Dinner
Miso and Mushroom Risotto
Miso whisked into hot water makes the broth for this mushroom risotto. Add it gradually to the rice, then finish with butter and a scattering of sesame or seaweed seasoning.
- Servings
- 4
- Cuisine
- Japanese-Italian-inspired
Bring it to the table
Let the rice tell you when it is ready
Add warm broth a little at a time and wait until each addition is absorbed before pouring in more. The rice should be tender, and the risotto should still flow a little when you finish stirring in the butter.
At the table
Spoon into bowls while the risotto is loose and hot. Add furikake, or a mixture of sesame seeds, mild red pepper flakes and kelp seasoning.
Before you start
Gather your ingredients.
Full quantities and serving adjustments are in the recipe card below.
See the ingredient checklist
- 1/4 cup white or yellow miso
- 6 cups water — plus extra hot water if needed
- kosher salt — to taste
- black pepper — freshly ground, to taste
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 large onion — finely chopped
- 4 cloves garlic — thinly sliced
- 1 1/2 cups arborio or carnaroli rice
- 3/4 cup dry white wine or sake
- 1 lb mushrooms — such as cremini or maitake, sliced or torn into bite-size pieces
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter
- furikake or sesame seeds — to serve; choose vegetarian furikake if needed
- mild red pepper flakes and kelp seasoning — optional, to serve
A few useful notes.
The base batch serves about 4–6 people; the serving control starts at 4.
Furikake can contain fish. Choose a vegetarian version, or use sesame seeds, mild red pepper flakes and kelp seasoning for a vegetarian meal.
Keep the broth warm and stop adding liquid according to the rice texture, rather than forcing in every last drop.
The cooking plan
How to make Miso and Mushroom Risotto.
-
Put the miso in a saucepan and gradually whisk in the water until smooth. Bring to a simmer, then lower the heat to keep it warm. Taste before adding salt and a little black pepper, since miso already supplies salt.
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Warm the oil in a Dutch oven or heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and a pinch of salt and cook for 8–10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until very soft. Stir in the garlic and cook about 4 minutes more, until softened and lightly golden at the edges.
-
Add the rice and stir for about 3 minutes, until the edges of the grains turn translucent. Pour in the wine or sake and cook, stirring, until it has evaporated.
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Add the mushrooms and an initial ladleful of the warm miso broth. Cook and stir until the mushrooms soften and the liquid is absorbed, about 3–4 minutes.
-
Keep the rice at a gentle simmer. Add more warm broth about half a cup at a time, stirring and allowing each addition to absorb before adding the next. Continue until the rice is tender and the texture is loose and creamy. If the broth runs out before the rice is ready, continue with hot water.
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Stir in the butter. Taste and adjust the salt if needed. Serve promptly in bowls with the furikake or the sesame, pepper-flake and kelp toppings.
Let’s cook
The full recipe.
Check off ingredients as you get them ready.
Changing servings? The ingredient list scales automatically. Adjust quantities named in the steps to match, and choose pans and cooking times for your batch.
Miso and Mushroom Risotto
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Ingredients
- ¼ cup white or yellow miso
6 cups water plus extra hot water if needed- kosher salt to taste
- black pepper freshly ground, to taste
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 large Onions finely chopped
- 4 cloves garlic thinly sliced
- 1 ½ cups arborio or carnaroli rice
- ¾ cup dry white wine or sake
- 1 lb mushrooms such as cremini or maitake, sliced or torn into bite-size pieces
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter
- furikake or sesame seeds to serve; choose vegetarian furikake if needed
- mild red pepper flakes and kelp seasoning optional, to serve
Equipment
Equipment images are illustrative. Exact products may vary.
Instructions
- Put the miso in a saucepan and gradually whisk in the water until smooth. Bring to a simmer, then lower the heat to keep it warm. Taste before adding salt and a little black pepper, since miso already supplies salt.
- Warm the oil in a Dutch oven or heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and a pinch of salt and cook for 8–10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until very soft. Stir in the garlic and cook about 4 minutes more, until softened and lightly golden at the edges.
- Add the rice and stir for about 3 minutes, until the edges of the grains turn translucent. Pour in the wine or sake and cook, stirring, until it has evaporated.
- Add the mushrooms and an initial ladleful of the warm miso broth. Cook and stir until the mushrooms soften and the liquid is absorbed, about 3–4 minutes.
- Keep the rice at a gentle simmer. Add more warm broth about half a cup at a time, stirring and allowing each addition to absorb before adding the next. Continue until the rice is tender and the texture is loose and creamy. If the broth runs out before the rice is ready, continue with hot water.
- Stir in the butter. Taste and adjust the salt if needed. Serve promptly in bowls with the furikake or the sesame, pepper-flake and kelp toppings.
Notes
Tried this recipe?
Let us know how it was!A couple of useful answers.
What if the broth is gone before the rice is tender?
Keep adding hot water a little at a time and continue cooking until the rice is tender. Taste the finished risotto before adding more salt.
Does this recipe use stock?
The broth is made by whisking miso into water. Keep it warm while you add it gradually to the rice.
Keep the good food going
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