Dinner / Italian-inspired
Easy Mushroom Risotto
Creamy, comforting risotto with mushrooms, Parmesan, and simple pantry ingredients.
Why this works
Risotto sounds formal but it is really a patience dish: short-grain rice stirred with warm stock until it releases its starch and turns creamy. There is no magic ingredient — just time, heat, and a little attention.
The mushrooms do double duty here. Browning them first gives the dish its deep, savoury base, and folding some back in at the end keeps their texture distinct rather than letting them disappear into the rice.
Ingredients
Metric
- 300 g risotto rice
- 250 g mushrooms, sliced
- 1 onion, finely diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 L vegetable stock, warm
- 50 g Parmesan
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1 tbsp olive oil
US
- 1 1/2 cups risotto rice
- 9 oz mushrooms, sliced
- 1 onion, finely diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 4 1/4 cups vegetable stock, warm
- 1/2 cup Parmesan
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1 tbsp olive oil
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Method
- Cook mushrooms in oil until browned; set aside half for topping.
- Add onion and garlic, then cook until soft.
- Stir in rice for one minute until the edges look translucent.
- Add warm stock a ladle at a time, stirring until each addition is absorbed.
- After about 20 minutes, fold in mushrooms, butter, and Parmesan; rest for two minutes before serving.
Cook's notes
- Keep the stock warm on a second burner; adding cold stock shocks the rice and slows the cooking.
- Brown the mushrooms in a single layer and do not move them too much — colour equals flavour.
- Stir often enough to stop sticking, but you do not need to stir without pause.
- Add the stock a ladleful at a time, waiting until each is mostly absorbed before adding the next.
- Finish with butter and cheese off the heat, then rest for a couple of minutes before serving.
What can go wrong
The rice is still chalky in the centre
It needs more stock and a few more minutes. Add warm stock gradually and keep tasting.
The risotto turned gluey
It was over-stirred or cooked too hot. Use gentle heat and stir steadily rather than aggressively.
It is not creamy
Add a little more warm stock and finish with a proper knob of butter and cheese, resting before serving.
Ways to change it
White wine base
Add a splash of white wine after the rice and let it cook off before the first ladle of stock.
Peas and lemon
Stir in peas and lemon zest at the end for a brighter, greener finish.
Herb finish
Scatter fresh thyme or parsley over the top just before serving.
Substitutions
Risotto rice
arborio rice, carnaroli rice
Parmesan
pecorino, nutritional yeast
Mushrooms
courgette, peas, roasted butternut
Storage and Reheating
- Refrigerate for up to 2 days.
- Reheat with a splash of stock or water.
- Cool leftovers promptly and do not leave rice at room temperature for more than 2 hours.
FAQ
Do I need to stir constantly?
Stir often enough to stop sticking and release creaminess, but you do not need to stir without pause.
Can I use cold stock?
Warm stock keeps the rice cooking steadily and makes the texture easier to control.
Can I use a different rice?
Arborio and carnaroli are best because they release the right starch. Long-grain rice will not give the same creamy result.
Can I make it ahead?
Risotto is best fresh. If you must, undercook it slightly, then finish with warm stock and butter just before serving.