Easy Mushroom Risotto – Restaurant Quality

My husband and I are in a season of life where our date nights typically occur at 4:30pm, include 1-2 beverage spills, and a “hey, that’s MY red crayon!” accusation.

Translation: our 3 kids are there too. LOL.

Since we don’t get out to restaurants alone together all that often, I like to occasionally whip up special-feeling yet simple dinner recipes like Easy Mushroom Risotto to turn our kitchen into a fancy restaurant — if only in our minds!

Risotto is Easy to Make

Risotto may sound intimidating to make, or like a dish you can only get at a restaurant, but I’m here to tell that you that if you can stir — you can make risotto!

My Easy Mushroom Risotto recipe is a gluten free, meatless dish that’s inherently simple to make with everyday ingredients. Sautéed garlic-herb-butter mushrooms are swirled throughout a thick and creamy, slowly stirred risotto that’s finished with a flourish of parmesan cheese.

This dish is SO simple, and SO good! I’ll also share the ingredient that takes this risotto from stunning to extraordinary…

Ingredients Needed

I call this mushroom risotto “easy” because its simple to make with ingredients I can almost guarantee you have most of on hand. Here’s what you’ll need:

• Arborio rice: Risotto is made with arborio rice, a short-grain white rice which releases its starch as it’s slowly stirred in hot stock or broth over the course of 30 minutes or so. I highly recommend Lundberg Arborio Rice.
• Mushrooms: I like using baby bella mushrooms, also called cremini mushrooms, in this risotto. For some variance in texture in the final dish, I thinly slice half the mushrooms then cut the other half into quarters or sixths if large.
• Chicken stock: since there’s not a ton of ingredients in this dish, I recommend using chicken stock vs chicken broth, for maximum flavor. If you want to keep this meal vegetarian, use vegetable broth.
• Butter: is used to saute the mushrooms and aromatics.
• Garlic: permeates the mushrooms and risotto with craveable, cozy flavor.
• Fresh thyme: infuses the garlic-butter mushrooms with flavor. SO GOOD!
• Shallot: adds more flavor to the risotto. Use yellow onion if you have that on hand instead.
• Dry white wine: like pinot grigio or sauvignon blanc adds a hint of brightness and acid to the risotto. The wine really helps make it taste like it came from a restaurant.
• Freshly grated parmesan cheese: adds savory, umami flavor and creaminess to the mushroom risotto.
• Salt and pepper: seasons the mushrooms and risotto.
• Lemon: a small drizzle stirred in at the end wakens and brightens the risotto. If you choose to skip the wine, don’t skip the lemon!
• Truffle oil or zest: this is my secret ingredient for making the risotto taste like it came from a restaurant. A drizzle of truffle oil or dash of truffle zest totally brings the restaurant vibes! I’ll show you my favorite products below.

Mushroom Varieties for Mushroom Risotto

These days there are many mushroom varieties to choose from at the grocery store — which is so great! In order to keep this risotto in the “made with everyday ingredients” category though, I opt for cremini mushrooms aka “baby bella” mushrooms which are widely available.

That said, feel free to use the mushrooms you like best in this dish. Here are some other options:

• Shiitake mushrooms: have a meaty texture and hold up well to being stirred into risotto.
• Oyster mushrooms: are a more delicate mushroom. Stir the sautéed garlic-butter oyster mushrooms back into the risotto just before serving.
• Chanterelles: are a more delicate mushroom with a yellow-orange hue. I’d also stir these back into the risotto at the very end.
• White button mushrooms: are great for this risotto! Nice and hearty.

5 Tips for Success

While making risotto is inherently simple, here are my Top 5 Tips to keep in mind for achieving a perfect pot of Mushroom Risotto.

1. Use the right pan. Choose an 11-12″ pan with high sides vs a wide/flat skillet or soup pot. This is my go to risotto-making pan.
2. Keep the stock hot. Risotto is made by slowly stirring arborio rice with hot stock added ~1/2 cup at a time. If you add cold or room temperature broth to the rice it lowers the temperature of the dish which will extend the risotto making process. Be sure to keep your stock hot in a pot next to the risotto pan.
3. Steady heat. Keep the heat under the risotto at a steady medium heat — not too hot or the stock will evaporate before it has time to be absorbed by the rice.
4. Steady stirring. Risotto becomes thick and creamy by being slowly yet constantly stirred which allows the rice to release its starch. That said, put on some tunes or an audiobook and plan on sticking next to the risotto while it cooks.
5. Extra stock. The final amount of stock you’ll need will depend on the size of your pan and the steadiness of your heat. I typically use a touch over 6 cups stock in this recipe, though I put 7 cups in the recipe card to ensure you have enough on hand — especially for reheating leftovers as you’ll add a splash to do so.

Alrighty, let’s get you a plate of this delicious and elegant — yet easy — Mushroom Risotto!

Try Creamy One Pot Chicken and Rice

How to Make Easy Mushroom Risotto

Step 1: Saute the mushrooms.

Start by melting butter in a large, 11-12″ skillet with high sides over medium-high heat. Once the butter is hot, add mushrooms that have been sliced or quartered. Saute until the mushrooms have released their liquid and the liquid has cooked off, 5 minutes. These photos show baby bella/cremini mushrooms.

Season the mushrooms with salt and pepper then saute until they’re golden brown, another 3-4 minutes.

Add minced fresh thyme and garlic then saute until extremely fragrant, 1 minute. Scrape the mushrooms onto a plate then tent with foil and set aside.

Step 2: Make the risotto.

Turn the heat down to medium then melt more butter in the skillet. Add minced shallots then saute until tender, 2-3 minutes. Add minced garlic then saute for 1 minute.

Next add arborio rice then stir to coat in the butter and cook while stirring for 1 minute.

As with 99% of my rice-based recipes, I highly recommend Lundberg brand rice — their quality is top notch! No matter what brand you buy, ensure the package states arborio rice and not sushi rice or simply “short-grain rice”.

To the rice and shallot mixture, add dry white wine like sauvignon blanc or pinot grigio then stir until the wine has been mostly absorbed by the rice — this will happen fairly quickly.

If you don’t drink alcohol or have wine in the house, you can add the same quantity of chicken stock. Be sure to add a drizzle of fresh lemon juice to the risotto at the end to add brightness to the dish.

Ok, get those muscles ready — it’s time to stir!

Bring chicken stock (or vegetable broth if you’d like to keep this dish meatless) to a boil in a pot next to the risotto then turn the heat down to low to keep it hot. Add the hot stock 1/2 cup / 1 ladleful at a time to the pan then stir slowly yet constantly until it’s nearly absorbed by the rice before adding another ladleful.

You’ll know the rice is ready for the next addition of stock when you pull the rice back with a spatula and it stays parted for a moment or two before sliding back into place.

The rice will take a little longer to absorb the stock with each addition — just be patient and keep the heat on medium.

When you’re nearing the end of the stock, start tasting the rice to determine how tender it is, and how much longer it might need to cook.

When there’s one ladleful of stock left to add before the rice is completely tender, add the mushrooms back into the pan then stir to combine and warm through.

I like to serve the risotto when it’s still a bit runny as it will firm up as the rice cools in the bowl or plate. Risotto should never be dry — always creamy!

Once the rice is tender, turn off the heat then stir in shredded or freshly grated parmesan cheese. Taste and add salt and pepper if necessary then add a small drizzle of lemon juice — the risotto shouldn’t taste lemony, just brightened.

Step 3: Serve the risotto.

Scoop the risotto into bowls then serve as is (so delicious, so fine) OR add a dash of truffle zest or drizzle of truffle oil on top. I love Sabatino Truffle Zest Seasoning, and Truffle Shuffle Truffle Carpaccio packed in oil.

Because of the delicate nature of truffle products, it’s best to add these to the individual portion of Mushroom Risotto just before serving, vs in the pan.

Top with more parmesan cheese, if you please, then devour!

I am telling you — such an impressive and elegant dish that’s perfect for any occasion including date night at home, entertaining, or just a way to jazz up a weekday night as there’s no speciality ingredients needed.

How to Reheat

If you’re lucky enough to have Mushroom Risotto leftovers, you’re lucky enough! That said, scoop individual-sized portions into a bowl with a splash of stock or broth then stir to combine and microwave until warmed through and creamy.

Enjoy, enjoy!

More Easy Risotto Recipes

Photos by Ashley McLaughlin

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