Creamy Risotto with Mushrooms (Printable Version)

A creamy Italian dish featuring Arborio rice, sautéed mushrooms, and Parmesan cheese in a luscious sauce.

# What You'll Need:

→ Rice

01 - 1 1/2 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 warm vegetable broth
08 - 1/2 cup dry white wine

→ Dairy

09 - 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving
10 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter

→ Seasonings

11 - 1/2 tsp salt, or to taste
12 - 1/4 tsp black pepper, or to taste
13 - 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley (optional)

# Directions:

01 - Heat olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add mushrooms and cook until golden and moisture evaporates, about 6 to 8 minutes. Remove and set aside.
02 - In the same pan, add onion and cook until translucent, approximately 3 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook an additional 1 minute.
03 - Add Arborio rice and stir continuously until edges turn translucent, about 2 minutes.
04 - Pour in the white wine, stirring until mostly absorbed.
05 - Add warm vegetable broth one ladle at a time, stirring frequently. Wait until liquid is mostly absorbed before adding more. Continue until rice is creamy and al dente, roughly 18 to 20 minutes.
06 - Incorporate sautéed mushrooms, 2 tablespoons butter, and Parmesan cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Cook for 2 more minutes, then remove from heat.
07 - Serve immediately, garnished with extra Parmesan and parsley if desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It feels restaurant-quality but comes together in under an hour with ingredients you probably have.
  • The technique is actually more forgiving than it sounds, and each stir is meditative rather than stressful.
  • Creamy, luxurious, and surprisingly satisfying without feeling heavy.
02 -
  • The broth must stay warm—if you add cold broth, it shocks the rice and disrupts the even cooking, often resulting in some grains done and others undercooked.
  • Stop adding broth when the rice reaches creamy al dente, not when you've used all 4 cups—some days it might take 3 ¾ cups, other days 4 ¼. The humidity in your kitchen and the exact starch content of your rice matters.
  • Never walk away from the pan for long stretches. This isn't passive cooking; the constant stirring is what creates the creaminess.
03 -
  • Invest in a wooden spoon for stirring risotto—the flat edge helps you drag through the rice efficiently and feel when the liquid is being absorbed.
  • If your risotto looks too thick at the end, add a splash more warm broth or even warm water rather than panicking—it's easier to loosen it than to thicken it again.
  • Save a bit of pasta water if you're serving risotto alongside vegetables or bread. It has starch and salt and can rescue an overly thick risotto in seconds.
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