Mushroom Risotto
Good risotto isn’t thick like porridge, it flows: spooned onto a plate, it should slowly spread in a gentle wave. For deep mushroom flavour we add a handful of dried porcini and pour their soaking liquid into the stock. The rest is twenty minutes at the stove with a spoon in hand, and they’re worth every one.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 35 min
- Rest
- 20 min
- Total
- 1 h 10 min
- Servings
- 4
- Level
- Medium
- Per serving
- 540 kcal
Ingredients
-
What to use instead
For a strictly vegetarian risotto, choose a hard cheese made without animal rennet, as traditional Parmesan uses it.
Makes: 4 servings
Shopping list
The ingredients for the servings you chose — copy them or send them to a messenger. Tick what you already have at home: only the rest goes on the list.
Method
-
Step 1: Soak the porcini
Pour the boiling water over the porcini and leave for 20 minutes. Lift them out, squeeze and chop finely. Strain the liquid through a paper towel to catch any grit and add it to the stock. Keep the stock hot over low heat.
-
Step 2: Sear the mushrooms
Slice the fresh mushrooms. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a wide pot over high heat, add the mushrooms and leave them untouched for 2–3 minutes, then cook for another 4–5 minutes until golden. Add the porcini and thyme leaves, season with salt, cook for a minute and tip into a bowl.
-
Step 3: Soften the shallots
Lower the heat to medium, add the remaining oil and cook the finely chopped shallots and garlic for 3 minutes until soft and translucent.
-
Step 4: Toast the rice
Add the rice and stir for 2 minutes until the grains are hot and translucent at the edges. Don’t rinse risotto rice: the surface starch is what makes it creamy.
-
Step 5: Add the wine
Pour in the wine and stir for 1–2 minutes until almost fully absorbed.
-
Step 6: Add stock gradually
Add the hot stock a ladle at a time, stirring often, and add the next ladle when the last is almost absorbed. Return the mushrooms after 10 minutes. The rice takes 16–18 minutes in total: tender, with just a hint of bite in the centre.
-
Step 7: Check the texture
Finished risotto is loose: shake the pot and it should ripple like a wave. If it has tightened, add a little more stock; you may have 100–150 ml left over.
-
Step 8: Beat in butter and cheese
Take the pot off the heat, add the cold butter and Parmesan and beat vigorously for a minute until glossy and creamy. Season with pepper, cover for 2 minutes and serve scattered with parsley.
Tips & variations
-
Tip
Keep the stock hot: cold liquid stalls the cooking every time you add it and the rice cooks unevenly.
-
Swap
For a strictly vegetarian risotto, choose a hard cheese made without animal rennet, as traditional Parmesan uses it.
-
Variation
In spring, swap some of the button mushrooms for oyster mushrooms and stir in a handful of baby spinach at the end.
-
Storage
Risotto is best eaten straight away. Chill leftovers overnight, roll into balls, coat in breadcrumbs and fry for arancini.
Nutrition
| 1 serving | Whole dish 4 servings | |
|---|---|---|
| Energy | 540 kcal | 2,160 kcal |
| Protein | 15 g | 60 g |
| Fat | 20 g | 80 g |
| Carbohydrates | 68 g | 272 g |
Approximate values calculated from standard ingredient data.
Cooked it? Rate the recipe
No ratings yet — yours will be the first.
