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creamy plant-based mushroom risotto with browned wild mushrooms arranged on top, fresh parsley, and a drizzle of lemon.

Vegan Mushroom Risotto (Italian Style)

This creamy vegan mushroom risotto brings the warmth of Italian home cooking to your kitchen. Wild mushrooms, arborio rice, and simple plant-based ingredients create deep flavor and a silky, rich texture—without any dairy.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 4 people
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian (Plant-Based / Vegan)
Calories: 350
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Main Ingredients
  • 1 ½ cups arborio rice
  • 4 –5 cups warm vegetable broth
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tbsp vegan butter plus more for finishing
  • 1 large onion finely chopped
  • 3 –4 garlic cloves minced
  • 1 tsp fresh thyme or ½ tsp dried
  • 1 lb mixed mushrooms cremini, porcini, shiitake, oyster, etc., sliced
  • Salt to taste
  • Black pepper to taste
Finishing Ingredients
  • 1 –2 tbsp vegan butter
  • Juice of ½ lemon
  • Fresh parsley chopped

Method
 

Brown the Mushrooms
  1. Heat 2 tbsp vegan butter in a large pan over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and cook slowly for 18–20 minutes. Let them release their liquid and develop a deep golden color. Remove and set aside.
Build the Soffritto
  1. Add olive oil to the same pot. Sauté the chopped onion for 5–7 minutes until soft and translucent. Add garlic and thyme, cooking another 1–2 minutes.
Toast the Rice
  1. Stir in the arborio rice and toast for about 2 minutes. The grains should look shiny and lightly coated.
Add Broth Gradually
  1. Pour in the first ladle of warm vegetable broth. Stir until absorbed. Continue adding broth one ladle at a time, stirring often. Wait until each addition is absorbed before adding more. Keep the heat medium-low.
Add the Mushrooms
  1. Halfway through cooking, stir the browned mushrooms back into the risotto. Keep adding broth until the rice becomes creamy and cooked al dente. Total stirring time: about 35–40 minutes.
Finish the Risotto
  1. Turn off the heat. Stir in 1–2 tbsp vegan butter. Let the risotto rest for 5 minutes. Add lemon juice and parsley.
Serve
  1. Your risotto should be creamy and flowing — the classic all’onda texture. Serve hot.

Notes

  • Use warm broth only — cold broth can slow everything down and change the texture.
  • Stir often, but gently. Stirring releases the starch that makes risotto creamy.
  • You can mix different mushrooms to create more depth, just like traditional Italian cooking.
  • Serve immediately for the best texture. Risotto gets thicker as it sits.