Vegan Mushroom Risotto Recipe | Easy + gluten-free | Two Spoons (2024)

Dec 4, 2019(Last updated Oct 18, 2023)by Hannah Sunderani

Vegan Mushroom Risotto

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Looking for a cozy dinner recipe to get you through these cold winter days? I’ve got you covered with this dreamy and Creamy Vegan Mushroom Risotto. With just 10 ingredients and under 40 minutes to make from start to finish, this risotto can be yours.

This recipe is so creamy and comforting. It’s simple enough to make for a mid-week dinner, yet decadent enough for entertaining. And vegan or not, everyone will love thissatiating bowl.

The risotto is rich, thick and creamy, with garlicky and cheesy flavour. Topped with pan-fried mushrooms cooked in balsamic vinegar really brings the umami to this dish.

Ya’ll know I love my cozy mushroom dishes, like my Creamy Vegan Mushroom Pasta, Mushroom Stroganoff and Cream of Mushroom Soup. Well, this mushroom risotto is equally as comforting.

All-in-all, this is an unforgettable recipe that you’ll have on repeat. Serve as your main dish, and watch it go down all too easy.

Featured Review

5 from 20 votes

“Such a simple and delicious recipe! Really makes cooking risotto a lot less intimidating, especially with the small number of ingredients this requires. ”-Glory

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Now, let me tell you how to make this Creamy Vegan Mushroom Risotto.

Vegan Mushroom Risotto Recipe | Easy + gluten-free | Two Spoons (1)

Vegan Mushroom Risotto Recipe

The ingredients

Vegan Mushroom Risotto Recipe | Easy + gluten-free | Two Spoons (2)

The ingredients for this recipe are simple and straight forward. And you might already have them in your pantry/fridge.

For this risotto you will need:

  • onion
  • garlic
  • coconut oil
  • sea salt
  • arborio rice
  • vegetable broth
  • nutritional yeast
  • mushrooms
  • balsamic vinegar
  • parsley, to sprinkle

As you can see, the ingredients are simple and straight forward. With nothing finicky or strange, which is why I have given it my skeptic stamp of approval.

What is nutritional yeast?

The only ingredient you might not be familiar with in this recipe is nutritional yeast. Now, if you’re new to vegan cooking than say hello to magical vegan staple!

Nutritional yeast is used a lot in vegan cooking to bring cheesy umami flavour to dishes. You can enjoy it sprinkled on popocorn and avocado toast, or use it to make veganAlfredo, Mac and cheese and cashew based cheeses. And of course, this vegan mushroom risotto.

Certainly, it’s a pantry must-have for a plant-based diet. But even the non-vegans can appreciate just how tasty this seasoning is. In fact, Bon Appetit coined nutritional yeast as “nature’s cheeto dust.”

In addition, we can feel good about adding nutritional yeast to our diet, because it’s really healthy. Turns out, nutritional yeast is given its name for the exact reason that it’s full of protein, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.

How to make mushroom risotto

Contrary to popular belief, making risotto is actually really easy and straight-forward!

This mushroom risotto begins by sautéing onion and garlic, then adding arborio rice and pouring in vegetable broth in batches as it thickens.

Really, it’s the fact that we need to stir the risotto often, and keep a close watch that’s the hardest part about making risotto. But really, that’s not a hard task to do.

As for the mushrooms, we will cook this in a separate skillet with a bit of oil, sea salt and balsamic. You can do this at the same time your rice is cooking. It’s easy to watch over the two, and stir as needed.

Vegan Mushroom Risotto Recipe | Easy + gluten-free | Two Spoons (3)

Watch the how-to video!

Tips for this recipe

In fact, my top trick to getting perfect risotto is to keep stirring!

Stirring the rice helps to release the starches, which results in a creamier risotto. If you don’t stir, the rice will likely become a thick solid mixture. And likely will bind to the bottom of the pot. We don’t want that!

So, if I can give you any advice for making this risotto, it’s to keep a close watch, and stir often.

As for what type of rice to use for making risotto? There are three types of recommended rice, and my favourite is arborio. It’s starchy and creamy, and relatively easy to find at most generic grocery stores. I also like to use it to make rice pudding.

Other recipes you might like

If you’re digging this recipe, you might also like these comforting dishes:

  • Stuffed Baked Potatoes with Mushroom and Spinach
  • Healthy Balsamic Mushrooms
  • Eggplant and Lentil Meatballs
Vegan Mushroom Risotto Recipe | Easy + gluten-free | Two Spoons (4)

So there we have it, a very simple Vegan Mushroom Risotto recipe that’s creamy, comforting and full of umami flavour. It’s easy to make, with just 10 ingredients and minimal effort.

Certainly, anyone can make this easy risotto. Enjoy as a comforting dinner recipe with your loved ones, or serve for a night of vegan entertaining. This recipe is sure to please all eaters.

And, if you do make this recipe please let me know in the comments below what you think! I love hearing from you. And of course, tag me on Instagram with the hashtag #twospoons. Nothing makes me happier than to see your recreations.

GF

Creamy Vegan Mushroom Risotto

5 from 20 votes

By Hannah Sunderani

This rich and creamy vegan risotto brings all the umami flavour. It’s simple enough to make for a mid-week dinner, yet decadent enough for entertaining.

Print RecipePin Recipe

Vegan Mushroom Risotto Recipe | Easy + gluten-free | Two Spoons (5)

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes minutes

Total Time 55 minutes minutes

Serves 6 people

Ingredients

For the risotto:

  • 2 tbsp coconut oil
  • 1 yellow onion finely chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic finely chopped
  • pinch sea salt
  • 1 1/2 cups arborio rice
  • 5 cups vegetable broth
  • 1/2 cup nutritional yeast
  • 1/3 cup parsley , chopped

For the balsamic mushrooms:

  • 2 tbsp coconut oil
  • 16 oz cremini mushrooms (2 boxes), sliced
  • pinch sea salt
  • 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

Instructions

  • Add the coconut oil to a large pot with the onion, garlic, and sea salt. Bring to medium heat and cook stirring often until softened, 10 minutes.

  • Pour in the arborio rice and toast until the grains become lightly perfumed, 2 to 3 minutes. Pour in the vegetable broth, starting with 2 cups, and adding more in splashes as it thickens. (I find 5 cups total to be the perfect amount!). Cook stirring often until the risotto is soft and pleasantly chewy, 20-30 minutes. Add the nutritional yeast and stir to combine.

  • While the risotto is cooking, make the Balsamic Mushrooms: Add the coconut oil to a large skillet with the sliced mushrooms and sea salt. Bring to medium heat. Cook the mushrooms until beautifully browned and the liquid is almost entirely reduced, 12 minutes. Then reduce heat to low and pour in the balsamic vinegar. Stir and cook for another 2-3 minutes.

  • Add the balsamic mushrooms to the cooked risotto. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and stir everything to combine. Serve the risotto in bowls.

Watch The Video

Notes

If you prefer to make this recipe a one-pot recipe: start by first cooking the balsamic mushrooms (Step 4) in the large pot. When ready, remove the mushrooms from the pot and set aside. Use the pot to cook the risotto as instructed in Step 1 and 2.

This method increases the cooking time as you’re not doing two things at once. But it makes for less clean up! The choice is yours 🙂

Recipe will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days. Store in an air-tight container. You can also freeze this recipe. Let thaw before reheating.

Approvals

Vegan Mushroom Risotto Recipe | Easy + gluten-free | Two Spoons (6)Vegan Mushroom Risotto Recipe | Easy + gluten-free | Two Spoons (7)Vegan Mushroom Risotto Recipe | Easy + gluten-free | Two Spoons (8)

Nutrition

Calories: 479kcal | Carbohydrates: 76g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 919mg | Potassium: 473mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 10g

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    Vegan Mushroom Risotto Recipe | Easy + gluten-free | Two Spoons (2024)

    FAQs

    What is a substitute for cream in risotto? ›

    Milk and butter

    A last-minute alternative if you're out of heavy cream and need it for a recipe is to combine milk and butter. It's an easy substitute that'll work for most recipes. The butter adds extra fat to the milk, making its fat percentage similar to that of heavy cream.

    Is risotto anti-inflammatory? ›

    All grains contain many anti-inflammatory compounds, B vitamins, protein and fibre. As risotto includes the main ingredient, rice, it also has some anti-inflammatory properties and various health benefits that help individuals maintain good health.

    Can risotto be gluten-free? ›

    Most experts claim that it's gluten-free, but there's always a chance that it contains gluten. While rice is 100 percent gluten-free, you can't always count on risotto being gluten-free. First, risotto is cooked in a broth. Broth can contain traces of gluten, often in the form of yeast extract.

    Is risotto ok for diabetics? ›

    One cup of arborio or risotto rice contains about 100 to 110 grams of carbohydrate to very little fat, the perfect amount to help you build muscle and stay insulin sensitive. So is risotto good for diabetics? Yes! But it's a great food for more than just managing diabetes and improving blood sugar control.

    How do restaurants make risotto so creamy? ›

    The technique of risotto is to slowly and gradually cook a starchy ingredient by adding liquid in small amounts and stirring. This technique's main purpose is to draw starch out of the main ingredient to give the dish a creamy texture.

    What can I use if I don't have cream for a recipe? ›

    Similarly to half-and-half, milk makes a good heavy cream substitute when it's combined with melted butter. Combine 3/4 cup milk and 1/4 cup melted butter for every cup of heavy cream. This mixture is not suitable for whipping. Best for: cooking and baking.

    Is risotto healthier than rice? ›

    Due to the higher fiber content in Arborio rice versus white rice, risotto will have more health benefits, including regulation of cholesterol and positive impacts on heart health.

    What are the disadvantages of risotto? ›

    Risotto contains carbohydrates, which are necessary to fuel the body. But, some recipes are high in saturated fat because of the cheese and butter that is used to prepare the dish. Risotto can also be high in sodium. Adding vegetables and a lean protein helps give risotto a more balanced nutritional profile.

    Does risotto spike blood sugar? ›

    Try practising portion control to 30-50 grams of risotto. Mushroom risotto is made of white rice, mushrooms, butter, broth, and cheese. White rice is a high glycemic index food, which is quickly absorbed into the bloodstream, rapidly increasing blood sugar levels.

    Can vegans eat risotto? ›

    Traditional risotto is made with parmesan cheese, chicken broth and sometimes cream which makes it very much not vegan friendly. This recipe uses vegetable broth, no cream and cashew parmesan to keep it completely dairy free and vegan friendly. If you are not vegan, try my gluten free parmesan risotto!

    Is oatmeal gluten-free? ›

    Yes, pure, uncontaminated oats are gluten-free. The U. S. Food and Drug Administration considers oats a gluten-free grain under its gluten-free labeling regulations and only requires that packaged products with oats as an ingredient contain less than 20 parts per million of gluten overall.

    What are the 5 worst foods for blood sugar? ›

    You limit dairy products, red meat, sweets, added sugars, sodium (salt), and highly processed foods. Some additional guidelines include focusing on seasonal produce and reading food labels to help you avoid added sodium and sugar.

    What is a healthy alternative to risotto? ›

    Farro, quinoa, couscous, oats—as long as it gets creamy after a while on the stove, it can be a great substitute for a risotto-like dish.

    What is the healthiest rice for diabetics? ›

    Wholegrain Basmati rice has the lowest GI (glycaemic index) of all rice types, which means once digested it releases its energy slowly keeping blood sugar levels more stable, which is a crucial part of diabetes management.

    Do you need cream for risotto? ›

    Risotto doesn't need heavy cream at all. In most recipes you should roast it with a stick of butter or /oil before gradually adding broth. At the end of cooking, take away the pot from the fire and do “mantecatura”. It means you can slowly add Parmesan or Pecorino *if the recipes requires* until it's creamy enough.

    Why add cream to risotto? ›

    Cream and extra butter for finishing – these are optional.

    The cream and butter adds extra richness for finishing (cream also makes risotto white). Still incredible without! I would choose cream over extra butter in this recipe.

    Does risotto traditionally have cream? ›

    Properly cooked risotto is rich and creamy, even if no cream is added, due to the starch in the grains. It has some resistance or bite (al dente) and separate grains. The traditional texture is fairly fluid, or all'onda ("wavy" or "flowing in waves").

    What gives risotto a creamy texture? ›

    Starch release into the medium during cooking is the crucial factor that will determine whether your risotto will come out creamy or not. Therefore, you need a rice that has lots of it, particularly the type of branched starch molecules known as amylopectin.

    References

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