Prawn, lemon and parsley risotto
Creamy arborio risotto studded with king prawns, sweet peas and zesty lemon — elegant enough for guests, simple enough for midweek.
Risotto is the ultimate one‑pan dinner that looks like you’ve spent hours in the kitchen — and with a little attention it’s true. This version uses king prawns, peas and a bright lemon finish for a light, elegant plate.
It’s perfect for a midweek supper when you want something comforting but seafood‑fresh, or for guests when you want to impress without faff. Timing and texture are what make this sing — follow the ladle-and-stir method and you’ll get gloriously creamy rice every time.
Ingredients
- 320 g arborio rice
- 400 g raw king prawns — peeled and deveined
- 1 brown onion — finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves — finely grated or crushed
- 30 ml olive oil
- 40 g unsalted butter — divide between cooking and finishing
- 120 ml dry white wine
- 1 l fish stock — kept warm
- 150 g frozen peas
- 1 lemon — zest and juice
- 15 g flat-leaf parsley — finely chopped
- 60 g parmesan — finely grated, plus extra to serve
- 40 ml double cream
- salt — to taste
- black pepper — freshly ground, to taste
Equipment
- large wide frying pan or shallow saucepan
- saucepan to warm stock
- ladle
- zester or microplane
Instructions
Pour the fish stock into a saucepan and keep it just below a simmer over a low heat — it should stay hot but not boil while you make the risotto.
Heat the olive oil and half the butter (20 g) in a large wide frying pan over a medium heat. Add the brown onion and cook gently until softened and translucent, about 6 minutes.
Add the garlic and stir for 30 seconds, then add the arborio rice and stir constantly for 2 minutes so every grain is glossy and just turning translucent at the edges.
Pour in the dry white wine and bubble until it is almost completely absorbed, about 2–3 minutes.
Add a ladleful (about 120 ml) of the hot fish stock to the rice and stir steadily until mostly absorbed. Continue adding the stock, a ladleful at a time, stirring and allowing the rice to absorb the liquid between additions. Keep the pan at a gentle simmer throughout — this should take about 15 minutes and the rice should be tender with a slight bite.
When the rice is almost al dente (after about 12 minutes of stock additions), stir in the frozen peas and raw king prawns, then continue adding stock and stirring for a further 3–4 minutes until the prawns are opaque and cooked through and the peas are tender.
Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the remaining unsalted butter, double cream, parmesan, lemon zest and juice, and most of the chopped flat-leaf parsley. Season with salt and black pepper, then cover and leave to rest for 2 minutes.
Uncover, give the risotto a final stir to loosen (it should be creamy but not soupy). Divide between warm bowls, scatter over the remaining parsley and extra parmesan to serve immediately.
Tips
- Keep the stock hot — adding cold stock stalls the cooking and can make the risotto gluey.
- Stir fairly often but don’t obsessively whisk; steady stirring releases starch without breaking the grains.
- If the risotto thickens too much while resting, stir in a splash of hot stock to loosen to serving consistency.
- Use raw prawns rather than pre-cooked for best texture; add them only at the end so they remain juicy.
- Make ahead: cook to just before adding prawns and peas, cool quickly, refrigerate up to 24 hours. Reheat gently with a little hot stock and finish with prawns and peas.
Substitutions
fish stock → vegetable stock, 1000 ml
Stays closeraw king prawns → shelled mussels or small squid, 400 g total
Noticeably differentparmesan → vegetarian hard cheese, 60 g
Stays closedouble cream → creme fraiche, 40 ml
Stays close
Nutrition
Per serving · estimated
- 560
- Calories
- 22 g
- Protein
- 60 g
- Carbs
- 26 g
- Fat
- 3 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
- Sugar
- 700 mg
- Sodium
FAQ
Can I use pre-cooked prawns?
Yes, but add them only at the very end just to warm through — pre-cooked prawns become rubbery if reheated for long.
How do I know when the risotto is done?
Taste a grain: it should be tender on the outside with a slight bite at the centre (al dente). The overall texture should be creamy and flowing, not dry and claggy.
Can I make this ahead and reheat it?
Partially: cook to just before adding prawns and peas, cool quickly and refrigerate up to 24 hours. Reheat gently with a splash of hot stock, then finish with prawns and peas.
What wine should I use?
Use a dry, unoaked white you would drink — sauvignon blanc or pinot grigio work well. If you prefer not to use wine, replace with an extra 120 ml hot stock.
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