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Home » Food » Sweet Pea Risotto with Basil & Pancetta

Sweet Pea Risotto with Basil & Pancetta

April 19, 2017 by Kimberly Killebrew · 29 Comments

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This luxuriously creamy pea risotto recipe combines the freshest sweet peas with the irresistible flavors of basil, Parmesan and pancetta!

pea risotto recipe bacon basil parmesan cheese pancetta aneto brothI’ve partnered with Aneto to bring you this post

Pea Risotto Recipe

In celebration of Spring, I want to introduce you to a risotto featuring one of early Spring’s finest bounties:  The garden-fresh sweet pea.  Aren’t they simply irresistible?

We had a really nice harvest of sweet peas last year and are looking forward to picking the first batch of this Spring.  Our kids had a fun time helping pick and shell the peas and then experiencing the cool, smooth sensation of dipping their little hands into a bowl filled with hundreds and hundreds of peas.  It’s simple family efforts like harvesting peas that always make for meaningful memories.

We’re featuring these sweet peas in a delicious risotto.  So what is risotto anyway?  It’s a rice dish that is cooked in quality broth (meat, fish or vegetable) until it has reached a creamy, but still slightly chewy, consistency.  There are many variations of risotto but many include onions, butter and wine.  Depending on the type of risotto, in Italy it can be served as either a first course or served along with the main course.

In order to achieve that unique texture that is risotto’s hallmark, it’s vital to use a special kind of medium-grain rice.  The two most notable varieties are carnaroli and arborio, both grown in the northern regions of Italy, but the former – carnaroli – is considered the “king of Italian rices,” because it has an even higher starch content than Arborio, resulting in a luxuriously creamy risotto with the perfect degree of chewiness.  It’s absolutely worth it to find and use carnaroli rice.  I got a 5-pack here on Amazon.

pea risotto recipe basil bacon pancetta wine aneto broth

Risotto takes us to the northern region of Italy.  Risotto is a specialty throughout northern Italy, including the region of Lombardy where risotto originated.  Two areas in Lombardy you’ve probably heard of include Lake Como, an upscale alpine resort in a breathtaking setting, and Milan, the capital of Lombardy.  I’m originally from Stuttgart Germany and Milan was only a 5 1/2 hour drive away, making it easily accessible for weekend getaways.

Milan, the original home of risotto, is a global cultural hub, famous for its shopping and restaurants, and its renowned gothic cathedral, the Duomo di Milano, is home to Leonardo da Vinci’s painting of “The Last Supper.”  Rice is thought to have caught on during Spain’s nearly two-century rule of this Italian city:  The Moors had earlier introduced rice to Spain and during Spain’s subsequent rule of Milan, rice became a staple.

Our Fresh Pea Risotto with Basil & Pancetta features fresh garden peas that are pureed and nestled whole among creamy, delicately seasoned rice.  It’s topped off with some diced pancetta for an added layer of flavor.

I’m using my most favorite brand of chicken broth for this risotto, Aneto’s 100% Natural Chicken Broth.  It’s imported from Barcelona, Spain and is the highest quality chicken broth available on the market.  Aneto’s broths are not made from concentrates, contain no artificial ingredients or fillers, no MSG disguised as “yeast extract”, and no “natural flavors” (a FDA loophole translated as “anything goes”).  Aneto’s broths are all made from the freshest, purest, REAL ingredients that are slow-simmered for several hours using the same method you do when making broth in your own kitchen.

Todd and I had the privilege of touring Aneto’s factory while on vacation in Barcelona, Spain.  It was the most remarkable food-related experience we’ve ever had.  We were able to observe first-hand Aneto’s entire broth-making process from start to finish, everything from washing and chopping the vegetables to simmering the broth in large pots, to filling cartons with the broth for distribution. You really MUST take our virtual tour of Aneto’s factory, see it for yourself and learn why Aneto is the most exceptional broth manufacturer in the world.  Take me on the tour!

On a low salt diet?  Aneto also makes a Low Salt version of their Chicken Broth.  And if you want to make a vegetarian or vegan version of this, simply omit the pancetta and use vegetable instead of chicken broth. Aneto also makes the highest quality 100% natural vegetable broth.

Aneto’s broths are available online and in many stores across the United States.  Click here for a list of store locations.

So be sure to use a quality broth and the freshest sweet peas you can find, and we’re confident you’re going to love this wonderful Spring-themed risotto!

Enjoy!

pea risotto recipe basil bacon pancetta wine aneto broth

Be sure to also check out our post on How to Cook Snap Peas!

PIN ME!

pea risotto recipe basil bacon pancetta

For more delicious risotto recipes be sure to try our:

  • Mushroom Risotto
  • Roasted Tomato Risotto
  • Salmon Risotto with Preserved Lemon

 

pea risotto recipe bacon basil parmesan cheese aneto broth

Sweet Pea Risotto with Basil and Pancetta

Kimberly Killebrew, www.daringgourmet.com
Bursting with the fresh flavor of spring, this luxuriously creamy risotto will wow your taste buds!
Print Recipe
5 from 9 votes
Prep Time 10 minutes mins
Cook Time 25 minutes mins
Total Time 35 minutes mins
Course Entree, Main Dish, Side Dish
Cuisine All
Servings 4 servings
Calories 595 kcal

Ingredients
 
 

  • 3 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion finey diced
  • 1 cup carnaroli rice recommended or arborio rice
  • 1/2 cup dry white wine
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 1/2 cups Aneto 100% Natural Chicken Broth heated (reserve 1/2 cup for pureeing the peas) (vegetarian/vegan: use Aneto 100% Natural Vegetable Broth)
  • 2 1/2 cups cooked sweet peas use the freshest sweet peas you can find
  • 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan-Reggiano cheese (vegans: use vegan parmesan substitute like Go Veggie)
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
  • 4 ounces pancetta diced and fried (can substitute 4 slices of thick-cut bacon, diced and fried) (vegetarians: omit)

Instructions
 

  • Place 1 1/2 cups of the peas in a blender along with the 1/2 cup of reserved broth and puree until smooth. Set aside until ready to use and reserve the remaining cup of whole peas for the very end.
  • Heat the olive oil in a large, deep skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and cook for 5 minutes, until soft. Add the rice and stir to coat the rice grains with oil. Add the wine and boil until most of the liquid has evaporated.
  • Add 1 cup of the hot broth and the salt. Stir gently until most of the broth has been absorbed. Add the remaining cup of stock, repeating the process. After 10 to 15 minutes the rice should be creamy but still very slightly chewy. If the rice seems too dry, a little more broth. Stir in the butter and Parmesan. Stir in the basil, pureed peas and the reserved cup of whole peas. Heat through and add salt to taste. Sprinkle with the pancetta and garnish with a sprig of basil. Serve immediately.

Nutrition

Calories: 595kcal | Carbohydrates: 55g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 31g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 44mg | Sodium: 773mg | Potassium: 534mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 945IU | Vitamin C: 38.3mg | Calcium: 189mg | Iron: 2.4mg
Keyword Pea Risotto
Tried this recipe? Mention @daringgourmet or hashtag #daringgourmet


I’ve partnered with Aneto to bring you this post and all opinions are entirely my own.  A special thank you to our readers for supporting the brands who help make The Daring Gourmet possible.

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29 Comments →

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29 Responses

  1. Anonymous says

    September 2, 2020 at 3:39 pm

    Came out pretty good

    Reply
  2. Agness of Run Agness Run says

    May 6, 2017 at 7:49 am

    This risotto recipe seems so finger-licking! I’d love to prepare it for lunch, Kimberly!

    Reply
  3. Brandy | Nutmeg Nanny says

    April 28, 2017 at 2:31 pm

    I don’t know if you can hear that noise but this is totally calling my name! Love your photos from Italy!

    Reply
  4. Cookin Canuck says

    April 26, 2017 at 9:42 am

    Diving into fresh garden peas is one of my favorite things about spring produce. They would be the perfect pop of sweetness in creamy risotto.

    Reply
  5. Krista says

    April 25, 2017 at 2:18 pm

    Oh my gosh! This sounds so good!

    Reply
  6. Erin @ Texanerin Baking says

    April 25, 2017 at 11:17 am

    That sounds like an amazing experience! And this risotto sounds so much more flavorful than the usual stuff!

    Reply
  7. Ashley @ Wishes & Dishes says

    April 25, 2017 at 10:18 am

    This totally stopped me in my tracks. Looks amazing!

    Reply
  8. Adina says

    April 25, 2017 at 7:30 am

    I love fresh sweet peas, podding them and everything. I had some last year from a neighbor, who got them from another friend’s garden as well. She didn’t feel like podding them, so she passed them on to me and we loved them. Using them for a risotto sounds so good, I would love to try this.

    Reply
  9. Amanda|The Kitcheneer says

    April 25, 2017 at 4:32 am

    I am LOVING all the fresh fun spring flavors in this risotto! YUM!

    Reply
  10. katerina @ diethood.com says

    April 25, 2017 at 3:48 am

    Oh yum, this risotto looks incredible!! Can’t wait to try it!!

    Reply
  11. Amanda | The Chunky Chef says

    April 24, 2017 at 6:08 pm

    Risotto is one of my favorite comfort food meals!

    Reply
  12. Jennifer Farley says

    April 24, 2017 at 2:18 pm

    You are reminding me how long it has been since I made risotto! This looks wonderful.

    Reply
  13. Gaila says

    April 24, 2017 at 10:08 am

    Kimberly, I get from time to time this brand of stock and I absolutely love it. I can just imagine the flavors of these sweet peas and the stock in this beautiful risotto, I mean, bacon is just a bonus here! Well done!

    Reply
  14. Jackie Morris says

    April 23, 2017 at 10:10 pm

    Kimberly, I just wanted to let you know that I made this for my husband and I today and we both LOVED it! I didn’t have any fresh sweet peas but I used frozen ones which I thawed and it was still excellent. I look forward to making it again as soon as I can get my hands on some fresh sweet peas. I also used the Aneto chicken broth which is superb. Thank you!

    Reply
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kimberly killebrew the daring gourmet

Welcome!  I’m Kimberly and I share delicious originals, revitalized classics and authentic dishes from around the world.  Come travel the world through your taste buds!

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