Easy, Creamy, Vegetarian Mushroom Risotto

A luxuriously creamy risotto packed with golden mushrooms, bright lemon, and plenty of Parmesan.

by Samantha Tulett

Published March 9, 2026

RECIPE ↓

40 MINS

EASY

SERVES 4

About the Recipe

There are few dishes more comforting than a bowl of creamy mushroom risotto. Rich, savoury, and beautifully satisfying, this version celebrates mushrooms in all their earthy glory.

I love using a mix of mushrooms here. Shimeji and oyster mushrooms bring wonderful texture and flavour, but this risotto is just as delicious made with more widely available varieties like brown or portobello mushrooms. The key is simply using fresh mushrooms and cooking them until golden.

A quick microwave trick collapses the mushrooms before they hit the pan, allowing them to brown rather than soak up oil. The result is intensely flavoursome mushrooms folded through silky Arborio rice.

Finished with lemon zest, Parmesan, and a handful of fresh spinach, this risotto is rich yet vibrant, and surprisingly easy to make at home.

RECIPE

Easy, Creamy, Vegetarian Mushroom Risotto

by Samantha Tulett | City Slicker

COOK TIME

25 MINS

TOTAL TIME

40 MINS

INGREDIENTS

250 g mixed mushrooms, sliced (such as brown, portobello, shimeji or oyster)

2 tbsp unsalted butter

2 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for drizzling

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

2 shallots, finely chopped

1 cup Arborio rice

½ cup dry white wine

4 cups vegetable stock, kept warm on a low heat

1 cup Parmesan cheese, finely grated

Zest and juice of ½ lemon

1 cup spinach leaves

1 tsp fresh thyme leaves

Flaky sea salt

Freshly cracked black pepper

METHOD

Place the sliced mushrooms in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave on high for 3 minutes. This collapses the air pockets in the mushrooms so they brown beautifully rather than soaking up oil when cooked.

Drain the mushrooms, reserving the mushroom liquid. Add this liquid to the vegetable stock and keep the stock warm in a small pot over low heat on the stove.

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and cook until golden and tender. Season lightly with salt and pepper, then remove from the pan and set aside.

In the same pan, add the remaining olive oil and butter. Gently sauté the shallots and garlic until fragrant and translucent.

Add the Arborio rice and cook for 1–2 minutes, stirring so the grains become lightly toasted and coated in the butter.

Pour in the white wine and stir until it has mostly absorbed.

Add a ladle of the warm vegetable stock and stir frequently, allowing the liquid to absorb before adding the next ladle. Continue adding stock gradually and stirring until the rice is creamy and al dente, about 18–20 minutes. The risotto should flow slowly like a wave when the pan is shaken.

Stir through the cooked mushrooms, ¾ cup of the Parmesan, lemon zest, lemon juice, spinach, and thyme. Adjust seasoning with salt and freshly cracked black pepper.

Spoon the risotto onto plates, sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan, and finish with a drizzle of olive oil. Serve immediately.

Tips

Use a mix of mushrooms if you can. Different mushrooms bring different textures and flavours. Shimeji and oyster mushrooms add beautiful variety, but brown or portobello mushrooms alone will still make an excellent risotto.

Keep the stock warm. Warm stock absorbs more easily into the rice and keeps the risotto cooking evenly. Cold stock slows the cooking process and can make the texture uneven.

Don’t skip the mushroom microwave trick. This simple step collapses the air pockets inside the mushrooms so they brown beautifully instead of soaking up oil in the pan.

Stir, but don’t panic. Risotto benefits from frequent stirring to release starch from the rice, creating its signature creaminess. You don’t need to stir constantly, but keep the rice moving regularly.

Serve immediately. Risotto waits for no one. It should be silky and flowing when served, not thick and stodgy.