Looking for a cozy dinner recipe to get you through these cold winter days? I’ve got you covered with this dreamy and Creamy Vegan Mushroom Risotto. With just 10 ingredients + under 40 minutes to make from start to finish, this risotto can be yours.

This recipe is so creamy + comforting. It’s simple enough to make for a mid-week dinner, yet decadent enough for entertaining. And vegan or not, everyone will love this satiating bowl.

The risotto is rich, thick and creamy, with garlicky and cheesy flavor. Topped with pan-fried mushrooms cooked in balsamic vinegar really brings the umami to this dish.

All-in-all, this is an unforgettable recipe that you’ll have on repeat. Serve as your main dish, and watch it go down all too easy.

Now, let me tell you how to make this Creamy Vegan Mushroom Risotto.

Vegan Mushroom Risotto Recipe

The ingredients

The ingredients for this recipe are simple + straight forward. And you might already have them in your pantry/fridge.

For this risotto you will need:

  • onion
  • garlic
  • coconut oil
  • sea salt
  • arborio rice
  • vegetable broth
  • nutritional yeast
  • mushrooms
  • balsamic vinegar
  • parsley, to sprinkle

As you can see, the ingredients are simple + straight forward. With nothing finicky or strange, which is why I have given it my stamp of approval.

What is nutritional yeast?

The only ingredient you might not be familiar with in this recipe is nutritional yeast. Now, if you’re new to vegan cooking than say hello to magical vegan staple!

Nutritional yeast is used a lot in vegan cooking to bring cheesy umami flavor to dishes. You can enjoy it sprinkled on popcorn + avocado toast, or use it to make Alfredo, mac and cheese and cashew based cheeses. And of course, this vegan mushroom risotto.

Certainly, it’s a pantry must-have for a plant-based diet. But even the non-vegans can appreciate just how tasty this seasoning is. In fact, Bon Appetit coined nutritional yeast as “nature’s cheeto dust“.

In addition, we can feel good about adding nutritional yeast to our diet, because it’s really healthy. Turns out, nutritional yeast is given its name for the exact reason that it’s full of protein, vitamins, minerals + antioxidants.

How to make mushroom risotto

Contrary to popular belief, making risotto is actually really easy + straight-forward!

This mushroom risotto begins by sautéing onion + garlic, then adding arborio rice + pouring in vegetable broth in batches as it thickens.

Really, it’s the fact that we need to stir the risotto often, and keep a close watch that’s the hardest part about making risotto. But really, that’s not a hard task to do.

As for the mushrooms, we will cook this is a separate skillet with a bit of oil, sea salt + balsamic. You can do this at the same time your rice is cooking. It’s easy to watch over the two, and stir as needed.

Tips for this recipe

In fact, my top trick to getting perfect risotto is to keep stirring!

Stirring the rice helps to release the starches, which results in a creamier risotto. If you don’t stir, the rice will likely bind to the bottom of the pot. We don’t want that!

So, if I can give you any advice for making this risotto, it’s to keep a close watch, and stir often.

As for what type of rice to use for making risotto? There are three types of recommended rice, and my favorite is arborio. It’s starchy + creamy. and relatively easy to find at most generic grocery stores. I also like to use it to make rice pudding.

So there we have it, a very simple Vegan Mushroom Risotto recipe that’s creamy, comforting + full of umami flavor. It’s easy to make, with just 10 ingredients + minimal effort.

Certainly, anyone can make this easy risotto. Enjoy as a comforting dinner recipe with your loved ones, or serve for a night of vegan entertaining. This recipe is sure to please all eaters.

And, if you do make this recipe please let me know in the comments below what you think! I love hearing from you. And of course, tag me on Instagram with the hashtag #therobinsonnest. Nothing makes me happier than to see your recreations.

Creamy Mushroom Vegan Risotto

Ingredients

For the risotto:

  • 1 white onion
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 2 tbsp coconut oil
  • pinch sea salt
  • 1 1/2 cup arborio rice
  • 5 cups vegetable broth
  • 1/2 cup nutritional yeast
  • 1/3 cup parsley, chopped

For the balsamic mushrooms:

  • 16 oz cremini mushrooms (1 small box)
  • 2 tbsp coconut oil
  • pinch sea salt
  • 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

Instructions

  1. Dice onion + garlic + add to large pot with coconut oil + sea salt. Bring to medium heat + cook stirring often, until onion turns translucent (approx. 10 mins).
  2. Pour in arborio rice + toast until grains become lightly perfumed (2-3 mins). Then pour in vegetable broth, starting with 2 cups, and adding more in splashes as it thickens, (I used 5 cups total). Cook for 20-30 minutes, stirring often until risotto is desired texture, (soft + pleasantly chewy). Add nutritional yeast + stir to combine.
  3. While risotto is cooking, cook your balsamic mushrooms. Slice mushrooms + add to a skillet with coconut oil + sea salt. Bring to medium heat. Cook mushrooms (approx. 10 mins). Then reduce heat to low + add balsamic vinegar, cook for another 2-3 minutes.
  4. Add balsamic mushrooms to cooked risotto. Sprinkle with chopped parsley + stir to combine. Serve risotto in bowls.

ALLERGIES

VEGAN – VEGETARIAN – WHEAT FREE – GLUTEN FREE – DAIRY FREE – SOY FREE – NUT FREE