Spring Ramp and Pea Risotto
on Apr 30, 2015, Updated Feb 23, 2025
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Studded with green flecks, creamy and fresh, this is the perfect risotto to celebrate the arrival of spring.
One of the best ways to use those precious and fleeting spring ramps is in a luscious creamy risotto with fresh peas.
Ramps are wild scallions, which cannot be cultivated. You have probably heard of the eternal springtime debate about whether ramps are worth all the fuss. I happen to think they are. I love them in pastas, I love them in scrambled eggs, I love them in sauces, soups, basically wherever you would use any member of the onion family. And I really love them in this easy ramp risotto recipe.
You don’t actually need a side dish with this vegetarian risotto, but you could certainly pair it up with a lovely spring salad like this Spring Vegetable Salad, or just a simple green salad with a homemade vinaigrette.
Table of Contents
Ingredients
- Butter and olive oil – Using a combo of butter and olive oil provides great flavor.
- Ramps – This onioney and bright allium is the star of the dish.
- Chicken or vegetable broth – This creates a rich base for your risotto. I like using less sodium broth.
- Arborio or carnaroli rice – Both of these rices are perfect for risotto because they hold their shape nicely, have good texture, and become very creamy due to their high starch content.
- Dry white wine – For depth of flavor.
- Fresh or frozen peas – For bursts of freshness.
- Parmesan – Finishing a risotto with some fresh grated parmesan cheese adds to the flavor, the creaminess, and the texture.
How to Make Spring Ramp and Pea Risotto
- Cook the ramps: Heat the butter and olive oil over medium heat and sauté the ramps.
- Heat the broth: Heat the broth over medium-high heat in a separate pot until barely simmering.
- Make the risotto: Add the rice to the ramps and stir until the rice is glistening and is well coated with the ramps and oil. Add the white wine to the pot and stir until it is almost evaporated. Add a big ladleful of broth to the pot and stir frequently. Repeat, adding smaller amounts as the rice starts to become tender.
- Add the remaining ingredients: Stir in the peas and stir for another 2 minutes until the peas are cooked. Add another small amount of broth and the butter and stir until the butter has melteed into the risotto. Stir in the Parmesan.
- Serve: Serve right way, in shallow bowls, with additional Parm on the side if desired.
Storage
Risotto is best eaten right away, while is fresh and hot. Store leftover ramp and pea risotto in an airtight container in the fridge for about 5 days. Heat it up on the stovetop or in the microwave over low heat, stirring frequently until heated through.
What to Serve with Spring Ramp and Pea Risotto
More Ramp Recipes
- Pasta Salad with Chicken, Picholine Olives, and Ramp Vinaigrette
- Green Olive and Ramp Tapenade
- Ramp Chimichurri Sauce
- Simple Ramp Pasta
- Pasta with Ramps, Edamame, and Sugar Snap Peas in a Light Parmesan Cream Sauce
Check out How to Cook Ramps for more info about cooking with this super seasonal spring vegetable.
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Spring Ramp and Pea Risotto
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 20 ramps (about 1/2 pound, trimmed and sliced, white and green parts)
- 6 to 7 cups chicken or vegetable broth (or more as needed)
- 1 cup arborio or carnaroli rice
- ½ cup dry white wine
- 1 cup fresh or frozen peas
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 3 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan (plus more to serve if desired)
Instructions
- Heat the butter and olive oil in a large heavy stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Sauté the ramps for about 6 minutes until they are quite wilted.
- Meanwhile, heat the broth over medium-high heat in a separate pot until barely simmering. Lower the heat to maintain a gentle simmer.
- Add the rice to the pot and stir until the rice is glistening and starting to become a bit translucent and is well coated with the ramps and oil. Add the white wine to the pot, and stir until it is almost evaporated. Add a big ladleful of broth to the pot and stirring frequently, wait for it to be almost completely absorbed by the rice. Repeat, adding smaller amounts as the rice starts to become tender, but making sure that the rice is always a bit soupy and that the liquid never completely evaporated. You do not want it to be dry or clumpy. And if you think you will need more liquid as the amount of broth diminishes — since it's always a bit of a mystery how much liquid short-grain rice will absorb — just add some more broth or water to the pot.
- After about 18 minutes, the rice should be fairly tender, and the mixture should be creamy, with the starch that has released from the rice binding the mixture together. Stir in the peas and stir for another 2 minutes until the peas are cooked. Add another small amount of broth, and the butter and stir until the butter is melted. Stir in the 3 tablespoons Parmesan.
- Serve right way, in shallow bowls, with additional Parm on the side if desired.
