Savory Mushroom and Spinach Risotto

Name: Savory Mushroom and Spinach Risotto
Cook time: 30 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: italian
Ingredients: 1200 ml vegetable stock kept hot; 30 ml olive oil; 15 g unsalted butter; 350 g cremini mushrooms sliced; 150 g yellow onion finely diced; 1 g fine salt; 3 cloves garlic cloves minced; 2 g fresh thyme leaves leaves stripped; 320 g arborio rice dry; 120 ml dry white wine; 120 g fresh spinach stems trimmed if tough; 15 g unsalted butter; 60 g finely grated parmesan cheese; 1 g black pepper freshly ground; 4 g fine salt; 8 g fresh parsley chopped, for garnish

An Italian-inspired mushroom and spinach risotto built with gradual stock addition for a creamy texture without cream. The mushrooms are browned first for deeper flavor, then the rice is simmered until just al dente and finished with spinach and parmesan.

By Julienne

Cook time: 30 minutes

Servings: 4

Ingredients

1200 ml vegetable stock kept hot
30 ml olive oil
15 g unsalted butter
350 g cremini mushrooms sliced
150 g yellow onion finely diced
1 g fine salt
3 cloves garlic cloves minced
2 g fresh thyme leaves leaves stripped
320 g arborio rice dry
120 ml dry white wine
120 g fresh spinach stems trimmed if tough
15 g unsalted butter
60 g finely grated parmesan cheese
1 g black pepper freshly ground
4 g fine salt
8 g fresh parsley chopped, for garnish

Instructions

Heat the vegetable stock in a saucepan and keep it at a bare simmer. In the large saucepan or Dutch oven, heat 30 ml olive oil and 15 g butter over medium-high heat. Add the sliced mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned and their moisture has evaporated, about 6 to 8 minutes. The mushrooms are deeply browned and no longer look watery.
Add the diced onion with 1 g salt and cook over medium heat until translucent, about 4 minutes. Add the minced garlic and thyme and cook for 30 seconds, just until fragrant. The onion is soft and glossy, and the garlic smells fragrant but not browned.
Add the arborio rice and stir for 1 to 2 minutes until the grains look translucent around the edges. Pour in the white wine and stir until mostly absorbed. The rice is lightly toasted and the wine is almost fully absorbed.
Add hot stock 1 ladle at a time, stirring often and waiting for each addition to be mostly absorbed before adding the next. Continue with the full 1200 ml stock over 18 to 20 minutes until the rice is creamy and just al dente. Stir in the spinach in the last 2 minutes so it wilts into the risotto. The risotto flows slowly on a spoon, the rice is tender with a slight bite, and the spinach is wilted.
Off the heat, stir in the remaining 15 g butter, parmesan, black pepper, and the remaining 4 g salt. Taste and adjust only if needed, then rest for 2 minutes. Serve immediately, garnished with parsley if using. The risotto is glossy, creamy, and evenly seasoned, with the cheese melted through.