Recipe Review: Mushroom Risotto

Risotto is one of those dishes that I really love but only make once in a blue moon. So last weekend, when I got a sudden craving for risotto, I scoured the web for a good recipe. I eventually decided to go with a simple mushroom risotto. As I put together my shopping list, I couldn’t help but think back to my year abroad in Italy and the very first time I tasted risotto. I was hooked instantly, and blown away by how creamy and hearty it was. My host mom was an amazing cook, so I always looked forward to seeing what kind of magic she’d cook up for dinner each evening. In Italy, risotto is generally served as il primo, otherwise known as the first course of a meal. And as much as I love pasta, it was always a nice surprise when the day’s primo was risotto.

Making risotto isn’t difficult, it’s just not a “set it and forget it” type of affair. You have to continuously stir the rice while adding the broth a little at a time. Recipes from The New York Times never let me down, so I decided to go with their mushroom risotto recipe. I decided to ditch the peas, but other than that, I didn’t make very many changes to the recipe. I did, however, used dried thyme and parsley instead of fresh, only because I have tons of dried herbs in my cabinet. I also omitted the parmesan to make it dairy-free and vegan (I used vegetable stock, but you also have the option of using chicken stock). I decided to use four different types of mushrooms: baby bellas, shiitake, brown beech, and oyster. The risotto came out great and I had plenty of leftovers. You can find a snapshot of the recipe below along with photos of the process and the final results.

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Sauteing the mushrooms

Click here for the full recipe

Final results!