Creamy Mushroom Risotto with Rosemary and Parmesan

This easy mushroom risotto is a simple, luxurious dish you can make at home with great results.

Earthy mushrooms, garlic, fragrant rosemary, shallots and Parmesan cheese combine for an umami-rich side or main that’s always a crowd-pleaser.

Finish with a splash of wine if you like for a classy touch. Risotto may seem intimidating, but it’s straightforward with a little patience.

Risotto is simple to prepare. Follow this easy mushroom risotto method and you’ll have a warm, comforting, creamy dish in under an hour.

Each time you make it you’ll gain confidence and a better feel for texture and timing.

Risotto is a creamy northern Italian classic: the rice releases starch as it cooks, creating a velvety sauce while the grains stay tender with a slight bite.

The dish reaches creaminess from the rice and broth interaction rather than added cream.

Mushrooms are a perfect match for risotto. They add deep savory flavor, and they bring nutrients like B vitamins and antioxidants.

This recipe highlights shallots, onion, garlic and rosemary for balanced aromatics, and it finishes with a generous handful of Parmesan for richness.

This Easy Mushroom Risotto Is:

• Creamy and velvety
• Easy and approachable
• Rich without being heavy
• Full of flavor and aromatic
• Nutrient-rich
• Comforting and widely appealing

Ingredients to Make Easy Mushroom Risotto

(For the full recipe, scroll down to the recipe card)

• Arborio rice (short-grain risotto rice is essential for the creamy texture; avoid long-grain rices such as basmati or jasmine).

Carnaroli and Vialone nano are other excellent risotto rices, though sometimes harder to find.

• Chicken broth (or vegetable broth for a vegetarian version)
• Olive oil (often used with butter; some cooks use oil only for seafood-based risottos)
• Butter (adds silkiness—especially good in vegetable risottos)
• Shallot (optional—adds delicate flavor; you can use onion instead)
• Onion (white or yellow, finely chopped)
• Mushrooms (baby bella, cremini, white button, or your favorite)
• Garlic (fresh minced is best)
• Rosemary (fresh minced rosemary brightens the dish)
• Parmesan cheese (add off heat for a silky finish)

How to Make Mushroom Risotto

(For the full recipe, scroll down to the recipe card)

1. Warm the broth and keep it hot over low heat so it’s ready to add.
2. Sauté shallot and onion in olive oil and some butter until softened.
3. Add mushrooms and garlic and cook until mushrooms release their juices.
4. Add the arborio rice and remaining butter, stirring to toast the rice about 1–2 minutes until edges look translucent.
5. Gradually add warm broth a ladle at a time (about 1/3 cup), stirring frequently and letting the liquid absorb before adding more. Continue until rice is al dente and the mixture is creamy.
6. Off the heat, stir in rosemary, freshly grated Parmesan, season with salt and pepper, then serve warm.

Do I have to use Arborio rice to make risotto?

Arborio is the common choice because it’s a short-grain Italian rice with high starch content that yields a creamy texture while staying intact during cooking.

Carnaroli and Vialone nano are excellent alternatives if you can source them; avoid long-grain varieties, which produce a pilaf rather than risotto.

What to eat with risotto?

Risotto pairs well with baked or pan-seared fish, roast chicken, steak, or garlic prawns. Served as a main, a simple green salad balances the richness.

Pro tips for perfect risotto

• Use warm broth. Keep it simmering so the pot temperature stays steady and absorption is even.
• Stir frequently, not constantly. Regular stirring helps release starch without cooling or over-aerating the rice.

Risotto’s creaminess comes from rice starch released when grains rub together while cooking. Stir often, but give your arm a break now and then.

• Cook at medium-high heat so the rice reaches the right texture; avoid very low heat or a rolling boil.
• Use a pot that’s not too wide so the rice can move and release starch evenly.
• Do not rinse the rice; rinsing removes the starch needed for creaminess.
• Toast the rice briefly—1–2 minutes—just until edges become translucent.