Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 shallots, finely diced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup Arborio rice or organic short grain brown rice
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 4 cups good-quality low-sodium vegetable stock, warmed
- 1 cup frozen peas (or fresh peas if in season)
- Zest of 1 lemon
- Juice of ½–1 lemon
Choose Your Creamy Finish
Dairy Option
- ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Dairy-Free Option
- 2–3 tablespoons homemade cashew cream
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
To Finish
- Fresh pea shoots
- Extra thyme leaves
- Extra Parmesan or nutritional yeast
- Lemon wedges
Instructions
- Warm the olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat.
- Add the shallots and cook gently for about 8–10 minutes until soft and sweet.
- Stir in the garlic, thyme, black pepper, and salt. Cook for another minute until fragrant.
- Add the rice and stir for 1–2 minutes until each grain is lightly coated.
- Pour in the white wine and cook until almost completely absorbed.
- Begin adding the warm vegetable stock one ladle at a time, stirring frequently. Wait until most of the liquid has been absorbed before adding the next ladle.
- Continue until the rice is creamy and tender. This usually takes 25–35 minutes, depending on the rice you choose.
- Stir in the peas during the final 3–4 minutes of cooking.
- Remove from the heat.
- Finish with either:
- Parmesan (and butter if using), or
- Cashew cream and nutritional yeast.
- Stir in the lemon zest and enough lemon juice to brighten the flavors.
- Taste and adjust seasoning.
- Scatter over fresh pea shoots and thyme before serving.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Cuisine: Italian
- Diet: Vegan