For me, springtime is the most joyous season of the year—a rebirth of nature and a true awakening of the senses. This is most evident at the farmers’ market, where precious gifts of vibrant color and flavor delight both the eyes and the palate in the form of asparagus, peas, and fava beans. With the arrival of these “first fruits” of spring—known in Italy as le primizie—comes a classic dish that marries them together and pays homage to the season: Risotto Primavera.
I await this time of year with quiet anticipation, not by the calendar but by the moment they finally appear at market. Tall bundles of asparagus standing at attention, candy-sweet peas tucked in their pods, long fava bean pods piled high in tangled heaps. I slow my pace from stand to stand, choosing each ingredient with care, gathering the season with reverence.
At home, the ritual continues. The vegetables are spread across the counter, and I take my time—shelling peas, slipping fava beans from their skins, trimming asparagus into small, round coins. These small, repetitive tasks feel less like work and more like a quiet, spiritual preparation before a celebratory event.
Risotto Primavera is the natural choice for these early spring vegetables—their vivid greenness punctuating the creamy white rice like splashes of paint on a blank canvas. It is a dish that asks for patience and attention, a gentle stirring and steady presence. Ladle by ladle, the broth is absorbed as the rice slowly cooks, releasing its delicate creaminess. The blanched vegetables are added at just the right moment, preserving their bright color and tenderness.
There is something deeply satisfying in this process—nothing rushed, nothing forced. Much like spring itself, the dish unfolds gradually, revealing its beauty in stages. Each mouthful carries the sweetness of peas, the earthiness of fava beans, and the herbaceous notes of asparagus, tied together by the freshness of parsley and mint.
It’s a dish I return to year after year, not out of habit, but out of longing—for that first taste of spring, for the sense of renewal it brings, and for the quiet joy of honoring the season at its peak. Served simply, perhaps with a glass of crisp Sauvignon Blanc, Risotto Primavera becomes more than a dish. It is an ode to springtime, each bite a celebration of the season’s first and finest offerings.
Looking for more Italian springtime recipes? Try my Savory Easter Tart and Nonna’s Italian Apple Cake
RISOTTO PRIMAVERA
Springtime Risotto with Asparagus, Peas, Fava Beans
{Recipe}
Copyright, 2012, Deborah Dal Fovo, All Rights Reserved. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited.
Serves 4
1 pound/454g asparagus, washed
1½ pounds/680g spring peas in pods, shelled (1½ cups peas)
1 pound/454g fava beans in pods, shelled (1 cup beans)
3 tablespoons/45g extra virgin olive oil
6 tablespoons/85g cold butter, cut into dice
1 small leek, weighing about ½ pound/227g
1½ cups/300g Carnaroli, Vialone Nano, or Arborio rice
Handful Italian parsley leaves, finely chopped
8 mint leaves, finely chopped
1½ ounces/45g freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano or Grana Padano cheese (¾ cup)
Kosher or sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Trim the asparagus using the bend and snap method: hold a single stalk with one hand in the middle
and the other near the bottom end. Gently bend the stalk until it snaps at its natural breaking point, separating the tender top from the tough, woody bottom. Use this top half as a guide to trim the remaining asparagus using a knife, reserving the woody ends for broth. Cut the asparagus tips off the trimmed stalks and set aside, then cut the stalks crosswise into ¼ inch rounds.
Trim the green parts and root end from the leek to obtain a 5-inch/12cm piece of the white part. Cut this tender part in half lengthwise and remove the tough outermost layers, reserving them for the broth. Place the leek halves, flat side down, on the cutting board and cut crosswise into thin slices. Place the leeks in a bowl of cold water, agitating the water with your fingers to release any soil. Lift leeks out of the water and place in a strainer (do not pour through strainer or the soil will remain).
Fill a large bowl with cold water and ice cubes and set near stove. In a saucepan, bring 3 quarts water to a boil. Season the water with 1 tablespoon salt then add asparagus tips and cook for 2 minutes. Lift the tips from the water and transfer to the ice water bath for 2 minutes, then remove with slotted spoon and dry on paper towels. Place the fava beans in the boiling water and cook for 5 minutes. Transfer the beans to the ice water bath for 2 minutes then remove and drain. Add the asparagus rounds and peas to the boiling water and cook for 4 minutes then remove and transfer to the ice water bath and drain.
Rinse the reserved outer leaves of the leek under cold running water and place in the boiling water. Add the woody asparagus trimmings to the water. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until needed as the broth for the risotto. Remove the leek leaves and asparagus trimmings before cooking the risotto.
Skin the fava beans by pinching one end open and squeezing the opposite end to release the inner bean, discarding the skins.
In a large, heavy bottomed sauté pan, place the olive oil, half the butter (keep remaining butter cold), leeks, and 2 tablespoons water over medium heat. Sprinkle with salt and cook until the leeks are tender, and all the water has evaporated. Add the rice and toss to coat in the cooking oils using a wooden spoon. Toast the rice for a couple minutes, stirring constantly, until the rice grains edges are glassy and translucent with opaque white “eyes” in the center.
Pour two ladles of hot broth into the pan to cover the rice by a thin veil. Cook at a gentle simmer, stirring often, until a good portion of the broth has been absorbed, and the rice is no longer covered by liquid. Continue adding broth when needed to cover the rice and cook the risotto, stirring occasionally, for 13 minutes.
Add the cooked vegetables (not the asparagus tips) to the risotto and continue cooking, adding broth and stirring as needed, for 3 to 5 minutes until the rice is ‘al dente’, or tender yet firm to the bite, and the risotto is loose but with little liquid remaining. Stir in the chopped herbs and remove from heat.
Add the cold butter cubes and most of the grated cheese to the risotto (reserve a couple tablespoons to garnish). Vigorously whip the risotto using the wooden spoon to mantecare or blend and create a creamy emulsion that binds the grains. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Let the risotto rest for 5 minutes then pour onto warmed plates. Arrange the asparagus tips on each serving then sprinkle lightly with reserved cheese and serve.
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