Creamy Mushroom Risotto

This creamy mushroom risotto is a restaurant-quality dish you can easily make at home. Loaded with caramelised mushrooms, buttery arborio rice, and parmesan, it’s an elegant vegetarian starter or a comforting weeknight dinner — no fancy ingredients required.

Serves: 2 as a starter
Prep time: 10 mins
Cook time: 25–30 mins
Total time: 35–40 mins

This Italian-inspired mushroom risotto begins with slowly caramelised mushrooms, then layered with onions, garlic, white wine, and stock. Stirring the risotto rice releases its starch, creating that signature creamy texture — no cream needed. Finished with butter and parmesan, it’s rich, silky, and deeply satisfying.

Ingredients

For the risotto:

• 1 white onion, finely diced

• 3 garlic cloves, minced

• 180g arborio risotto rice

• 1 glass (100ml) dry white wine

• 500–700ml hot chicken stock (or vegetable stock)

• 70g unsalted butter, cubed

• 75–100g parmesan cheese, finely grated

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• Salt, to taste

For the mushrooms:

• 8–10 button mushrooms

• 1 tbsp butter

• Pinch of salt

Method

Prepare the Mushrooms
Set aside 2 nice mushrooms to slice thinly — these will be pan-fried at the end for garnish. Chop the rest into small chunks. In a pan over low heat, melt 1 tbsp butter and add the chopped mushrooms with a pinch of salt. Cook slowly for 10–15 minutes. First, they’ll release water — then they’ll begin to brown and smell amazing.

Sweat the Base
In a separate pot, heat the olive oil over low heat. Add onion and garlic with a pinch of salt. Cook gently for 5–7 minutes until soft but not coloured — this brings out the natural sweetness.

Toast the Rice
Add the arborio rice to the onion mix and stir to coat each grain in oil. Cook for 1–2 minutes, stirring, until the rice begins to gently sizzle and smell toasty.

Deglaze & Stir
Pour in the white wine and stir until it evaporates completely. Then begin adding the hot stock, 50ml at a time, stirring constantly. Allow each addition to be absorbed before adding more. This should take around 12–14 minutes.

Check for Doneness
Taste the rice — it should be tender with no chalky centre. If needed, continue cooking for another 2–3 minutes, adding more stock as required.

Finish the Risotto
Stir in your caramelised mushrooms, then remove the pot from heat. Add cubed butter first, stirring until melted, then fold in the parmesan. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.

Garnish & Serve
Pan-fry the reserved sliced mushrooms until golden. Spoon the risotto into shallow bowls and top with the mushrooms and an extra grating of parmesan.

Chef’s Tip
Keep your stock hot throughout — cold liquid slows down the cooking and affects texture. Constant stirring is key for creamy risotto without cream.

Enjoy – Del x

If you want to go one step further you can make your own Chicken Stock – see the recipe here!

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make this risotto vegetarian?
Yes — just use vegetable stock and a vegetarian hard cheese in place of parmesan.

What’s the best rice for risotto?
Arborio rice is traditional, but carnaroli or vialone nano also work well and offer even creamier results.

How do I store and reheat leftover risotto?
Keep leftovers in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat gently with a splash of hot stock or water to loosen.