The Best Vegan Mushroom Risotto

Vegan Mushroom Risotto – You will never find a better vegan mushroom risotto than this one. Just like traditional risotto, it is creamy, silky, and brimming with umami, but it is dairy-free and vegan. Additionally, by using these suggestions, you’ll always make the ideal vegan risotto.

One of my all-time favorite foods is risotto, and for the past year or so, this vegan mushroom risotto has been my favorite variation. At a dinner party where I first served this risotto, all of the non-vegan guests said that it was the best risotto they had ever had (no vegan qualification needed). Best. Risotto. Period.

I’ve honed in on the methods and ingredients anyone can use for a mind-blowing risotto through endless rounds of recipe testing. Miso butter is one of those simple recipes. It makes this dish into a true taste bomb by bringing out the umami that occurs naturally in mushrooms and by simulating the rich, savory flavors that parmesan cheese often adds to risotto.

Vegan Mushroom Risotto Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons (56g) of Country Crock’s Plant Butter
• softened at room temperature (I use the olive oil variety)
• 2 tablespoons (30-35g) of white miso paste
• 20 ounces (565g) of mixed mushrooms*
• sliced or torn, 3 tablespoons of olive oil
• divided, 2 tablespoons of roughly chopped fresh thyme leaves
• 6 minced garlic cloves (divided in half)
• 2 big leeks, cleaned and diced (white and light green sections only)
• 6 to 8 cups (1.5 to 1.9 L) vegetable broth
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste, freshly cracked black pepper
• 2 cups (360 g) Arborio rice or Carnaroli rice
• 1/3 cup (160 mL) dry white wine.*****
• One-fourth cup (28g) of vegan parmesan (optional)
• 1 handful of finely chopped Italian flat-leaf parsley (for garnish)

Instructions

1. Before beginning, read the recipe notes below!
2. Place the Plant Butter in a small bowl to soften after taking it out of the refrigerator. Add the miso paste once it has softened, and mix with a fork until well combined.
3. In a saucepan, add the vegetable broth. Adjust the heat so that the broth remains warm or hot at a gentle simmer once it has reached a rapid simmer.
4. Make the mushrooms cook. Add 1 tablespoon of the olive oil to a large nonstick frying pan and heat it up over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms once it starts to shimmer. Allow to cook for a few minutes without stirring to produce some browning. In total, cook for 8 to 9 minutes, occasionally stirring, until mushrooms are nicely browned.
5. Medium heat will suffice. To the mushrooms, add half of the minced garlic and the chopped thyme. Add half a teaspoon of kosher salt to taste.
6. Stir frequently during cooking to prevent burning.
7. Incorporate the creamed miso butter into the mushrooms in the pan. Add a pinch of salt and pepper to taste, and cook for an additional two minutes. Remove the mushrooms from the heat and set them aside.
8. Prepare the risotto. Over medium heat, heat a Dutch oven, large nonstick saucepan, or deep sauté pan. The remaining two tablespoons of olive oil should be added. Add the leeks and remaining garlic to the hot pan and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the leeks are just beginning to soften.
9. In 60 to 90 seconds, add the arborio rice and quickly stir until all of the rice grains are coated and the rice smells slightly toasty. Pour in the white wine and stir to loosen any bits that may have gotten stuck to the bottom of the pot. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the wine has almost completely evaporated and the smell of alcohol has gone away.
10. Add one cup (240 milliliters) of the warm vegetable broth, stirring occasionally but not constantly. Add the next batch of broth, one cup at a time, after the rice has taken in the liquid. For another 20 minutes, stir the risotto about every 30 seconds and add more broth when most of the liquid has been absorbed, until it is slightly firm and creamy but not too soft or mushy.
11. Place the rice on a flat surface and smear it down with your finger to check for doneness. Although it ought to be fairly smooth, you ought to still be able to see some of the white, al dente rice in the middle.
12. Stir the cooked miso mushrooms into the risotto for a few minutes to warm through. After taking the mixture off the heat, add the vegan
13. Parmesan cheese, if using. Taste for seasonings and season with black pepper and a little salt if necessary. Serve immediately while garnished with fresh, chopped parsley.