Mixed Mushroom Risotto
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Risotto makes a great alternative to pasta for someone on a gluten-free diet. This creamy mushroom risotto dish is a favorite recipe of mine for when I don’t have much in the fridge. I usually have some mushrooms but if I don’t then I will substitute whatever vegetables I have lying around.
The trick to risotto is to achieve a creamy texture without adding any cream – you coax the starches out of the rice by stirring frequently and adding the stock slowly. Add the cheese last to increase richness without causing the rice to break down. Serve this risotto recipe alongside seared scallops or roasted chicken.
Mixed Mushroom Risotto
Table of contents
Key Ingredients in This Recipe
- Rice – Arborio rice is the most commonly used rice for making risotto. It’s an Italian short-grain, white rice with a high starch content. It can be substituted with other starchy short-grain varieties like Carnaroli or Vialone Nano if desired though Arborio is the most accessible. Don’t rinse risotto rice before cooking as you would when preparing long-grain varieties. You don’t want to lose any of that starch!
- Mushrooms – For this recipe I use a mixture of crimini, shiitake and oyster mushrooms though any combination of mushrooms can be used. Crimini also known as baby Bella mushrooms have a light flavor while shiitakes have much more of a meaty texture and oyster mushrooms have a delicate quality. I recommend buying whole mushrooms and slicing them yourself so they are more evenly cut than pre-cut mushrooms. Use a damp paper towel to wipe away dirt before slicing the mushrooms.
- Chicken stock – Chicken stock is typically made from chicken bones as well as aromatics and vegetables while chicken broth is made with the meat. How does that affect their flavor? Chicken stock has a much richer, more robust flavor which comes from the collagen released from the simmering bones. On the other hand, chicken broth is much more mellow in flavor. I typically use chicken stock when cooking. In a pinch the chicken stock can be substituted with water though it takes away some of the flavor.
- Parmesan – Parmesan-Reggiano is definitely one of my favorite cheeses. It’s a hard cow’s milk cheese aged for different lengths of time. I’d recommend buying a roughly cut piece of wrapped cheese from the grocery store – it’s typically a higher quality cheese.
How to Make Mixed Mushroom Risotto
Step 1: Sauté onion and garlic.
Heat a medium saucepan over medium heat, add 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and heat through. Add the onion and sauté until the onion is soft and translucent, about 6 minutes. Add the garlic and continue to sauté until the garlic is fragrant, about 30 seconds.
Step 2: Sauté rice.
Add the rice and sauté, stirring occasionally for 1 to 2 minutes.
Step 3: Slowly add stock.
Lower the heat to medium-low and add 1 cup of the chicken stock and stir constantly until the stock is almost completely absorbed.
Step 4: Continue to cook risotto.
Continue to add the stock ¼ cup at a time, stirring frequently and waiting for each addition to be almost completely absorbed before adding additional stock. The mixture should be at a simmer the whole time. Continue this process until the risotto is al dente and a creamy consistency is achieved, about 20 minutes.
Step 5: Sauté mushrooms
Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and heat through. Add 2 tablespoons of the butter and allow to melt. Add half of the mushrooms and sauté until golden brown, about 6 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Step 6: Repeat with remaining mushrooms.
Remove the mushrooms to a bowl and return the pan to the heat. Add the remaining olive oil and butter and continue with the remaining mushrooms.
Step 7: Assemble and serve.
Stir the Parmesan cheese into the risotto then add the mushrooms and stir to combine. Top with the parsley and chives for garnish.
Tips and Tricks in This Recipe
Swaps and Substitutions
- To make this recipe vegan, omit the butter and swap the chicken stock for vegetable broth.
- It’s common to add 1/2 cup of white wine before adding the chicken stock to the risotto, feel free to add it in this recipe.
How to Make the Best Risotto
- To make a successful risotto, there are a few simple tips to take into consideration. The first is to warm the stock – this keeps the risotto warm, rather than cooling it down every time stock is added.
- The second is to stir the risotto frequently; the creaminess of risotto comes from the starch released when the grains of rice are agitated.
- The stock is added slowly and not all at once so that the rice is not simply boiled.
Recommended Pairings
This mixed mushrooms risotto is great on it’s own as a vegetarian entrée or a side dish alongside these:
- Try serving with scallops and sautéed green beans.
- Pair with roasted chicken or seared steak and sautéed spinach.
Other Recipes to Try
If you enjoy this mushroom risotto recipe, I recommend checking out some of these:
Mixed Mushroom Risotto
Ingredients:
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil, divided
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup arborio rice
- 3 cups chicken stock, warmed
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
- 1 pound mixed mushrooms, sliced (I use a mix of crimini, shitake and maitake or oyster mushrooms)
- Kosher salt, as needed
- Freshly ground black pepper, as needed
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese
- 1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley
- 1 teaspoon chopped chives
Instructions:
- Heat a medium saucepan over medium heat, add 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and heat through. Add the onion and sauté until the onion is soft and translucent, about 6 minutes. Add the garlic and continue to sauté until the garlic is fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Add the rice and sauté, stirring occasionally for 1 to 2 minutes.
- Lower the heat to medium-low and add 1 cup of the chicken stock and stir constantly until the stock is almost completely absorbed.
- Continue to add the stock ¼ cup at a time, stirring frequently and waiting for each addition to be almost completely absorbed before adding additional stock. The mixture should be at a simmer the whole time. Continue this process until the risotto is al dente, about 20 minutes.
- Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and heat through. Add 2 tablespoons of the butter and allow to melt. Add half of the mushrooms and sauté until golden brown, about 6 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
- Remove the mushrooms to a bowl and return the pan to the heat. Add the remaining olive oil and butter and continue with the remaining mushrooms.
- Stir the Parmesan cheese into the risotto then add the mushrooms and stir to combine. Top with the parsley and chives for garnish.
DID YOU MAKE THIS?
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So rich, so tasty, so simple. I loved this recipe! I did cook the mushrooms first in my saucepan and then went in with the onion and garlic which saved me on dishes and gave me some nice brown bits which = flavour!
All in all – BIG FAN, will be making this creamy mushroom risotto very soon <3
Made this risotto, as well as scallops and oven-roasted asparagus, for Mother’s Day this past Sunday, and my goodness was it delicious – a complete HIT! Can’t wait to make it again! Thanks for sharing not only this, but all of your other fabulous recipes that have become stables in my recipe repertoire – your website is my new favourite "go-to" for fresh, new cooking ideas!
Devon – I am so glad you enjoyed the recipe and that it went over so well! Thank you so much for the kind words.