Rug up with a bowl of cosy mushroom risotto in a garlic and white wine sauce with a hint of lemon. This is one pot, simple dinner perfection.

When you're looking for a warming and comforting dinner that is simple to prepare, risotto has to be up there. This version has just 10 ingredients, minimal chopping, and is ready in half an hour.

What Ingredients you need to make Mushroom risotto

Arborio rice (risotto rice) - this rice is a starchy version of normal rice and will create that lovely creamy sauce. Unlike regular rice, you shouldn't rinse arborio rice before cooking it, as you will rinse away the starch that makes the sauce creamy.
Mushrooms - You can use simple white cap mushrooms, or, because mushrooms are the hero of the dish, you should use your favourite type. The more interesting the better.
Green onion and garlic - aromatics will add flavour and depth to this yummy dinner.
White wine - a dry white wine will add a comforting flavour to this dinner that goes really well with the garlic, mushrooms, lemon and thyme. If you don't want to use white wine you can swap it for vegetable stock.
Butter - salted (almost always in my book), will give you a creamy base for your vegetables. You can swap this for olive oil if you can't eat butter.
Lemon - We add this to the butter, it will balance the creaminess and give your risotto an extra dimension of flavour.
Thyme - Dried thyme creates a warming flavour.
Stock - Use vegetable stock, or chicken stock if you are not vegetarian and prefer the flavour. Vegeta stock concentrate is a great option to always have on hand.
Parmesan - use a fine grater to grate this into fine dustings.

Mushroom Risotto in a casserole dish - stirring

Tips for the best Mushroom Risotto

There are a few simple things to keep in mind when making risotto that will take it from ordinary to amazing.

Coat all the arborio rice grains in the butter (or olive oil if you're using that) before you add any liquid. This will mean each grain has a buttery start and improves the texture of the dinner.
When adding stock, make sure that each cupful is absorbed before you add the next spoonful. The bad news is yes, this means you need to stand over the stove. The good news is that this process should only take 12-15 minutes.
After cooking the rice, place the lid on and rest off the heat for 10 minutes (or until just before serving). This will allow the rice to absorb all the remaining liquid and become fluffy.

What is the ratio of rice to stock in Mushroom Risotto?

When cooking on a stovetop you need about 1 cup rice to 4 cups liquid, this will allow for the evaporation that happens on the stove, and create a sauciness that you expect with risotto.

If cooking in the oven with a lid, change the ratio to 1 to 1.5 cups.

Top tip

If you have a wide pan (like a 28 cm braiser) your risotto will cook more quickly than a narrower pot, which will mean you can get it on the table faster.

Substitutions

Vegetarian - This recipe is vegetarian.
Dairy Free - Swap parmesan for shredded dairy free parmesan, and swap butter for olive oil.

Kid-Friendly Variations

This is perfect just as it is for kids. You can serve it to little kids without seasoning if you prefer.

Equipment

You will need a deep, lidded pan and a stovetop. I like a heavy cast-iron one.

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