Mushroom and chestnut risotto is rich, creamy, and packed with earthy flavors. Perfect for a cozy family meal or any special occasion, risotto never fails to impress!

Mushroom and chestnut risotto is rich, creamy, and packed with earthy flavors. This restaurant-worthy dish never fails to impress!

Making risotto has something almost therapeutic. Is it stirring the rice at a slow pace, while slowly pouring the stock? Or maybe the smell of the white wine that makes it a restaurant-worthy dish? Whatever it is, every time I’m making risotto, I feel like I’m cooking something fancy for dinner. Yet, risotto is very simple to make, as long as you focus on the preparation itself a 100% (don’t get distracted by doing something else at the same time).

Mushroom and chestnut risotto is rich, creamy, and packed with earthy flavors. This restaurant-worthy dish never fails to impress!

Among all risotto recipes, mushroom risotto is one of my favorites. In this recipe, I used shiitake mushrooms that bring bold flavors to the risotto, and completed with cooked chestnuts. Every bite is creamy, comforting, and very satisfying. It’s a great risotto recipe for every small or bigger occasions throughout the fall and winter months. Enjoy your risotto with a glass of white wine, such as a Chardonnay or a Pinot Noir.

Why you will love this mushroom and chestnut risotto

Shiitake mushrooms and chestnuts are the stars of this risotto. Together with white wine and the herbal notes of fresh rosemary, they are what brings all the flavors to the rice, slowly cooked with the broth. The touch of grated parmesan cheese in the end adds some creamy and cheesy flavors to complete the dish. Every bite is creamy, hearty, and packed with cheesy flavors!

Mushroom and chestnut risotto is rich, creamy, and packed with earthy flavors. This restaurant-worthy dish never fails to impress!

Mushroom and chestnut risotto ingredients

  • Arborio rice. This Italian short-grain rice is king when making risotto. It holds its shape as it cooks and releases starches that make the risotto thick and creamy.
  • Mushrooms. I prepared this risotto with shiitake mushrooms, that I like for their bold flavors. But you can use any mushrooms you’d like in this recipe: button mushrooms for mild flavors, oyster mushrooms, porcinis, chanterelles, black trumpets for stronger flavors. You can also mix different mushrooms in your risotto.
  • Chestnuts. I used peeled and cooked chestnuts from a jar as I find it convenient to use. To go the extra mile, you can roast chestnuts from scratch when in season.
  • Vegetable stock. I recommend vegetable stock, but if you’re not strictly vegetarian you can consider chicken stock instead for a new set of flavors. You can also make your own vegetable stock if desired.
  • Olive oil + butter. For richness when cooking the rice.
  • Onions + garlic. For savory depth of flavors.
  • White wine. For a touch of acidity.
  • Fresh rosemary. For a touch of freshness. While rosemary is my preferred herb here, you could totally replace it with fresh thyme or mix both of them if desired.
  • Parmiggiano Reggiano. It brings some salty, cheesy flavors. We love it finely grated.
Mushroom and chestnut risotto is rich, creamy, and packed with earthy flavors. This restaurant-worthy dish never fails to impress!

Overcome the fear of making risotto

If you’ve never tried it before, making risotto can be a little bit intimidating at first. I, myself, was reluctant at making it for years, although it’s one of my favorite meals (together with its dessert version rice pudding). In our family, it’s my husband who had always been the risotto expert. I let it be that way for quite some time, until I finally decided to get to the bottom of the risotto recipe and learn all by myself how to make it right every single time.

And that’s the thing: there is no room for average when making risotto. It has to be perfect. We like it perfectly creamy and there is no other way around. To achieve such a perfect texture, there are only 3 steps in my humble opinion: patience, technicity, and training. It doesn’t mean you will get it wrong the first time, but with a little bit of experience, you will gain confidence and become the master of risotto before you know it!

Mushroom and chestnut risotto is rich, creamy, and packed with earthy flavors. This restaurant-worthy dish never fails to impress!

The best way to make mushroom risotto

It’s important to separate the process in two parts: making the risotto on one side, and cooking the mushrooms separately. They both meet at the very end of the recipe, when the rice is fully cooked, or almost. The reasons are simple: you do not want to disturb the rice cooking process, while making sure the shiitake mushrooms keep their full flavor.

The secret to a perfectly creamy risotto

Time and patience are your best friends, always, when making a risotto. While we could be tempted to rush things a little and add all the broth at once, this is not recommended. The secret of a perfectly creamy risotto consists in using hot stock (warmed up on a separate saucepan) and add it to the rice one ladleful at a time, cooking on medium heat and stirring constantly until stock is completely absorbed before adding another ladleful of stock. Repeat this until all the stock has been used, the rice no longer has a chalky core and the risotto is thick and glossy.

Quick recipe variations

You can skip the chestnuts and make a simple mushroom risotto. Also, feel free to play with the different varieties of mushrooms. You can make it mild in flavors, using white button mushrooms or chestnut button mushrooms, or you can test bolder flavors. Shiitake, oyster mushrooms, porcinis, chanterelles, black trumpets can be used separately or together.

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Mushroom and chestnut risotto is rich, creamy, and packed with earthy flavors. This restaurant-worthy dish never fails to impress!

Other mushroom recipe ideas:

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Mushroom and Chestnut Risotto

Mushroom and chestnut risotto is rich, creamy, and packed with earthy flavors. This restaurant-worthy dish never fails to impress!
  • Author: Delphine Fortin
  • Prep Time: 10 mins
  • Cook Time: 20 mins
  • Total Time: 30 minutes
  • Yield: 4 servings 1x
  • Category: Mains
  • Diet: Vegetarian

Mushroom and chestnut risotto is rich, creamy, and packed with earthy flavors. This restaurant-worthy dish never fails to impress!

Ingredients

Scale

For the Shiitake mushrooms:

  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 cups (150g) shiitake mushrooms*, sliced
  • 3 Tablespoons white wine
  • Salt to taste

For the risotto**:

  • 4 cups (1L) vegetable stock
  • ½ onion, finely chopped
  • 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 ¼ cup (320g) uncooked arborio rice
  • ¼ cup (60 ml) white wine
  • 20 chestnuts, peeled, cooked, and crumbled
  • ½ Tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped
  • 2 Tablespoons (30g) unsalted butter
  • 4 Tablespoons (60g) Parmigiano Reggiano, finely grated
  • Salt to taste

Instructions

  1. For the shiitake mushrooms. In a non stick frying pan, throw garlic and let fry in olive oil on low heat, about one minute. Add the shiitake mushrooms and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add the white wine and burn the alcohol off by increasing the heat for a few seconds. Season with salt to taste. Set aside.
  2. For the stock. Pour the vegatable stock in a pot and heat it on the fire. The stock has to be hot all the time while you are cooking risotto, so that the rice temperature does not drop when you add the stock to it.
  3. For the risotto. In a non stick pot, melt onions in olive oil on low heat, until translucent. Add the rice**, mix well and cook for 1-2 minutes, until it becomes translucent. Pour in white wine and let the alcohol burn off by cooking on a high heat. Add enough hot stock to cover the rice and turn the heat to medium-low. Keep cooking, stirring occasionally, and adding hot stock little by little, until the rice is cooked, about 18-20 minutes.
  4. A few minutes before the rice is ready, add the shiitake mushrooms and crumbled chestnuts to it. Stir well and keep cooking a few more minutes.
  5. When rice is ready, remove from heat and add rosemary, butter, and freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano. Stir well, until rice becomes creamy***. Season to your liking and serve immediately.

Notes

* You can also use other mushrooms with a strong hearty flavors, such as chanterelles, porcinis, oysters, or black trumpets, to name a few.

** Do not wash the rice before cooking it. You want to keep the starch in it, as that is what makes risotto naturally creamy.

*** Make sure the risotto is moist and not sticky. If too sticky, add 1 or 2 tablespoons of hot stock, and stir well.

Recipe by Del’s cooking twist | Photography by Athina Canevet Studio

Did you make this recipe?

Lastly, if you make this Mushroom and Chestnut Risotto, be sure to leave a comment and give this recipe a rating, letting me know how you liked it. And of course, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Thank you and enjoy!