Wild mushroom risotto is savory and memorable, even as a vegetarian meal. A variety of wild mushrooms provides a depth of flavor that's richly satisfying.
First, I'll share the recipe. Following that, I've reviewed the unique characteristics of different wild mushrooms you can use in this risotto. Pick any number that you can find at a farmers market, farm-share box, specialty grocery, or even Trader Joe's.
Lastly, I tested risotto cooking techniques - the traditional method, and a more modern hands-free approach. I found the traditional method to be more reliable and has a better texture - so keep reading to see the results.
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Recipe
Equipment
- 1 large skillet preferably stainless steel (not non-stick)
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoon butter or substitute olive oil
- 1 pound wild mushrooms shiitake, king oyster, maitake, and/or beech mushrooms
- ½ pound cremini mushrooms
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1 small yellow onion or 2 shallots
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 6 sprigs fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 ½ cups Arborio rice
- ⅔ cup dry white wine or sub with more broth
- 5 cups chicken broth warmed
- ½ cup parmesan cheese freshly grated, not canned
Garnish
- ¼ teaspoon finishing sea salt
- ½ teaspoon fresh cracked pepper
- fresh thyme or parsley
Instructions
Prepare mushrooms & aromatics
- Optional: set aside some mushroom slices for pan-frying (which will be added to the top of the risotto when serving)
- Dice mushrooms into ¼" pieces. They should blend into the risotto without their texture being very noticeable. Dice the shallots and garlic.
Cook mushrooms, etc
- Optional: add 2 tablespoon oil to a large skillet and pan-fry spare mushroom slices, flipping once until browned and the edges are crispy. Remove from pan and set aside on a paper towel lined plate. Sprinkle with salt while still hot.
- Add 2 tablespoon of butter to the skillet over medium heat. Add mushrooms and onions and cook until soft, golden, and aromatic. Add garlic and cook for 2 more minutes (adding it sooner will cause it to burn). Add in salt.
Make risotto
- Add 2 more tablespoon of butter to the pan (leaving the mushrooms and onions in there too). Once melted, add in the arborio rice and toast for 3-4 minutes (this adds flavor).
- Add wine (or sub with broth), scraping the pan with a wooden spatula to pick up all of the browned, flavorful bits. Add in thyme sprigs. Add in about ¾ cup of the broth (eyeball it, no need to be exact). Let it simmer, stirring often, until it's mostly absorbed.
- Repeat: add in broth, about ¾ cup at a time, stirring until it is absorbed. Continue until the risotto is al dente (soft but with a slight chewy bite). You may not use all of the broth, or you may use a little extra.
- Remove the woody thyme stems. Then stir in the cheese.
Serve
- Serve immediately, topped with fried mushrooms, fresh sea salt, and fresh cracked pepper.
Notes
Nutrition
Combining different mushrooms
The best mushroom risottos use a combination of different types of mushrooms. This adds depth of complexity to the dish. I use whatever wild mushrooms I'm able to find at the farmers market and mix in cremini for flavor (and affordability).
Here's what I used in this recipe:
- Shiitake - adds earthiness and umami
- King oyster - adds a ton of umami, and very subtle mushroom flavor
- Cremini - adds a typical mushroom flavor
- Maitake - fried or roasted for a crunchy, flavorful topping
Roast maitake mushrooms in the oven for a crispy topping. Follow the directions in the recipe below.
Wild mushroom varieties
Some wild mushrooms have very bold flavors (maitake, aka hen of the woods), while others are subtle in flavor but bursting with umami (king oyster). Each variety will add its own unique touch to the risotto.
I use the term, wild mushroom, loosely. Some people refer to them only for foraged mushrooms growing in the wild. Other people use the term to refer to any mushrooms that aren't as commonly available - which is how I'm using the term in this case.
Shiitake
Shiitake mushrooms are probably the easiest wild mushroom to find in a grocery store. I have even spotted them at Trader Joe's.
They are somewhat bland but packed with a savory, umami flavor. Use the caps as the stems are tough and woody. (You can reserve them to flavor a soup stock).
King oyster
King oyster mushrooms are subtle in flavor but the king of umami. They have triple the amount of umami as shiitakes (which are already high in umami compared to common mushrooms).
When cooked into a risotto, king oyster mushrooms will add a rich, savoriness without much mushroom flavor. It's best to pair these with a more flavorful mushroom, including cremini or portobello mushrooms.
Maitake (hen of the woods)
These are my favorite wild mushroom for their bold flavor and crispy texture when roasted. The frilly edges roast to a perfect crispness that also melts in your mouth.
Maitake mushrooms are very strongly flavored, making them perfect for a wild mushroom risotto. I actually like to pan-fry or roast them first, set them aside, and add to the top of the risotto when serving.
You can also roast them in the oven for a crispy topping.
These are much harder to find at grocery stores, but you should have luck at Asian markets, farmers markets, and farm-share boxes (CSAs).
Beech mushrooms
These cute little beech mushrooms are entirely edible, from cap to stem. They have a typical mushroom flavor, but on the lighter side. They have hints of an almond nuttiness when cooked.
They are often cooked whole to show off their shape. For this risotto, you can cook them whole, separately. Then stir some in at the end and add some to the top when serving.
These are easy to find at Asian markets and I've also seen them at Trader Joe's in the produce section.
Other mushroom varieties
I like to add in some common mushrooms for their affordability, flavor, and texture. Cremini and portobellos are both great.
- Cremini mushrooms are the small, brown typical mushrooms at any grocery store. They have a standard mushroom flavor and texture.
- Portobellos are the large mushroom caps at grocery stores. They have the same flavor as cremini, but stronger.
There are some wild mushrooms that can't be grown in a greenhouse or on a farm. At least not yet! If you get your hands on them, they would make an amazing addition to any wild mushroom risotto recipe.
- Morel: foraged in spring and as prized for its flavor as truffle mushrooms
- Porcini: foraged in fall (and spring in mild climates), they are boldly earthy (forest floor) with hints of nuttiness. Outside of their fresh season, you can often find them as a powder (which would be delicious added to a risotto).
- Truffles: considering these sell for $2,500 per pound (yep!), I doubt you have some on hand. But if you have a truffle salt or oil that you like, definitely use it for any wild mushroom risotto recipe you find yourself making.
A note on truffle flavored products: most of them don't use real truffles, but use a chemical that mimics the truffle flavor. If this offends your foodie senses, its fairly easy to seek out real truffle salt from specialty makers. If you find your truffle products don't use real truffles but you like the taste anyway, carry on!!
Wild mushroom salt & fancy cracked pepper
Salt and pepper are so commonly used, we don't give them the attention they sometimes deserve. In delicately flavored dishes, like a mushroom risotto, quality spices make a difference.
A good finishing salt and pepper make this dish restaurant-worthy. I use wild mushroom sea salt and late-harvest black peppercorns from Oaktown Spice Shop (they ship nationwide).
The wild mushroom sea salt tastes incredible. I use it on everything I possibly can, from a salty garlic bread to a buttery ravioli sauce. The late harvest peppercorns have more depth and a slight sweetness when compared to regular black pepper.
In general the spices from Oaktown Spice Shop are more flavorful than other brands I buy. I discovered the shop when I lived in Oakland, CA (I'm now in the Chicago area).
The quality and flavor was unmatched by other brand I'd purchased in the past. It's probably because they source quality spices and then grind them in-house in small batches.
This ensures they are fresh and flavorful when you buy them - even when you order online. Because yes, they ship across the US.
I receive no compensation for promoting these products (wouldn't that be nice, though?!). I just want to share a good product from a small business. (I even buy extras to add to hostess gift baskets when I attend dinner or cocktail parties).
How to cook risotto: 2 techniques
The traditional way to cook risotto is relatively easy, but requires a lot of hands-on time. After initially cooking onions and toasting the arborio rice, you add broth a little at a time, stirring often.
A modern, less hands-on approach has been gaining popularity. After the initial onion cooking and arborio rice toasting, all of the liquid is added at once. The pan is covered with a lid, and you let it simmer until the risotto absorbs the liquid - just like cooking regular rice.
Both methods take the same amount of time to cook. You're not saving time with the modern method, but you are freeing up your time to do something else.
Which method do I prefer?
I tested both methods of cooking risotto to compare the process and results. When setting up the test, I fully expected I'd end up adopting the modern, hands-free approach. But in the end, I actually still prefer to cook risotto with the traditional method.
Why? I think it's more reliable and turns out slightly better.
When cooking risotto with the traditional method, you add liquid a little at a time. Because of this, you can very easily gauge when the risotto is perfectly creamy.
The modern method leaves a lot of guesswork to how your pans and heat levels affect the absorption rates. It's easier to over- or under-cook the risotto.
Secondly, the texture with the traditional method was better. The modern method wasn't as creamy (it seemed a little more starchy or sticky). It was still delicious, and perfect for a Wednesday night meal, of course.
Overall, I didn't find the extra 15-20 minutes of free time worth it for most dinners. But if you want to try it, check out this article from Serious Eats for the science behind it, and this hands-off mushroom risotto recipe from Food Crumbles.
Traditional risotto method: tips
Traditional risotto recipes have a lot of steps that might seems unnecessary. Most are important, but some can actually be skipped.
Types of rice & toasting
The type of rice is actually key to making a creamy risotto. The specific amount and types of starch (amylopectin and amylose) contribute to the creamy texture, rather than fluffy or dense textures from other rice.
Arborio rice is the most commonly available option (at least in the US). It's what I use without fail. You can also use Carnaroli (higher in starch and firmer texture), Vialone Nano (can be easily over-cooked but absorbs more flavor).
Alternative grains can also be used for risotto, like farro or barley.
Toasting the rice adds flavor and it's worth the extra few minutes to do it. Some sources also claim it changes absorption rates and final texture.
Cooking with or without mushrooms
Some mushroom risotto recipes instruct you to first cook the mushrooms in the pan, removing them before cooking the risotto. Then they are added back in the finish the dish.
If you're cooking full mushroom slices, this is good advice. Otherwise, the mushroom texture will get soggy. However, if you used diced mushrooms, you can keep them in - which adds even more flavor to the risotto.
When I'm feeling fancy, I cook both diced and sliced mushrooms. I removed the sliced versions before cooking the risotto, but leaved the diced ones in.
Adding hot broth: unnecessary
Nearly every risotto recipe requires you to add hot broth to the pan (a little at at time). The argument is that cold broth slows down the cooking time and absorption rates too much.
It appears that advice might have carried over from 'the olden days' when using narrow, deep pots. However, most modern recipes use a metal large frying or sauteing pan. When adding a small amount of liquid to a hot, large surface area, it heats up - fast!
When I add room temperature broth (½-3/4 cup) to the hot pan, it comes to a boil in 5-10 seconds. Cold broth only takes slightly more time. I use a stainless steel All-Clad pan on an induction cooktop, but it works the same when I've cooked on gas too.
Over the dozens of times I've tested risotto cooking methods, I haven't noticed the broth temperature affecting the final product, or even the total cooking time.
Other recipes & resources
After sampling what felt like endless amounts of mushrooms from the farmers market, I came to appreciate the different flavors, textures, and uses for each variety.
I share those characteristics on each mushroom variety's page, along with recipes uniquely suited for them.
If you're looking for classic mushroom recipes that use cremini mushrooms, I've got you covered. Try my jägerschnitzel recipe (breaded pork chops with a mushroom gravy), or any other classic listed below.
For more risotto recipes, check out the recipes for scallops with corn risotto as well as asparagus risotto with ham.
If you're wondering what else is currently in season, check out my calendars to see what produce is in season each month (and coming up soon).
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