Roasted Mushroom Risotto (Printable)

Creamy risotto with caramelized roasted mushrooms and Parmesan. A rich, savory Italian comfort dish that serves four.

# What You'll 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

# Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 425°F. Toss mushrooms with olive oil, sea salt, black pepper, and thyme. Spread on a baking sheet and roast for 20-25 minutes until golden and tender, stirring once halfway through.
02 - Heat butter and 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 the arborio rice and toast for 2 minutes, stirring constantly to coat with fat.
04 - Pour in the dry white wine, stirring continuously 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 fully absorbed before adding the next. Continue for 25-30 minutes until rice is creamy and al dente.
06 - Stir in the roasted mushrooms, grated Parmesan cheese, and fresh parsley. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed. Serve immediately, topped with extra Parmesan and reserved mushrooms.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The mushrooms develop a deep, caramelized sweetness in the oven that stirs straight risotto can never achieve.
  • It looks intimidating but the rhythm of stirring becomes almost meditative once you find your pace.
  • One pot feeds four people generously and tastes like you spent all day in an Italian kitchen.
  • Leftovers turn into crispy risotto cakes for breakfast, which might be better than the original.
02 -
  • Never rinse arborio rice before cooking, you need that surface starch to create the creamy texture.
  • If you stop stirring for too long the rice sticks and scorches on the bottom, ask me how I know.
  • The risotto should flow slowly off the spoon when it's done, not sit in a stiff mound on the plate.
  • Roasting the mushrooms separately keeps them firm and flavorful instead of rubbery and waterlogged.
03 -
  • Use a wide, shallow pan instead of a tall pot so the rice cooks evenly and you can see when it needs more broth.
  • Stir with a wooden spoon in a figure-eight pattern to keep the rice moving without crushing the grains.
  • Finish with an extra tablespoon of cold butter stirred in at the end for restaurant-level glossiness.
  • If the broth runs out before the rice is tender, switch to hot water, no one will ever know.
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