Creamy Mushroom Risotto
Creamy mushroom risotto with deeply browned cremini, Arborio rice, white wine and Parmesan, stirred to a silky finish in about 50 minutes. Wine-free option included.
62% of it needs you at the counter
- Hands-on
- 32 min
- Cooking
- 18 min
- Resting
- 2 min
- Serves
- 4
- Calories
- 540
- Protein
- 15 g
- Per serving
- $3.78
Why this recipe works
Risotto has a reputation for being fussy, but it's mostly patience: about 20 minutes of easy, steady stirring, which is why the hands-on time here is longer than usual.
Use cremini (baby bella) mushrooms, or mix in shiitake or oyster mushrooms for more depth.
- Browning the mushrooms hard in batches gives deep, meaty flavor; crowded mushrooms steam and turn grey.
- Adding hot broth a ladle at a time while stirring rubs starch off the Arborio, which makes the risotto creamy without any cream.
- Beating in cold butter and Parmesan off the heat gives the loose, glossy finish Italians call all'onda ("like a wave").
Ingredients
To serve
You will need
- Wide heavy saucepan or 12-inch skillet with tall sides
- Small saucepan for the broth
- Ladle
Method
Tap a step number to mark it done.
Warm the broth
Bring the broth to a bare simmer in the small saucepan and keep it hot on a back burner.
Brown the mushrooms
Heat the oil in the wide pan over medium-high heat. Add half the mushrooms in a single layer and cook without stirring for 2 minutes, then stir until well browned. Move to a bowl and repeat with the rest. Season them with ½ teaspoon salt.
Toast the rice
Turn the heat to medium. Melt 1 tablespoon butter and cook the shallots until soft. Add the garlic and rice and stir until the edges of the grains look translucent.
Add the wine
Pour in the wine and stir until it's almost completely absorbed.
Add broth gradually
Add a ladle (about ½ cup) of hot broth and stir often until it's mostly absorbed, then add the next. Keep going until the rice is creamy and tender with a slight bite in the center.
Finish off the heat
Stir most of the mushrooms back in with one more splash of broth. Off the heat, beat in the cold butter, Parmesan, pepper and the remaining ½ teaspoon salt until glossy. It should flow slowly on the plate; loosen with broth if needed. Top with the rest of the mushrooms, parsley and more Parmesan.
Techniques in this recipe
Crowded: steams and turns grey Spaced out: browns and crisps Don't crowd the pan
Give food space in the pan or on the sheet pan so moisture can escape. Crowded food steams and turns grey; spaced-out food browns and crisps.
Read the full guide
Cook's notes
- Don't rinse Arborio. The surface starch you'd wash off is what makes risotto creamy.
- Keep the broth hot. Cold broth stalls the cooking and makes the rice cook unevenly.
- Serve it right away; risotto keeps thickening as it sits. Leftovers make great fried risotto cakes.
- Low-sodium broth matters here: the broth reduces as the rice absorbs it, so regular broth can make the risotto too salty once the Parmesan goes in.
Nutrition per serving
540 calories
$3.78 estimated cost per serving
Where the calories come from
| Protein | 11% of calories | 15 g |
|---|---|---|
| Carbs | 53% of calories | 73 g |
| Fat | 36% of calories | 22 g |
| Fiber | 3 g | |
| Sodium | 930 mg |
Calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for the listed ingredients and amounts; not lab-tested. Cost estimated from average US retail prices.
Questions people ask
Can I make mushroom risotto without wine?
Yes. Replace the wine with the same amount of broth plus 1 teaspoon lemon juice for a little of the acidity wine adds.
What is the secret to good risotto?
Hot broth added gradually, frequent stirring, and finishing off the heat with cold butter and cheese. Stop cooking when the rice still has a slight bite.
Is mushroom risotto vegetarian?
It is with vegetable broth, but traditional Parmigiano-Reggiano is made with animal rennet. For a strictly vegetarian dish, choose a Parmesan-style cheese labeled vegetarian.
