Fall in love with the deliciously zingy Salmon and Pea Risotto! This easy-to-make dish skips the wine but packs in all the creamy goodness and fresh flavours of lemon, salmon and peas. Perfect for a cosy night in or impressing your friends with not much effort!
Jump to:
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost for you! Thank you!
We love risottos, but even more so risottos with fish and shellfish! So this Pea and Salmon Risotto recipe fits perfectly with our regular Squid Ink Seafood Risotto, Smoked Salmon Risotto and Prawn and Chorizo Risotto! Try them next - you won't regret it! They are perfect for a date night at home, dinner party or to mark a special occasion with the family!
Ingredient Notes
- salmon fillets: skin on or off. We used thawed frozen salmon fillets.
- oil: like vegetable, sunflower or olive oil.
- small brown onion: red onion or shallot, finely chopped.
- garlic clove: thinly sliced or minced.
- risotto rice: like Carnaroli or Arborio rice. Our vote always goes to Carnaroli rice - it always produces a beautiful al dente texture.
- lemon: juice and zest will be used, so choose unwaxed lemons.
- vegetable stock or chicken broth: we used a chicken stock pot, but you can simply dissolve a stock cube and keep it hot on the stove.
- green peas, garden peas or petit pois: we use frozen peas, but always thaw them first, to ensure they don't water down the creamy texture of the risotto.
- parmesan cheese: finely grated.
- butter: unsalted.
You can find ingredient quantities, detailed instructions and nutritional information on the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
Wait, But Where is White Wine In This Recipe?
Most recipes call for a small glass of dry white wine, but you can absolutely make a beautiful risotto without adding any! If you have one of the two ingredients below, add it to the recipe to give it a little lift, and recreate some of the flavours of the wine without the price tag attached:
- Add 2 tablespoons of freshly squeezed lemon juice to your rice after toasting, before adding the stock.
- Add 1 tablespoon of white wine or cider vinegar to your stock.
If you insist on using wine, choose a dry white wine, like Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc.
Step-By-Step Method
1. Brush a large frying pan with a little oil and heat over medium heat. Add the salmon fillets, seasoned with some salt and black pepper and fry on each side for 2-3 minutes until just cooked. Once cooked, set the salmon fillets aside covered in a bowl. Reserve the pan.
2. In the meantime dissolve your stock cube/ stock pot in water and keep it in a large saucepan covered with a lid on the lowest heat.
3. Add a tablespoon of oil to the reserved pan. Sautee the onions for 3-4 mins until starting to soften over low heat. Increase the heat to medium, add the risotto rice and garlic and stir the rice until toasted and slightly translucent.
4. Squeeze the lemon onto the rice and stir to combine, then pour the first ladle of stock. Stir until the stock is fully absorbed before adding the next ladleful.
5. Keep going until your rice is almost cooked and you have approximately one small ladleful left. The cooking process should take about 30 minutes.
6. In the meantime, tear your cooked salmon into bite-sized pieces (remove the skin too).
7. With the last ladleful of stock, add the green peas and salmon pieces to the risotto. Stir over medium-high heat for a minute to warm through.
8. Take the risotto off the heat, stir in half of the parmesan cheese and butter, and cover the pan with a lid. Leave the risotto covered for 2-3 minutes.
9. Divide risotto between bowls and serve with remaining grated parmesan cheese and lemon zest on top! You may also use any fresh herbs (fresh dill is the best!) or spring onions on top of the risotto.
Tips For Best Results
Creamy Pea and Salmon Risotto is not difficult to make, but here are a few tips:
- Frozen salmon tends to be a little dry when cooked, but paired with starchy risotto it actually doesn't matter, so go ahead and use thawed salmon fillets.
- Thaw the peas before adding them to the risotto, as the water content in frozen peas will make your risotto less creamy.
- To learn all the secrets of a good risotto, head to our dedicated article about How To Make A Great Risotto. The article talks you through using the right type of short-grain rice, and the benefits of constant stirring and temperature control.
Variations
- If you don't have peas but grow pea shoots on your windowsill, use them instead - or head to our Salmon Risotto With Pea Shoots recipe.
- Use dry white wine instead of or in addition to lemon juice in this recipe.
- Poach the salmon fillets, and use the water to make stock instead of just plain water.
- If you want an extra creamy risotto, stir in a tablespoon of creme fraiche or cream cheese instead of butter.
Recipe FAQs
This is a delicious dish that can be served on its own. but if you insist, a nice green salad, a piece of garlic bread and a glass of wine will turn it into a feast fit for a king.
Cool leftover risotto to room temperature, then store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. You can reheat it in a microwave or on the stove with a splash of water, but note that our rice will no longer be cooked al dente.
More Risotto Recipes
If you love seafood, you must try our Prawn and Fennel Risotto next! Below, you'll find some more options to try:
Salmon and Pea Risotto
Equipment
- 1 Large Frying Pan
Ingredients
- 2 salmon fillets skin on or off
- 1 tablespoon oil like veegtable or sunflower oil
- 1 small brown onion finely chopped
- 1 garlic clove thinly sliced or minced
- 130 g (¾ cups) risotto rice like Arborio or Carnaroli
- ½ lemon juice and zest
- 600 ml (2¾ cups) vegetable or chicken stock hot
- 50 g (⅓ cups) green peas thawed if frozen
- 20 g (4 tablespoon) parmesan cheese finely grated
- 20 g (2 tablespoon) butter unsalted
Instructions
- Brush a frying pan with a little oil and heat over medium heat. Add the salmon fillets, seasoned with some salt and black pepper and fry on each side for 2-3 minutes until just cooked. Once cooked, set the salmon fillets aside covered in a bowl. Reserve the pan.
- In the meantime dissolve your stock cube/ stock pot in water and keep it on the lowest heat.
- Add a tablespoon of oil to the reserved pan. Sautee the onions for 5-6 minutes until softened over low heat. Increase the heat to medium, add the risotto rice and garlic and stir the rice until toasted and slightly translucent.
- Squeeze the lemon onto the rice and stir to combine, then pour the first ladle of stock. Stir until the stock is fully absorbed and then add another ladelful. Keep going until your rice is almost cooked and you have approximately one small ladleful left.
- In the meantime, tear your cooked salmon into bite-sized pieces.
- With the last ladleful of stock, add the green peas and salmon pieces to the risotto. Stir over medium-high heat for a minute to warm through.
- Take the risotto off the heat, stir in half of the parmesan cheese and butter, and cover the pan with a lid. Leave the risotto covered for 2-3 minutes.
- Serve with extra parmesan and lemon zest on top!
Nutrition
Leave a Reply