Mushroom Risotto

Mushroom Risotto - a creamy, very comforting rice dish made with arborio rice slowly simmered in a flavorful chicken stock layered with smokey, cheesy flavors. Great as a side dish or a meal on its own.

Course Side

Cuisine Italian

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 35

Total Time 40

Servings -6 cups

Calories 351kcal

Author Imma

Ingredients

3 Tablespoons (42 g) unsalted butter
1 Tablespoon (14 ml) olive oil
1 medium onion , diced , small diced (about 1 cup)
2 teaspoons (10 g) garlic , minced
1 teaspoon (1 g) minced thyme
2 1/2 cups (175 g) mushrooms such as shitake or portobello , cut into half inch to inch pieces (see notes on mushroom)
1 bay leaf
1 1/2 cup (295 g) arborio rice or other risotto rice
⅓ cup (235 ml) dry white wine
5-6 cups (1.2 - 1.4 L) chicken stock or vegetables stock
¾ -1 cup (175 g) freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons (7.6 g) chopped fresh parsley

Instructions

Start by heating up a pot with stock, bring to a boil and turn stove off.
Add butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Let it melt, then add olive oil. Let it simmer. Next add onions,, garlic, thyme and saute until onions are translucent and tender - about 4-6 minutes.
Throw in mushrooms and bay leaf. Cook; stirring occasionally until the mushrooms have cooked down.
Stir in rice and mix until mushroom is fully combined with rice and slightly toasted - about 1-2 minutes.
Pour in wine and continue stirring until the wine has evaporated.
Start adding stock; starting with a cup at a time, stirring frequently until stock is fully absorbed before proceeding with the next cup.
Repeat above's step; simmering over medium heat until you have used up about 5-6 cups of stock. Rice should be just tender and the mixture is creamy. This might take about 18- 20 minutes or maybe more, depending on how quickly the rice cooks.
Once the rice is al dente (rice should be slightly firm when bitten) remove from the heat. Add Parmesan and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper.
Serve and top with parsley and extra Parmesan, if desired.

Notes

For this type of risotto, I prefer using Portobello or Shitake mushrooms as they both have an intense smokey flavor which enhances the recipe. Also the texture of portobello mushroom is comparable to meat, so it's like tossing in some bits of meat into this creamy rice dish.
Be mindful of the stock's salt content used in this recipe. If you want to err on the safe side, use a low-sodium chicken or vegetable stock and adjust the taste as you go along.
Use a freshly grated Parmesan cheese as it melts easily and has better flavor compared to those pre-shredded packs.
Do not add the stock all at once as we want the rice to slowly absorbed that stock to create that perfect creaminess.
Store any leftover risotto in an airtight container and place in the fridge for up to 5 days. If it contains any meat, 3 days would be the max.
Risotto is best enjoyed when served right off the pot; avoid freezing or making it ahead.

Please keep in mind that nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary greatly based on products used.

Nutrition