Warm your chicken broth in a separate pot on the stove—don't skip this step. Cold broth will mess with your cooking time and texture. Keep it simmering gently the whole time you're making the spring pea risotto recipe, and you'll see the difference in how evenly the rice cooks.

Heat olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat. Toss in your chopped onion and cook until it's translucent and kinda soft, about 3 minutes. Add the minced garlic and stir constantly for about 30 seconds until you smell that toasted garlic aroma.

Add your Arborio rice and stir constantly for 1-2 minutes so every grain gets coated with oil. You'll see the rice get slightly translucent around the edges—that's exactly what you want. This toasting step makes the rice taste nuttier and keeps it from getting mushy later.

Pour in about 1 cup of warm broth and reduce heat to medium-low. Stir frequently (not constantly, but pretty often) and let the rice absorb the liquid. This takes about 3-4 minutes, and you'll notice the rice softening and the liquid disappearing.

Add another cup of broth when the first cup is mostly absorbed. Keep stirring and tasting—after about 15 minutes total, the rice should be almost tender but still have a tiny bit of firmness in the center. If your risotto looks watery, don't panic; it thickens fast once you remove it from heat.

When the rice is almost done, add your frozen peas and the final cup of broth. Stir for about 2 more minutes so the peas warm through and the rice finishes cooking. The whole thing should look creamy and flow slightly on the plate when it's ready.

Turn off the heat and stir in the butter, Parmesan cheese, lemon zest, and fresh mint. Season with salt and pepper and taste—adjust these to your preference. Let it sit for about 1 minute off heat, and it'll look even creamier and more luxurious.