Wild Mushroom Risotto with Roasted Garlic
This creamy risotto is loaded with seared wild mushrooms and stirred through with caramelized roasted garlic paste and freshly grated Parmesan. It takes patience but the result is a restaurant-quality bowl you can make entirely at home!
Servings: 6 servings
Equipment
- Ladle
Ingredients
For the Roasted Garlic:
- 2 whole heads of garlic
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- Pinch of salt
For the Wild Mushrooms:
- 1 lb mixed wild mushrooms cremini, shiitake, oyster, and porcini, sliced
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 4 garlic cloves thinly sliced
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
For the Risotto:
- 2 cups arborio rice RiceSelect brand
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 6 cups warm chicken or vegetable broth kept at a gentle simmer in a separate pot
- 1/2 white onion finely diced
- 4 garlic cloves finely minced
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan plus more for serving
- ½ tsp salt plus more to taste
- ½ tsp black pepper
For Serving:
- Fresh thyme leaves
- Freshly cracked black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Slice the tops off both heads of garlic to expose the cloves. Drizzle generously with olive oil and a pinch of salt, wrap tightly in foil, and roast for 40–45 minutes until completely soft, deeply golden, and caramelized all the way through. Squeeze the roasted garlic out of the skins into a small bowl and mash into a smooth paste with a fork. Set aside.
- Heat the butter and olive oil together in a large skillet over high heat until screaming hot. Add the mushrooms in a single layer. Do not overcrowd the pan or they will steam instead of sear.
- Cook undisturbed for 3–4 minutes until golden and caramelized on the bottom. Toss and cook for another 2–3 minutes until every piece is deeply browned all over. Add the sliced garlic and fresh thyme and cook 1 minute more until fragrant. Season with salt and black pepper and set aside.
- Heat the olive oil and 2 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the diced onion and cook 4–5 minutes until completely softened and translucent. Add the minced garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add the Arborio rice and toast, stirring constantly, for 2–3 minutes until every grain is coated in the butter and oil.
- Pour in the white wine and stir constantly until completely absorbed, about 2 minutes. The wine will deglaze the bottom of the pot.
- Begin adding the warm broth one ladleful at a time, stirring constantly and waiting until each addition is almost completely absorbed before adding the next. Keep the heat at a steady medium simmer throughout. Continue adding broth and stirring for 20–22 minutes until the rice is perfectly al dente with a slight bite.
- Remove from heat. Stir in the remaining tablespoon of cold butter, the roasted garlic paste, and the freshly grated parmesan vigorously. Fold in three quarters of the sautéed mushrooms and stir to combine. Taste and adjust salt and pepper generously.
- Spoon the risotto into warm bowls. Scatter the remaining sautéed mushrooms over the top. Finish with fresh thyme leaves and a crack of black pepper. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Keep the broth at a gentle simmer in a separate pot the entire time. Adding cold broth shocks the rice and slows the cooking, which ruins the creamy texture.
- Don't crowd the mushrooms in the pan. Cook them in batches if needed so they sear and caramelize instead of steaming into a soggy pile.
- Stir in a tablespoon of cold butter at the very end off the heat, this is what gives risotto its signature glossy, luxurious finish.
- Roast the garlic ahead of time if you want to save yourself the overlap. It keeps in the fridge for up to a week and is ready to mash and stir in whenever you need it.