Risotto with Mushrooms Italian (Printable)

A creamy Italian rice dish with sautéed mushrooms and Parmesan creating rich, tender flavors.

# What You Need:

→ Rice

01 - 1 ½ cups Arborio rice

→ Mushrooms

02 - 12 oz cremini or button mushrooms, sliced
03 - 1 tbsp olive oil
04 - 1 tbsp unsalted butter

→ Aromatics

05 - 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
06 - 2 cloves garlic, minced

→ Liquids

07 - 4 cups vegetable broth, kept warm
08 - ½ cup dry white wine

→ Dairy

09 - ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving
10 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter

→ Seasonings

11 - ½ tsp salt, or to taste
12 - ¼ tsp black pepper, or to taste
13 - 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley (optional, for garnish)

# Directions:

01 - Heat olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet or saucepan over medium heat. Add sliced mushrooms and sauté until golden brown and liquid evaporates, about 6 to 8 minutes. Remove mushrooms and set aside.
02 - In the same pan, add chopped onion and cook until translucent, approximately 3 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook for an additional 1 minute.
03 - Stir in Arborio rice and cook, stirring constantly, until edges become translucent, about 2 minutes.
04 - Pour in dry white wine and stir until mostly absorbed by the rice.
05 - Add warm vegetable broth in ladlefuls, stirring frequently. Wait until most liquid is absorbed before adding next ladleful. Continue until rice is creamy and al dente, approximately 18 to 20 minutes.
06 - Stir in sautéed mushrooms, 2 tablespoons butter, and grated Parmesan cheese. Season with salt and black pepper. Cook for 2 more minutes then remove from heat.
07 - Serve immediately, garnished with extra Parmesan and chopped fresh parsley if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes like you spent hours in an Italian kitchen, but actually takes less time than you'd think.
  • The creamy texture happens naturally from the rice itself, no cream needed, which somehow makes it feel more honest.
  • Mushrooms turn soft and almost sweet when cooked this way, and they absorb the whole soul of the dish.
02 -
  • The broth must stay warm the whole time, or the rice releases starch too quickly and becomes gluey instead of creamy—I learned this by making terrible risotto five times in a row.
  • Don't walk away or get distracted; risotto needs constant stirring and attention, and that's actually the whole point of cooking it in the first place.
  • The rice finishes cooking off heat after you add the last ingredients, so pull it back from the stove just before it feels completely done.
03 -
  • Keep your vegetable broth at a gentle simmer in another pot on the stove—cold broth stops everything and causes problems you don't want to troubleshoot.
  • Taste the rice constantly in the last few minutes; risotto goes from perfect to overcooked faster than you'd expect, and the only way to know is to actually taste it.
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