Roasted Mushroom Risotto (Print)

Rich, creamy risotto with caramelized roasted mushrooms, arborio rice, and Parmesan cheese for a deeply savory comfort dish.

# What you'll need:

→ Mushrooms

01 - 14 oz mixed mushrooms (cremini, shiitake, button), sliced
02 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
03 - 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
04 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
05 - 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves or 1 teaspoon dried thyme

→ Risotto

06 - 6 cups vegetable broth, kept warm
07 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
08 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
09 - 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
10 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
11 - 1 1/2 cups arborio rice
12 - 1/2 cup dry white wine
13 - 2 ounces freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving
14 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
15 - Salt and pepper, to taste

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 425°F. Toss sliced mushrooms with olive oil, sea salt, pepper, and thyme. Spread on a baking sheet and roast for 20–25 minutes until golden and tender, stirring once halfway through.
02 - While mushrooms roast, heat butter and olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Add chopped onion and cook until soft and translucent, approximately 5 minutes.
03 - Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Stir in arborio rice and toast for 2 minutes, stirring constantly to coat grains with fat.
04 - Pour in dry white wine, stirring until almost completely absorbed by the rice.
05 - Add warm vegetable broth one ladleful at a time, stirring frequently and allowing each addition to be absorbed before adding the next. Continue this process for 25–30 minutes until rice reaches creamy consistency and achieves al dente texture.
06 - Stir in roasted mushrooms, grated Parmesan cheese, and fresh parsley. Reserve a few mushroom pieces for garnish if desired. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed.
07 - Transfer risotto to serving bowls immediately while creamy. Top with additional grated Parmesan and reserved roasted mushrooms.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Roasting the mushrooms separately gives them a caramelized, meaty texture that stir frying just can't match.
  • The creamy arborio rice feels indulgent but the process is surprisingly meditative once you get the rhythm down.
  • It's fancy enough for guests but forgiving enough that you can chat and sip wine while you stir.
  • Leftovers reheat beautifully with a splash of broth, so you can enjoy it twice without guilt.
02 -
  • Don't walk away from the pot; risotto needs almost constant stirring or the bottom will stick and burn, ruining the whole batch.
  • Warm broth is non negotiable; cold liquid stops the cooking process and makes the rice take forever to get tender.
  • If your risotto gets too thick, just stir in more warm broth a little at a time until it loosens up again.
  • Taste the rice after 20 minutes; some batches cook faster, and you don't want to miss the perfect al dente moment.
03 -
  • Add an extra tablespoon of butter at the very end and stir vigorously for 30 seconds; chefs call this mantecatura, and it makes the risotto impossibly creamy.
  • If you're serving this for guests, prep the mushrooms and chop the onion and garlic ahead of time so you're not rushing once you start stirring.
  • Leftover risotto can be shaped into patties, chilled, then pan fried in butter for crispy risotto cakes that are just as good as the original dish.
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