This easy mushroom risotto delivers elegant flavor with minimal fuss.
I’ve cooked risotto for years and it remains one of my favorite dishes: refined, comforting, and surprisingly simple to prepare. This Easy Mushroom Risotto with Gorgonzola is the recipe I’m asked for most often. It’s a brilliant side for holiday meals, dinner parties, or any night you want something special.
Sometimes I make this risotto just for myself as a little indulgence — often followed by a scoop or two of ice cream. It reheats beautifully, so you can make extra and enjoy leftovers the next day.
I typically use a mix of cremini and shiitake mushrooms for depth of flavor, but any mushrooms you prefer will work. The dish is delicious without the Gorgonzola, but adding a bit of that tangy, creamy blue cheese takes the risotto to the next level, so I recommend including it if you can.
Risotto requires attention and stirring, which makes it a great communal dish when you’re hosting. If you’re entertaining, hand the spoon to a guest — they can stir while chatting, and you’ll still get to enjoy the company. It’s a simple way to involve friends without losing control of the kitchen.
Leftovers are not a problem: this risotto reheats smoothly and remains creamy. If you love it, double the recipe to make sure you have a generous portion saved for seconds.
Easy Mushroom Risotto with Gorgonzola
4-6 servings
5 minutes
30 minutes
35 minutes
This mushroom risotto is rich, creamy, and full of savory umami, finished with a touch of Gorgonzola for extra depth.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon ghee or canola oil
- 1 pound mushrooms, thickly sliced (a mix of shiitake and cremini works well)
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 12 ounces Arborio rice
- ½ cup dry white wine
- 1 32-ounce container low-sodium chicken stock, at room temperature
- ¼ cup heavy cream, at room temperature
- 2 tablespoons crumbled Gorgonzola, or to taste
Instructions
- Heat ghee or canola oil over medium-high heat in a large pan. Add the mushrooms and cook 4–5 minutes, until they release their liquid, the liquid evaporates, and the mushrooms are browned.
- Reduce the heat to medium. Add the onion and cook 4–5 minutes, until soft and translucent. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute more. Stir in the Arborio rice and cook 2–3 minutes until the grains look glossy and are well coated. Pour in the wine and stir until it has almost evaporated.
- Add one-third of the chicken stock and simmer gently, stirring until the liquid is mostly absorbed, about 5 minutes. Repeat with the second third of stock, stirring for about 5 minutes. Add the remaining stock and continue to stir until the rice is creamy and just tender, another 5 minutes or so. The risotto should still have a slight bite; add a splash of water if it needs more time to cook.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the heavy cream and Gorgonzola until the cheese melts and the risotto is creamy. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. If you like a stronger blue-cheese flavor, add a little more Gorgonzola. Garnish with shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano if desired.
Notes
Do not use olive oil for sautéing the mushrooms; it has a lower smoke point. Ghee or neutral oil works best for browning.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6
Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving:
Calories: 215
Total Fat: 9g
Saturated Fat: 4g
Trans Fat: 0g
Unsaturated Fat: 4g
Cholesterol: 19mg
Sodium: 388mg
Carbohydrates: 24g
Fiber: 2g
Sugar: 4g
Protein: 6g
Nutritional data provided by Nutritionix.