Creamy Mushroom Risotto
Silky, comforting risotto studded with glossy sautéed mushrooms, a splash of white wine and finished with butter and Parmesan for that irresistible 'mantecatura'. Classic Italian comfort — grown-up, elegant and very achievable at home.
This is the proper, no-cheats mushroom risotto — creamy, comforting and gloriously moreish. It’s the kind of dish Italians make with confidence and a patient wrist; the secret is hot stock, a little elbow grease and a crisp sear on the mushrooms.
Make it for a cosy dinner, a date night that looks impressive with minimal faff, or anytime you want something that tastes like you spent hours in the kitchen when you really didn’t. The trick is the final stir (mantecatura) — that sheen is everything.
Ingredients
- 320 g Arborio rice
- 400 g mixed mushrooms (cremini, chestnut, shiitake) — sliced into bite-sized pieces
- 30 g unsalted butter
- 30 ml olive oil — about 2 tbsp
- 1 small onion — about 100 g, finely diced
- 2 garlic cloves — finely minced
- 120 ml dry white wine
- 1.2 l vegetable stock (hot) — kept at a gentle simmer
- 60 g Parmesan (Parmigiano-Reggiano) — finely grated
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme — or 2 tsp leaves
- 30 ml flat-leaf parsley — finely chopped
- 5 ml sea salt — plus extra to taste
- black pepper — freshly ground, to taste
- 5 ml fresh lemon zest — optional, for brightness
- truffle oil — optional drizzle to finish
Equipment
- large heavy-based frying pan or sauté pan
- medium saucepan (for hot stock)
- ladle
- wooden spoon or spatula
- microplane or zester
- box grater
Instructions
Bring the vegetable stock to a gentle simmer in a medium saucepan and keep it over very low heat so it stays hot.
Heat 1 tbsp olive oil and 15 g butter in a large heavy-based frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the sliced mushrooms in a single layer (work in batches if necessary) and sauté without crowding until they are golden and their liquid has mostly evaporated, 8–10 minutes.
Season the mushrooms with a pinch of salt, remove from the pan and set aside on a warm plate.
Reduce the heat to medium, add the remaining 1 tbsp olive oil to the same pan (or use a clean saucepan), then add the finely diced onion. Sweat gently until translucent and soft, about 4–5 minutes. Add the garlic and thyme leaves and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
Add the Arborio rice to the onions and stir so every grain is coated in fat. Toast the rice for 1–2 minutes until the edges look translucent.
Pour in the white wine and stir until it has almost entirely evaporated, 1–2 minutes.
Begin adding the hot stock, one ladle (about 120 ml) at a time. Add stock so it just covers the rice, stir gently and continuously until mostly absorbed, then add the next ladle. Continue for 18–22 minutes until the rice is just cooked (al dente) and the risotto is creamy — the rice should have a slight bite in the centre.
When the rice is nearly done (after about 18 minutes and with a final ladle of stock just absorbed), fold in the sautéed mushrooms, the remaining 15 g butter and the grated Parmesan. Stir briskly for 1–2 minutes to emulsify the fats into the rice (mantecatura). Season with salt and plenty of black pepper. If using, stir in lemon zest.
Taste and adjust seasoning. Remove from heat, cover the pan and rest 2 minutes — the risotto will finish cooking and relax.
Serve immediately: spoon into warm bowls, finish with chopped parsley, extra grated Parmesan and a light drizzle of olive oil or truffle oil if using.
Tips
- Always keep the stock hot. Adding cold stock shocks the rice and slows cooking, resulting in a gluey texture.
- Cook mushrooms separately and in batches so they brown properly — crowded mushrooms steam, which waters down the risotto.
- Use fresh Parmesan and grate it finely; pre-grated cheese contains anti-caking agents and doesn’t melt as smoothly during mantecatura.
- If the risotto thickens too much while resting, stir in a splash of hot stock or warm water to loosen it before serving.
- Make ahead: cook the risotto to about 70–80% done, cool quickly, refrigerate. Reheat with hot stock, finishing with butter and cheese for service.
Substitutions
vegetable stock → chicken stock, same quantity
Stays closeArborio rice → Carnaroli rice, same quantity
Stays closeParmesan → Pecorino Romano, same quantity
Noticeably differentunsalted butter → extra-virgin olive oil, same quantity
Noticeably different
Nutrition
Per serving · estimated
- 510
- Calories
- 14 g
- Protein
- 66 g
- Carbs
- 18 g
- Fat
- 2 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
- Sugar
- 800 mg
- Sodium
FAQ
Can I make this vegan?
Yes — use vegetable stock, replace butter with extra olive oil and swap Parmesan for a vegan hard cheese or a tablespoon of nutritional yeast (texture and flavour will be slightly different).
How do I know when the rice is done?
Taste it: risotto should be al dente with a tiny white centre in the grain when bitten. The dish should be creamy and pourable, not dry or gluey.
Can I use dried mushrooms?
Yes — rehydrate in warm water, reserve the soaking liquid, strain it through a fine sieve and add to the stock for extra mushroom depth. Use about 50–70 g dried for this recipe.
Why is my risotto gummy?
Usually because the stock was cold, you stirred too aggressively, or you used the wrong rice type. Keep stock hot, stir gently, and use short-grain rice like Arborio/Carnaroli.
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