Creamy Mushroom Risotto

A easy Creamy Mushroom Risotto made with chanterelle and chestnut mushrooms, fresh thyme and parmesan cheese. This risotto is ultra comforting and great for busy weeknights. Autumn has arrived…

If there's something we love it's quick comfort food and this creamy mushroom risotto is that! We mean what better way to celebrate Autumn? good chanterelle and chestnut (crimini) mushrooms are mixed through mouthwatering silky arborio rice with mascarpone and parmesan. It's SO good!

Risotto is so simple to make and doesn't take long at all. It's a quick and cost-effective way to make a filling and satisfying meal on busy weeknights. We always have arborio rice in the cupboard and chicken stock either in the freezer or store cupboard so we can whip up a risotto any night of the week.

Tips To Remember When Making Risotto

• Always use either Arborio or Carnaroli rice for making risotto.
• Use homemade chicken stock preferably for the best flavour. If you don't have homemade stock then go for a good quality store bought option and try going for a low sodium brand so you have more control over the seasoning.
• Simmer the risotto slowly on a medium to slow heat, stirring often. Don't be tempted to speed things up and turn up the heat, the flavour won't be great and either will the texture.
• Use high-quality ingredients always. If food is simple you need quality.

How To Make Creamy Mushroom Risotto – Step By Step

Add olive oil in a large pan under a medium heat. Finely chop the onion and add to the pan, saute until the onions are translucent. Add the garlic, mushrooms and thyme leaves to the pan with the onions, fry for 2 minutes stirring occasionally (photos 1-3).

Add the arborio rice and stir until it has soaked up all the flavours and mixed thoroughly with the onions and mushrooms (photos 4 & 5).

Add around 2-3 ladles of chicken stock until the rice is covered and add a small pinch salt and pepper. Stir constantly until the rice starts to absorb the stock.

Continue adding one ladle of stock at a time allowing the rice to absorb the stock each time whilst constantly stirring. Continue until stock is used up, the rice should be perfectly cooked at this point (photo 7).

Turn off the heat and add around 2 tbsp parmesan, the mascarpone and any extra salt if needed. Stir everything together an serve in bowls (photos 8 & 9).

The End Result & Texture

We always make our risotto slightly sticky and creamy rather than loose. We much prefer it this way but if you want yours a little looser add a little extra water or stock until it's at the consistency you like.

What Mushrooms Can we Use?

You can also try using different varieties of mushrooms, chestnut (Crimini) and chanterelles are good and fairly easy to come across at most supermarkets or farm shops.

You could also use common white button mushrooms, portobello, porcini (<< good) or any other mushrooms you can easily find. Different varieties give all sorts of good, earthy and woody flavours so depending on the mushrooms you choose the end result will be different.

For an extra mushroom kick you could rehydrate dried porcini mushrooms by soaking them in a little warm water for 10 minutes, finely chop them and add them to the risotto along with the mushroom liquid.

Tip: be careful when pouring in the mushroom liquid as it tends to be gritty toward the end, you don't want that in your risotto.

More Mushroom Recipes You Might Like

• Mushroom Spinach Pasta
• Speck and Mushroom Pappardelle
• Cheesy Speck and Mushroom Pizza
• Parmesan Mushroom Toasts

Ingredients

Makes 6 people

• 14.1 oz (400g) arborio rice
• 4 cups (1 litre) litre chicken stock
• 3.5 oz (100g) chanterelle mushrooms (finely sliced)
• 3.5 oz (100g) chestnut mushrooms ((Crimini) finely sliced)
• 1 heaped tbsp mascarpone
• 1 tbsp fresh thyme
• 1 white onion (finely chopped)
• 2 cloves garlic (finely chopped)
• 2 tbsp parmesan (freshly grated)
• 2-3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 pinch salt and pepper

Method

1. Put the chicken stock in a pot under a medium heat.

2. Add 2 tbsp olive oil in a large pan under a medium heat. Finely chop the onion and add to the pan, saute until the onions are translucent. Add the garlic, mushrooms and thyme leaves to the pan with the onions, fry for 2 minutes stirring occasionally.

3. Add the arborio rice and stir until it has soaked up all the flavours and mixed thoroughly with the onions and mushrooms.

4. Add around 2-3 ladles of chicken stock until the rice is covered and add a small pinch salt and pepper. Stir constantly until the rice starts to absorb the stock.

5. Continue adding one ladle of stock at a time allowing the rice to absorb the stock each time whilst constantly stirring. Continue until stock is used up, the rice should be perfectly cooked at this point, if not you can add an extra 100ml (1/3 cup) of water or stock.

6. Turn off the heat and add 2 tbsp parmesan, the mascarpone and any extra salt if needed. Stir everything together an serve in bowls.

Kitchen notes

What Mushrooms Can we Use?

• You can also try using different varieties of mushrooms, chestnut (Crimini) and chanterelles are good and fairly easy to come across at most supermarkets or farm shops.
• You could also use common white button mushrooms, portobello, porcini (<< good) or any other mushrooms you can easily find. Different varieties give all sorts of good, earthy and woody flavours so depending on the mushrooms you choose the end result will be different.
• For an extra mushroom kick you could rehydrate dried porcini mushrooms by soaking them in a little warm water for 10 minutes, finely chop them and add them to the risotto along with the mushroom liquid.
• Tip: be careful when pouring in the mushroom liquid as it tends to be gritty toward the end, you don't want that in your risotto.

Extra Tips To Remember When Making Risotto

• Always use either Arborio or Carnaroli rice for making risotto.
• Use homemade chicken stock preferably for the best flavour. If you don't have homemade stock then go for a good quality store bought option and try going for a low sodium brand so you have more control over the seasoning.
• Simmer the risotto slowly on a medium to slow heat, stirring often. Don't be tempted to speed things up and turn up the heat, the flavour won't be great and either will the texture.
• Use high-quality ingredients always. If food is simple you need quality.

• We always make our risotto slightly sticky and creamy rather than loose. We much prefer it this way but if you want yours a little looser add a little extra water or stock until it's at the consistency you like.