Mushroom Risotto with White Wine Recipe
Risotto is a creamy Italian rice dish that requires a bit of patience, but rewards you with amazing flavor. The version with mushrooms and white wine is popular in northern Italy, especially in autumn. It’s something between an elegant dinner and a cozy, home-style meal.
Mushroom risotto with white wine is the essence of northern Italian cooking – creamy and velvety, yet with a noticeable bite to the rice. Mushrooms combined with wine and Parmesan create a deep, nutty, earthy umami flavor that evokes an autumn forest. It’s a dish that turns simple ingredients into the atmosphere of an elegant dinner without leaving home.
Chef's tips
Add the stock gradually, one ladle at a time, waiting until the rice has almost completely absorbed it – this way the grains release their starch and create a naturally creamy sauce. Don’t rinse the rice before cooking and don’t leave the risotto without stirring for more than a minute, as it easily sticks to the bottom. Take the pan off the heat while the centers of the grains are still slightly al dente, add the butter and cheese, cover for 2 minutes – this is the so-called mantecatura, which makes the difference between an “okay” result and a restaurant-quality risotto.
How to serve
Serve immediately after cooking, on slightly warmed plates, with a little freshly ground black pepper on top. The best pairing is the same white wine you used for cooking, for example a dry Pinot Grigio. It’s a great idea for a Friday night dinner for two when you want to make something special without turning the whole kitchen upside down.
Ingredients
- risotto rice (e.g. arborio, carnaroli) about 1.5 cups - 320 g
- fresh button mushrooms or mixed mushrooms can also use frozen wild mushrooms - 300 g
- vegetable or chicken stock hot, kept on a low simmer - 1 l
- dry white wine can be omitted and replaced with stock - 120 ml
- onion small - 1 piece
- butter divided into two parts - 40 g
- olive oil - 1 tablespoon
- grated Parmesan - 50 g
- fresh parsley chopped - 2 tablespoons
- salt to taste
- freshly ground black pepper to taste
Preparation
- Heat the stock in a small pot and keep it over very low heat – it should stay hot throughout the whole risotto cooking process.
- Clean the mushrooms and slice the larger ones. Finely chop the onion.
- In a large, wide pan or wide pot, heat half of the butter (20 g) with the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté for 3–4 minutes, stirring, until it softens and becomes slightly translucent.
- Add the mushrooms and cook for 6–8 minutes, until they release their liquid, then start to brown lightly and most of the moisture evaporates.
- Add the rice to the pan and cook for 2–3 minutes, stirring, until each grain is coated with fat and turns slightly glossy white.
- Pour in the white wine. Stir until almost completely evaporated – this should take 2–3 minutes.
- Start adding the hot stock, one ladleful at a time. Stir often but gently, keeping a light simmer. Add the next portion of stock only when the previous one has almost completely absorbed. Cooking should take 18–20 minutes.
- After about 15 minutes, taste the rice – it should be soft with a slight bite in the center. Once it reaches this texture, stop adding stock. The risotto should be creamy and slightly loose, not dry.
- Remove the pan from the heat. Add the remaining butter and grated Parmesan. Stir vigorously for 1–2 minutes until the risotto becomes very creamy. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Before serving, sprinkle the risotto with chopped parsley. Serve immediately while hot and still creamy.
Storage
Store leftover risotto in an airtight container in the fridge and use within 1–2 days. Reheat gently in a pan with a splash of stock or water, or form into patties and fry as suggested.
