Mushroom and Leek Risotto

This is hands down my favorite risotto recipe. Make this for a special occasion or really for any occasion. The combination of the leeks and mushroom provide an amazing savory umami goodness that makes this creamy rice dish immediately craveable. All of the ingredients come together to provide a true symphony of incredible flavors so each bite is a party in your mouth. Risotto alone is great on its own with creamy rice combined with savory parmesan cheese. But when combined with earthy mushrooms and leeks and balanced out with fresh herbs, lemon juice and zest, everything just works. I suggest finishing this mushroom and leek risotto with some white truffle oil to really heighten the dish to new levels—optional, but highly recommended.

And in case you’re wondering what I mean by umami — umami is listed as the fifth taste after sour, sweet, salt, and bitter. Best described as a complex, savory flavor, it’s hard to explain exactly what umami tastes like. But this flavor naturally occurs in foods like shellfish, mushrooms, vegetables, truffles and aged or fermented products like soy sauce or Parmesan cheese. And given that this risotto is packed full of shiitake and cremini mushrooms, leeks, aged Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and topped with white truffle oil, it’s no wonder that this mushroom and leek risotto packs a delicious umami punch.

Before you get started

Risotto gets a bad rap for being tough to make but it’s actually not as much difficult as somewhat time consuming. Broth is added in increments and you should stir the rice often to achieve the perfect creamy consistency. But I promise you, the results are worth it. The one thing that I haven’t been able to prove makes a huge difference or not is keeping the stock warm before you add to the risotto. I tend to do so because it’s how traditional chefs to do so;they claim that cold stock will cool down the risotto too much as it cooks. But I’ve definitely made risottos without keeping stock warm but using it at room temperature (straight out of the box or can) with little difference.

This mushroom and leek risotto is great on its own. Or if you want to make this dish extra luxurious, top with some brown butter seared scallops. You can sauté the reserved leek tops (the green parts) and serve on top of this risotto with a poached egg on top. Serve with a crisp white wine for an extra special dinner. Now to get started on the recipe…

Prepping the ingredients

Wash 2 leeks well, make sure you separate the leaves as there tends to be a lot of sand that gets caught inside of them. Cut off the green parts of the leeks, which you can then discard or reserve for another use. [VC note: I love leek tops sautéed and cooked with proteins like sausage or chicken. I’ve even sautéed the green parts of the leek and served on top of this risotto before]. Keeping the white and pale green parts of the leeks, cut the stems in half to become half-crescent shapes and then thinly slice crosswise. Rinse and thinly slice 1 pound of shiitake or cremini mushrooms. I enjoy a combination of both types—and find the shiitake mushrooms add a richer umami flavor.

Mince 2 cloves of garlic and 2 shallots. Finely chop 2 teaspoons of fresh thyme leaves and ¼ cup of fresh parsley. The herbs can be set aside in a bowl together as they will be added in at the same time. Grate ½ cup of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.

A note about risotto rice: Be sure to use a short-grain special rice for risotto. I recommend Carnaroli or Arborio rice; long grain rice won’t work as a substitute. Arborio is typically the easiest to find, but without careful attention can start to turn mushier easily. Carnaroli is often proclaimed as the best risotto rice to produce the creamiest results with less likelihood of overcooking.

Cooking the mushroom and leek risotto

In a medium to large pot, pour in the stock and heat over medium-high heat. Once hot, reduce temperature and keep warm over low heat.

In another large saucepan or dutch oven over medium heat, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter over medium heat until shimmering. Add the sliced leeks and mushrooms with 2 teaspoons of salt for about 5 minutes or until softened. Remove from the pan and set aside.

In the same pan, add another tablespoon of butter and sauté the minced shallots and garlic in the center until soft, approximately 3-4 minutes. Then stir in 1.5 cups of arborio rice and cook for 1-2 minutes. Add ½ cup of a dry white wine. I typically prefer a crisp Sauvignon Blanc for risotto but a Pinot Grigio would work as well. Stir in with the rice until the wine evaporates, about 3 minutes.

Then add 1 cup of the warm stock and stir until almost all the liquid has been absorbed. Repeat adding broth in 1 cup increments and stirring until the liquid is absorbed. Cook until rice is tender but still firm to bite and the risotto is creamy, about 20-25 minutes total.

Finishing and serving the risotto

Add the leek and mushroom mixture back into the risotto and stir until reheated – about 2 minutes. If the risotto thickens too much, add additional warm stock to loosen it up.

Just before serving, stir in 1 tablespoon butter, 1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice, 2 teaspoons of lemon zest, the grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, chopped fresh thyme and parsley, and 1 tablespoon white truffle oil (if using). Season generously with salt and pepper, to taste. For reference, I use approximately 2 teaspoons of salt and 1 teaspoon of pepper.

To serve, transfer the mushroom and leek risotto into bowls, top with extra chopped parsley and grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and drizzle with a couple more drops of white truffle oil. Enjoy!