This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my affiliate disclosure for more information.
Golden brown mushrooms are folded into this creamy mushroom risotto, made even more delectable by a scoop of mascarpone.
Calling all mushroom lovers! This risotto dish is all creamy, earthy, simple flavors and chock full of mushrooms. No reinventing the wheel here, just taking our favorite ingredients and letting them shine.
I have a longstanding love affair with risotto, which I consider to be the ultimate comfort food. The key to risotto is short grain rice, cooked until tender, but maintaining a slight bite. The basics of risotto-making are simple: sautéing your aromatics (shallot, onion, garlic…), toasting the rice, stirring in wine, and finally, slowly adding warm stock while stirring, stirring, stirring.
Once you have mastered the basics, just let your imagination run wild. You can stir in vegetables, vegetable puree, a pat of butter, scoop of mascarpone, salty pancetta, fresh herbs or, of course, a big sprinkle of parmesan. Risotto is a main dish on its own, but can also be topped with scallops, fish or your favorite protein. Now, let’s get to it and gather those ingredients for today’s recipe!
Let’s make Creamy Mushroom Risotto
- Saute the sliced mushrooms in olive oil until golden brown and remove to a plate.
- Add the shallot and garlic to the pan and saute until soft.
- Stir in the rice and cook until toasty, just for a minute or two.
- Stir in the white wine and mix until absorbed.
- Gradually stir in the warm stock and stir each time until just absorbed.
- Mix in the mascarpone.
- Stir in the fresh thyme and parmesan cheese.
- Finally, mix in the sautéd mushrooms and serve!
Tips for success
- Risotto is all about timing and the key to success is having everything prepped before you start so you can focus on the stirring.
- Risotto requires a short grain rice (such as arborio or carnaroli). It maintains it chew, while creating a creamy texture and holds up to all the stirring.
- Warm stock (never cold) promotes even cooking. And no dumping in all at once here. Gradually adding the stock in small increments allows the rice to absorb it slowly and is the key to a creamy risotto.
- Frequent and consistent stirring encourages the rice to absorb the stock and will yield that creamy texture.
- Season, season, season as you go. Keep a little dish of salt nearby and season frequently throughout the cooking process. And remember to taste, adjust the seasoning, and taste again.
- Risotto waits for no man. Be ready to sit down and enjoy as soon as those final ingredients are stirred into the rice for optimal texture and taste.
- Leftovers? Chill leftover risotto and roll into balls, ideally with a little chunk of cheese in the center. Roll into breadcrumbs and fry em up. Arancini (rice balls) are so tasty you may want to make a little extra risotto just so you can make these for your next meal!
Still hungry? Check out these risotto recipes…
Golden brown mushrooms are folded into this creamy mushroom risotto, made even more delectable by a scoop of mascarpone.
- 3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil, divided
- 10 oz cremini mushrooms, sliced
- 6 oz shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and sliced
- 4 cups chicken stock (or vegetable stock)
- 1 medium shallot, minced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup arborio rice (or carnaroli)
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 1/3 cup mascarpone
- 1 Tbsp fresh thyme, minced
- 1/4 cup parmesan, grated
- kosher salt
-
In a large wide skillet, heat 2 Tbsp of the olive oil over med/high heat.
-
Add the mushrooms to and cook until they have lost their moisture and are golden brown, about 10 mins. Remove to a plate and reserve.
-
Pour the stock into a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer over low heat.
-
Add the remaining tablespoon olive oil to the pan Add the shallots and garlic to the pan and cook until soft and golden, 3-4 mins.
-
Pour some salt in a small dish near the stove so you can season the risotto throughout the cooking process.
-
Add the rice to pan and stir well to coat. Toast the rice for about one min and then add the white wine. Cook, stirring, until the wine is absorbed.
-
Add about ¼ - 1/2 cup of warm stock at a time and stir until fully absorbed. Repeat the process, seasoning throughout with salt, until almost all of the liquid is added and absorbed (this will take about 20 mins).
-
Taste the risotto. You want the rice to be tender, but with a slight bite. Add a little more stock if needed. Stir in the mascarpone.
-
Next, stir in the thyme and parmesan. Fold in the cooked mushrooms. Serve immediately.
- Risotto is all about timing and the key to success is having everything prepped before you start so you can focus on the stirring.
- Risotto requires a short grain rice (such as arborio or carnaroli). It maintains it chew, while creating a creamy texture and holds up to all the stirring.
- Warm stock (never cold) promotes even cooking. And no dumping in all at once here. Gradually adding the stock in small increments allows the rice to absorb it slowly and is the key to a creamy risotto.
- Frequent and consistent stirring encourages the rice to absorb the stock and will yield that creamy texture.
- Season, season, season as you go. Keep a little dish of salt nearby and season frequently throughout the cooking process. And remember to taste, adjust the seasoning, and taste again.
- Risotto waits for no man. Be ready to sit down and enjoy as soon as those final ingredients are stirred into the rice for optimal texture and taste.
- Leftovers? Chill leftover risotto and roll into balls, ideally with a little chunk of cheese in the center. Roll into breadcrumbs and fry em up. Arancini (rice balls) are so tasty you may want to make a little extra risotto just so you can make these for your next meal!
Leave a Reply