Saffron Risotto with Salmon and Asparagus
This Saffron Risotto with Salmon and Asparagus is so good, it was a repeat dinner recipe for weeks! Flaky pan-seared salmon is paired with a bright saffron risotto and served with lemony asparagus to make a perfect at-home date night dinner!
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Whenever people ask me about my favorite type of dish to cook, I always tell them that I love dishes that take time and patience, much like a risotto. I say this because I love to feed people, and when I’m feeding people, I like to put my heart and soul into a dish. I’m an Acts of Service girly (if you’re familiar with the five love languages), so doing things for other people–like putting lots of time and effort into cooking a meal–is how I show someone my love and appreciation.
Speaking of love, this saffron risotto with salmon and asparagus makes the perfect date-night dinner. If you’re inviting that new person you’re dating over for dinner for the first time, make this dish! It’s naturally gluten-free and can easily be made dairy-free without the addition of cheese and butter, and it’s the perfect meal for a pescatarian, too! It’s a simple yet elegant dish that is elevated with the use of saffron, so it’s sure to impress your date. Cooking this dish is great for an at-home date-night because it doesn’t involve too many complicated steps, so it’s easy to hold a conversation while ladling hot chicken broth into your rice. Do you need any more reasons why this is a great at-home dinner date recipe, because I could go on, and on…
Pan-Seared Salmon served with Saffron Risotto and Asparagus
Just editing the photos for this blog post is making me want to defrost the salmon in my freezer and DoorDash some asparagus so I can make this again for dinner.
Why you’ll love this saffron risotto recipe
- It’s simple. Truly, there is no reason to be intimidated by a risotto. Risotto takes time, but it is not complicated. The ingredients are fairly simple, too. If you’ve never cooked anything “fancy” before, this is a great recipe to start with because it looks so elegant when it all comes together, yet the process and ingredients are quite simple!
- It’s colorful. The addition of saffron gives this dish a bright, bold, and beautiful golden hue with a slightly sweet and earthy taste. If you’ve never had saffron before, it’s not overwhelming or overpowering at all, but it adds depth to a dish while highlighting other flavors.
Ingredients for Saffron Risotto with Salmon and Asparagus
- Broth. You can use either chicken, vegetable, or seafood broth for this recipe.
- Shallot and garlic. Some aromatics to infuse lots of flavor into the risotto.
- Arborio rice. The star of the show, this is the kind of short-grain starchy rice used to make risotto.
- Saffron. This is what gives this dish a bright yellow color!
- White wine. Used to deglaze the pan after sautéing shallot and garlic.
- Parmesan. To add some salty, cheesiness to the risotto.
- Butter. Used to make the risotto extra creamy before serving.
- Salmon. Our protein of choice for this dish!
- Asparagus. Pairs perfectly with salmon and risotto.
- Lemon juice. I love cooking this asparagus with a squeeze of lemon juice for brightness and acidity to balance out the richness of the risotto.
How to Make Saffron Risotto with Salmon and Asparagus
- Get everything in its place. Trim the woody ends from the asparagus. Pat the salmon dry and season with salt and pepper. Mince the garlic and dice the shallot. Bring the chicken broth to a simmer in a pot on the stove. Then bloom the saffron (step #3 listed below).
- Cook the aromatics. In a wide pan over medium heat, heat 1 tbsp olive oil or butter. Add shallot and cook for 2-3 minutes until translucent and fragrant. Add garlic and cook for about 30 seconds.
- Bloom the saffron. Meanwhile, grind up about 8-10 saffron threads in a mortar and pestle. Add an ice cube and allow the ice to melt while you prepare the rest of the recipe.
- Add arborio rice. Add the rice to the pan and toss with the shallot and garlic until coated. Add the white cooking wine to deglaze the pan. Cook until the wine is absorbed.
- Add the saffron water. Pour in the saffron and stir to coat the rice until it is all golden yellow.
- Slowly ladle in broth. Add one ladle full of broth to the risotto and stir constantly. Once all of the liquid has absorbed, add another ladle full and continue to constantly stir. This whole process should take 20-30 minutes.
- Cook the salmon and asparagus. When the risotto is about 15 minutes from completion, heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tbsp neutral oil and place the salmon skin-side down in the pan, cooking for 4-5 minutes. Flip, then cook another 4-5 minutes until the salmon is fully cooked through. Remove from the pan, then add the asparagus and season with salt and pepper. Cook for 2-3 minutes, then add a squeeze of lemon juice and cook for another 2-3 minutes until tender.
- Finish with parmesan and butter. When the risotto is fully cooked, turn off the heat and stir in parmesan. Add cold butter and stir until fully melted and incorporated into the risotto.
- Plate and serve. Gently spoon some risotto to the center of a plate, then top with salmon and asparagus. Serve and enjoy!
Recipe Variations and Substitutions
- Protein: Seafood pairs perfectly with this dish and is my protein of choice. If you don’t like salmon, any other seafood is a great substitution, like scallops, shrimp, halibut, and more. If seafood isn’t your thing, veal shanks, chicken, or steak would make a fine pairing.
- Saffron: If you don’t have saffron, if it is too expensive, or hard to find, you can achieve a similar color with a small amount of turmeric. Turmeric has a bit more of an earthy flavor, but still pairs well with the flavors of this dish. You will only need about 1/4 tsp of turmeric. Try my turmeric salmon pasta for a similar yet unique dish!
- Rice: Arborio rice is traditionally used for risotto. If you don’t have access to arborio rice, try another short-grain starchy rice. Do not use long-grain rice because it lacks the starches needed for the texture of risotto.
- Asparagus: Not an asparagus fan? Try broccolini! Similar long-stem vegetable that can be cooked in a similar way, making it a great substitute for this dish.
- Broth: Chicken, vegetable, or seafood broth can be used in this recipe.
Storing and Reheating
- Salmon and asparagus can be stored together or separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. You can reheat in the microwave (though, I would avoid microwaving fish in a public or shared kitchen, like at work). You can also reheat in the oven at 350ºF for 7-10 minutes until heated through.
- Risotto doesn’t maintain the same creamy texture once refrigerated. It will keep in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. You can reheat in the microwave, or I like to try to revive the risotto by adding it to a pan over medium-low heat with some additional liquid like water, broth, or even some milk. I’ll slowly reheat with about 2-3 tablespoons of liquid to try to redevelop the creamy texture.
FAQs
What is arborio rice?
Arborio rice is a short-grain variety of rice that has a high starch content. This rice releases its starches when cooked, which leads to a creamy texture. Arborio rice is most commonly used in risotto dishes (like this one!) but can also be used in rice pudding because of its creamy texture, and arancini, which is a fried rice ball made from leftover risotto!
Can I make risotto using another kind of rice?
While Arborio rice is the traditional rice used in risotto, you can use other short-grain rice varietals to make risotto. You should avoid long-grain rices because they have a lower starch content so they won’t release as much starch, leading to that creamy, almost sauce-like consistency of a traditional risotto with Arborio rice.
How do you bloom saffron?
Unlike other spices, saffron doesn’t just get sprinkled into a dish without some preparation. You need to first bloom the saffron threads before using in a dish. You can do this using a hot or cold method. Use a mortar and pestle to grind a pinch of saffron threads (usually 8-12 threads) into a powder. Then using the cold method, add 1-2 ice cubes and allow them to melt at room temperature. For the hot method, add about 2-3 tablespoons of boiling water to the ground saffron. Allow it to steep in liquid for 15 minutes, then you can add the saffron liquid to your dish!
Why does risotto take so long to make?
Unlike the kind of rice that you can put into a rice cooker, set a timer, and walk away, making risotto with arborio rice takes time and patience. Risotto takes a while to cook because you will slowly and gradually add hot broth to a pan of arborio rice and stir constantly to help the rice release its starches and cook evenly. This process typically takes 20-30 minutes, which is crucial for developing the creamy texture and fully cooking the rice. While risotto does take time and constantly babysitting a pot, it is totally worth it to make once in a while and makes dinnertime at home feel fancy!
Equipment
- Cutting board
- Chef’s knife
- Microplane
- Measuring cup
- Medium pot
- Large pan or dutch oven
- Medium pan
Saffron Risotto with Salmon and Asparagus
- Prep Time: 5
- Cook Time: 45
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 2 1x
- Category: Seafood
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Description
This saffron risotto with salmon and asparagus is the perfect dish to make for a date-night or dinner celebration at home. The risotto is perfectly creamy, paired with a simple and juicy salmon fillet and lemony asparagus to balance out all of the flavors.
Equipment
- Cutting board
- Chef’s knife
- Microplane
- Measuring cup
- Medium pot
- Large pan or dutch oven
- Medium pan
Ingredients
For the Risotto
- 1/2 tbsp olive oil or butter
- 1 small shallot, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 3/4 cup arborio rice
- 1/4 cup white wine
- A pinch of saffron (8-12 saffron threads)
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 1/3 cup freshly grated parmesan
- 2 tbsp butter
For the Salmon
- 2 6oz salmon filets
- Salt & pepper
- 1 tbsp neutral oil
For the Asparagus
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 bunch asparagus, woody ends removed
- Salt & pepper
- Juice of 1/4 lemon
Instructions
- Get everything in its place. To stay organized and ready to cook parts of this meal simultaneously, prepare all of your ingredients ahead of cooking. Trim the woody ends from the asparagus. Pat the salmon dry and season with salt and pepper. Mince the garlic and dice the shallot. Bring the chicken broth to a simmer in a pot on the stove. Then bloom the saffron (step #2 listed below).
- Bloom the saffron. Grind up a pinch of saffron (about 8-10 threads) in a mortar and pestle. Add an ice cube and allow the ice to melt while you prepare the next few steps of the recipe.
- Cook the aromatics. In a wide pan or dutch oven over medium heat, heat olive oil or butter. Add shallot and cook for 2-3 minutes until translucent and fragrant. Add garlic and cook for about 30 seconds.
- Add arborio rice. Add the rice to the pan and toss with the shallot and garlic until coated. Add the white cooking wine to deglaze the pan. Cook until the wine is absorbed.
- Add the saffron. Once the ice is melted, pour in the saffron water and stir to coat the rice until it is all golden yellow.
- Slowly ladle in broth. Add one ladle full of hot broth to the risotto and stir constantly. Once all of the liquid has absorbed, add another ladle full and continue to constantly stir. This whole process should take 20-30 minutes. Stirring constantly helps to evenly cook the rice and release the starches for a creamy risotto texture.
- Cook the salmon. When the risotto is about 15 minutes from completion, heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tbsp neutral oil and place the salmon skin-side down in the pan, cooking for 4-5 minutes. Flip, then cook another 4-5 minutes until the salmon is fully cooked through. Remove from the pan and set aside.
- Cook the asparagus. In the same pan used to cook the salmon, add about 1/2 tbsp olive oil or butter if needed, then add the asparagus to the pan and season with salt and pepper. Cook for 2-3 minutes, then add a squeeze of lemon juice and cook for another 2-3 minutes until tender.
- Finish with parmesan and butter. When the risotto is fully cooked, turn off the heat and stir in parmesan. Add cold butter and stir until fully melted and incorporated into the risotto.
- Plate and serve. Gently spoon some risotto to the center of a plate, then top with salmon and asparagus. Serve and enjoy!
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 salmon filet with risotto and asparagus
- Calories: 775
- Sugar: 6.1 g
- Sodium: 4112 mg
- Fat: 31.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 67.5 g
- Protein: 53.5 g
- Cholesterol: 134.5 mg
