Nothing is a more comforting umami flavor than a plate of this earthy, nutty, intensely-perfect mushroom risotto. Just looking at the pictures makes me crave a bowl!
Risotto is not nearly as hard as you've been led to believe. Follow our simple step-by-step instructions for a delicious risotto your family will ask for over and over again.
Ingredients for Mushroom Risotto
Extra Virgin Olive Oil: EVOO adds a more intense flavor to the dish.
Onion and Garlic: the flavor builders
Cremini, white, and portobello Mushrooms: We like to use a variety of mushrooms to create a more complex and rich flavor. You can also use other wild mushrooms like oyster, porcini, chanterelles, shiitake, etc.
Salt and ground black pepper: Use freshly cracked pepper or coarsely ground pepper for the best flavor. Any rice dish must have salt to enhance the flavor of the dish.
Arborio rice: You may use other short-grain rice, but arborio rice yields the best results for risotto.
Broth: Use non-chicken broth, veggie broth, or mushroom broth.
Parmesan Cheese: Use grated vegan parmesan cheese or regular parmesan.
Fresh chopped parsley: It adds both color and flavor to the dish.
How to Make Mushroom Risotto
Our awesome recipe will walk you through how to make risotto step-by-step. It's so easy there are only four steps!
- First, you will heat a skillet and sautee the onions and garlic in olive oil until the onions are translucent. Next add the mushrooms, salt and pepper. Increase the heat and cook until the mushrooms have released all their water and the water has cooked out. It takes about ten minutes so be sure to stir frequently.
- Add the rice and a half cup of broth and bring the skillet to a simmer, slowly stirring the risotto until all the water has been absorbed. Then add another ½ cup of broth. Repeat the process until the rice is tender to your liking.
- The amount of broth you will need will depend on the type of rice used and how you like your rice cooked. This process may take up to 45 minutes. Serve your risotto with grated parmesan cheese ( vegan or regular) and freshly chopped parsley.
FAQ
What is risotto?
Risotto is a dish made with Italian short-grained Arborio rice or if necessary a different substitute short-grained rice. This rice has a higher starch content than regular rice, and the starch creates a more firm and creamy texture.
Do I need to rinse arborio rice?
No. In fact, you shouldn't rinse arborio rice because the starch is what makes the rice do it's magic and turn into risotto.
How long should I stir mushroom risotto?
As described in the recipe, you need to add broth ½ cup at a time and continue stirring as it cooks into the rice. You will keep adding broth and stirring until the risotto reaches your desired doneness. The entire process varies but can take up to 45 minutes for this recipe.
Tips for Amazing Mushroom Risotto
- Use high quality mushrooms. Our recipe calls for cremini mushrooms, portabello mushrooms and white mushrooms. If you must substitute one of these because of a lacking local market, substitute with any othe mushrooms you may find in your local market.
- Use a pan with a large flat bottom to maximize the contact between rice and heat. A large skillet works great for this recipe. You can also use a large soup pot.
- Al dente is the texture of choice for risotto. That toothsomeness is what makes risotto different from dishes prepared with long grain rice. Otherwise you might as well use jasmine rice and call it a rice dish.
- When you first add the arborio rice to your skillet, stir it for just a minute to heat the grains through before adding that first half cup of broth. Putting the rice grains in direct contact with the heat briefly will allow them to absorb more liquid and result in an even creamier texture.
More Comfort Food Recipes to Try
This mushroom risotto is the ultimate old-fashioned Italian comfort food, but we have all kinds of amazing comfort food recipes on the blog for you to try! Here are a few of our favorites.
Jeweled Wild Rice & Quinoa Side Dish
Turmeric Rice with Spiced Cashews
If you enjoyed this recipe, it would help us tremendously if you left us a star rating in the comments below or on the recipe card. Do you have any questions about the recipe? Do you need a swap for any of the ingredients? We are here to help, just leave us a question in the comments below.
Print
Mushroom Risotto
- Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Yield: 7 cups 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 4 cloves of garlic, minced
- 8 ounces cremini mushrooms, chopped small
- 8 ounces portobello mushrooms, chopped small
- 8 ounces white mushrooms, chopped small
- ½ tsp salt
- ⅛ tsp ground black pepper
- 1 ½ cups arborio rice (you can use any other type of short-grain rice)
- 4-6 cups non-chicken broth, veggie broth, or mushroom broth ( amount will depend on when the rice is ready)
- Vegan or regular Parmesan cheese
- Fresh chopped parsley
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large deep skillet. Add the onions and garlic and cook over medium-low heat for 3-5 minutes or until translucent
- Add the mushrooms, salt, and pepper and mix well. Increase the heat to medium-high and cook for 10 minutes or until the mushrooms have released all their water and the water has cooked out, stirring frequently
- Add the rice and ½ cup of broth and bring to a simmer. Slowly stir the risotto until all the water has been absorbed and add another ½ cup of broth. Repeat the process until the rice is tender to your liking. The amount of broth you will need will depend on the type of rice used, and how you like your rice cooked. This process may take up to 45 minutes
- Serve immediately with grated Parmesan cheese and fresh chopped parsley
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Category: Main
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 208
- Sugar: 3.8
- Sodium: 487
- Fat: 4.3
- Saturated Fat: .6
- Unsaturated Fat: 3.3
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 38.4
- Fiber: 1.3
- Protein: 5.4
- Cholesterol: 0
Leave a Reply