make Shrimp Asparagus Risotto?

Jumbo shrimp: depending on where you are located, “jumbo” might be different. Where I am, it’s about 8-10 raw shrimp per pound.

Keeping the tails on while cooking shrimp adds loads of flavor to the shrimp as they cook and makes a really beautiful presentation.

Arborio rice: I recommend using Arborio rice for this recipe instead of long-grain white rice. Long-grain rice is great for recipes that need light and fluffy rice.

Short-grain rice, like Arborio, has more starch than other rice, so it becomes creamy and glutenous once cooked, making it perfect for risotto.

Bone broth: I prefer using bone broth to stock or chicken broth because it adds more flavor and healthy nutrients to your dish, it’s also much lower in sodium. If you’re planning on using chicken broth or stock, please get low sodium, or your risotto might be too salty!

Asparagus stalks: I recommend using fresh asparagus in this shrimp risotto recipe. Using canned or frozen asparagus will become too soggy and doesn’t have the same flavor.

Parmesan cheese: adding parmesan cheese not only adds to the creaminess of the risotto, but it also adds a rich and nutty flavor.

Shallot: shallots deliver a tangy yet rich flavor to the risotto. Sautéing and caramelizing your shallot will add in a balanced sweetness.

Yellow onion: adding a yellow onion to this recipe will really help give the risotto a delicious base to start with. Yellow onions are better for this recipe because the flavor is a bit stronger than other onions, but not overpowering.

Garlic: fresh garlic cloves are one of my favorite things to add to this recipe. Not only does this aromatic make your mouth water while you’re cooking your risotto, but it also adds an incredible flavor. 

Dry white wine: using a dry white wine, or cooking wine, is essential when you’re deglazing the pan. If you don’t like adding alcohol when you’re cooking, you can substitute this with a little more bone broth or stock. 

Parsley: I recommend using fresh parsley for this recipe; using dried parsley will not give the same flavor as fresh parsley.

What is risotto?

Risotto originated in Italy and is made by cooking short-grain rice, mainly arborio, with broth or stock until it becomes creamy. Popular risotto add-ins are onion, garlic, butter, and parmesan cheese. You can also add different vegetables and proteins, like lobster or shrimp.

How to make this Shrimp Risotto recipe? 

1. Cook the shrimp. Heat the butter and olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat (I love my Staub 12″ skillet for this). When the oil is shimmering, add the shrimp and cook for 4-5 minutes, flip and cook another 2 minutes or until the shrimp turn pink.

2. Sauté the onions. When the shrimp are finished cooking, transfer them to a plate and add the remaining butter to the skillet with the onions and shallots.

Sauté until the onions soften and begin to caramelize, about 8-10 minutes. Add the minced garlic and continue sautéing for about two more minutes.

While the onions are caramelizing, add the bone broth to a saucepan and bring it to a boil

3. Deglaze the pan. Add the white wine to the pan with the onions, and deglaze the pan, scraping any brown bits off the bottom.

Then add the arborio rice and stir until the rice is fully coated in the juices. Toast the rice for 1-2 minutes, frequently tossing to make sure it doesn’t burn.

4. Cook the risotto. to cook the risotto, add a ladleful of broth, stir, and wait until it’s absorbed before adding more, stirring gently and almost constantly.

When you have used up about half the broth, season the risotto with garlic powder, parsley, salt, and pepper. Continue adding broth until the rice is creamy, tender to the bite, but slightly firm in the center. Total time should be about 25-30 minutes from the time you started.

5. Add the remaining ingredients. When all the liquid is absorbed, mix in the parmesan cheese and asparagus, and add the shrimp back to the pan.

6. Serve. Divide the risotto and shrimp between bowls and serve. Garnish with more parmesan cheese and fresh parsley.

What is the secret to a good risotto?

1. Don’t wash your rice before you start cooking. For this recipe, you need starch because it gives the risotto its creamy texture. 

2. Low and slow. This is essential. You don’t want your risotto on high while you’re cooking it; keep it at more of a simmer. Also, make sure you’re slowly adding in your broth so that you give your rice enough time to absorb the liquid. 

3. Stir, stir, stir. Risotto should be stirred frequently to keep the creamy consistency and to prevent it from sticking to the pan.

Tips for Making Shrimp and Asparagus Risotto

• While I know that keeping tails on your shrimp while cooking can be a pain, it’s definitely worth it. It not only looks better when you present it, but it also keeps in a lot of flavors while the shrimp are cooking. 
• If you don’t want to leave the tails on, you could add the shells to the saucepan with the broth wrapped in cheesecloth so the broth can absorb the flavor.
• Cook your shrimp before cooking your risotto. It may be easier to toss your shrimp in your cooked risotto, but it will not be as flavorful, and they may not cook as evenly. 

What to Serve with Asparagus Risotto

Try pairing your Shrimp Asparagus Risotto with a small side salad. You can also start this meal off with homemade bread and olive oil dip for a delicious dinner. You can add one or two lemon wedges on the side.

Here are some of my favorites to pair with risotto:

• Best Salads Without Lettuce
• Roasted Yellow Squash
• Tangy Citrus Avocado Salad
• Red Wine Mushrooms

What wine goes with shrimp and asparagus risotto?

This Shrimp Risotto recipe will pair well with many different wines. In my opinion, the best wine to pair it with is a Pinot Grigio. You can also pair it with a Sauvignon Blanc or a Chardonnay. White wine always pairs better with seafood than red. 

Recipe Variations

There are many different ways that you can either add ingredients to this risotto recipe or take things away from it.

If you want to add a different kind of protein, but want still in the mood for seafood, this Lemon Pepper Salmon is a great option. You can even add Miso Glazed Chilean Seabass on top! If you want to use a different vegetable, try using broccoli, green beans, or your other favorite fresh veggies.

You can add seared scallops to make a delicious shrimp and scallop risotto or red wine mushrooms for a mouthwatering mushroom risotto. You can also add in some lemon juice or lemon zest for a little citrus zing.

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