Creamy Vegan Mushroom Risotto Recipe

Name: Creamy Vegan Mushroom Risotto
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 55 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 8 cup vegetable stock, boiling; 1 medium white onion, diced (2 cups, 250 g); 2 cloves garlic, minced (1 tbsp, 10 g); 1 sprig fresh thyme, leaves removed from stem (or 1 tsp dried); 2 tbsp olive oil (15 g, use vegetable stock for oil-free risotto); 3 cups button or cremini mushrooms, roughly chopped (300 g); 2 cups portobello mushrooms, gills removed, cut in half and finely chopped (150 g); 2 cup arborio rice (400 g); 2 tsp sea salt; 1 tbsp lemon zest; 1/4 cup chopped parsley (10 g); 1 tbsp vegan butter

posted: 04/01/24 by Deryn Macey Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links.

Jump to Recipe· 5 from 7 reviews

This creamy vegan mushroom risotto recipe is easy to make for a delicious meal that’s perfect for a mid-week dinner, date night or special occasion.

Overhead image of vegan mushroom topped with parsley in a bowl.

Table of Contents

About the Recipe

Mushroom risotto is a classic Italian dish traditionally made with butter, onion, white wine and parmesan cheese. This version is dairy-free and made without wine but it’s still creamy and satisfying!

While risotto is a bit more hands-on than cooking pasta or regular rice, there’s no need to be intimidated by it, it’s actually quite easy to make once you get the hang of it!

For your next family favourite, this Easy One Pot Vegan Lasagna Soup, Vegan One Pot Pasta with Kale and Mushroom, Easy Creamy Vegan Carbonara and Creamy Vegan Sun Dried Tomato Pasta are all wonderful too.

Recipe Highlights

Vegan, nut-free and gluten-free, can can be made oil-free.
The ultimate comfort food!
Ready in under 40 minutes.
It’s completely dairy-free yet still creamy and delicious.
Just a handful of basic ingredients.
Easy enough for everyday but elegant enough for special occasions too!
Delicious umami flavor and creamy consistency with bites of tender mushrooms.

Ingredients

Thyme: Fresh thyme is lovely but if you only have ground thyme that’s ok.
Olive Oil: Oil can be substituted with broth for oil-free risotto.
Onion: White onion, shallot or yellow onion work, or you can use 2 large leeks, cleaned and diced, for a variation.
Garlic: Use fresh garlic, not ground garlic powder.
Mushroom: The recipe calls for white mushrooms and portobellos but you can use any variety of mushroom. I would recommend using at least 2 different types of mushrooms for a variety of textures and flavours. Try cremini, shitake, oyster mushrooms, wild mushrooms, baby bellas or anything else you can find or enjoy!
Arborio Rice: Medium-grain arborio rice or carnaroli rice both work well in this recipe. I used arborio rice as it’s easier to find in grocery stores though if you can find carnaroli rice, it’s really nice for risotto.
Vegetable Broth: Any homemade or store-bough broth works, you can also use bouillon powder or cubes
Lemon: You’ll need a whole lemon to make lemon zest.
Vegan Butter: Adding butter at the end is optional but adds a creamy, decadent finish to the risotto.

This list is not complete. Please see the recipe card at the end of the post for the complete ingredient list with measurements and detailed instructions.

Variations

Add up to 1 cup fresh or frozen green peas to the finished risotto.
Omit the mushrooms for regular risotto.
Drizzle truffle oil over the final dish for truffle risotto.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1. Bring the vegetable stock to a boil in a large pot on the stovetop. Once it boils, lower the heat and keep the broth warm.

This is an important step as it’s important to use warm broth when we cook the rice.

Onion, thyme and garlic cooking in a pot on a small cooktop.

Step 2. In a separate saucepan or dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium-low heat.

Add the onions, garlic and thyme and cook for a few minutes until the onions are translucent and fragrant.

Cooked chopped mushrooms cooking in a skillet. Steam coming off skillet.

Step 3. Add the chopped mushrooms and cook for another 5 minutes.

The mushrooms will release liquid as they cook, keep cooking until they pan is nearly dry again.

Rice and mushrooms cooking in a small skillet on a cooktop.

Step 4. Add the rice to the pot and “toast” the rice for 1 minute by sautéing it in the pan.

This is an important step and enhances the flavour of the risotto by opening the pores of the rice.

Pouring hot stock into a skillet of rice cooking on a small cooktop.

Step 5. Slowly add the hot stock 1 cup at time, stirring with a wooden spoon as the rice absorbs the stock.

You don’t have to constantly stir the whole time but keep a close eye on it and give it a stir at least every 30 seconds.

Continue to add the stock 1 cup at a a time until all of the stock is incorporated and the rice is cooked. This still should take 25-30 minutes.

Large pot of creamy vegan mushroom risotto topped with butter. Some parsley is beside the pot.

Step 6. Season with salt and pepper and fold in the lemon zest and parsley.

Then, stir in the butter for a decadent, creamy finish.

Serve with more black pepper, parmesan of choice and another squeeze of lemon juice, if you like.

Close up of a bowl of vegan mushroom risotto topped with parsley.

Recipe FAQs

How long does mushroom risotto keep?

Mushroom risotto is best enjoyed hot right after cooking but leftovers can be stored in the fridge for up to 3-4 days in an airtight container.

Mushroom risotto is not ideal for freezing.

Can you reheat mushroom risotto?

To reheat leftover risotto, add it to saucepan and slowly heat stovetop, adding broth as needed until the rice has loosened and the risotto has heated through.

When does risotto look like it’s done?

The best way to tell if risotto is done is to taste it. Cooked risotto should be al dente – that is, fully cooked but still a bit firm and chewy to the bite.

When you run a wooden spoon through cooked risotto, it should be creamy but not overly thick. so that when you run a spoon through it, the risotto slowly flows back in to fill the space.

Expert Tips

Use Hot Broth: It’s important to follow the recipe and heat the broth separately. Adding hot broth to the rice ensures and even cooking time for the best risotto!
Add the Broth Slowly: Follow the recipe, slowly adding small amounts of broth as it continues to be absorbed by the rice. The is key for creamy risotto as it slowly brings out the starch in the rice for that ultra-creamy texture.
Cook Rice Al Dente: Cook the rice until it’s tender but still a bit chewy, rather than completely soft. If the rice is overcooked, the risotto will be mushy.
Cooking Time: Cooking times may vary depending on the rice, pot and stove used, as well as the temperature of the cooking liquid. Keep watching the pot for when the stock has been absorbed, continually slowly adding more until the rice is tender but still has some chewiness.

Spoon lifting a spoonful of vegan mushroom risotto out of a bowl.

Did you try this recipe? I’d love to hear about it! Scroll down to the comment section to leave a star rating and review.
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