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My simple eight ingredient Creamy Mushroom Risotto is gonna shock all you rice lovers out there. The Arborio rice is a key component, but the process is equally important. So creamy and delicious!

We’re all about the risotto in our home. For something a little fancier (we call this “date night”), try my Shrimp Risotto with Bacon. Or for something with a springtime twist, try some Lemon Risotto with Peas! You can’t go wrong!

Mushroom Risotto

Risotto has always seemed like “fancy food” to me. You know, dishes that only Giada de Laurentiis would prepare. So when I ordered this Arborio Rice on Amazon LAST summer, I tucked it away in my pantry. Well, what can I say. I keep asking myself, “What took you so long to experience THIS?” So when I say try it, I mean TRY IT NOW.

Like right NOW. Don’t get the rice and let it sit in your pantry for almost a year!

Why We Love This Creamy Risotto:

Creamy – Obviously! This risotto is unbelievably creamy due to the slow cooking method.
Salty – The parmesan cheese gives this dish a nice salty taste. Not TOO much. Just right!
Loaded with Mushrooms – The mushrooms cook down a lot, but there are still plenty. And we LOVE mushrooms so it’s a good thing.

Side shot of a bowl of creamy mushroom risotto.

Ingredients needed for Creamy Mushroom Risotto:

There are only eight ingredients in my recipe (plus the salt and pepper). It’s not difficult to make, and you should totally try it.

Arborio Rice – I love ordering this because it can be difficult finding it in regular grocery stores.
Mushrooms – Use white sliced or Bella mushrooms. You can also buy whole mushrooms and slice them yourself.
Parmesan Cheese – For best results, buy a wedge of parmesan cheese at the deli counter and shred it yourself using a cheese grater.
Onion and Garlic – These two veggies add SO much flavor.
White Wine – Add a cup of white wine to the rice for more of an authentic risotto. Or just use all chicken broth.
Chicken Broth – This is added slowly to the rice, and is another flavor bomb. I use a lower-sodium version.
Olive Oil – Used to sauté, as usual.
Salt and Pepper – I always use kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.

The first time I made it, I only used one package of mushrooms. The second time I used two, which is now what I use all the time. We adore mushrooms at our house.

Overhead shot of a bowl of mushroom risotto, with a wedge of parmesan cheese.

How to make Creamy Mushroom Risotto:

Step 1
Brown the mushrooms. Begin by sautéing the mushrooms in olive oil. When done, remove the mushrooms to another dish.

A bowl of browned mushrooms with a spoon.

Step 2
Sauté the onion. Using same pan, sauté the onion in a little more olive oil until soft.

Step 3
Add garlic and Arborio Rice. Add the garlic and rice, and stir for about two minutes to slightly brown the rice.

Step 4
Incorporate wine. Add one cup of white wine, and cook until it is absorbed. If you don’t use wine, use chicken broth.

Step 5
Gradually add broth. Then add 1/2 cup of chicken broth at a time, waiting until each portion is absorbed before adding more. Season with salt and pepper.

Note: Add the broth slowly, and observe the risotto getting plump and creamy. Adding all the broth at once will give you a completely different consistency and very little creaminess.

A stockpot of sautéed risotto. — browning the risotto

A stock pot of the risotto cooking in broth. — browning the risotto

Step 6
Top with cheese. When all the broth is absorbed, add the freshly grated parmesan cheese and stir to combine.

Step 7
Serve. To serve, add the mushrooms back to the pot, and add a bit more parmesan cheese.

A stock pot of mushroom risotto, with mushrooms and parmesan cheese on top. — add the mushrooms and parmesan cheese

A stock pot of mushroom risotto. — add the mushrooms and parmesan cheese

What is Arborio Rice?

Arborio Rice is a variety of short-grained rice. It retains more of it’s natural starch content due to less milling (than ordinary long-grained rice). The slow cooking process (and the technique below) releases this starch, giving risotto it’s creamy consistency.

This creamy risotto, along with some shrimp and broccoli, has been our dinner two Fridays in a row. However, I could easily skip the shrimp and broccoli, and eat this as a main dish.

I’m currently dreaming up several other kinds of risotto. Broccoli Cheddar, Butternut Squash, Parmesan Bacon, and so on. Do you have a favorite? If so, please let me know in the comment section below.

Overhead shot of a bowl of creamy mushroom risotto, with a wooden spoon.

Kitchen Tools Used: (affiliate links)

xoxo ~Sue