Best mushroom risotto

Creamy and nutty with a wonderful depth of mushroom umami flavor, our mushroom risotto is truly sensational. Since becoming vegetarian over 30 years ago, we’ve been perfecting the perfect mushroom risotto, and judging by all the empty plates left by family and friends, we think we’ve nailed it!

Why you’ll love our mushroom risotto

• Our creamy risotto fits all occasions, a date night, family meal or holiday dish, it’s a vegetarian allrounder!

• It’s FULL of mushrooms, so if you’re a mushroom lover like us, you’ll love it!

• Because of the umami flavor, it’s a great dish to serve if you are cutting down on your meat consumption.

• It really is very easy to make, and you’ll have this creamy mushroom risotto on your table in 15 minutes.

Is mushroom risotto vegetarian?

Our mushroom risotto is 100% vegetarian.

A lot of risottos call for chicken stock or chicken broth, but we use vegetable stock or vegetable broth.

We also use vegetarian grated parmesan cheese.

Many people think it’s difficult to cook risotto, it’s not if you follow our step-by-step guide. You’ll soon be serving up a bowl of creamy mushroom risotto bursting with mushrooms and deliciousness!

What rice should I use?

If you want a creamy texture for your risotto, you’ll need to use short to medium-grain plump rice, one that has high starch content.

There are three main risotto rice varieties that you should be able to find at the stores.

Carnaroli is a heavenly creamy risotto, and when we spent time in Italy, it was the rice that most chefs preferred to use for their risottos.

In this mushroom risotto recipe, we used carnaroli and it was perfect.

Vialone nano is stubby rice known for its creamy and velvety texture, if you’ve ever visited Venice, then there’s a good chance that it was vialone nano rice you had in your risotto.

Arborio rice is widely known and easy to get hold of.

Arborio rice is softer and thicker risotto rice but it’s not as creamy as carnaroli or vialone nano.

Do I rinse the rice when cooking a risotto?

No, absolutely not!

Risotto needs rice starch, it’s rice starch that will give you a lovely creamy risotto.

So, whatever you do, do NOT rinse your risotto rice!

What are the best mushrooms for risotto?

Fresh mushrooms are always great in mushroom risotto.

Portobello mushrooms are great to use, they have a real umami flavor and are often used instead of meat in plant-based meals. Chestnut mushrooms (Swiss brown) are smaller versions of portobello mushrooms and are great for bulking out your risotto.

But it’s not just fresh mushrooms that are used in mushroom risotto, dried mushrooms are also used.

Dried porcini mushrooms are a popular ingredient in risotto, they have a delicious smoky taste to them and have the added advantage of having a longer shelf life.

You can mix and match your mushrooms to find the perfect combination for you.

Why can’t I add all the broth at once in my risotto?

If you add all your broth or cooking liquid to your mushroom risotto at once, then what you are effectively doing is boiling your rice.

You want to cook it while it is gently simmering.

Do I have to use wine?

No, you don’t have to use wine.

If you would like to omit it then that’s fine, just add more vegetable broth.

If you are going to add wine, then add a dry white wine, and seeing as you’re cooking an Italian dish, why not add Pinot Grigio?

Don’t worry though, whatever dry white wine you have open will be fine, a Sauvignon Blanc or a Chenin Blanc will fit the bill perfectly too.

How do I store it?

Our mushroom risotto will keep in the fridge overnight when stored in an airtight container.

When you reheat the risotto, add a little vegetable broth to loosen it up.

You can freeze risotto, but the consistency is not the same when thawed, so it’s not especially recommended.

Recipe notes and tips

• Tempted to rinse your rice?
  Never rinse risotto rice, the rice starch is what gives risotto its creamy consistency.
• Want to add a little colour to your mushroom risotto?
  Add chopped fresh parsley as garnish.
• Don’t have chestnut or portobello mushrooms?
  Try adding shiitake or white mushrooms instead.
• Remember your stock
  If you are cooking for a vegetarian, do not use chicken stock!
• Cooking mushroom risotto as an appetizer?
  Adjust the portion sizes, our recipe card is based on main meal portions.
• Got leftover pecans?
  Try making this delicious maple pecan pie

How to make mushroom risotto with step-by-step instructions.

Making risotto isn’t difficult if you follow our step-by-step instructions below.

Full measurements in both US customary and metric are available in the printable recipe card below.

Place your porcini mushrooms in a heat-proof jug or dish and cover them with boiling water and set them aside.

Add your walnuts and pecans to a hot dry pan and toast for 4-5 minutes, until they smell like they are toasted, be careful not to burn them.

Remove them from the heat and when they are cool to touch, gently chop them into small pieces.

Place a large pan or Dutch oven, on medium heat and melt your butter, then add in your chestnut mushrooms and portobello mushrooms. pan-fry them until they are soft, approximately 4 – 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Drain your porcini mushrooms but do NOT throw away the water.

Add the porcini mushrooms to the pan and cook for a further 2 minutes.

Add in your garlic and rosemary and continue to cook for another 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Remove the mixture from the pan and set it aside.

Using the same pan (don’t wash it up, you want the lovely umami flavor), on medium-high heat the olive oil and then add your risotto rice and toast for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the reserved water from your porcini mushrooms and cook until it has all evaporated, stir occasionally.

Now, add your white wine and stir constantly until it has evaporated.

Then add a third of the hot vegetable stock into the pan and cook until most of the broth has been absorbed, stirring constantly

Repeat the process until all the broth has been used.

You want your rice to be al dente and not mushy, so keep tasting as you are cooking.

Your rice will look creamy and have liquid left in it, it should not be dry or mushy.

Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.

Add the mushroom mixture to the rice and stir to incorporate and then add in the vegetarian cheddar cheese.

Stir to combine the cheese and then add in two-thirds of the toasted walnuts and pecans, stir to combine.

Serve immediately and garnish with the remaining nuts and a little freshly grated parmesan cheese.

You can also sprinkle chopped fresh parsley to add a little color.

Enjoy your mushroom risotto!

We hope you enjoy making our mushroom risotto recipe and would love to hear how you got on making it.

Please leave a comment or feel free to ask any questions you have below.

More easy recipes for you to enjoy

• Spaghetti aglio e olio – perfection in simplicity, delicious garlic and oil and ready in 15 minutes!

• Tomato risotto – this risotto recipe is sensational, full of fresh and sun-dried tomatoes in a dreamy creamy sauce!

• Pasta alla Norma – our guests always, always scoff the lot in minutes, this creamy pasta dish is always an instant hit!

• Four cheese and mushroom lasagna – packed with cheese and delicious mushrooms, this is a family favorite and so easy to make!

• Quick mushroom pasta – perfect for a weeknight dinner, full of creamy mushrooms and ready in 25 minutes!

• Arrabiata sauce – a sensational tomato sauce with a fiery kick, add to any pasta, add a little freshly grated parmesan for an instant meal!

Follow us on Pinterest, Facebook, and Instagram, for more tasty inspiration!

For the step-by-step version of this recipe check out how to make mushroom risotto.

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