For a delicious, elegant main dish, make this mushroom risotto recipe! It's rich and creamy, made with white wine, fresh herbs, and Parmesan cheese.
My ideal Valentine’s Day would involve staying in and making this mushroom risotto recipe. My husband Jack LOVES mushrooms, and I love making risotto for date nights. They’re those rare occasions when you actually want to stand at the stove, stirring and stirring and stirring, because you’re also spending time with someone you love. The fact that all that stirring results in a comforting, flavorful meal is just the cherry on top.
Realistically, we probably won’t make this mushroom risotto for Valentine’s Day this year (thinking it would be hard to pull off with a toddler running around!). But if you’re having a date night in, I hope you will make it. White wine, Parmesan cheese, and fresh thyme fill the rice with rich flavor, and its creamy texture contrasts beautifully with the crispy, meaty mushrooms. Top it off with fresh parsley and extra cheese for an elegant main dish.
Mushroom Risotto Recipe Ingredients
You could make this mushroom risotto recipe with just cremini mushrooms, and it would come out delicious. But if you want to take it to the next level, experiment with a mix of varieties. I have these types in the photo above:
- Shiitake mushrooms
- Oyster mushrooms
- King oyster/trumpet mushrooms
- Chanterelle mushrooms
- Beech mushrooms
Any of these varieties would be fantastic, as would portobello mushrooms or maitakes. You’ll need 1 1/2 pounds total. Use a combination of whatever types you can get your hands on/whatever fits in your budget. Creminis, shiitakes, and portobellos are more affordable, while oyster mushrooms, chanterelles, and maitakes are pricier. I often use a mix of mushrooms at different price points to balance cost and flavor.
Aside from the mushrooms, you’ll need these ingredients to make this recipe:
- Arborio rice – My favorite risotto rice! This Italian short-grain rice holds its shape as it cooks while simultaneously releasing starches that make the risotto thick and creamy.
- Extra-virgin olive oil – For richness.
- Onion and garlic – For savory depth of flavor.
- Fresh thyme leaves – Thyme and mushrooms go SO well together! I love the thyme’s fresh, citrusy flavor against the earthy mushrooms.
- Dry white wine – It adds acidity.
- Vegetable broth – Use store-bought, or make your own!
- Pecorino cheese – It adds rich, umami flavor. Parmesan works here too! To make a vegan risotto, skip the cheese and top the mushroom risotto with a sprinkle of my vegan Parmesan.
- Fresh parsley – For garnish.
- And salt and pepper – To make all the flavors pop!
Find the complete recipe with measurements below.
Mushroom Risotto Recipe Tips
- Don’t stir the mushrooms too much. The first step in this mushroom risotto recipe is to sauté the mushrooms. You want them to get tender in the middle and browned and crisp around the edges. The mushrooms need consistent contact with the hot pan in order to brown, so, for the best browning, it’s important that you stir only occasionally. Just give them a good toss every couple of minutes. If your pan is too crowded when you add the mushrooms all at once, feel free to work in batches.
- But stir the risotto often. Unlike the mushrooms, the risotto needs a lot of stirring! Without frequent stirring, the starches will become gummy and burn in the pan, and you won’t end up with a smooth and creamy risotto.
- Add the broth 3/4 cup at a time. Not all at once! After each addition, stir constantly until the rice has nearly absorbed the liquid, then pour in 3/4 cup more. The gradual additions allow you to control the consistency of the risotto. Cook until the overall texture is creamy but the individual grains of rice retain a slight bite.
- Stir in some of the mushrooms, and pile more on top. The ones you stir in will soften slightly but infuse the risotto with umami flavor. The ones on top will stay lightly crisp, creating a fantastic combination of textures!
- It will thicken as it sits. This mushroom risotto is best freshly made, but leftovers will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Note that the risotto will thicken in the fridge, so you might need to stir in an extra splash of water or stock when you reheat it.
What to Serve with Mushroom Risotto
Simple and elegant, this mushroom risotto makes a fantastic dinner on its own. But if you’re craving a larger meal, you have plenty of great side dish options. It goes nicely with a quick veggie side dish like sautéed spinach, green beans, or roasted broccoli. It would also pair well with any of these salad recipes:
Round out the meal with homemade focaccia and a glass of white wine to drink!
More Favorite Date Night Recipes
If you love this mushroom risotto, try one of these date night dinners next:
- Butternut Squash Risotto
- Asparagus Risotto
- Garlic Herb Mushroom Pasta
- Fettuccine Alfredo
- Cauliflower Pasta
- Butternut Squash Ravioli
- Creamy Mushroom Polenta
- Roasted Cauliflower Steaks
Mushroom Risotto
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1½ pounds mixed mushrooms, chopped
- ¾ teaspoon sea salt, plus more to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
- 1½ cups uncooked Arborio rice, rinsed
- ⅔ cup dry white wine
- 5 cups warmed vegetable broth
- ½ cup grated pecorino or Parmesan cheese*, plus more for serving
- Chopped fresh parsley, for garnish
Instructions
- Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a Dutch oven or large, deep skillet over medium heat. Add the mushrooms, ½ teaspoon of the salt, and several grinds of pepper and toss to coat. Cook, stirring only occasionally, for 8 minutes, or until soft and browned. Remove from the pan and set aside. Work in batches if necessary.
- Wipe out the pan and return it to the heat. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, the onion, and the remaining ¼ teaspoon sea salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 to 8 minutes, or until softened. Stir in the garlic, thyme, and rice. Let cook for 1 minute, then add the wine. Stir and cook for 1 to 3 minutes, or until the wine cooks down.
- Add the broth ¾ cup at a time, stirring constantly and allowing each addition of broth to be absorbed before adding the next. With the final addition of broth, stir two-thirds of the sautéed mushrooms into the risotto. Cook until the risotto is creamy and the rice has a slight al dente bite. Stir in the cheese and season to taste.
- Top with the remaining sautéed mushrooms, garnish with parsley, and serve with more grated cheese, if desired.
Do l have to use wine?
Oops. Never mind. I was blind. ❤️
Hi. The addition of the risotto is left out of the instructions. It is self explanatory but thought you would want to know. I love your recipes!!
Thanks so much!
Alastair
I made this recipe tonight. I didn’t have a variety of mushrooms which I might have liked, but I did have portobello mushrooms and I didn’t have vegetable broth but I had the better than bouillon chicken broth so I used those and followed the directions otherwise to the tea, and this was a wonderful recipe. Thank you!
Hj
Could I double this recipe? Using it as a side for 10 to 12 people!
This turned out so good! The tricky part for me was getting the heat just right. I used extra cheese thinking the more the better, but the sharpness of the parmesan was borderline overpowering so that was a helpful experience for me. Thank you for the recipe! I use your website as a go to for recipes often, and this turned out wonderful as always.
I’ve been wanting to make mushroom risotto and found this recipe online. It appealed to me because, it doesn’t call for cream at the end like other recipes.
I used beef stock in place of veggie stock and it was delicious! The perfect side to the prime rib I was serving. Thank you for posting this recipe! I will definitely make this again!
Hi, I’m so glad you loved the risotto!
So good! First time making risotto!
I had my doubts all of the stock would go into this dish! With each 2/3 cup added I would question whether it would absorb…my worries were unfounded!
The instructions were great and this was so delicious.
I didn’t have fresh thyme so I subbed dry- it was still so good. This has inspired me to try making more risotto recipes.
Hi Char, thanks for your comment! I’m so glad you loved the risotto.
Is the serving size as a side, or main? I’m making this for 20 people and just want to adjust accordingly. 🙂
Hi Buffy, it’s as a main.
Do you think I could use miso instead of vegetable broth?
I made the mushroom risotto. Actually came our REALLY good. My first time making risotto so I was pretty nervous about getting it right. Great flavor and GREAT instructions
Yes it is ! “1½ cups uncooked Arborio rice, rinsed.”