A special occasion-worthy dish
This Risotto with Mushrooms and Peas balances rich and creamy Arborio rice with a full pound of perfectly browned, umami-rich cremini mushrooms and a verdant bite of sweetness from petit peas. A swirl of cream, a generous measure of parmesan, and rich browned shallots complete this special occasion-worthy dish.
What kind of rice do you use to make risotto?
Risotto is often made from Arborio rice, an Italian short-grain rice named for its namesake town in the Piedmont region. Though much of the Arborio rice you’ll find is imported, there are several areas of the US that grow it now too, making it easily accessible stateside. Arborio has a high starch content and when cooked, offers a firm, chewy, and creamy texture that is perfect for making risotto.
For this Risotto with Mushrooms and Peas recipe, Arborio rice is my most often used choice. However, if you are interested in a seriously bougie pot of risotto you can also track down Carnaroli rice, a medium-grained Italian rice that boasts an even higher starch content than Arborio and is more resistant to overcooking, or Vialone Nano, another medium-grained Italian rice that is highly absorbent, lending a silky smooth texture to risotto. If you’re interested in using these alternate Italian rice varieties, I’ve had good luck finding them at my local specialty market or you can easily find them online.
If you are unable to source Arborio (or it’s bougier counterparts), the best option is Japanese short-grain rice, or “sushi rice,” which offers a high starch content and firm texture. If using sushi rice, keep a close eye on it as it is more prone to overcooking than Arborio rice.
What kind of mushrooms should I use for risotto?
I prefer to use cremini mushrooms (also referred to as baby bella, baby portobello, or common brown) for this risotto recipe. With a lovely firm flesh and dark brown color, they are essentially a younger, smaller version of the portobello mushroom, but much easier to source in the average grocery store. You may also come across common white button mushrooms, which also belong to the same variety of table mushrooms, Agaricus bisporus, however, the white button mushroom is younger, softer, and less flavorful than their cremini or portobello counterparts.
Though I created this recipe with cremini mushrooms in mind, you are welcome to swap out other mushrooms as preferred or even use a mix of varieties. Some other mushroom varieties to consider are:
- Portobello
- Button
- Chanterelle
- Morel
- Hen of the Woods/Maitake
- Oyster
- King Trumpet/King Oyster
- Shiitake
- Porcini
How to cook mushrooms so they are tender and nicely browned
When cooking mushrooms, it’s important to remember that they are basically little sponges so you’ll want to limit the amount of water they come into contact with before hitting the pan. Many sources will tell you not to wash your mushrooms under running water, and instead use a damp paper towel to brush the dirt off, but sometimes the mushrooms are just too dirty to play that game and a quick rinse is “okay.” However, you’ll want to make sure that the mushrooms are as dry as possible before cooking otherwise you’ll risk a rubbery texture.
Another thing to keep in mind with mushrooms is they need their space. The most important rule for cooking mushrooms is simple: Do not crowd the pan with mushrooms or they will not brown properly. Read that again as many times as needed because it’s the one thing that I stress you don’t ignore.
Mushrooms will cook best when sliced evenly thick, then cooked in an even layer in an uncrowded pan (this means that for this recipe they will need to be done in several batches). Cook over medium-high heat undisturbed until brown on one side, about 3-5 minutes. Stir and cook another 3-5 minutes until evenly browned. Mushrooms release a lot of moisture so I suggest keeping the cooking fat/oil to a minimum. As the mushrooms disgorge liquid they will begin to look glossy. You’ll want to cook until all liquid has left the pan and they are nice and golden, then salt at the end and reserve to the side. Repeat with the remaining mushrooms until all are browned, seasoned, and reserved.
What tools do I need to make this recipe?
- A cutting board
- A chef’s knife
- A kitchen scale
- Measuring cups
- Measuring spoons
- A large saute pan or heavy-bottomed pot such as a Dutch oven
- A medium saucepot
- A ladle
- A wooden spoon or spatula
Are you looking to upgrade to your cooking tools or replenish your pantry? Check out my kitchen tools shop page and pantry staples shop page to find my must-have kitchen tools, pantry items, and other Whip & Wander favorites.
Looking for more dinner inspiration?
Love this recipe? Here are some additional dinner dishes that you might enjoy!
- Anchovy Chicken with Green Olives and Potatoes
- Shrimp in Romesco Sauce with White Beans
- Salmon with Adobo Sauce and Blackberry Cucumber Salsa
- Chicken Thighs in Orange Dijon Herb Sauce
- Roasted Salmon with Feta and Herbs
- Salmon with Whisky Cream Sauce and Cheddar Mashed Cauliflower
- Pasta with Olive Tapenade
- Golubtsi (Cabbage Rolls)
- Cauliflower Mac and Cheese with Kale and Sausage
A note for special diets
This Risotto with Mushrooms and Peas is friendly for gluten-free diets. I prefer to use chicken broth for this recipe, however, if you’d like to make this vegetarian you can swap out the chicken broth for vegetable broth to make this dish friendly for vegetarian diets.
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Risotto with Mushrooms and Peas
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Mains
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
This Risotto with Mushrooms and Peas balances rich and creamy Arborio rice with a full pound of perfectly browned, umami-rich cremini mushrooms and a verdant bite of sweetness from petit peas. A swirl of cream, a generous measure of parmesan, and rich browned shallots complete this special occasion-worthy dish.
Ingredients
For the mushrooms:
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 tbsp garlic-infused olive oil (may sub for 2 tbsp olive oil + 2 cloves minced garlic)
- 1 lb cremini mushrooms, cleaned and sliced evenly thick
- 1 tsp fresh thyme
- 1/2 tsp Kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp cracked black pepper
For the shallots:
- 3 shallots, peeled and sliced thinly
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter
For the risotto:
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 tbsp garlic-infused olive oil (may sub for 1 tbsp olive oil + 1 clove minced garlic)
- 300 g (about 1 1/2 cups) Arborio rice
- 40 oz (5 cups) chicken broth/stock (may sub for vegetable broth/stock if making vegetarian)
- 3 oz (about 6 tbsp) dry white wine (may sub for an equal measure of broth/stock)
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 264 g (about 2 cups) frozen petit peas
- 4 oz (about 1/2 cup) heavy cream
- 3 oz (about 1 cup) parmesan cheese, shredded or grated
- Kosher salt, as desired
- Optional: freshly chopped chives to finish
Instructions
For the mushrooms:
- Heat butter and oil in a large heavy-bottomed saute pan or dutch oven over medium-high heat until the butter is melted and hot. Add 1/3 – 1/2 of the mushrooms in an even layer. It’s essential for even browning that the mushrooms are not crowded, so use your best judgment on batch size based on the size of your pan. Cook undisturbed on one side, about 3-5 minutes until they begin to brown, then sprinkle with a pinch of the thyme and stir. As the mushrooms cook, they will disgorge liquid and begin to look glossy. Cook an additional 3-5 minutes until all liquid has left the pan and they are nice and golden, then add salt and pepper at the end and reserve to the side. Repeat with the remaining mushrooms until all batches are cooked and reserved to the side.
For the shallots:
I always cook these separately and reserve them to the side to serve on top for others as I do not tolerate onions very well myself. If this isn’t an issue for you, you can cook them into the risotto directly before adding the Arborio rice to cook.
- In a medium skillet, over medium heat melt the butter. Add the shallots and allow to cook, stirring occasionally until browned as desired, then reserve to the side.
For the risotto:
- In a medium saucepan, heat the chicken broth/stock over medium-high heat until it begins to simmer, then turn the heat to low to maintain it’s warmth.
- Continuing with the same pan you cooked the mushrooms in, lower the heat to medium and add the wine and lemon juice to deglaze the pan, scraping up any browned bits that may be lingering from the mushrooms. Allow the liquid to simmer and reduce by half, then add the Arborio rice and stir for 1-2 minutes, or until the rice begins to look translucent.
- Add about 8 oz (1 cup) of the hot chicken broth/stock (You can eyeball this with a large ladle). Stir often (but not constantly) until the liquid is mostly absorbed. Repeat ladling 8 oz (1 cup) of hot broth and stirring often until absorbed 2 more times, then add the frozen peas, stirring to combine. Repeat ladling 8 oz (1 cup) of hot broth and stirring often until absorbed a final 2 times. You will have added 8 oz ( 1 cup) of broth a total of 5 times. This step takes about 15-20 minutes but is essential to a superbly textured risotto.
- Once the final measure of broth has been mostly absorbed, add the heavy cream and stir to combine until warmed through. Then add the parmesan and stir to combine. Taste for salt and pepper and add as desired. I generally find that my chicken broth/stock and the combined parmesan have added the right amount of salt to the dish, but you may wish to finish with a measure of Kosher salt if your broth is on the less salty side.
- I prefer to stir in half of the mushrooms and reserve the other half for topping the risotto once it has been dished into bowls. Finish each bowl with an optional measure of fresh chopped chives and the reserved shallots.
Notes
Nutritional information on Whip & Wander is provided as a courtesy and is approximate only. We cannot guarantee the accuracy of the nutritional information given for any recipe on this site.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 portion
- Calories: 526
- Sugar: 10 g
- Sodium: 356 mg
- Fat: 28 g
- Saturated Fat: 14 g
- Carbohydrates: 53 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 17 g
- Cholesterol: 62 mg
Keywords: Risotto, Mushrooms, Arborio Rice
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