Name: Mushroom Risotto
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 12
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 onion finely diced; 4 Tablespoons butter; 1/2 cup dry white wine; 2 cups Arborio rice; 6-7 cups chicken stock; 1 teaspoon dry thyme; 1 sprig rosemary (optional); 1 pound mushrooms of your choice, sliced; 2 Tablespoons olive oil; 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese; 2 Tablespoons of butter for finishing; salt and pepper to taste; Black truffle salt if you have it, for finishing. (gilding the lily for sure, but why not?)

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Mushroom risotto takes a little time and a lot of stirring and it’s totally worth it. The results are creamy and flavorful. It’s a special side dish or make a meal of it!

plate with mushroom risotto, green beans and slices of ham

Mushroom risotto is the ultimate savory side dish. It is creamy, comforting and delicious. To do it properly, it takes some time and a lot of stirring but it is totally worth the effort. The results are definitely something special. You are going to want this at every special dinner from here on out.

My husband requested mushroom risotto a couple of days ago. He rarely requests anything, so I figured I better deliver.

I think he was just as interested in busting out the truffle salt as he was in the risotto. Either way, ask and you shall receive!

I don’t usually measure for risotto (or anything for that matter) but this is as close as it gets to a precise recipe. So I had to slow down and take notes for you so I could share the recipe. As always, you should adjust to your taste!

enameled cast iron pan with creamy rice and mushrooms in it... almost risotto

Tonight there was rosemary in the apple stuffed pork loin I made. So, I thought I would steep a little sprig of rosemary in the broth as it simmered. It’s easy to kill a dish with rosemary, so don’t go crazy, but I thought a little would be nice with the mushrooms and Parmesan.

bowl of mushroom risotto with container of truffle salt

Making risotto isn’t necessarily hard, but it does take some work. First you sweat the onion. Then you toast the arborio rice.

Next slowly add hot liquid and stir it to work out the starch. It’s almost like therapy and you can get lost in the process. I like to brown my mushrooms and stir them in at the end. Finish the whole thing with a bit of butter and cheese and you’re ready to go.

Go ahead and whip out the truffle salt if you have it. It’s the perfect finishing touch. If you love risotto but aren’t wild about mushrooms, you should try my butternut squash risotto. It is also amazing!

Tips and Tricks for Making Risotto:

Use a large pan with lots of surface area to conduct the heat from the stove. Plus you want plenty of room for stirring. If there are sloped sides and no corners for rice to get stuck in, all the better! (I love using a saucier or stir fry style pan)

Make sure your stock is hot. The heat and the stirring helps to get the starch developed into the creamy texture we know and love.

Don’t try to turn the heat up too high to make it go quicker. You are just risking scorching and ruining it!

Making the risotto should take about 20 minutes, maybe even a few minutes less. Just enjoy the process!

What is your favorite risotto flavor combination?

Yield: 12 Servings

Mushroom Risotto

Mushroom risotto takes a little time and a lot of stirring and it's totally worth it. The results are creamy and flavorful. It's a special side dish or make a meal of it!

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Total Time 40 minutes

Ingredients

1 onion finely diced
4 Tablespoons butter
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 cups Arborio rice
6-7 cups chicken stock
1 teaspoon dry thyme
1 sprig rosemary (optional)
1 pound mushrooms of your choice, sliced
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 Tablespoons of butter for finishing
salt and pepper to taste
Black truffle salt if you have it, for finishing. (gilding the lily for sure, but why not?)

Instructions

Saute mushrooms in olive oil until browned and set aside.
Put all of the stock into a saucepan and start to warm it. It doesn't have to come to a boil, but a nice simmer is good. Add thyme and a sprig of rosemary. You will not transfer the rosemary to the rice pot.
In a separate, heavy bottomed sauce pan, saute the onion in the butter. You don't really want it to take on color, just slowly get nice and soft.
Add the rice and toast. Again, you don't really want it to get much color. Just let it get fragrant and a bit translucent.
Add the wine if you are using.
One ladle full at a time, add the hot broth to the pan. Stir the rice until the broth is fully absorbed. Then add another ladle of broth. It takes a lot of time and stirring, but it is worth it. You want to get all of that starchy goodness to make a nice creamy "sauce."
Once all of the broth is added and the risotto is nice a creamy, add the mushrooms, the finishing butter and Parmesan. Season with salt and pepper to taste and devour!