Wild Mushroom Risotto

This wild mushroom risotto from Giada de Laurentiis has intense mushroom flavor, thanks to the addition of both fresh mushrooms and dried porcini, along with plenty of Parmesan cheese.

Adapted from Giada de Laurentiis | Everyday Italian | Clarkson Potter, 2005

The secret to the intense mushroom flavor in this wild mushroom risotto recipe? Not only are mushrooms themselves part of the mix but the risotto is cooked with mushroom-flavored broth.

See, in order to use dried porcini mushrooms—or any dried mushrooms, for that matter—you have to reconstitute them by allowing them to sit in hot water for a few minutes, absorbing some of the water and plumping up. Then the mushrooms are ready to cook with and you have all this leftover flavorful liquid. By all means, take advantage of it.

Here, it works as a flavor booster to the chicken stock, but you can also use it as the base of a wonderful creamy mushroom soup or sauce.–Giada De Laurentiis

Why our testers loved this

Our testers loved that this classic risotto had “a rich taste from dried and fresh mushrooms” and a “high ratio of mushrooms to rice” which deliver plenty of earthy umami flavor.

Notes on ingredients

• Chicken stock–If you want to make this recipe vegetarian, substitute vegetable broth or stock.
• Button mushrooms–These should be easy to find at any supermarket, but feel free to use cremini mushrooms instead, if you prefer.
• Arborio rice–This is a short-grain rice that breaks down to yield the classic creamy texture that risotto is known for. Don’t rinse your rice before cooking as you want all of the starch to be incorporated into your dish.

How to make this recipe

1. Rehydrate the dried mushrooms. Bring the stock to a simmer, add the dried mushrooms and let them steep off the heat for 5 minutes. Remove the mushrooms, reserving the stock, and finely chop.
2. Sauté the vegetables. Cook the onions, mushrooms, and garlic in butter until tender. Stir in the rice, then add the wine and cook until it’s absorbed.
3. Cook the risotto. Adding a cup of broth at a time and stirring almost constantly, cook the rice until creamy and tender. Stir in the peas, if using.
4. Serve the risotto. Mix in the Parmesan and season to taste. Serve, topped with more Parmesan, if desired.

FAQs

Helpful tips

• Don’t throw out any leftover mushroom stock. It makes a wonderful addition to mushroom bolognese or wild mushroom stuffing, in place of regular chicken stock.
• Store leftovers in the fridge in a sealed container for up to 5 days. To reheat, bring 1/4 cup of stock or water to a boil and stir into the rice until loosened and warmed through.
• Use leftover risotto to make fried risotto balls (arancini).
• This recipe is suitable for a gluten-free diet. To make it vegetarian, use vegetable stock in place of chicken stock.

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