10-Minute One-Pot Vegan Mushroom Risotto (2024)

FAQs

How much risotto is enough for 1 person? ›

As a general rule, 60g per person is perfect for a starter, light meal, or if you've bulked out the dish with other ingredients. For more generous portions, go with 75g each. Whatever type of risotto you're making, use piping hot stock – it means the grains will start to soften and cook straight away.

Never wash your rice beforehand as this removes the starch, which is what helps give risotto its smooth texture. Cook your risotto on a low, simmering heat and add the stock gradually, one ladle at a time. This gives the rice time to fully absorb the liquid and flavours. Rushing your risotto will only ruin its texture.

Like any other rice, risotto rice roughly doubles in size when cooked, so use that as a guide when deciding how much rice to cook. My go-to ratio is 1/4 cup dry rice per person for a main dish risotto served alongside a leafy salad.

Water instead of stock

It seems obvious to say it, but to prepare a good risotto you can simply use water. Of course, it needs to be boiled water because you can't add cold water to a risotto while cooking. It must also be salted to give flavor and sapidity.

Risotto for four people: 1.5 cups of rice, at least 4.5 cups of broth or a little over 1 liter. Risotto for six people: 2.5 cups of rice, 7.5 cups of broth, almost 2 liters.

Risotto is a grain–based meal, and combined with greens and protein, you'll get a complete and satiating meal.

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.

Use Salted Water Instead of Broth in Risotto

It's an ingenious tip on many levels.

When cooking risotto on a stovetop, you're required to periodically stir it to ensure it doesn't stick to the bottom of the pot. Some people, however, stir it too frequently. This adds air into the risotto, cooling it down and making it gluey.

I prefer the flavor of chicken broth or stock in risotto. If you're vegetarian, vegetable broth or stock will be just fine. I use regular broth for this recipe and not low-sodium, if you use low sodium just be sure to taste test and add more salt at the end as needed. Parmesan cheese.

How to tell if risotto is done? ›

Use your eyes and mouth to tell when the risotto is done.

First take a look at the pan. Is the risotto creamy but not thick, rolling back after the spoon is run through the pan? You're probably very close to done. Now take a bite — the rice should be mostly soft with a small bite on the softer side of al dente.

You can use lobster stock for a lobster risotto or mushroom stock for a mushroom risotto, but don't blindly use chicken stock or vegetable stock for every risotto you make. The rice has its own subtle flavor, which shouldn't be masked by a concentrated stock.

Remove the pan from the heat, add 1 knob of butter and the Parmesan, then stir well. Place a lid on the pan and allow to sit for 2 minutes – this is the most important part of making the perfect risotto, as this is when it becomes outrageously creamy and oozy like it should be.

Frequent stirring will ensure the rice is cooked evenly, but over-stirring will add too much air and cause the rice to cool. Over a medium-low flame to control cooking, continue adding stock in ½-1 cup increments until rice is al dente, about 15-20 minutes.

General tips for cooking Risotto

When planning a Risotto, allow about 4 ounces (⅓ cup / 115g) per person of uncooked rice if the Risotto is the meal; if it's a starter, allow about 2 oz (¼ cup / 50 g) uncooked rice per person.

A standard serving size for rice ranges between 1/2 cup and 1 cup per person. The precise amount may vary depending on the rice type being cooked, but generally, 1/2 cup to 1 cup of cooked rice per serving is appropriate.

Cooking Instructions

Instructions: 40 minsAllow 75g of rice per personPlace 75g of rice per person into a sieve and rinse well under cold running water. Add the rice to a large pan. Add a ladle of hot chicken or vegetable stock to the rice. Bring to the boil.