Emily Johnson
Mushroom risotto is a creamy Italian rice dish that is highly satisfying as a vegetarian main course. It is made with short-grain Arborio rice, which has a higher starch content, giving the risotto its signature creamy texture. The rice is cooked with aromatics like shallots, garlic, and thyme, as well as white wine, broth or vegetable stock, butter, and Parmesan cheese. The key ingredient is the mushroom, with wild mushrooms like chanterelle, cremini, shiitake, and oyster being popular choices. The mushrooms lend a meaty texture and depth of flavor to the dish, making it a hearty and flavorful vegetarian option.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Type of Dish | Main course |
| Cuisine | Italian |
| Diet | Vegetarian |
| Ingredients | Mushrooms, short-grain rice, white wine, broth, Parmesan cheese, butter, aromatics, thyme |
| Mushrooms | Cremini, Shiitake, Oyster, Chanterelle, Maitake, Morel, Porcini |
| Rice | Arborio, Carnaroli, Vialone Nano |
| Preparation Time | 20-30 minutes |
| Cooking Method | Stove, Pressure Cooker |
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What You'll Learn
Mushroom risotto ingredients
Mushroom risotto is a highly satisfying vegetarian main dish. It is creamy and cheesy, and can be paired with a green salad and a glass of white wine.
The key ingredients in mushroom risotto are:
- Mushrooms: Cremini, shiitake, and oyster mushrooms are easy to find and work well in the recipe. Harder-to-source mushrooms, such as chanterelle or maitake, can also be used. Using a combination of mushrooms will result in a more savory flavor and hearty texture.
- Rice: Arborio rice is the easiest risotto rice to find and will work great. Carnaroli rice is another option, but it is harder to find in the US. Arborio rice has a higher starch content than other kinds of rice, giving the risotto a creamy texture.
- White wine: Use a wine that is tasty enough to drink on its own.
- Broth: Vegetable broth can be used to make the dish vegetarian, or chicken broth can be used.
- Aromatics: Shallots, onions, or garlic can be used.
- Cheese: Parmesan or Pecorino Romano cheese. It is important to use freshly grated or high-quality aged cheese, as pre-shredded cheese has additives that prevent it from melting nicely.
- Butter: Butter is a must and should be used to coat every grain of rice.
- Thyme: Thyme and mushrooms are a classic combination, with thyme's earthy flavor bringing out the mushroom's woodsy goodness.
- Cream: Heavy cream can be added to make the risotto extra creamy.
Other optional ingredients include olive oil, lemon, soy sauce, and miso paste.
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How to make mushroom risotto
To make mushroom risotto, you'll need a few key ingredients: arborio rice, mushrooms, onion, chicken or vegetable stock, dry white wine, butter, and Parmesan cheese. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to make this delicious and creamy dish:
Start by preparing your ingredients. Chop your chosen mushrooms into thin slices or small pieces. You can use a variety of mushrooms like cremini, shiitake, or oyster mushrooms for a more complex flavor. Finely chop the onion and mince some garlic cloves.
Heat a medium-sized, heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Add a generous amount of butter and once it's melted, add the onions. Cook the onions until they become soft and translucent, then add the garlic. Be careful not to burn the garlic, as it can turn bitter. Stir in the mushrooms and cook until they release their liquid and start to brown. This should take about 5-7 minutes.
Next, you'll want to add the arborio rice to the pan. Stir it well to coat each grain with butter and cook for a couple of minutes until the rice is slightly toasted. Adding the rice to the pan before adding liquid is an important step in making risotto, as it releases the starch from the rice, giving your dish a creamy texture. Once the rice is coated and slightly toasted, pour in the dry white wine and stir well. The wine will add a depth of flavor and help deglaze the pan.
When most of the wine has been absorbed, start adding your hot stock, one ladle at a time. This is the most important part of making risotto: adding the stock gradually and allowing each addition to be absorbed before adding more. Stir frequently and when the rice looks almost dry, add another ladle of stock. Continue this process for about 20-25 minutes, until the rice is al dente (slightly firm to the bite).
When the rice is cooked, remove the pan from the heat and stir in some grated Parmesan cheese and a knob of butter. This will add a creamy, indulgent texture and flavor to your risotto. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve your mushroom risotto immediately. It's a comforting and savory dish, perfect for a cozy night in or as an impressive dinner party main course. Enjoy!
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The best types of mushrooms for risotto
Mushroom risotto is a delicious, creamy, vegetarian main dish. While you can use any type of mushroom, a combination of varieties will result in a more savoury flavour and hearty texture.
- Cremini mushrooms are a good base for your risotto. They are easy to find and affordable.
- Shiitake mushrooms are another readily available and budget-friendly option.
- Oyster mushrooms are a pricier option, but they add a unique flavour to the dish.
- Chanterelle mushrooms have a meaty, unique umami flavour and are abundant in late summer and early fall.
- Maitake mushrooms are harder to source and are on the pricier side, but they will add a lot of flavour to your risotto.
- Dried porcini mushrooms will add "oomph" to your risotto. You can also use the rehydrating liquid as part of the liquid for the risotto.
- White button and chestnut mushrooms are also good options.
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The best types of rice for risotto
The type of rice used in risotto is important as the creaminess of the dish comes from slowly drawing out the starch from the rice as it cooks. The best types of rice for risotto are those that are short- to medium-grain, plump, and have a high starch content.
Arborio rice is the most common type of rice used for risotto. It is grown across the United States and has a higher starch content compared to other types of rice, giving risotto its characteristic creaminess. Carnaroli rice is another variety that is commonly used. It is known for producing the creamiest risotto and is considered the "king" or "caviar" of risotto rice by chefs. Vialone Nano is harder to find outside of Italy but is the rice of choice in the Veneto region of Northern Italy. It is even smaller than Arborio rice and takes longer to cook. Baldo rice is a less well-known variety that maintains its texture during cooking and has a rich flavor.
While risotto can be made with any medium- or short-grain rice in a pinch, long-grain rice like basmati or jasmine should be avoided due to their low starch content.
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How to make mushroom risotto in a pressure cooker
Mushroom risotto is a creamy Italian rice dish that can be made in a vegetarian or meatless option. It is a combination of aromatics, short-grain rice, white wine, broth, Parmesan cheese, butter, and mushrooms scented with fresh thyme.
To make mushroom risotto in a pressure cooker, follow these steps:
Firstly, prepare the ingredients. You can use a variety of mushrooms, such as cremini, shiitake, oyster, or wild mushrooms like chanterelles. Choose a short-grain rice suitable for risotto, such as Arborio, Carnaroli, Vialone Nano, Baldo, or Violone Nano. You will also need aromatics like shallots, onions, or garlic, as well as thyme, butter, Parmesan cheese, and either vegetable or chicken broth.
Next, heat some butter or oil in your pressure cooker and add your chosen aromatics, cooking until fragrant and translucent. Then, add the mushrooms and cook until tender. You can also add some garlic, thyme, salt, and pepper at this stage, as well as a splash of white wine if desired.
Once the mushrooms are cooked, add the rice to the pressure cooker and stir to coat each grain with the butter or oil. Pour in the broth, ensuring you have enough to cover the rice by a few centimetres. You can also infuse the broth with dried mushrooms and mushroom trimmings beforehand for extra flavour.
Secure the lid on your pressure cooker and cook on high pressure for around 4-6 minutes. Once the time is up, release the pressure according to the manufacturer's instructions and remove the lid, tilting it away from you to allow the steam to escape.
Finally, stir in the Parmesan cheese, butter, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately, garnishing with additional thyme and Parmesan cheese if desired.
Using a pressure cooker, you can achieve perfectly cooked, creamy mushroom risotto in a fraction of the time it would take on the stovetop, without the constant stirring required by traditional methods.
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Frequently asked questions
Mushroom risotto is a creamy Italian rice dish that combines arborio rice, mushrooms, white wine, shallots, parmesan, and butter. It is a highly satisfying vegetarian main dish.
You can use any type of mushroom you like for mushroom risotto, but some popular options include cremini, shiitake, oyster, chanterelle, and maitake mushrooms. Using a combination of mushrooms will result in a more savoury flavour and hearty texture.
Arborio rice is the best type of rice to use for mushroom risotto as it has a higher starch content than other types of rice, giving the dish a creamy texture. Carnaroli rice is another short-grain variety that will also give your risotto a creamy, starchy texture.
