The 3 best mushrooms for risotto

Who doesn’t like a creamy risotto with the earthy taste of mushrooms? This Italian dish is a favorite of many, but not everyone knows what makes a good mushroom risotto.

What are the best mushrooms for risotto?  Although there are many to choose from, some of the most widely used and flavorful varieties are shiitake, portabella, and porcini. While the first two have a meaty texture and flavor, the latter is a wild variety prized for its nutty flavor. 

Read on to learn more about these mushroom varieties and how best to use them in risotto.

Guide to the 3 best mushrooms for risotto

Below we will talk about the best mushrooms for risotto and, above all, why they are so good.

1. Shiitake mushrooms

Shiitake mushrooms are widely used in Asian cuisine. In fact, this variety of mushroom has Asian roots. However, shiitake mushrooms are so versatile and delicious that they are a popular choice for Italian risotto. 

Shiitake mushrooms have a large brown cap. They are soft and have a spongy texture.

This variety of mushroom will remind you of meat when you cook it, as it has a similar flavor profile.

Shiitake Mushroom Picking - What You Should Know

To make a delicious risotto with shiitake mushrooms you must know how to choose the good ones.

Whether you buy them at the local fresh market or in the supermarket, pay attention to the following things:

1. Turn the shiitake mushrooms over to see if the cap covers the gills underneath or not. For shiitake mushrooms, you want to make sure the cap is tight around the stem and the gills are not fully open.
2. touch them. Hats should not feel fluffy, but firm.
3. Examine the hat. They should not be wrinkled. If the shiitake caps are wrinkled, it means that the mushrooms are not sufficiently hydrated.

dried shiitake mushrooms

If you like shiitake mushrooms, you will love dried shiitakes as they have a deeper flavor. Compared to fresh varieties, dried shiitake is more intense.

It will add a strong meaty flavor to the risotto and just take it to another level.

To rehydrate dried shiitake mushrooms for use in risotto , you’ll need to let them sit in hot water for about 20 minutes. Then all you have to do is add the rehydrated mushrooms to the cooking rice. As simple as that!

Can you substitute fresh shiitakes for dried shiitakes in the risotto?

Some dishes that call for dried shiitakes simply cannot be cooked with fresh ones. However, when it comes to risotto, both dried and fresh shiitake mushrooms work just as well.

With the addition of dried shitakes, you will give the dish a more concentrated flavor. 

One thing to keep in mind is the proportions . Dried shiitakes increase in size once rehydrated. Therefore, you will need to use a smaller amount than you would with fresh shiitakes.

2. Portabella mushrooms

Portabella mushrooms are another great option for risottos. They are especially a good choice for those looking for a meaty flavor in a risotto.

In fact, the portabella is a mushroom often used to make vegan burgers, where the grilled portabella hat stands in for the patty.

Portabella mushrooms have large caps and come in a range of colors.

These mushrooms have a chewy texture and a slightly smoky flavor. Being larger, portabella mushrooms don’t retain as much moisture as other mushrooms, resulting in a meaty texture.

Portabella Mushroom Risotto: A Substitute for Beef Risotto

Portabella mushrooms are often referred to as “plant-based” meat, and there’s more than one reason for that.

Although portabella mushrooms don’t taste exactly like meat, their texture is very thick and meaty.

When it comes to taste, both the portabella mushrooms and the meat taste umami. The latter is described as tasty and “meaty”.

Although portabellas, and mushrooms in general, do not contain as much protein as meat, they are a good source of protein. 100 grams of portabella mushrooms contain 4% protein (of the DV).

If you are thinking of eliminating meat from your diet, you can easily substitute portabella mushrooms for the beef or chicken in the risotto. You won’t miss the meaty flavor much and you will get a delicious and great tasting mushroom risotto.

How to choose portabella mushrooms

When choosing a portabella mushroom, keep the following in mind.

1. Portabella mushroom caps should be uniform in color across their entire surface. There should not be any stains on the hat.
2. The hat must be firm and never soft.
3. Examine the gills. They should be dark brown in color and not damaged. To check if portabella mushrooms are fresh, look at how dry the gills are. If the gills are wet, the mushroom is going bad.

3. Porcini mushrooms

If you want a risotto with wild mushrooms, porcini are one of the best options.

Porcini mushrooms have a somewhat nutty flavor and a reddish-brown color. The flavor of porcini mushrooms is quite intense.

The texture of fresh porcini mushrooms is quite delicate. However, they are suitable for a wide variety of dishes, from soups to risottos and sauces.

Also, boletus are one of the few varieties of mushrooms that do not turn brown when cut.

Preparation of porcini mushrooms for risotto

To prepare porcini mushrooms for risotto, it is essential to first examine them to see if they are good to use.

As porcinis are a wild variety, it is important to pay close attention to each mushroom you work with. There are two things you need to pay attention to: the stem and the gills. 

1. Analyze the stems. Porcinis mushrooms have thick stems. Check if there are holes in them. If so, cut those parts if it doesn’t affect the whole mushroom.
2. Pay attention to the gills. The porcini mushroom sponge should be white. A green or brown sponge means that the mushroom is old and not suitable for use.

To prepare the porcini mushrooms , scrape any dirt from the stems. Do not submerge the porcini mushrooms in the water, as they will lose their fragrance. Instead, wash them under the faucet and dry them with a paper towel.

Once you’ve cut off the affected parts of the stem, cut the beautiful porcinis into slightly thick slices.

Porcinis will retain their shape and, unlike many other varieties of mushrooms, will keep their nice creamy color even after being cooked.

Dried Porcini – A Popular Choice for Mushroom Risotto

Dried boletus are one of the most widely used mushroom varieties for risotto. Not surprising, as fresh porcinis aren’t the easiest to find.

Since dried porcinis taste just as delicious as fresh, there isn’t much difference in using the dried variety. Some people even prefer dried porcinis to fresh ones , as they have a nice smoky flavor.

Also, the shelf life of fresh porcinis is quite short – up to 3 days if stored in a paper bag in the fridge.

Dried porcinis keep for 6+ months in an airtight container. 

Prepared well, dried porcinis add just the right texture and flavor to your dish. Just soften the pre-cut dried porcini in hot water.

Let them stand in hot water for about 15 minutes and only then add the mushrooms to the rice.

How to use fresh mushrooms to make risotto

Mushrooms have a very high water content. That is why you have to remove the liquid from the mushrooms before mixing them with the cooking rice.

To prepare fresh mushrooms for the risotto , you will have to heat the pan well and give them a little fry until the water content decreases. You can do it with or without olive oil.

Make sure the mushrooms have a good color so they will look good when paired with Arborio or another variety of short-grain Italian rice.

Once the mushrooms release their moisture , you can introduce your own flavors into them.

Unlike dried mushrooms, fresh ones do not have a rich, deep flavor. That is why it is important to season the mushrooms correctly. 

Garlic, thyme and mushrooms are a perfect combination. You can also add salted butter to give the mushrooms more flavor and caramelization.

Tips for mushroom risotto

Making a mushroom risotto is not difficult. However, as with all dishes, you have to master some cooking secrets and techniques.

Here are some tips to make the best mushroom risotto.

Tip 1: Take advantage of the stems

With some varieties of mushrooms, including shiitake, the stems need to be cut off before cooking. However, even though they are stiff, the stems still pack a lot of flavor.

Use the stems to make a delicious mushroom broth and use it to cook the rice for the risotto.

Tip 2: Take advantage of the liquid from the dried mushrooms

Don’t let soaking liquid go to waste.

Once you take the rehydrated mushrooms out of the water they’ve been in, use the flavorful liquid in combination with the chicken broth. This will add more depth to the risotto.

Tip 3: Mix and match

Don’t stick with just one variety of mushrooms. If you’re cooking a risotto with fresh shiitake mushrooms, adding a handful of dried porcinis will make your dish exceptionally good.