Porcini mushroom risotto is a staple on Italian tables in the fall, but what about the rest of the year? Simply use dried mushrooms (as we did today), keeping in mind that 50 grams of dried mushrooms is roughly equivalent to 500 grams of fresh ones, and you’re good to go.
Of course, in the fall, if you have the opportunity to go mushroom hunting or find them at your trusted greengrocer, use fresh ones, and your porcini mushroom risotto will be amazing.
With a few good quality ingredients, in just over 20 minutes your mushroom risotto will be ready, of course, excluding the time to prepare the vegetable broth and soak the mushrooms.
Below I leave you some other risotto recipes to try in all seasons, and then we’ll go right under the photo to discover how to prepare this Dried Mushroom Risotto!
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Very cheap
- Rest time: 30 Minutes
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 4 People
- Cooking methods: Stove
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons
Ingredients for Porcini Mushroom Risotto
- 1.5 cups Carnaroli rice
- 1.5 oz dried porcini mushrooms (or 1.1 pounds if fresh)
- 5 cups vegetable broth
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- Half white onion
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1.75 oz Grana Padano DOP (grated)
- 2 pinches salt (only if the broth is unsalted)
Steps
If you’re using fresh porcini mushrooms, for 4 people calculate 1.1 pounds of mushrooms, clean them with a damp cloth, and slice them if they’re small, or slice and then cut into smaller pieces if they’re too large. Obviously, they should be used raw by sautéing them in a pan for 10 minutes over high heat to give them color, then set them aside and proceed according to the recipe.
Soak the dried porcini mushrooms in plenty of hot water for 30 minutes.
After the soaking time, squeeze them out and strain the water, which you will use later along with the hot broth.
Bring the vegetable broth to a boil, you can follow my recipe and prepare it well in advance.
Finely chop the onion and sauté it with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil until it becomes almost transparent.
Add the squeezed porcini mushrooms and let them flavor for a few minutes.
Add the rice, stir, and let it flavor for 3 or 4 minutes.
Add the well-strained soaking water from the mushrooms and 1 ladle of hot broth.
Continue cooking the porcini mushroom risotto by adding more hot broth as the previous one is absorbed.
Usually, it takes about 20 minutes for optimal cooking where the rice retains its grain integrity and the whole dish is beautifully creamy.
Off the heat, stir in the butter and grated Grana Padano, taste for seasoning, and add salt only if needed; let it rest for a few minutes before plating.
Storage, Tips, and Variations
Porcini mushroom risotto, like all risottos, should be eaten as soon as it’s prepared, otherwise, the risotto will overcook and lose its creamy texture and flavor.
If you use fresh porcini mushrooms, there’s no need to soak them, but sauté them in a pan with a little oil for at least 10 minutes before adding them to the pot for risotto cooking.
You can skip the onion and dry toast the rice before adding the mushrooms and continue cooking with the broth.
To add a touch of color, you can sprinkle parsley over the risotto once plated.
Other Recipes
If you want to see other types of recipes, you can return to HOME
If you don’t want to miss any recipes, you can follow me on my Facebook Page, just activate notifications, and you’ll see many new recipes every day.
FAQ (Questions and Answers)
What to drink with porcini risotto?
Definitely a medium-bodied red wine like Pinot Noir or Barbera, or a white Chardonnay or Vermentino.
What to eat after porcini risotto?
A light second course like chicken or rabbit, or a baked fish dish like branzino or sea bream.
