Description

A foolproof, creamy vegan mushroom risotto that uses nutritional yeast and olive oil for richness instead of dairy. It’s pantry-friendly, forgiving, and tastes better than takeout.

Ingredients

Scale

2 cups (400g) Arborio rice
1.5 lbs (700g) Cremini or Button mushrooms
1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
6–7 cups (1.5–1.7 liters) vegetable broth, warm
3–4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
½ cup (120ml) dry white wine (optional)
¼ cup (20g) nutritional yeast
2 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves stripped
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Salt and black pepper to taste
Optional garnish: fresh parsley, extra nutritional yeast, or truffle oil

Instructions

Wipe mushrooms clean and slice them. Dice the onion, mince the garlic, and strip thyme leaves. Have all ingredients prepped.
Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sauté mushrooms in batches until deeply browned. Remove mushrooms and set aside.
Reduce heat to medium. Add remaining olive oil to the pot. Sauté onions with a pinch of salt until soft and translucent (3-4 minutes). Add garlic and thyme, cooking for 1 minute until fragrant.
Add Arborio rice and stir constantly for 1-2 minutes until edges are translucent.
Pour in white wine and stir until fully absorbed.
Add warm broth one ladle at a time, stirring occasionally. Wait until liquid is mostly absorbed before adding the next ladle. Continue for 15-20 minutes until rice is al dente and creamy.
Remove from heat. Stir in cooked mushrooms, nutritional yeast, and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper.
Let rest for 2 minutes to thicken. Serve immediately with optional garnishes.

Notes

Keep the broth warm while cooking to ensure even texture. Do not rinse the Arborio rice as the starch is needed for creaminess. Brown the mushrooms well for maximum flavor. Risotto is best eaten fresh; reheating requires adding liquid to restore creaminess.

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Category: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 bowl
Calories: 320
Sugar: 2
Sodium: 450
Fat: 9
Saturated Fat: 1
Carbohydrates: 52
Fiber: 3
Protein: 8

Keywords: vegan risotto, mushroom risotto, creamy vegan dinner, plant-based comfort food, gluten-free recipe, one-pot meal, nutritional yeast