Mushroom Risotto

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Read the full disclosure here.

Mushroom risotto is a creamy and flavorful Italian rice dish made with rice or ozro pasta, mushrooms,  white wine, and Parmesan cheese.  Add a protein and you have a complete meal.

This post originally published in December 2013.

I first became familiar with risotto while watching cooking shows on television.  It seemed as though cooking the perfect risotto was something only trained chefs could do.

I had only had risotto a few times while out at restaurants and only one of those times was memorable.  The other few times I found the risotto to either be mushy or lacking flavor.  The time I did have a great risotto it was creamy and packed with flavor.

I haven’t made many rice dishes because I usually prefer my rice steamed but I do have a few tasty ones.  Lemon Garlic Rice is an easy to make and flavorful side dish for any type of meal. For a complete meal or a hearty side dish I love Slow Cooker Beans and Rice. A great budget friendly meal is Kielbasa and Cabbage Skillet with rice. One of the most flavorful rice dishes I’ve made is Vietnamese Red Rice.

What is Risotto?

Risotto is a creamy Italian rice dish made by slowly cooking short-grain rice or orzo pasta in a broth until it reaches a rich and velvety consistency. The key to risotto is gradually adding warm broth while stirring constantly which helps release the starch and create its signature texture.  Add ins like mushrooms, seafood, or asparagus are often included.

One thing to know about risotto is that it cannot be rushed.   You can not simply add all the liquid and hope the it will all be absorbed into the rice at some point.

The liquid should be warm and it is added in batches.   The rice is stirred until all of the liquid is almost gone before another batch of liquid is added.   This helps release the starch into the dish and creates a creamy texture.

Can I make this vegetarian or vegan?

You can easily make this vegetarian.  Simply use a vegetable or mushroom broth in place of the chicken broth.  To make it vegan just substitute the Parmesan cheese for a similar vegan cheese. 

You can also use your favorite type of mushroom in this dish since mushrooms are the big flavor here.  I’ve used plain white mushrooms, cremini, and oyster mushrooms before.  They each add a bit of a different flavor but they are all delicious.

Ingredients:

• olive oil
• chicken broth (or vegetable broth if you want a vegetarian dish)
• onions (I used a sweet onion but use your favorite type)
• mushrooms (use a single type of a combination)
• rice or orzo pasta
• dry white wine (you can use a dry red if you prefer)
• garlic cloves
• salt and pepper
• fresh or dried sage

To make the risotto put the broth in a saucepan over medium high heat.  Simmer and then reduce heat. 

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add the onion and saute 5 minutes.  Add the mushrooms and saute for 5 additional minutes. Add garlic and saute 1 minute.

Add the rice or orzo pasta to the pan.   Pour in the white wine and stir for 1 minute or until it is mostly absorbed.  Continue adding the broth a bit at a time and stirring until it’s almost absorbed. 

Remove from heat and add in the remaining broth, Parmesan cheese, salt, pepper, and sage.  Stir and serve.

While this recipe did take a bit of time and you had to continuously stir and keep an eye on it, it’s actually a fairly simple recipe.  I loved how the dish turned out.

The orzo pasta well full of amazing flavor and it was the perfect texture.  I assumed it would be starchy or gummy because of being cooked for so long but it wasn’t at all.

Can I add a protein to this dish?

You can add steamed shrimp, sauteed chicken, beef, or even lobster.   Cook the protein separately and add it on top of the risotto at the end.

We enjoyed our mushroom risotto with chicken and it was a delicious meal.  While I could have added the chicken on top of the risotto, I ended up using the risotto as a side dish in this case.

You can also serve it with a salad or crusty bread.   If you want it as a side dish serve it along side your favorite protein.

Mushroom Risotto

Mushroom risotto is a creamy and flavorful Italian rice dish made with rice, mushrooms,  wine, and Parmesan cheese.

5 from 2 votes

Print Pin

1x2x3x

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes minutes

Servings: 4 servings

Author: Hezzi-D

Equipment

• 1 small saucepan
• 1 large skillet

Ingredients

• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 c. dry white wine
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1 small onion minced
• 3 cups mushrooms thinly sliced
• 7 garlic cloves minced
• 1 1/2 cups Arborio rice or Orzo pasta
• 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese grated
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 Tablespoon fresh sage chopped

Instructions

• Place the chicken or vegetable broth in a saucepan over medium high heat. Bring it to a simmer then reduce heat and keep warm.
• Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the olive to the skillet and add in the onions. Saute for 5 minutes or until tender. Stir in the mushrooms and cook for an additional 5 minutes. Add the garlic and saute for 1 minute.
• Add in the rice or pasta and saute for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add in the white wine and cook for 1 minute or until liquid is absorbed. Stir in 1 cup of chicken broth. Cook for 3 minutes or until liquid is nearly absorbed.
• Add the remaining broth 1 cup at a time, stirring constantly until the liquid is gone before adding more broth. Reserve 1/3 cup of broth for later.
• Remove the skillet from heat and add in 1/3 cup of reserved broth, Parmesan cheese, salt, pepper, and sage. Spoon into bowls and garnish with additional Parmesan cheese and sage.

Notes

Recipe adapted from Cooking Light:  November 2013

Must Make Mushroom Recipes

• Asparagus with Mushrooms from Art of Natural Living
• Boeuf Bourguinon from That Recipe
• Mushroom Risotto from Hezzi-D’s Recipe Box
• One Pot Mushroom and Herb Rice from Creative Cynchronicity
• Three Mushroom Pot Roast from A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures

We share Recipes From Our Dinner Table! Join our group and share your recipes, too! While you’re at it, join our Pinterest board, too!