Mushroom Risotto

Buongiorno everyone! This mushroom risotto is one of my favourite recipes to make during the cold winter months. It’s easy, it’s made all in one pan (thank god, not that many dishes to clean), and best of all, it’s popular and loved by any mushroom fan.

Mushrooms

I used brown champignons and oyster mushrooms for this recipe. I like this combination because it’s nicely balanced, and the flavours are not too intense or overpowering. Although these are my go-to mushrooms, I have also made this risotto in the past with portobello, chanterelle or porcini mushrooms.

I discovered over the years that I prefer tearing and breaking the mushrooms rather than cutting them with a knife. I break the brown champignons into small chunks and tear the oyster mushrooms. I like doing it this way because it gives a better mouthfeel, feels a bit more natural, and the risotto rice tends to stick better to the mushrooms when they have uneven surfaces.

Risotto Rice

Risotto rice, also known as Arborio rice, is a high starch, short-to-medium grain rice. The high starch content makes this dish extra creamy. Unlike other types of rice, it is important to stir risotto constantly, as this helps to release the starch and creates that signature creamy texture. I like the brand Gallo (with the big rooster on the package), but also used many other brands, and those were fine as well.

Alcohol

I used white wine for this recipe. Alcohol starts to evaporate when it reaches a boiling point, but not all of it disappears while the risotto is simmering. As a non alcohol drinker myself, I don’t mind if there is a tiny bit left. You won’t taste it, and you won’t get tipsy from one portion of mushroom risotto. But if you are concerned, you can use alcohol free white wine or simply leave it out.

Mushroom Stock

I recommend to use mushroom stock for this recipe. I am using dissolvable stock cubes, which are dried, compressed cubes. The one I use come from the Dutch store Albert Heijn, but there are many other brands on the market you can use.

You can also use stock from a tetra pack if that’s what your grocery store sells. If you can’t find mushroom stock, simply use vegetable stock instead.

I recommend tasting the mushroom stock before adding it to the risotto rice, so you know how salty it is and whether you need to add extra salt or not. The one I used was already quite salty, so I didn’t need to add any additional salt. The cheese also added some salt to the dish.

Truffle

You can elevate this recipe by adding truffle olive oil. Or go one step further and add a few slices of fresh truffle on top when serving. Trust me, it’s really good.

Cooking for a Crowd

Cooking for more than 4 people? I recommend using a 2nd frying pan or even a 3rd. I have made this recipe in larger quantities before and found out that using a separate pan helps you better to control the simmering process.

I hope you like this recipe as much as I do! Love risotto? Check out my pumpkin risotto recipe here.

Enjoy!