Mushroom Risotto
A homemade creamy mushroom risotto using Arborio rice, baby Bella mushrooms, fresh garlic, thyme, and Parmesan cheese.
Risotto has to be one Kim’s favorite side dishes. However, it wasn’t always that way. When we were first married, she had never tried it. One evening, I decided to make her some.
I created a simple Parmesan risotto, nothing special, just white wine and Parmesan cheese.
Today, we’re sharing a modified version of that dish. It’s Kim’s creamy mushroom risotto. It follows the same blueprints but adds mushrooms and peas to the formula.
Personally, I adore this tasty dish and I know you will too. So, shall we get started?
How to make creamy mushroom risotto from scratch?
First, start by placing a deep skillet or saucepan over low heat. Pour in the oil and add the diced onions.
Let the ingredients cook for about 4-minutes or until the onions are soft.
Afterward, increase the heat to medium and toss in the baby Bella mushrooms.
Next, let the shrooms cook for about 5-minutes. Now, add in the garlic and thyme.
Continue cooking the mixture for about 30-seconds, At this point, you can add the rice.
It needs to toast for a minute or two. According to Kim, it should start to crackle.
Once that happens, immediately pour in the white wine. Stir the mixture and let it simmer.
The wine should evaporate in a minute or two. After that, pour in enough broth to cover the rice.
The broth should come to a simmer and be absorbed by the rice. Stir the risotto from time to time to keep it from sticking. Then, as the liquid begins to disappear, add more broth.
But, just enough to cover the rice again. Repeat this process 1-2 more times.
After that, you can safely stir in the peas. Again, add enough broth to cover the rice.
Hang in there, you’re almost done. The risotto needs to simmer for 10-12 minutes.
Continue adding more broth and stirring the ingredients as needed.
The rice should be about done. For the remaining steps, add a little more broth and the shredded Parmesan cheese.
Last, stir the risotto to incorporate the cheese and serve. Do a taste test and add salt and pepper if needed.
That’s it, your creamy mushroom risotto is done! Kim and I hope you enjoy it and wish you all the best 🙂
Recipe Tips:
- Before adding the Arborio rice, taste test the soft mushrooms and add salt and pepper to taste. This will help pre-season the mushrooms before adding any additional ingredients.
- Do NOT add more than a 1-1.5 cups of broth at a time. In order to create that starchy, creamy texture, the rice needs to soak up the broth slowly as it cooks.
- To make this dish vegan, use vegetable broth and vegan Parmesan cheese.
More Recipes to Try
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ cup white onion, finely chopped (about ½ medium onion)
- 1 pound baby bella mushrooms, sliced
- 1 tablespoon garlic cloves, minced or pressed (about 2 to 3 garlic cloves)
- 2 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 ½ cups arborio rice, unrinsed
- ½ cup dry white wine
- 6 to 7 cups vegetable broth, warmed
- 1 cup frozen peas
- ¾ cup parmesan cheese, shredded off the block
Instructions
- Heat a large skillet with tall sides over low heat. Add the olive oil and onions. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes or until the onions soften.2 tablespoons olive oil½ cup white onion
- Turn up the heat to medium, and add the mushrooms. Cook for about 3 to 5 minutes until the mushrooms begin to shrink, then add the garlic and thyme. Cook for an additional 30 seconds. Taste, and season with salt and pepper.1 pound baby bella mushrooms1 tablespoon garlic cloves2 teaspoon fresh thyme leavesSalt and pepper
- Add the rice, and cook until it begins to toast and make a crackling sound. Pour in the wine, and stir to combine. Cook until the wine evaporates from the pan, then add just enough broth to cover the rice. The broth should simmer but not boil. Stir frequently, and continue to cook until the rice is almost dry, about 10 minutes. Add additional broth to just cover the rice.1 ½ cups arborio rice½ cup dry white wine
- Continue adding just enough broth to cover the rice, stirring frequently, and allowing the broth to cook down an additional 1 to 2 times. The rice should still be slightly soft on the outside with a crunchy, undercooked interior.
- Add the frozen peas and more broth to cover the rice. Cook at a simmer for an additional 10 to 12 minutes stirring often. The rice will be almost cooked through but will still have a bite.1 cup frozen peas
- Add a little more broth, about 1 to 1 ½ cups, along with Parmesan cheese. Stir to combine, and taste. Season with salt and pepper.¾ cup parmesan cheese
- Serve hot with a salad and fresh bread.
Just made this with a healthy amount of pepper – very good! Pinterest can be very hit or miss but this one is a hit.
PS: it’s already vegetarian 🙂 I think you’re thinking of vegan!
Hi Rob! We’re glad this one turned out well. You’re right; it should say vegan. Thanks for letting us know. We’ll get it updated ASAP. We hope you have a lovely weekend! 🙂