Creamy Mushroom Risotto

You’ll want to make this mushroom risotto recipe again and again! It’s irresistibly creamy, flavored with wine and Parmesan cheese.

Here’s a deliciously creamy, cozy recipe that’s ideal in any season: Mushroom Risotto! This one is full of robust earthy flavor and the best canvas for any type of mushroom you have on hand. Throw them together with Parmesan cheese, white wine and if you like, a homemade mushroom broth. You won’t believe the silky, irresistible flavors! We made this one to celebrate spring with a combo of baby bella and baby shiitake mushrooms, and we couldn’t stop sneaking bites from the pan.

What’s in mushroom risotto?

Risotto is a creamy Italian rice dish that’s made using short grain rice and broth. When I first started learning about home cooking, I thought risotto was a product from a box marked “risotto”. Nope! All you need is short grain arborio rice, which plumps up and becomes creamy when you cook it with liquid.

You’ll need a handful of simple ingredients for this mushroom risotto. The flavors are crisp and pure. Here’s what you’ll need:

White arborio rice: a short-grain Italian rice used for making risotto
Mushrooms: a variety of types is nice; see below
Broth: Homemade mushroom broth is best and takes only a few extra minutes, or use vegetable broth
Dry white wine: wine is essential to the nuanced flavor
Lemon: fresh lemon pairs perfectly with asparagus
Parmesan cheese: brings just the right savory notes
Olive oil, butter, onion, garlic powder: For flavoring

Use a mix of mushrooms for best flavor

This mushroom risotto is the perfect canvas for any type of mushroom you can find! In fact, it’s an easy way to serve a variety you might not be familiar with. Alex and I have been cooking through all the types we can find at our local grocery store: and we’ve found many new favorites! We used a combination of baby bella and baby shiitake mushrooms for the risotto you see here, but there are endless variations you can try. Here are a few types of mushrooms that would work great here:

Baby bella (aka cremini): This variety is a baby version of the portobello and has a savory, meaty flavor
Button or white: The baby stage of a cremini! It has a mild flavor and is easy to find
Portobello: Slice up portobellos for a super meaty flavor
Shiitake: Their earthy flavor is perfect here; if you can find baby shiitakes you can leave on the stems
Oyster: This variety has a delicate and savory flavor; if you can find King Oyster mushrooms the flavor is even more meaty
Maitake or Hen of the Woods: this variety is feathery with a peppery finish and great in a risotto!

Other varieties you could consider if you can find them: Lion’s Mane or Beech.

Homemade mushroom broth is the star

The other key to flavor in this mushroom risotto recipe? Homemade mushroom broth! If you’re running low on time, you can substitute purchased mushroom broth or vegetable broth (see the recipe below). But we highly recommend homemade: it infuses the entire risotto with earthy, savory flavor! Here are the basic steps (or jump over to the Mushroom Broth recipe):

Chop fresh veggies, and grab some dried mushrooms. You’ll need both fresh and dry mushrooms: dry porcini mushrooms work best. Chop the fresh ones and add carrot and celery to the mix. Throw them in a pot with water and salt.
Simmer 15 minutes. That’s all you need to get great flavor! The dried porcini mushrooms add a massive amount of umami.

For the specific instructions and quantities, go to Homemade Mushroom Broth recipe.

The keys to making mushroom risotto

Making homemade risotto is pretty simple, though it might seem complex if you haven’t tried it before. Just cook short grain rice with broth until it becomes extraordinarily creamy! You’ll sauté your mushrooms first, then set them aside while you cook the risotto. Here are some keys to great homemade risotto:

Use arborio rice. You should be able to find it at most grocery stores. This variety of rice becomes plump when it’s cooked with liquid.
Heat the broth first. This is important. Warm broth helps it to cook into the rice right away without lowering the temperature of the food. Of course, it’s already warm when you make the homemade broth!
Add warm broth 2 ladles at a time and stir until rice is al dente (about 12 minutes). This process does require a bit of babysitting. Continue this process until the rice is just al dente.
Add Parmesan & the mushrooms. Once it’s al dente, add the Parmesan cheese and stir vigorously for 2 minutes until it’s very creamy. Add the mushrooms and serve!

Make ahead and storage instructions

Can you make this mushroom risotto ahead? Technically you can, but risotto is best freshly made. Why? Here are a few pointers:

Serve it freshly made if possible. The creamy texture is best right out of the pan. Because…
You can store refrigerated 3 days, but it becomes less creamy. The rice soaks up a lot of the broth in the refrigerator.
Reheat on the stove with additional broth or Parmesan. You’ll need a little more liquid to get it back to a creamy texture. Additional Parmesan and a few pinches salt can revive the flavor.
Make ahead ideas: To speed up prep day of, you can make the mushroom broth in advance. You can also saute the mushrooms in advance; just refrigerate until you make it.

Sides to serve with risotto

You can serve this mushroom risotto as a vegetarian main dish, or it also works as a fancy side dish for fish or meat. Usually we go vegetarian for this meal, since 45 minutes is quite a while for making a side dish. But if you’re serving it for a fancy dinner party: it’s absolutely perfect! Here are a few easy ideas for what to serve with risotto when you’re serving as a main dish:

Easy Arugula Salad A seriously simple salad you can throw together quickly
Fennel Orange Salad A fancier option, pairing orange and the subtle licorice essence of fennel with a citrus vinaigrette.
Roasted Asparagus with Lemon Throw some asparagus in the oven while you make the risotto!
Pan Fried Broccoli or Epic Roasted Broccoli Broccoli is a perfect side that adds fiber and nutrients.
Perfect Roasted Broccolini Or go elegant with long-stemmed broccolini.

Want more risotto recipes? Try our Asparagus Risotto, Butternut Squash Risotto, Cauliflower Risotto and Parmesan Risotto.

This mushroom risotto recipe is…

Vegetarian and gluten-free.