Creamy mushroom risotto is a rich, velvety Italian rice dish made by slowly ladling hot stock into toasted Arborio rice while stirring constantly, which draws out the natural starches to build a silky sauce without any heavy cream. Mixed mushrooms, garlic, parmesan, and a squeeze of fresh lemon finish it off into pure comfort in a bowl.
Welcome back to YumsJunction! Here we tell you how to make delicious and family-friendly recipes. Today we are making a dish that is pure comfort in a bowl.
Mushroom risotto is incredibly rich and creamy, packed with the earthiness of mixed mushrooms, cooked with good quality stock, and finished with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice and parmesan. The result is a delightfully tangy and velvety risotto that is seriously so good.
Now when making a risotto, you really need to take your time and show it a little bit of love. It is not something you can rush! But if you stay patient with the process, you will be rewarded with delicious, tender, and perfectly creamy risotto. It will be absolutely fantastic.
Table of Contents
Why You Will Love This Creamy Mushroom Risotto Recipe
- No heavy cream needed: The rich and velvety texture comes completely from the natural starches in the rice. It feels decadent but is not weighed down at all!
- It is easy to adapt: Whether you are cooking for meat eaters or vegetarians, it is incredibly simple to swap a few ingredients to suit everyone at the table.
- That fancy restaurant feel at home: There is something so special and comforting about a warm bowl of creamy mushroom risotto. It looks and tastes like a dish from a high-end Italian restaurant, but you can make it right in your own kitchen. Simple as that!
If you love rich, comforting Italian-inspired pasta and rice dishes, you are also going to want to try our Lentil Bolognese, a deeply savory, slow-cooked sauce that has that same cozy, restaurant-at-home energy.
What You Will Need
Special Equipment
- Large frying pan or Dutch oven (wide enough to give the rice room to cook evenly)
- Medium saucepan (to keep your stock hot on a separate burner)
- Ladle (for adding the stock)
The Ingredients
- 3 tbsp (42g) unsalted butter
- 1 tbsp (15ml) olive oil
- 1 medium onion, finely diced
- 14 oz (400g) mixed mushrooms, thickly sliced (cremini, shiitake, or your favorites)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 and 1/3 cups (300g) uncooked Arborio rice
- ½ cup plus 2 tbsp (150ml) dry white wine
- 5 cups (1.2 liters) hot chicken stock (or vegetable broth for a vegetarian version)
- Salt, to taste
- ½ tsp black pepper, plus extra for serving
- ¾ cup (75g) grated Parmesan cheese (or vegetarian Italian-style hard cheese), plus extra for serving
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice (a good squeeze)
- Optional for serving: fresh thyme or finely chopped parsley
Let’s Get Cooking
1. Heat the Butter and Oil
Add 3 tablespoons of unsalted butter and 1 tablespoon of olive oil to a large frying pan. Heat over medium heat until the butter melts.
2. Soften the Onion
Add the finely diced onion to the pan. Cook for about 3 minutes while stirring often until softened.
3. Fry the Mushrooms
Toss in the 14 oz (400g) of thickly sliced mixed mushrooms. Fry for about 4 to 5 minutes until softened. Note that this might seem like a lot of mushrooms at first, but they will cook down to about half their size!
4. Add the Garlic
Stir in the 2 cloves of minced garlic and cook for 1 further minute until fragrant.
5. Toast the Rice
Pour in the 1 and 1/3 cups (300g) of uncooked Arborio rice. Stir it all together for a minute or two so every single grain is completely coated in the beautiful flavors in the pan.
6. Deglaze with Wine
Add the ½ cup plus 2 tbsp (150ml) of white wine. Cook for about 2 to 3 minutes while stirring regularly until the wine is almost fully absorbed into the rice.
7. The Secret to Perfect Risotto (Take Your Time!)
The real magic of this creamy mushroom risotto recipe happens during the ladle and stir process. We are going to be using about 1.2 liters (5 cups) of hot chicken stock altogether, but you must add it just a splash or a ladle at a time. Stir the rice gently and allow the stock to fully absorb before you add the next ladle. This constant stirring is what coaxes the starches out of the Arborio rice, creating that beautiful signature creamy sauce. Just keep continuing that process until the rice is perfectly tender and slightly al dente. This should take about 17 to 20 minutes.
8. Season
Give the risotto a taste and add a little pinch of salt if needed. Add in the ½ teaspoon of black pepper and stir together.
9. Add the Cheesy Goodness
Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the ¾ cup (75g) of grated parmesan and a good squeeze (about 1 tablespoon) of fresh lemon juice. Stir vigorously until completely velvety and emulsified.
10. Serve
Dish up immediately! Top with extra grated parmesan, a crack of black pepper, and fresh herbs like thyme or parsley. Enjoy!
This creamy mushroom risotto is absolutely gorgeous served alongside a simple green salad or a warm slice of garlic bread. Our Creamy Garlic Pasta is another dish that shares this same rich, garlicky comfort-food energy if you want a pasta night variation for the week.
Vegetarian Variation
If you want to go full vegetarian with this dish, it is so easy to adapt! You can use a flavorful vegetable broth instead of chicken stock, and just swap out the traditional parmesan for a vegetarian Italian-style hard cheese (since authentic Parmigiano Reggiano contains animal rennet).
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FAQs
Do you need to wash risotto rice before cooking?
No, never wash risotto rice! Rinsing the rice actually washes away the surface starches. That natural starch is the absolute secret to binding the cooking liquids, butter, and cheese into the rich and creamy sauce that makes risotto so delicious.
How do you make risotto creamy without heavy cream?
Authentic creamy mushroom risotto actually gets all of its creaminess from the rice itself! By using a high-starch, short-grain rice like Arborio and slowly adding hot stock a ladle at a time while stirring frequently, you coax the starch out of the rice grains. This emulsifies with the stock and butter to create a velvety sauce. No heavy cream required.
What kind of mushrooms are best for mushroom risotto?
A mix of mushrooms will give you the best flavor profile. Classic cremini (baby bella) or standard button mushrooms make a great earthy base. If you want to mix it up, adding shiitake, oyster, or even a few rehydrated dried porcini mushrooms will give the dish a fantastic, deeply savory flavor.
Can I make this mushroom risotto vegetarian?
Yes, absolutely! It is incredibly easy to adapt. Simply swap the chicken stock for a good quality vegetable broth, and make sure to use a vegetarian Italian-style hard cheese instead of traditional Parmesan.
What goes well with mushroom risotto?
So many lovely things! A crisp green salad, roasted vegetables, or a piece of garlic bread all pair beautifully.
The Creamiest Mushroom Risotto Recipe (No Heavy Cream!)
Course: Main CourseCuisine: ItalianDifficulty: Intermediate4
servings15
minutes30
minutes450
kcal45
minutesA rich, velvety mushroom risotto made with a beautiful mix of mushrooms, slowly cooked Arborio rice, and finished with fresh lemon and parmesan for the ultimate comforting family-friendly dinner. No heavy cream needed!
Ingredients
- Equipment Needed:
Large frying pan or Dutch oven
Medium saucepan
Ladle
- Ingredients:
3 tbsp (42g) unsalted butter
1 tbsp (15ml) olive oil
1 medium onion, finely diced
14 oz (400g) mixed mushrooms, thickly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 and 1/3 cups (300g) uncooked Arborio rice
½ cup plus 2 tbsp (150ml) dry white wine
5 cups (1.2L) hot chicken stock (or vegetable broth)
Salt, to taste
½ tsp black pepper, plus extra for serving
¾ cup (75g) grated Parmesan cheese (or vegetarian Italian-style hard cheese)
1 tbsp (15ml) fresh lemon juice
Fresh herbs (thyme or parsley), for serving
Directions
- Heat the unsalted butter and olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat until melted.
- Add the diced onion and cook for 3 minutes, stirring often until soft.
- Stir in the sliced mushrooms and fry for 4 to 5 minutes until softened.
- Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Stir in the Arborio rice, ensuring every grain is coated in the oils and butter.
- Pour in the white wine and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring regularly until almost fully absorbed.
- Add the hot stock one ladleful at a time. Stir continuously and wait until the liquid is absorbed before adding the next ladle. Repeat for 17 to 20 minutes until the rice is tender but slightly al dente.
- Taste and season with a pinch of salt if needed, then stir in the black pepper.
- Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the grated parmesan and fresh lemon juice until the risotto is creamy and velvety.
- Serve immediately in warm bowls, topped with extra parmesan, black pepper, and fresh herbs.
Notes
- Never wash the rice: Rinsing Arborio rice removes the surface starches you absolutely need to create the naturally creamy sauce.
- Keep your stock hot: Keep your chicken or vegetable stock simmering in a separate pot on a neighboring burner. Adding cold stock drops the temperature and disrupts the cooking process.
- Vegetarian swap: Use vegetable broth instead of chicken stock, and swap the parmesan for a rennet-free vegetarian Italian-style hard cheese.
- Serving tip: Risotto waits for no one! It thickens quickly as it cools, so dish it up straight away for the best velvety texture.
