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This vegan mushroom risotto is what happens when Sunday din din decides to stomp outta the woods wearing a faux velvet romper. It's hyper-rich with porcini muskiness, plenty of herbs and white wine, and that slow-simmered creaminess a proper risotto needs, but without a speck of parmesan in sight. The simple roasted topping? Pure juicy mushroom gold. Ain't no leftovers hitting the fridge, trust!
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Now, I know what you're thinking, risotto can feel like a brat in the kitchen. Stir too little and it can cook unevenly or burn, stir too much and you've got a large pot full of useless clumpy wallpaper paste.
But like my pumpkin risotto recipe, this one's built different from many you'll find on the world wide web. And the treat is, you can pull it off without being super-skilled in the kitchen. For real, don't be scared even a little.
It's giving major Sunday dinner vibes, like my mushroom bourguignon, roasted mushroom soup, and vegan sausage rolls. The kind of wholesome meal that makes you wanna chill with your fam, laugh too loud, and pretend the dishes will wash themselves.
Grab your ladle, pour yourself a glass of something nice (for quality control, obvi), and let's make a healthier version of risotto that even nonna is going to want to cop from your recipe binder.
Delicious! Need I say more??
This was tried and tested by me on a non vegan friend who devoured it like she hadn't eaten in a week. It was especially good served with a green salad with a sharp dressing (I used a balsamic one) to counteract some of the richness.
Make this! You really won't believe you lived as long as you did without it.
Bonus - the leftovers, if you have any, taste great cold too.
Jump to:
🥰 Why you'll adore this plant-based mushroom risotto recipe
✊ Vegan AF & GF: Like all of my gluten-free vegan recipes, this one's proof that dairy who?? Get that stock that had a mom the heck out of here.
🔥 One-Pot Wonder: If you're lazy like my elderly Border Collie, Star, who sighs like a Shakespearean ghost after walking 10 steps, this recipe's your love language. One pan, one ladle, and just a little twirling of your wrist while the rice does its creamy thing.
🧂 Simple, Smart Ingredients: Everything in this recipe is easy to find at the grocery store, nothing too bougie. Arborio rice, dried & fresh mushrooms, herbs, and pantry staples already hanging out at home.
✅ Tested and Approved Worldwide: Like all my delicious vegan recipes, this one got passed around to hundreds of recipe testers across the globe who poked, stirred, and mayyyybe cursed at it before giving the official double thumbs-up.
I'm on my knees staring weirdly into your eyes, asking you in a soothing voice to be my taste-testing partner in crime. Sign up for the recipe testing crew and get early access to new recipes before they're published.
🍄🟫 Vegan Mushroom Risotto Ingredients
Arborio Rice
Arborio is the short grain rice that makes risotto, well… delicious risotto. It's loaded with starch which gives you that glossy, al dente texture. Don't dream of rinsing the starch off, as you do in other rice recipes, OK? Carnaroli or Vialone Nano work just as well if that's what floats your boat.
Dried Porcini Mushrooms
Porcini might be the muskiest, mushroomiest mushroom of them all. Got leftovers after making this and have no clue what to do with them? Chuck them into vegan meatballs, use them to make mushroom gravy, or toss them in my vegan cholent recipe.
White Wine
Choose a crisp wine like Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc. And before you go pouring, check it's actually vegan on barnivore.com (yeah, many wines get processed with stuff like fish guts 🤮). For an alcohol-free version of this recipe, use white grape juice, or just substitute with additional stock.
The Stock
Keep your stock warm so the rice cooks gently and stays creamy. Use mushroom stock for a deeper, earthy flavor, or veggie stock if you can't find or make the mushroom juice yourself. If your grocery store only has salted stock, chill a little on the salt you add.
To make your own, simmer mushrooms with onion, garlic, and herbs. Strain when the veggies are lifeless. This is a great place to use up stuff like shiitake stems (stash them in the freezer till you've got enough to make stock with).
Poultry Seasoning
No birds were harmed, chill, Felicia. It just got that name because people used to rub it on birds before realizing sage and thyme taste way better without the screaming. You can use Italian seasonings as a decent sub here. Got extra after making this? Toss it into my vegan sausage gravy, butternut squash mac n cheese, or vegan pot pie.
Tamari
I use tamari because my wife's gluten-free and I enjoy domestic peace (don't snitch on me, I'm watching you). It brings that salty, umami punch that makes the mushrooms taste extra roasted. If gluten doesn't scare you, regular soy sauce works just fine.
*See the recipe card at the bottom of the page for exact quantities, nutritional info, and detailed cooking directions.
🤯 Variations
White Wine Pumpkin Risotto
This pumpkin risotto will kick your door wearing a pumpkin crown and tell you who the king of fall dinner is. Arborio rice slowly soaks up pumpkin, garlic, and a reckless pour of white wine till it's creamy enough to make you cry happy tears.
Chicken of the Woods Risotto
In my part of NJ, the parks start offering up Chicken of the Woods every fall like some kind of vegan panic button. And no, it's not poultry, vegan Karen. It's a mushroom that tastes suspiciously like fried chicken when cooked right! Tear 'em, roast 'em, and toss them on top instead of store-bought mushrooms.
Grab my easy-yo-use app that builds your whole week with real, chef-tested vegan dinners in 30 seconds, customized to your budget, time, and taste, with a shopping list sorted by aisle.
📖 How to make Vegan Mushroom Risotto
Feelin' hangry enough to start gnawing on your screen? (Please don't, it's not gluten-free.) Fine, the quick version's waiting in the recipe card. But if you want the play-by-play, the step-by-step photos, and the part where I accidentally make it taste better than planned, hang out here m'dear mommy.
Step One
A More Perfect Onion:
Set the oven to 400°F (200°C) and line a baking pan with parchment paper. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, add the onion and sauté until lightly golden and fragrant.
Step Two
Grains Anatomy:
Add the garlic and arborio rice to the skillet. Stir for 2-3 minutes until the rice grains are lightly toasted.
Step Three
The Devil Wears Porcini:
Add the dried porcini mushrooms and pour in the white wine. Stir until most of the liquid has been absorbed.
Step Four
Ladle Gaga:
Reduce the heat to medium. Add the mushroom stock one ladle at a time, stirring frequently and waiting for each addition to be absorbed before adding more. Continue for about 20-22 minutes until the rice becomes creamy and fully cooked.
Step Five
Shroom With a View:
When the rice is tender and the texture is creamy, remove the skillet from the heat. Stir in the chopped rosemary, fresh parsley, and salt, adjusting the seasoning as needed.
Step Six
Rount Mushmore:
While the risotto cooks, combine the chopped mushrooms, poultry seasoning, tamari, and olive oil in a mixing bowl. Toss until evenly coated.
Step Seven
Mush'n Roulette:
Spread the seasoned mushrooms on the prepared baking pan and roast at 400°F (200°C) for 11-12 minutes, until tender and lightly browned.
Step Eight
Chive-y Winters:
Spoon that great risotto into bowls and top with the roasted mushrooms. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar and garnish with chives and fresh sage.
💡Serving Ideas
If this easy vegan mushroom risotto recipe is landing on your table, give it company that makes it stand out more than your uncle's goofy fish tie and ill-fitting toupee.
Maybe toss it next to balsamic Brussels sprouts and carrots that got a little too close to the broiler (we love a dark crisp moment). Roasted parsnips? Abso-freaking-lutely. They're the sweet, slightly unhinged side dish that brings balance to all that overwhelming umami explosion on your plate.
Diversify the textures of your meal with a gorgeous butternut squash salad. And if that still doesn't satisfy you even though your plate's technically overflowing rn, roasted cauliflower steaks or harissa carrots might just be a perfect round two, you little pot-licking goblin.
👉Top tips
- Easy Does It, Ladler: Add your stock slowly, one ladle at a time. This is how you coax that velvety magic out of the rice instead of ending up with thick old mushroom porridge.
- Gentle Hands, Creamy Rice: Stir often, not obsessively. Over-stirring or adding cold stock breaks the rice and makes it gluey, ew, instead of creamy. Remember to reach the bottom of the pot to avoid toasted bits clinging to the pan.
- Revive the Creaminess of Risotto: Risotto keeps slurping up liquid even after it's off the stove. Stir in a splash of warm stock or water before serving to bring back that perfect, creamy consistency. This shouldn't look like something you use to lay sidewalk pavers with.
🤷♀️ Recipe FAQs
Yasss! Just replace the wine with a bit of extra mushroom stock and a splash of lemon juice or white grape juice (or even apple cider) to keep that nice acidity balance.
Arborio is the classic choice because it releases starch that makes the perfect risotto creamy. Carnaroli or Vialone Nano also work if you want a slightly firmer texture.
Totally. Shiitake, maitake, or even wild mushrooms bring amazing flavor depth. Just avoid any kind of pickled or canned mushrooms-they are an abomination and make me want to barfffff. In all seriousness, you can also rock this nicely with lion's mane, which also make the loveliest vegan fajitas on Earth.
🧊 Refrigerating:
Transfer the cooled risotto into an airtight container and refrigerate it for up to 4 days. The rice will thicken as it chills, so expect it to firm up a little, totally normal.
🔥 Stovetop Reheating:
Add a splash of mushroom stock or water to loosen it up, then warm over medium heat for a couple of minutes, about 5 to 7, stirring often until hot and creamy again. Adjust seasoning if needed before serving.
Oh absolutely not, my friend. Eat it now, not on the next date night, and let the leftovers ascend to their rightful place: your stomach, not your freezer.
✌️You'll love these vegan Sunday dinner recipes too:
Mushroom Risotto Recipe
Ingredients
For the Rosemary Mushroom Risotto:
- 4 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 cup onion diced
- 1 tablespoon garlic minced
- 1 ½ cups arborio rice
- ⅓ cup dried porcini mushrooms
- 1 ¾ cups white wine
- 4 cups unsalted mushroom stock or vegetable stock
- 1 tablespoon rosemary chopped
- ¼ cup parsley chopped
- 1 ¼ teaspoons salt or to taste
For the Roasted Mushroom Topping:
- 16 oz. Cremini and/or oyster mushroom
- 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
- 1 tablespoon tamari or other soy sauce of your preference
- 4 teaspoons olive oil
Optional Garnishes:
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 2 tablespoons chives sliced thinly
- Fresh sage leaves
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C) and line a baking pan with parchment paper. Warm olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. After 90 seconds, when the oil is hot, add the onion and sauté until lightly golden and fragrant.
- Add the garlic and arborio rice to the skillet and sauté for 2-3 minutes to lightly toast the grains.
- Add the dried porcini mushrooms along with the white wine, stirring until the liquid is mostly absorbed.
- Lower the heat to medium, and gradually add the mushroom stock, one ladle at a time over the course of about 20 minutes, stirring frequently and allowing each addition to be absorbed before adding the next. Continue until the rice is creamy and cooked through.
- Once the rice is tender and there is body to the risotto, remove it from the heat and stir in the chopped rosemary, parsley, and salt, adjusting seasoning if necessary.
- While the risotto cooks, prepare the roasted mushroom topping. In a mixing bowl toss together the chopped mushrooms, poultry seasoning, tamari and olive oil.
- Transfer the seasoned mushrooms to the prepared baking pan and roast at 400°F (200°C) for 12-14 minutes until tender and lightly browned.
- Serve the risotto with the roasted mushrooms on top. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar and garnish with chives and fresh sage leaves.
Notes
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Sam Finlay says
Delicious! Need I say more??
This was tried and tested by me on a non vegan friend who devoured it like she hadn’t eaten in a week. It was especially good served with a green salad with a sharp dressing (I used a balsamic one) to counteract some of the richness.
Make this! You really won’t believe you lived as long as you did without it.
Bonus - the leftovers, if you have any, taste great cold too.
Elke says
If you make this for the mushroom lovers in your life, they will pledge undying devotion and probably follow you around asking when you’re gonna make this again. An unqualified banger. So so good!!
Marj says
OMG I'm so glaad I came across this risotto recipe! Thanks for sharing!