Roasted Mushroom Risotto (Printable)

Rich and creamy risotto featuring caramelized roasted mushrooms, arborio rice, and Parmesan for a deeply savory, comforting dish.

# What You Need:

→ Mushrooms

01 - 14 oz mixed mushrooms (cremini, shiitake, button), sliced
02 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
03 - 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
04 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
05 - 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves or 1 teaspoon dried thyme

→ Risotto

06 - 6 cups vegetable broth, kept warm
07 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
08 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
09 - 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
10 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
11 - 1.5 cups arborio rice
12 - 1/2 cup dry white wine
13 - 2 oz freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving
14 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
15 - Salt and pepper to taste

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 425°F. Toss sliced mushrooms with 2 tablespoons olive oil, salt, pepper, and thyme. Spread on a baking sheet and roast for 20-25 minutes until golden and tender, stirring once halfway through.
02 - Heat 2 tablespoons butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Add chopped onion and cook until soft and translucent, approximately 5 minutes.
03 - Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Stir in arborio rice and toast for 2 minutes, stirring constantly to coat each grain.
04 - Pour in dry white wine, stirring until almost completely absorbed by the rice.
05 - Add warm vegetable broth one ladleful at a time, stirring frequently and allowing each addition to be absorbed before adding the next. Continue for 25-30 minutes until rice is creamy and al dente.
06 - Stir in roasted mushrooms, Parmesan cheese, and parsley. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed.
07 - Serve immediately, topped with extra Parmesan and reserved mushroom slices.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Roasting the mushrooms separately means they get golden and concentrated instead of watery and gray.
  • The constant stirring becomes meditative, not tedious, especially with a glass of wine nearby.
  • It looks fancy but uses mostly pantry staples and whatever mushrooms are on sale.
  • Leftovers reheat surprisingly well with a splash of broth, which almost never happens with risotto.
02 -
  • Cold broth will shock the rice and make it cook unevenly, so keep your pot on low heat the whole time.
  • If you stop stirring for too long, the rice will stick and scorch on the bottom, leaving a bitter taste.
  • Adding all the broth at once turns this into soup, not risotto; patience is the secret ingredient.
  • The rice should still have a tiny firm center when you pull it off the heat, it will keep cooking as you stir in the cheese.
03 -
  • Use a wide, shallow pan instead of a tall pot so the liquid evaporates evenly and the rice cooks faster.
  • Grate your Parmesan right before stirring it in; it melts smoother and tastes sharper than anything from a bag.
  • If you are making this for a crowd, cook the risotto until it is almost done, spread it on a baking sheet to cool, then finish it in batches with a little extra broth.
  • Leftover risotto can be shaped into patties, chilled, and pan-fried in butter for crispy risotto cakes the next day.
Go back