Mushroom Risotto is easy to make and the recipe below will make you seem like a chef!
Short-grain rice is cooked on the stovetop (while stirring) with broth. It’s flavored with mushrooms and parmesan cheese for an irresistible creamy dish. Perfect as a side dish or a meatless main!
Risotto is a simple Italian dish that consists of rice cooked to a creamy consistency (without cream) by adding small bits of warm broth and stirring frequently. The stirring releases starches which make the rice creamy and delicious!
Rice for Risotto
To make a great risotto, you need the right kind of rice.
Arborio rice is often used for risotto because, as it cooks, it releases starch creating a creamy consistency. While this recipe is easy to make it requires a bit of time at the stove as it should be stirred very frequently while warm broth is added in small amounts.
Of course, you can use any rice you have on hand (except instant or minute rice) but the result will not have the same creamy texture.
Arborio Rice can be found with the regular rice in most grocery stores or it can be ordered online at Amazon.
Tips for Perfect Creamy Risotto
Risotto can seem intimidating since we often enjoy it at fancy restaurants but to be honest, it’s pretty easy! Here are a few tips for success.
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- Precook veggies/mushrooms When adding veggies to risotto, you want to heat everything through but the veggies should be pre-cooked.
- Toast the Rice Just like grilled chicken or the brown bits at the bottom of a beef stew, brown = flavor. Toast the rice slightly in olive oil for the best flavor (not too dark, just a bit golden).
- Heat the Broth Broth will be added bit by bit but it should be heated. Keep a second pot on the stove or heat in the microwave. If the broth is not warm, it stops the cooking process each time you add some.
- Stir Frequently Stirring helps release starches resulting in a creamy dish.
- Add Broth in Small Doses Add broth, allow it to evaporate (while frequently stirring), and then add a bit more. It takes a bit of time but it’s easy to make!
Feeling Fancy?
If you’ve ever had truffle (the mushroom not the chocolate) in a restaurant you know that it comes with a hefty price tag!
The great news is that truffle oil isn’t that expensive and a tiny bit goes a long way, you literally just need a dash or a drizzle! A bottle can flavor countless meals.
I purchased a bottle of truffle oil spray and it lasted well over a year. Spray it on rices, pastas or even frozen french fries just before serving to turn them into a gourmet treat!
To Make Ahead
You can make risotto ahead of time, simply cook it about halfway and then cool. Before serving, continue cooking and proceed with the recipe until the rice is tender and creamy.
What to Serve with Mushroom Risotto
Just like a mushroom pasta dish, this risotto is rich, creamy, and full of flavor!
As a Main Dish: A crisp salad with a bright, tangy vinaigrette is a favorite.
As a side dish: Serve it with a simple oven-baked chicken breast to really let the risotto shine! Add a simple dish of roasted broccoli or asparagus.
Got Leftovers?
Keep leftover risotto can be kept in the fridge and reheated in the microwave or on the stovetop.
- To Reheat: Add a little bit of milk or broth to the leftovers as you reheat it and stir until it is creamy again.
- To Freeze: Store in an airtight container. Let thaw in the fridge and then reheat following the directions above.
Pro Tip: Turn the leftovers into a complete meal by adding in some cooked chicken, steamed broccoli, and a handful of frozen peas.
Easy Rice Side Dishes
- Mushroom Barley Risotto – elegant & flavorful dish!
- Easy Rice Pilaf – tasty one-pot meal
- Garlic Butter Kale Rice – ready in 30 mins
- Dirty Rice – comfort food staple!
- Instant Pot Risotto – easy to make
- Lemon Shrimp Risotto – so lemony & fresh
Creamy Mushroom Risotto
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 12 ounces mushrooms any variety, thinly sliced
- ¼ cup onion chopped
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 cup arborio rice
- ½ cup white wine or extra broth
- 3 cups chicken broth divided, or mushroom broth
- ⅓ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Warm the broth in the microwave.
- Add olive oil and mushrooms to a pan over medium-high heat. Cook until mushrooms are softened, about 5 minutes. Set aside.
- Add butter and onions to a saucepan, cook until tender, about 3-4 minutes. Stir in rice and cook until rice starts to lightly brown, about 5 minutes.
- Add wine and cook until evaporated while stirring. Add warmed broth ½ cup at a time stirring until evaporated after each addition. This will take about 20 minutes.
- Stir in mushrooms with any juices, parmesan cheese (reserve a couple of tablespoons for garnish) and parsley. Taste and add salt & pepper as needed. Garnish with fresh herbs as desired.
Notes
Optional add in 1/2 cup defrosted peas along with the mushrooms at the end.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Side Dish
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Oh my goodness!!!! Wow!!! This risotto is delicious!!!! Lots of work but totally worth it. I chopped my mushrooms into little pieces instead of leaving them in to slippers. Thank you for this recipe!
You’re welcome Katelyn! So glad you love this risotto!
How much exactly is one serving? 1 cup? 2 Cups? I want to use this as one of my high carb meals for my diet.
Each serving is one quarter of the recipe, approximately 1 cup. Enjoy Cameo!
Delicious. Also love the serving spoon. Where can I find one?
So glad you love the risotto! I received the spoon as a gift Denise. I believe the company that makes it is called Mud Pie.
I’m wondering if I can use brown rice for this recipe.
Sorry Janice, I haven’t tried risotto with brown rice.
Always wanted to make this recipe and so glad I did because it was delicious and is a keeper.
The best risotto recipe although it needed a bit more broth
Has anyone done this with leftover rice? sounds like it may not be ideal but was interested to know. I usually end up not finishing already cooked rice a lot of the time and didn’t want to throw it out.
You could make arrancini? Baked or deep fried risotto balls? You roll them in egg wash and then seasoned panko breadcrumbs and bake, air fry, fry until golden.
And you can stuff with a small piece of cheese.
I’ve never made risotto before and this recipe was so easy to follow. I couldn’t find Arborio rice so I used Basmati. It turned out perfectly ~ so good!!
You mentioned you can make ahead and let cool then finish cooking later. What step would this be at?
Thank you!
You can cook it to add about 3/4 of the broth and then cool the rice completely. To finish cooking you can heat it up and continue adding warm broth to cook through.
This was fantastic. I added bacon (and then cooked the mushrooms with the bacon once it was mostly done) and it turned out so well. Highly recommend!
This was great! I did add some asparagus and it made it fabulous!
Awesome flavor will be making this again.
I made this tonight (it’s a random rainy Tuesday), and I have to say that this brightened my whole day! My husband cant stop making “yum” noises. We paired it with sea scallops and asparagus. Such a delicious treat! Thank you!
I’m so glad you both loved it, your entire meal sounds amazing!
The great tips allowed me to make a perfect risotto dish. I added peas and used St Antoine Peccorino cheese and served it with La Crema Sonoma Pinot Noir. Delicious dish!
This is so easy to make. Please do not be intimidated. I used half cauliflower rice and half jasmine rice and it turned out fantastic. It’s just what I had on hand and I improvised. You must try this. Oh, I also add chopped up celery and sauteed with the onions.
Wow! We had this with dinner tonight and loved it! You give me so many new things to try and add to the rotation. Thank you!
So happy you enjoyed it Shannon :)
Hi! The last step in the directions says to add parsley. I don’t see how much to add. Can you please advise on the quantity and whether it should be fresh or dried?
Hi Tamara, totally optional, but we add in about a tablespoon of fresh chopped parsley with the parmesan for extra flavor!
Thank you! I sprinkled a bit of dried parsley at the end to give it some color. We really enjoyed this dish.
Glad you enjoyed it Tamara!
This was surprisingly easy and shockingly delicious! I will definitely make it again
I am an 80yr living with only my husband, who is on dialysis which leaves him with a minimum appetite & decreased ability to taste. A friend has been sending your easy recipes because she knows that quick & easy is my cooking style. Your recipes are that … plus being flavorful. Thank you for sharing these. Tonight we will be enjoying classic stuffed shells … they smell delicious as they cook.
So happy to hear these recipes are a hit with your family Pat! We hope you enjoy the stuffed shells. :)
Can you use pasta instead of rice?
This particular recipe would not work with pasta. The starches from the rice create the creamy consistency. I would suggest a mushroom sauce more like this one.