Smoked salmon, lemon zest and petit pois risotto
Creamy risotto with ribbons of smoked salmon, bright petit pois and zesty lemon — quick enough for midweek, elegant enough for guests.
This is the kind of risotto that tastes luxurious but doesn’t demand the entire evening. Smoked salmon gives delicate smokiness, petit pois add spring sweetness and lemon zest cuts through for lift.
Make it for a cosy dinner or when you want something impressive without theatre — it’s all about steady stirring, hot stock and finishing off with butter and cheese for silkiness.
Ingredients
- 320 g risotto rice (arborio)
- 1.2 l vegetable stock — kept hot
- 200 g smoked salmon — sliced or torn into ribbons
- 300 g petit pois — frozen is fine
- 1 brown onion — finely diced
- 2 garlic cloves — finely grated or crushed
- 125 ml dry white wine
- 50 g unsalted butter — divide, see method
- 30 ml olive oil
- 1 lemon — zest and 1 tbsp juice
- 50 g Parmesan — freshly grated
- 15 g fresh chives — finely snipped
- sea salt — to taste
- freshly ground black pepper — to taste
Equipment
- ladle
- zester or fine grater
Instructions
Pour the vegetable stock into a saucepan and bring to a gentle simmer on a low hob; keep it hot for the whole cook.
Heat the olive oil and 25g of the unsalted butter in a wide frying pan over a medium heat. Add the finely diced brown onion and sweat gently until soft and translucent, about 6–8 minutes.
Add the grated garlic and the risotto rice to the pan. Stir constantly for 1½–2 minutes so every grain is glossy and just toasted — you should not brown the rice.
Pour in the dry white wine and stir until it has nearly all evaporated, about 1–2 minutes; this deglazes the pan and adds brightness.
Add one ladleful (about 150ml) of the hot vegetable stock and stir until almost absorbed. Continue adding the stock, one ladleful at a time, stirring frequently and allowing the rice to absorb the liquid between additions. Cook gently for about 18 minutes in total until the rice is al dente and the texture is creamy.
With roughly 5 minutes of cooking time left, stir in the petit pois so they heat through but keep their colour and bite.
When the rice is just al dente, remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the remaining 25g unsalted butter, the Parmesan, the lemon zest and about 1 tablespoon of lemon juice. Gently fold through the smoked salmon so it warms without cooking.
Season to taste with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, then leave the risotto to sit, covered, for 2 minutes to settle. Taste again and adjust seasoning.
Serve the risotto scattered with most of the fresh chives and a little extra lemon zest; reserve a few chives for the table.
Tips
- Keep the stock simmering — adding cold stock will slow cooking and upset the rice’s texture.
- Use a wide pan so the rice cooks evenly; stir with a wooden spoon and scrape the base to prevent sticking.
- If the risotto is too thick at the end, loosen with a spoonful of hot stock; it should be creamy and just saucy.
- Tear the smoked salmon into ribbons and fold in off the heat so it warms gently rather than cooking.
- Leftovers: cool quickly, refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 2 days; reheat gently with a splash of stock.
Substitutions
smoked salmon → smoked trout in the same weight
Stays closepetit pois → fresh peas (about 350g) added at the same point
Stays closeParmesan → grated vegetarian hard cheese (same quantity)
Stays closevegetable stock → low-salt fish or chicken stock (same volume) for a deeper flavour
Noticeably different
Nutrition
Per serving · estimated
- 640
- Calories
- 24 g
- Protein
- 75 g
- Carbs
- 27 g
- Fat
- 6 g
- Fibre
- 4 g
- Sugar
- 900 mg
- Sodium
FAQ
Can I make the risotto ahead of time?
You can cook the risotto until just short of al dente, cool quickly and refrigerate. Finish the final 2–3 minutes of cooking with hot stock, then stir in butter, cheese and salmon just before serving.
How can I keep the smoked salmon from overcooking?
Fold smoked salmon in off the heat so it warms gently from the residual heat; avoid returning the pan to a high heat.
Is frozen petit pois OK?
Yes — frozen peas are fine and often sweeter; add them late (about 5 minutes before the risotto finishes) so they retain texture and colour.
Can I use a different rice?
Arborio or another risotto rice (carnaroli or vialone nano) gives best texture. Ordinary long-grain rice will not produce the same creaminess.
Community Photos
No photos yet
Be the first to share your creation!
Rate this recipe
More like this
Wild garlic pesto pasta with peas, lemon and toasted walnuts
