Wouldn’t this be amazing with chicken? I have you covered! Try Chicken Risotto with Mushrooms and Thyme! I wasn’t sure about risottos at first. They seemed a little tedious, and I wasn’t sure they were worth the effort. But travelling to Italy and tasting risotto made by the experts has convinced me. Risotto is now a comfort food for me. It’s what I make when I want a one-pan meal that won’t take a whole lot of time or effort. There is a small amount of technique that goes into making risotto right. But don’t worry, it doesn’t take long to get the hang of it!
How to make risotto creamy
The creaminess of risotto comes from using the right rice and the right technique. It doesn’t come from adding piles of cheese. First choose a proper risotto rice such as arborio and carnaroli. They have plenty of starch, which gets released into the risotto, making it creamy. Creamy risotto is a result of adding the stock slowly and allowing it to combine completely before adding more, while at the same time regularly stirring. Stirring while adding stock slowly releases the natural starch of the arborio rice and makes the risotto creamy. The friction of the rice pieces bumping into each other releases starch. Although pouring in all the stock at once may be tempting as a way of speeding up the recipe, it will not make for a great result. If all the liquid is added at once, the result will be more like a soup because the rice won’t have the chance to absorb it properly. Remember that risotto should be runny, not stodgy. If you spoon some onto your plate, it should ripple outwards, not hold its shape. So the real secret to making risotto creamy? A bit of patience! Don’t rush it, follow the steps, and you’ll have creamy, restaurant-quality risotto at home!
Roasted portobello mushrooms
We’ve added roasted portobello mushrooms to this recipe to bring beautiful umami flavour to the creaminess of the risotto. Roasting them first brings this out and lets the mushroom flavour come out in a surprising way. Roasting the mushrooms first does make cooking this recipe a little longer. But you will not regret it when you taste the result!
Serving suggestions
I’m a big fan of pairing a creamy dish like this mushroom risotto with something fresh and light. I tend to reach for a Caprese Salad as one that hits all those notes with the added benefit of being dead simple to prepare. My kids will insist that I add a warm, homemade Garlic Bread with plenty of herbs and finished with mozzarella. I’ve made mine in an air fryer, but an oven will do just fine.
Storage and leftovers
Mushroom risotto is a filling dish so a moderate amount can go a long way, which means its common to end up with leftovers. The good news is that it will keep very well in the fridge if covered well, preferably in an airtight container. Be sure you eat leftovers within 3-4 days. Although it an be reheated in a microwave, I prefer the stovetop. It might be a little thick, but just add a splash of water to loosen if needed.
More vegetarian risotto recipes
Truffle Risotto with Wild Mushrooms Spring Asparagus Risotto Saffron Risotto Butternut Squash Risotto with Sage and Goat Cheese
