Creamy Portobello and Porcini Mushroom Risotto
This creamy porcini mushroom risotto gets big, earthy flavor from a quick homemade mushroom stock using dried porcinis and fresh portobellos. You'll also learn an easy trick for making risotto ahead—or how to reheat leftovers without losing that silky, just-made texture.
Servings 4
Ingredients
- 1 oz dried porcini mushrooms
- 3 cups water boiled
- 1 T olive oil
- 4 T butter divided
- 8 oz portobello mushrooms sliced into ⅓ or ¼, depending on size
- 1 shallot minced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 ½ cups vegetable stock heated in a saucepan separately over low
- 1 cup arborio rice can use carnaroli rice
- ½ c white wine
- 1 tsp salt more to taste
- 1 tsp pepper
- 1/2-1 cup Parmesan cheese
- fresh chopped parsley if desired for garnish
Instructions
Prep the porcinis
- Add porcinis to a 4 cup glass measuring cup or heat proof bowl. Pour over boiling water and reconstitute for 20 minutes. Set a fine mesh strainer over a bowl large enough to collect the liquid below. Pour the mushrooms into the strainer and use the back of a wooden spoon to gently press on the mushrooms, straining out any excess liquid, without "smooshing" them. Set the liquid aside.1 oz dried porcini mushrooms, 3 cups water
- Transfer the mushrooms to a couple of pieces of paper towel and cover with another. Roughly chop the porcinis.
Saute the mushrooms
- To a straight sided skillet with a lid, heat 1 Tablespoon of olive oil and 1 Tablespoon of butter over medium-high heat, until melted. Add in the sliced portobellos and chopped porcinis and saute, stirring so the mushrooms are coated with the butter and oil. Season with salt and pepper.Continue to saute until any water in the pan evaporates (about 5 minutes) and then another 2-3 minutes or so until you're left with beautiful golden mushrooms. Remove the mushrooms from the pan to a paper towel lined plate (just in case) and set aside.1 T olive oil, 4 T butter , 8 oz portobello mushrooms
Make the risotto
- Heat the stock in a medium saucepan over medium heat then lower to simmer. Add in enough reserved mushroom stock to make another 2 ½ cups (some of the water might have been absorbed by the mushrooms). You want the broth gently simmering,not boiling.2 ½ cups vegetable stock
- In a wide pan (with a lid) over medium heat, add 1 Tablespoon of butter and 1 Tablespoon of olive oil. Sauté the shallot for about 2-3 minutes. You don't want to brown the shallot, just cook until translucent. At this point, add in the garlic and quickly sauté for about 30 seconds or until you can smell it.1 shallot, 3 cloves garlic
- Pour in the rice and stir with a wooden spoon to toast, about 3-4 minutes. Watch your heat so the shallot and garlic don't brown too much.1 cup arborio rice
- Pour in white wine and stir the rice for 2 minutes until the pan is almost dry. Don't rush this part - lower the heat if the wine is cooking away too quickly.1/2 c white wine
Broth/stirring process
- Using a 4 oz. ladle (1/2 cup), add in 1 ladle of stock along with the salt and pepper. For the first few rounds of additions, stir pretty continuously with a wooden spoon, until the stock is absorbed by the rice and the pan is almost dry. This should take about 2-3 minutes per ladle of stock.The reason for all the to stirring is so the grains bump up against each other, and release more starch which helps makes the risotto creamy.1 tsp salt, 1 tsp pepper
- Repeat this process with each ladle of stock. When you get to about the 6th addition of stock, you don't need to stir as much. This is where I'll cover the pan for about 1 minutes to release some steam into the risotto before adding the next ladle full.
- Stop adding stock when you have about 1 cup of stock left in the warming saucepan. Reserve this stock for right before serving or if you're making the risotto ahead of time.Stir in the mushrooms until incorporated in the risotto.This whole process should take about 20 minutes.
Finishing
- Remove the risotto from the heat. Stir in the remaining 2 Tablespoons of butter and stir until melted. Stir in the remaining warmed stock if you're serving immediately. Taste for seasoning. Stir in the parmesan cheese until incorporated and correct for seasoning.1/2-1 cup Parmesan cheese, fresh chopped parsley
If making ahead
- You can keep the mushrooms separate from the risotto until the addition of the last cup. I have also sauteed them quickly right before adding them to the premade risotto. Totally up to you!After finishing risotto with butter per the above instruction, refrigerate the risotto in a airtight container. Right before serving, heat the remaining cup or so of stock (you might need a bit more). Add the risotto to a clean pan and gently warm over low-medium heat. (If you're worried about the risotto sticking to the pan, feel free to melt a little butter first or add in a touch of stock. Stir in warmed stock and finish with more parmesan and seasoning, if needed.
Notes
Make ahead
Reserve 1 cup of stock to add at the end either right before serving or to reheat/ make ahead.
For reheating leftovers
Heat risotto in a pan or skillet with a little stock to loosen up to your desired texture. Stir occasionally until warmed through and taste for seasoning.
