White Wine Mushroom Risotto

This White Wine Mushroom Risotto is so creamy and dreamy! Made with Arborio rice, parmesan and thyme, this decadent meal will come together perfectly and is sure to satisfy.

Risotto is extremely versatile, and I could have made this risotto without mushrooms but I had some mushrooms in the fridge and decided to make an easy white wine mushroom risotto recipe!

Risotto is originally from Italy and is kind of like a rice pasta. While risotto appears to be creamy and potentially full of dairy, the only dairy in this recipe is the butter and parmesan cheese. The starch from the rice is what makes the risotto its classic, creamy texture! No heavy cream needed here!

Despite the lack of cream, this creamy risotto is still my favorite comfort food. 

• Mushrooms: You can use any kind of mushrooms that you prefer. I used baby bella mushrooms in this recipe.
• Onion: A small yellow or white onion would be great. You can also use shallots if you have those on hand!
• Olive Oil & Butter: The combination of olive oil & butter adds flavor and depth to the mushroom risotto.
• Thyme: You can use dried or fresh thyme here.
• Dry White Wine: Use a dry white wine like Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc. Since you are cooking with this wine, it doesn't have to be anything fancy. It should just be drinkable.
• Arborio Rice: You must use Arborio rice anytime you are making risotto, sometimes labeled as risotto rice. Unfortunately, you cannot use regular rice. Arborio rice is easy to find at your local super market.
• Chicken or Vegetable Broth: Chicken broth or vegetable broth will both work well in this recipe. I wouldn't recommend substituting with water.
• Grated Parmesan: I prefer freshly grated parmesan since it lasts longer and melts really easily. I buy a block of parmesan and I grate it myself. You can also use pre-grated parmesan here.

1. Sauté: Melt the butter and olive oil in a large sauté pan or dutch oven pot. Add the sliced mushrooms, diced onion and thyme and sauté until tender. Add a pinch of salt.
2. Warm the Broth: In another medium sized pot, warm up the chicken or vegetable broth.
3. Cook the Rice: Add the 2 cups Arborio rice to the pan and let the rice cook in the dry pan for about 2 minutes, until the rice is slightly translucent.
4. Add Wine: Add the wine and let it cook down, about 2 minutes.
5. Add Broth Little by Little: Add a ladle of broth (about ½ cup) to the rice and stir. Let the broth cook down and soak into the rice, then add another ladle and stir. Continue this process until the rice is tender, making sure that you are stirring constantly.
6. Serve & Enjoy: When almost ready, stir in the grated parmesan cheese. Taste for seasoning and add salt or freshly ground black pepper as desired. Serve hot and enjoy!

• Make sure you only add a ladle of broth at a time, or about ½ cup, to the risotto as it cooks. Adding too much at a time can cause mushy rice!
• Many recipes say to stir risotto constantly as you cook it, but give it some time in between stirs to cook. You want to stir it often, but not constantly. It is a fine balance to get the perfect risotto. If you stir too little, you'll notice that the broth sits on top of the rice and doesn't soak in and will therefore leave you with some uncooked rice. If you stir too much, it will take much longer to cook and might come out gluey!
• When cooking with white wine, choose a wine that is dry and not too overpowering. I would use a Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc. Steer clear of Chardonnay when cooking since the strong flavor will only get stronger when cooked down.
• If you prefer not to cook with wine, replace that with ½ cup of broth.