Creamy Mushroom Risotto (Printable)

Luscious Italian risotto with earthy mushrooms, Parmesan, and cream. Ready in under an hour.

# What You'll Need:

→ Mushrooms

01 - 14 oz mixed mushrooms (cremini, shiitake, button), cleaned and sliced
02 - 2 tbsp olive oil
03 - 1 tbsp unsalted butter

→ Risotto Base

04 - 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
05 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
06 - 1 ½ cups Arborio rice
07 - ½ cup dry white wine
08 - 4 cups vegetable broth, kept warm
09 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter
10 - ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
11 - ½ cup heavy cream
12 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ Garnish

13 - 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
14 - Extra grated Parmesan (optional)

# How to Make It:

01 - Heat 2 tbsp olive oil and 1 tbsp butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sliced mushrooms and sauté until golden brown and tender, about 7 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Remove half the mushrooms and set aside for garnish.
02 - In a large saucepan, melt 2 tbsp butter over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and cook until soft and translucent, about 3-4 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Add the Arborio rice to the onion mixture and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes until the rice is lightly toasted and glossy.
04 - Pour in the white wine and stir until almost completely absorbed.
05 - Add one ladleful of warm vegetable broth to the rice and stir gently. When the liquid is absorbed, add another ladleful. Continue adding broth, stirring frequently, allowing each addition to absorb before adding the next, until the rice is creamy and al dente, about 18–20 minutes.
06 - Stir in the sautéed mushrooms (reserving the garnish), heavy cream, and Parmesan cheese. Cook for another 2-3 minutes until the risotto is creamy and well combined. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
07 - Serve the risotto hot, topped with the reserved mushrooms, fresh parsley, and extra Parmesan if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The way the cream and Parmesan transform into the most luxurious sauce you have ever tasted
  • That perfect moment when rice goes from crunchy to creamy while you are standing there stirring
  • Mushrooms get such a deep nutty flavor you will wonder why you ever ate them any other way
02 -
  • Warm broth is absolutely essential room temperature or cold broth will make the rice cook unevenly
  • Constant stirring is not necessary but frequent stirring is what releases that creamy starch
  • The rice should be al dente with a slight bite in the center mushy risotto is sad risotto
03 -
  • Reserve some pasta water if your broth runs low it is full of starch that helps bind everything
  • Let the risotto rest for 2 minutes off the heat before serving it makes the texture even better