Creamy Vegan Mushroom Risotto

Why You’ll Love This Vegan Mushroom Risotto Recipe

• You can taste the effort you put into it. Risotto is a dish that requires a lot of love, time and patience, it’s true. But, give it that, and it’ll reward you with the best rice dish you’ve ever had. My advice? Put a cooking show on, or some French music, and really get into it! You’ll have a blast, and in 40 minutes you’ll have an elegant dinner to enjoy for your efforts, too.
• The technique for vegan risotto is simple. First you’ll sauté the onions and garlic, and add rice. Then, add wine, and let it absorb. Next add warm broth, ladle by ladle, letting the rice absorb each addition before adding more. Finish with a dollop of high quality vegan butter, vegan Parmesan, and lemon juice. Stir, then finish. So, you’ll need to watch this meal, yes, but it doesn’t sound too difficult, right?
• It’s comfort food. It’s not as quick as spaghetti and meatballs, but this traditional risotto dish still counts as comfort food! A bowl of creamy rice will warm you up from the inside out, it’ll stick to your ribs, and the seasoning will cure all of your savory cravings. Promise.

Notes on Ingredients

Scroll down to the recipe card to find the ingredient quantities and recipe instructions.

For the Risotto

• Oil – Use the cooking oil of your choice! Olive oil, canola oil, avocado oil, etc.
• Rice – I generally stick to using arborio rice, but carnaroli rice will also work well.
• Onion – I like to slice up a white onion, but yellow onions are good too.
• Garlic – Minced or finely diced.
• Dry white wine – I used Sauvignon Blanc for this vegan mushroom risotto.
• Broth – Since it’s vegan risotto, we’ll obviously use vegetable broth. The amount used varies slightly depending on how creamy you want the risotto (see tips below).
• Seasoning – Use a mix of sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• Cheese – Gather up some vegan Parmesan cheese—it can be homemade or store-bought. (I used my homemade Parmesan, but Violife makes an amazing vegan parmesan cheese block.)
• Vegan butter – My favorite vegan butter is Miyokos.
• More seasoning/garnish – Lemon juice or lime juice.

For the Caramelized Mushrooms

• Mushrooms – Any kind—shiitake would be great here, but I used baby bella. Cleaned and sliced, stems removed.
• Vegan butter – Oil works as a substitute if you like.
• Garnish – Sea salt to taste.

How to Make Vegan Mushroom Risotto

• Warm the broth. Heat the vegetable broth in a small pan and set aside. Keep this warm so that it doesn’t reduce the heat of the risotto and mess with the texture of the dish.
• Sauté the onion. In a pan over medium high heat, heat the oil. Add the onion and garlic, stirring to combine. Reduce heat to medium and cook until the onions are translucent and the garlic is fragrant, about 5 minutes.
• Add the rice. Stir in the arborio rice. Allow the rice to toast for about 3 minutes, until the edges become slightly translucent. Add the white wine to deglaze the pan. Stir and allow the rice to absorb the wine.
• Combine with broth. When the wine is completely absorbed, add about a ladle or ¼ cup of the still warm vegetable broth. Swirl and allow the rice to absorb the broth completely. Repeat, ladle by ladle, until each is completely absorbed, stirring and swirling to help the rice absorb evenly.

• Taste test the rice. After about 12 minutes of cooking, taste your rice. Careful, it’s hot! From there, add ladle by ladle and when you reach 3 cups in, taste the rice after each ladle. You want your rice to be al dente.
• Season the rice. Turn off the heat. Add the sea salt, black pepper, vegan butter, vegan Parmesan, and the lemon or lime juice. Stir to combine completely and let it all absorb for about 3 minutes. Remove from the stove.

• Cook the mushrooms. In a pan over medium high heat, melt the vegan butter. Swirl around the pan. Add in the slices of mushroom, stirring to combine in the butter. Let the mushrooms sit for about 3-5 minutes until they begin to caramelize.
• Season the mushrooms. Flip and repeat for about 3-5 minutes until the other side is caramelized too. Season with sea salt.
• Serve and enjoy. You can stir the mushrooms in the risotto, or serve them on top of each individual bowl risotto. Serve immediately with additional vegan Parmesan cheese and mushrooms. Enjoy!

Tips for Success

• Don’t multi-task. You’re going to want to give this vegan mushroom risotto a lot of love and attention. Slow and steady wins the race here!
• How should I handle the heat while cooking? If your heat seems too high and every time the broth hits the pot it’s sizzling and evaporating, lower the heat slightly. You want it hot, but not so hot that the rice doesn’t cook properly. I found medium to be the best temperature for mine.
• How much broth to use. The first time I made this Mushroom Risotto I used 4 cups of broth. The second time I changed nothing ingredient-wise, and only used 3 ½ cups, and it came out creamier. I figure that’s because I really let the rice soak up the broth properly after each time.
• How to know when the risotto is done. Taste testing after 12 minutes of cooking and after that every few minutes will help you to know when your risotto is al dente and creamy.

What to Serve With Vegan Mushroom Risotto

• With extra Parmesan. Cook it into the risotto, and then sprinkle some extra on top! Cheesy, creamy rice is totally irresistible.
• With more vegetables. Don’t feel like you have to stick to just mushrooms here. Roasted (or steamed) asparagus is a welcome addition, as are broccoli or chopped peppers, etc.
• Alongside a protein-packed dinner. A great vegan option would be something like this Easy Baked Tofu or Vegan Chicken.

How to Store and Reheat Leftovers

If you have leftovers (that’s a big if, my friends), they can easily be stored in the fridge for 3-4 days in an airtight container.

The best way to reheat your vegan mushroom risotto is to put it back in a pan on the stovetop, add a little extra vegetable broth, and heat until it reaches the desired temperature.

More Vegan Side Dishes

• Vegan Biscuits
• The Best Cornbread
• Garlic Roasted Potatoes
• Mashed Cauliflower
• Grilled Maple Mustard Brussels Sprouts