Mushroom Risotto Recipe
Simple authentic Mushroom Risotto with rosemary, garlic and frizzled leeks- a satisfying, elegant vegetarian dinner, perfect for special occasions, date night or entertaining.
How to Make the Best Mushroom Risotto
Few dishes combine comfort and elegance quite like a perfectly made mushroom risotto. This classic Italian recipe features tender arborio rice slowly cooked in savory broth until it reaches that ideal creamy consistency, studded with caramelized mushrooms and fragrant rosemary. It’s the kind of dish that feels special enough for a date night or dinner party, yet simple enough to master at home.
The secret to this risotto lies in the technique: toasting the rice, deglazing with wine, and patiently adding warm broth one ladle at a time. This gradual process releases the starches from the arborio rice, creating that luxuriously creamy texture without any cream. The mushrooms are cooked until golden and caramelized, then set aside so they maintain their texture when folded back in at the end.
Don’t skip the frizzled leeks on top—they add a beautiful crispy garnish that contrasts wonderfully with the creamy risotto below. A drizzle of truffle oil takes this dish from delicious to absolutely divine, making it worthy of any special occasion.
Mushroom Risotto
Simple authentic Mushroom Risotto with rosemary, garlic and frizzled leeks- a satisfying, elegant vegetarian dinner, perfect for special occasions, date night or entertaining.
Ingredients
Broth
Risotto
Instructions
Prepare the Broth and Vegetables
- Heat broth and water in a medium pot on the stove.
- Slice the leeks into thin half-moons, saving the leek tops to make frizzled leeks.
Cook the Mushrooms
- In a large skillet or dutch oven, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the sliced leeks, garlic, and mushrooms, season generously with salt and pepper, and saute, stirring until mushrooms release their liquid.
- Add the rosemary. Turn the heat up and caramelize the mushrooms a bit, cooking off their liquid.
- Set 2/3rds of the mushrooms aside on a plate.
Make the Risotto
- Lower heat to med-low and add the rice to the dutch oven, toasting the rice a bit, 2-3 minutes.
- Add the wine and scrape up any brown bits. Cook off all the wine.
- Ladle the warm broth into the rice one cup at a time, stirring, scraping up any sticking rice, and letting the rice absorb the broth before adding more. Increase heat to medium. This process will take about 20 minutes.
- If rice is sticking to the bottom of the pan, lower heat back down to med-low. While the rice is cooking make the frizzled leeks or leek oil.
Finish and Serve
- Once 4 cups of broth are absorbed and the rice is done (tender, creamy yet al dente at the very center, still holding its shape), stir in the mushrooms you set aside and the cheese.
- Taste and adjust salt and pepper to your liking. If you'd like a little acid, a tiny amount of lemon zest is nice here or a couple of drops of vinegar.
- If you want it a bit looser, stir in more broth.
- Divide among bowls and garnish with the frizzled leeks or leek oil. Feel free to drizzle with truffle oil, lemon zest, more parmesan, or even shaved truffle.
Notes
- Save the green tops of the leeks to make frizzled leeks for garnish.
- If you don't have wine, you can substitute with additional broth plus a splash of lemon juice.
- Parmesan is tangier than pecorino, so adjust according to your taste preference.
