This savory vegan risotto gets taste, texture, and nutrient density from the addition of sautéed, mixed mushrooms. It’s an elegant, impressive dish that’s surprisingly easy to make.

Risotto is one of those dishes that feels simultaneously elevated and comforting. It’s enough of a “special occasion” dish to make when friends come over, yet it’s also cozy and hearty.

Better still, it’s usually a one-pot meal.

This savory vegan risotto with mixed mushrooms has become my favorite homemade version of the dish.

Why mushrooms?

There’s nothing quite like mushrooms for savoriness and texture.

Mushrooms are famously a dietary source of free glutamate, the amino acid that contributes to umami, or savory flavor, in food.

They’re also great sources of B vitamins, fiber, potassium, and Vitamin D2, along with some plant protein.

The chewy, bouncy texture of mushrooms is often described as being “meaty.” Whether you see it that way or not, mushrooms do add texture contrast and heartiness to meals.

There are of course many types of mushrooms, and each variety has a texture of its own. I think that this risotto benefits from a few types of mushrooms and the assorted textures that they provide.

My favorite mushrooms to use in the recipe are thinly sliced shiitakes, diced portobello mushrooms, oyster mushrooms, trumpet mushrooms, and sliced button mushrooms.

Any combination of these will work, and all of these mushrooms are nutritious (yes, even the humble white button mushrooms).

An easier approach to risotto

Risotto is made when room temperature or warm liquid—usually broth or water—is added in incrementally to arborio rice over heat. As the rice absorbs the liquid, it takes on a lovely, creamy texture.

When I first tried to make risotto, I was prepared for drudgery. So many recipes emphasized how long the cooking time would be, how much stirring I’d need to do, how I couldn’t peel my eyes away from the stovetop for even a minute.

I think that the demands of risotto tend to be exaggerated. Yes, it’s a recipe that requires some patience. Frequent stirring is important.

But it’s OK to step away from your risotto for a moment or two while you take care of something else (maybe you throw together a green salad for the dinner table, or wash a few dishes).

You don’t have to stir risotto constantly, and actually, doing that can break the rice, which isn’t the goal.

Finally, it’s OK to add warm broth or water to your risotto by cup-and-a-half increments. Gradual incorporation of liquid is important, but you don’t have to work in tiny, half-cup additions.

A little less broth

One of the best risotto dishes that I’ve ever tasted is a meyer lemon risotto made with water, rather than broth.

The first time I tried this recipe, I was blown away by how vibrant its lemon flavor was. It was also impossibly light—a whole new take on risotto.

The chef, Jody Williams, devised the recipe without broth intentionally. A good broth will have flavor of its own, and while that might enhance some risotto dishes, it can also compete with other flavors—like the lemon that Williams wants to highlight.

I’m also convinced that broth can make risotto heavy; this is especially true if you use a very dark, heavily seasoned vegetable broth.

I take my cues from Williams in my own recipe, using a mixture of water and broth. The half-and-half approach means that broth adds flavor without weighing the risotto down.

How to make risotto vegan

I’ll always remember hearing Tom Colicchio declare on an early episode of Top Chef that risotto should always get most, if not all, of its creaminess from the rice, rather than added cream.

Arborio rice has a high starch content, which is why it does develops that creamy texture as you add liquid to it.

What this means for the plant-forward eater is that risotto has all of the makings of a “vegan as is” recipe—from the get-go, you have a main ingredient that develops creamy texture without dairy.

While many traditional risotto recipes call for the addition of butter or parmesan, it’s very possible to make risotto without either. Olive oil is a great fat source for the dish. 

And while you don’t have to substitute parmesan, I like adding some spoonfuls of my easy, savory, homemade vegan parmesan cheese to this version. 

Key ingredients

For a recipe that feels fancy, this one has a succinct ingredient list. Here are some of the primary ingredients you’ll need.

Broth

The broth that you do use (three cups total) can be vegetable, mushroom broth, or a vegan chicken-style or beef-style broth.

I prefer a chicken-style or beef-style broth here; vegetable broth can be earthy, and the mushrooms in the recipe are already earthy. Chicken-style or beef-style broth will keep things balanced.

Olive oil

Olive oil adds some richness to the risotto, and it also helps to carry flavor. I don’t recommend skipping the oil in this recipe.

If you don’t have olive oil, refined avocado oil can be a good substitute.

White wine

White wine adds acidity to risotto, and alcohol can also help to release flavor in cooking. The amount of white wine that I add isn’t a lot (one half liquid cup), and most of the alcohol should cook off.

However, it’s fine to make a version of the vegan risotto without the wine. I recommend using the same amount of broth to deglaze the deep skillet or pot that you cook the risotto in. At the end of cooking, you can add a small squeeze of lemon juice to help re-create the acidity that the wine offers.

Shallots and garlic

Shallots and garlic are the aromatic components in this vegan risotto. I love cooking with shallots because they’re small and easy to chop up quickly (albeit with a lot of tears along the way!).

I also love the mellowness of shallots in comparison to onions. I always keep shallots around—I use them in my simple, Champagne vinaigrette, if not in cooking—and I recommend using them here. A small, chopped onion can be substituted in a pinch.

Arborio rice

It’s possible to make risotto with long-grain or brown rice (or even with barley or farro), but it isn’t the same.

Long-grain or brown rice varieties have a lower starch content than arborio, which means they can’t become as creamy.

There’s a time and a place for non-traditional risotto, but my intention is for this vegan risotto to be classic and authentic. I recommend using arborio rice in the recipe for best results.

How to make vegan risotto with mixed mushrooms

Stirring can be the most annoying part of making risotto, or it can be the best part. When I make this vegan risotto, I roll up my sleeves and settle into the process. The stirring and patience can take on a soothing quality, especially after a hectic day.

Step 1: Warm the water and broth

Don’t skip this preparatory step! Using warm liquid helps the risotto to cook more quickly and efficiently. I keep my water and broth in a medium pot on the stovetop while I use another burner for the risotto itself.

Step 2: Sauté the mushrooms

To cook the mushrooms, add them to hot olive oil in a large, deep skillet or a heavy-bottomed pot. I recommend not stirring the mushrooms too much in the first five minutes of cooking, as this will help them to brown.

After ten minutes, the mushrooms will have reduced greatly in size. They’ll be browning nicely and tender, yet chewy.

Most of these mixed mushrooms will simmer with the rice as it cooks. A small portion of them should be removed before you add the rice; they can be used to top the risotto when you plate it.

Step 2: Add the alliums

Next, you’ll add a little extra olive oil to the skillet, followed by the chopped shallot and minced garlic. Allow the alliums to soften for about three minutes, stirring often.

Deglaze the pan with the white wine, if you’re using it. Continue to cook the shallots and garlic for another three minutes before adding the rice to your skillet or pot.

Step 3: Begin simmering and stirring

Now comes the best part—or at least, the most important part. Begin adding the warm liquid in one cup ladles to the rice, stirring as you go. When the rice absorbs nearly all of the liquid that you’ve added, it’s time to add another cup.

Continue this process, stirring as you go, for about thirty minutes, or until the rice is tender. The cooking time will depend somewhat on your texture preference; I like my rice to be softer, so my risotto takes 30-40 minutes. If you prefer your rice to be al dente, then you may need only 25-30 minutes.

At the end of cooking, the risotto should be loose enough that it can be easily spooned into a serving dish. It ought to spread on its own with some ease—in other words, it shouldn’t be gluey or sticky. If it is, add an extra ladle of broth.

Step 4: Serve

For serving, you can top the risotto with cashew parmesan (which is easy to make and super versatile) or a store-bought vegan parmesan. Fresh, chopped herbs and lemon zest make a nice topping as well.

And don’t forget to top your portions of plated risotto with some of the extra, sautéed mushrooms that you reserved.

Meal prep and storage

With storage, the vegan risotto will thicken up. I think risotto is at its most magical when it has just been cooked, but the denser texture of leftovers can be nice in their own way.

Your risotto will keep in an airtight container for up to four days. You can even freeze it for up to six weeks and defrost overnight before reheating.

A good risotto is one of those standby recipes that can be anything you want it to be: an extra-special weeknight supper, a treat for your family, a dish for entertaining, a comfort food meal during tough times.

This isn’t my first vegan risotto recipe, and it won’t be my last, but it’s certainly one of the most satisfying versions I’ve tried. I hope you’ll come to love it, too.

xo