Comforting Supper: Tuna Risotto Recipe with Peas + Fresh Lemon

By: Nick Church

Everyone has their own comfort food, but if you're looking for a comforting dinner that's still healthy and relatively easy to put together, this Tuna Risotto recipe with peas and fresh lemon makes for a great choice, and it's not quite as heavy as other dishes.
Peas are a classic risotto pairing, but today, let's add in some fresh and healthy protein with tuna -- and plenty of parmesan cheese, of course.

This tuna risotto feels really good as a filling meal after a busy day, perfect to enjoy over warm conversation. What's nice is that you've got your protein, you've got your vegetable, you've got a bit of dairy; it holds up well without having to make a side dish (although our rainbow slaw would work fine if you're really hungry.)
Time to prep your ingredients! Let's get right into it.

Tuna Risotto with Pea + Lemon

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
2 garlic cloves, diced
1 /12 cups Arborio Rice
1 large box (32 ounces) chicken or vegetable stock
1 cup frozen peas
1 cup shredded Parmesan
2 cans whole tuna, in water, drained
salt and pepper, to taste
half a lemon (optional)

Preparation:
In a saucepan, heat chicken stock, peas, pinch of pepper, and diced garlic to a boil, then reduce heat to low.
In a sturdy flat-bottomed saucepan, melt butter and olive oil together. Stir in rice and cook for about 5 to 10 minutes, stirring regularly.
Using a 1/2-cup ladle, add chicken stock liquid to the rice, stirring constantly until the liquid is absorbed between each addition. This should take about 20-30 minutes.
Once the rice is cooked and all the liquid has been absorbed, add the peas and tuna, stir until incorporated. Add 3/4 cup of the Parmesan cheese and a pinch of salt and stir just until cheese melts.
Serve topped with remainder of the Parmesan cheese and a quick squeeze of lemon (optional). Pairs well with a sharp white wine!