This mushroom risotto recipe is a hearty dish with a creamy consistency and savory taste. This makes a big batch, perfect for sharing as an entree or side dish. The process involves stirring the grains continuously and simmering until tender.
Jessica’s Recipe Science
- Arborio rice is rich in amylopectin starch, which gradually releases during stirring to create risotto’s signature creamy texture.
- Cooking the mushrooms evaporates excess moisture and concentrates savory umami compounds for deeper flavor.
- Adding warm stock a little at a time allows the rice to absorb liquid evenly while slowly releasing starches that thicken the sauce.
Featured Comment 16
“Love this mushroom risotto recipe! Made as written, using baby bellas and porcini mushrooms. Perfect!”—Jeanie
Why It Works
Making creamy risotto is pretty straightforward, but the cooking process differs from most rice-based meals you cover and steam. Risotto requires attention and patience. Stirring the grains continuously keeps them separated and suspended in a creamy sauce. This allows the rice to absorb the flavorful stock, become tender, and release its starches.
Unlike my classic risotto recipe, I add sautéed mushrooms to give a boost of savory umami flavor. I use two types, brown and oyster, to add a variety of textures and depth. Combined with Parmesan cheese, this dish makes for irresistible spoonfuls. Serve as an appetizer or side dish with seafood, poultry, or steak, and of course, a glass of wine.
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Ingredients You’ll Need
- Rice: Short-grain Italian arborio rice is the ideal choice to use for risotto. The oval shape and high starch level create a creamy consistency. The consistent stirring keeps the grains suspended in the liquid instead of clumping together.
- Stock: Vegetable stock hydrates the rice and provides a flavorful cooking medium, while its gradual absorption helps the starches swell and create risotto’s creamy texture.
- Mushrooms: I recommend fresh brown mushrooms for their chewy texture and ability to absorb moisture while still holding their shape. I use dried mushrooms like porcini or oyster.
- Oil: Olive oil coats the rice grains and helps sauté the mushrooms and aromatics, developing deeper flavors through browning reactions.
- Seasoning: Salt enhances the natural umami of the mushrooms and cheese, while black pepper adds subtle heat and aromatic complexity.
- Onions: As onions cook, their cell walls break down, and natural sugars caramelize, adding sweetness and depth that balance the earthy mushrooms.
- Garlic: Mincing garlic releases sulfur-containing compounds that create a savory aroma, which mellows into a sweet, nutty flavor as it cooks.
- Wine: Add a dry white wine like Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, or Pinot Grigio to deglaze the pan and add bright acidity to the risotto.
- Cheese: Parmesan cheese contributes concentrated umami, saltiness, and fat, enriching the risotto and helping create a velvety finish.
- Herbs: Chives add a delicate allium note.
See the recipe card below for all ingredients and measurements (US and metric).
Ingredient Substitutions
- Rice Options: You can use grains like barley and farro with this method, but other rice types, like sticky Japanese grains, work well. You can substitute Carnaroli rice for Arborio rice in a 1:1 ratio. This premium Italian short-grain rice is rich in starch, creating a creamy risotto while maintaining a firmer, more al dente texture that many chefs prefer.
- Mushroom Swaps: Use other types of mushrooms like morel, chanterelles, shiitakes, portobellos, or cremini mushrooms. Each variety offers a different texture and flavor, and combining fresh and dried mushrooms adds dimension to each bite.
- Stock Substitute: Use broth for a lighter flavor. Try chicken stock or chicken broth for a stronger taste.
- Onions: Use other types of onions like white onions or sweet onions. Add shallots for a hint of garlic flavor.
- Herbs: Infuse fresh thyme, rosemary, oregano, basil, or tarragon. Add fresh parsley for garnish.
- Butter: Add one to two tablespoons of butter for a rich flavor.
How to Make Mushroom Risotto
Step 1: Warm the Stock
Warming the stock in a saucepan before adding it to the risotto keeps the rice temperature from dropping. This lets the starches gelatinize consistently and creates a smoother, creamier texture.
Step 2: Soak the Dried Mushrooms
Rehydrate the dried mushrooms in hot water for a few minutes before using them to soften the texture. Their flavor and aroma are concentrated, giving more robust umami notes from natural nucleotides. Roughly chop them before cooking.
Mushrooms naturally have a savory, meat-like taste, characterized as umami. To enhance this experience, I use fresh and dried mushrooms. Fresh mushrooms contain glutamates, an amino acid, which is weak in umami.
Tips for Recipe Success: When combined with nucleotide-containing foods like dried fungi, which contain inosinate and guanylate, umami perception can intensify up to 30 times. I use a smaller amount of dried mushrooms because the taste is concentrated and I don’t want it to overpower the dish.
Step 3: Cook the Mushrooms
Mushrooms contain a lot of water. That’s why they lose their volume and shrink during cooking. I like some characteristic chunks in the dish, so I slice the fresh mushrooms into ¼-inch-thick pieces so they cook quickly but still retain their shape.
Sauté them with the chopped dried mushrooms in olive oil to evaporate the released moisture. The process takes only a few minutes and creates new flavors on the surface.
Step 4: Cook the Onions and Garlic
Sauté the onions and minced garlic before adding in the vegetable stock. This process mellows the sulfur compounds in the alliums, making them savory and the onions slightly sweet as they caramelize in the pan.
Step 5: Toast the Rice
Lightly browning the rice in the hot oil adds more flavor to the surface. It also coats the grains with fat, which slows starch release and prevents sticking. This works well because the rice takes about 30 minutes to become al dente.
Step 6: Add the Wine
The wine helps dissolve any tasty browned bits in the pan. The alcohol evaporates quickly, leaving hints of acidity to brighten the dish. A nice bonus is you’ll have plenty left over to enjoy with your meal.
Step 7: Add the Stock
The key to soft grains with a porridge-like consistency is to add the vegetable stock gradually, ½ cup at a time, and stir constantly. This ensures the hard grains slowly absorb the liquid in the center and stay separated. Because the dish cooks on the stovetop with no liquid, a large amount of liquid is needed compared to the steaming method, about 4 cups of stock to 1 cup of arborio rice.
Pro Tip: Always ladle in warm stock. It speeds up the swelling process and prevents the dish from cooling down.
Step 8: Warm the Mushrooms
Once the risotto is done cooking, stir in the sautéed mushrooms. This warms them up before serving and infuses their flavor into the rice.
Step 9: Add the Cheese
Add freshly grated aged parmesan cheese for its delicious nutty taste and gooey pull. This is also a good time to add salt and black pepper to finish seasoning the dish.
Step 10: To Serve
Right before I serve the creamy risotto with meaty mushrooms, I garnish with more Parmesan cheese and fresh chives for a hint of mild onion flavor. This is a great starter for an Italian feast! It also pairs well with roast chicken and sautéed asparagus.
Frequently Asked Questions
Mushroom risotto takes about 1 hour to make from start to finish, including preparing the mushrooms, warming the stock, and gradually cooking the rice. The risotto itself takes about 20 to 25 minutes of stirring and adding warm stock until the Arborio rice is tender with a slightly chewy, al dente center. The extra time allows the rice to slowly release its starches, creating the dish’s signature creamy texture.
Yes, you can make mushroom risotto ahead of time and store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. As it cools, the rice starches firm up and absorb more liquid, so the risotto thickens considerably. To reheat, warm it gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat and stir in a splash of warm stock, broth, or water until it returns to a creamy consistency. Finish with a little extra Parmesan cheese and fresh herbs to refresh the flavors before serving.
Serve This With
If you tried this Mushroom Risotto Recipe, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below!
Mushroom Risotto
Ingredients
- 8 cups vegetable stock, or broth
- 0.5 ounces dried porcini mushrooms, or oyster mushrooms
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
- 8 ounces brown mushrooms, washed, dried, ¼" thick slices
- 1 cup yellow onions, ¼" dice
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 2 cups arborio rice
- ½ cup dry white wine, chardonnay, sauvignon blanc, or pinot grigio
- ¾ cup parmesan cheese
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon chopped chives
Instructions
- Warm the Stock – In a large pot, heat the vegetable stock over medium-low heat until warmed to about 120 to 130ºF (49 to 54ºC), about 10 minutes.
- Soak the Dried Mushrooms – In a small bowl, soak the dried mushrooms covered in hot water until softened, about 5 minutes. Drain and then roughly chop.
- Cook the Mushrooms – Heat a separate Dutch oven or large saute pan with high sides over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil; once hot, add the chopped dried mushrooms and sliced brown mushrooms. Saute until tender, about 3 minutes. Add ½ teaspoon salt, stir, and cook for 1 minute. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
- Cook the Onions and Garlic – Heat the pan over medium heat and add 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Once hot, add the onions and garlic. Cook until soft and translucent, about 3 minutes.
- Toast the Rice – Add the rice, stir, and cook until the grains are coated with oil and lightly toasted, about 2 minutes.
- Add the Wine – Add the wine to the pan, stir until the liquid evaporates, about 1 to 2 minutes.
- Add the Stock – Add the warm stock, ½ cup at a time, stirring frequently. Add more once most of the liquid is absorbed. Continue adding the stock in ½ cup additions, stirring continuously until the rice is tender yet slightly chewy, about 25 to 30 minutes. The final result should be loose, separate grains that are creamy and suspended in the stock, with a pudding or oatmeal-like consistency. Not all of the stock may be used.
- Warm the Mushrooms – Add the mushrooms to the pan. Stir and cook until warm, about 1-2 minutes.
- Add the Cheese – Turn off the heat and stir in the Parmesan cheese, ½ teaspoon of salt, and black pepper. Season to taste.
- To Serve – Immediately serve garnished with extra Parmesan cheese and chives.
Notes
- Recipe Yield: 7 cups
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Storing: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Reheating: If not serving right away, the rice will continue to absorb the liquid and thicken further. Add more warm stock as needed right before serving to loosen.
- Make it Vegetarian: Look for vegetarian parmesan that does not contain animal rennet; instead, use microbial/vegetarian rennet.
Nutrition Facts
Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000-calorie diet. All nutritional information is based on estimated third-party calculations. Each recipe and nutritional value will vary depending on the brands you use, measuring methods, and portion sizes per household.
Gregg says
Hi Jessica, made this mushroom risotto recipe again but with Chantelle mushrooms….omg so good. Thanks again for your wonderful recipes. Merry Christmas to you and your family. ❤
Jessica Gavin says
That sounds absolutely delicious, Gregg! Chantelle mushrooms add such wonderful flavor. I’m so happy you enjoyed the risotto again. Thank you for your kind words and for cooking along with me. Merry Christmas to you and your family as well. ❤️
Gregg says
Hi Jessica, going to make your risotto recipe today using freshly picked local Chantelle mushrooms.
Any tips?
Gregg👍
Jessica Gavin says
Wow, that sounds amazing! I think if you saute the mushrooms as directly in the recipe, you’ll add great flavor to the dish. Sauteing in butter and add some savory seasoning would be even better! Let me know how it goes!
Paul Fischer says
This was a labor of love, but boy does it return the affection! Wow this was so good!
Jessica Gavin says
The risotto definitely takes a little more time, but always worth the effort. Thanks for making the recipe!
Selina F says
Can I omit the wine?
Jessica Gavin says
Yes, you can omit the wine.
laurie hadler says
Can you eliminate the parmesan cheese? i do not like cheese but like the recipe.
Jessica Gavin says
Yes, you can eliminate the parmesan cheese.
Dora says
Can I use barley as a substitute for the arborio rice, that particular rice is extremely expensive for something I wouldn’t use for other meals.
Jessica Gavin says
Yes, you can use barley. However, there aren’t as many starches so it won’t be as creamy. You won’t have to stir as much, just let it simmer in the amount of liquid required on the package. Let me know how it goes!
Jeanie says
Love this recipe! Made as written, using baby bellas and porcini mushrooms. Perfect
Jessica Gavin says
Love the combination of mushrooms!
Valerie says
Perfect receipt and easy. We halved the receipt but forgot to halved the mushroom and it still turned out amazing. Will definitely make this dish again! Thank you Jessica ♥️
Jessica Gavin says
Thank you for your feedback, Valerie! Glad to hear double the mushrooms works too!