Creamy Mushroom Risotto with Walnuts Recipe
Creamy, comforting, and full of flavor is the perfect description for this Mushroom Walnut Risotto.
Instead of relying on cheese for richness, this recipe uses earthy mushrooms, nutty walnut cream, and caramelized shallots to create depth of flavor and texture in every bite.
With a mix of maitake, baby bella, and king trumpet mushrooms, plus a hint of dried porcini, it’s a dish that feels both rustic and elegant.
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How is this recipe different?
- I used: maitake, king trumpet, baby bella mushrooms and dried porcini
- I added the dried porcini mushroom soaking water
- I used walnut cream to add creaminess to the risotto.
- I finished with brown butter
- There is no Parmesan cheese
Key Ingredients and Substitutions
Arborio Rice – as it cooks, it releases just enough creaminess to turn a handful of everyday ingredients into something silky without any dairy. If you can’t find arborio, carnaroli will still give you that lush spoonful texture we all chase. Just don’t rinse the rice; we want every bit of that natural starch.
Mixed Mushrooms – maitake, baby bella + king trumpet – each variety adds its own personality to the bowl. Baby bellas form the earthy base, maitake brings a deep forest aroma and frilly texture, and king trumpets sear into golden “scallops.” You get layers of umami flavor in every forkful. You can swap in shiitake or oyster mushrooms if needed, but if you can find maitake, keep it.
Tahini – The creamy, nutty sauce adds a mellow richness to this dish. It’s subtle, warm, and grounding. If you’re out, cashew butter or a spoon of crème fraîche can stand in, just with a slightly different personality.
Walnuts – doing double duty here, both as a creamy blended base and as a toasty, crunchy finish. When blitzed, they add that luxurious silkiness typically delivered by cheese. As a topping, they bring contrast — every bite has something soft, something rich, and a tiny snap of nuttiness that makes you want another forkful immediately. If walnuts aren’t your thing, use hazelnuts or pecans.
Dried Mushrooms (Porcini or Borowiki) – the secret ingredient you don’t see but absolutely taste. A small handful soaked in hot water creates a concentrated, woodsy broth that instantly deepens the risotto without making it heavy. Chop the rehydrated pieces and stir them in; yes, use the soaking liquid for subtle umami (filter it first). If dried porcini aren’t available, dried shiitake work beautifully too — different flavor, same magic.
Other ingredients: onion, garlic cloves, dry white wine, chicken or vegetable stock, olive oil, shallots, butter, sea salt, black pepper, fresh thyme, sage.
Equipment you will need
- Heavy-bottomed pot or wide sauté pan
- Medium skillet
- Small saucepan
- Sharp knife + cutting board
- Wooden spoon or silicone spatula
- Fine mesh strainer or coffee filter
- Blender or mini food processor
- Tongs or fish spatula
Top Tips
Don’t rush the rice – slow ladles of hot stock create that creamy texture, think steady and relaxed, not fast and furious.
Keep your stock warm – cold liquid shocks the rice and stalls cooking. A barely simmering pot nearby keeps everything smooth.
Sear fresh mushrooms in batches – overcrowding = steaming, not browning. Give them space so they caramelize and build flavor.
Toast the walnuts – just a few minutes in a dry pan transforms them; deeper flavor, better crunch, more aroma.
Taste early, taste often – check the rice at 14 minutes and season gradually, mushrooms and porcini stock already carry a lot of umami.
Add tahini gently – start with a teaspoon or two at the end. You want warmth and creaminess, not sesame domination.
How to make it
- Rehydrate porcini: put 10–15 g dried porcini in a small bowl, cover with 1 cup hot water. Let’s sit for 15–20 minutes. Strain through a fine sieve or coffee filter into a jar, reserving the liquid. Chop the rehydrated porcini finely.
- Warm the stock in a saucepan;
- Prep mushrooms: slice baby bellas, tear/chop maitake, cut king trumpet into 6–8 thick coins. Pat all dry.
- Toast walnuts in a dry skillet ~3–4 minutes until fragrant; set aside.
- Make walnut cream: blitz ¼ cup toasted walnuts + 2–3 tbsp hot reserved stock in a blender until smooth; add more stock if needed to reach a loose cream.
- Peel & thinly slice shallots, mince garlic. Zest the lemon and juice half.
- In a medium skillet over medium-low heat, heat 1 tsp olive oil + 1 tbsp butter. Add sliced shallots and a pinch of salt. Cook slowly, stirring occasionally, until deep golden and jammy, about 12–18 minutes. If they start to brown too fast, lower the heat. Remove and set aside.
- In a wide heavy-bottomed pan set over medium heat, heat 2–3 tbsp olive oil. Add the finely chopped onion (or use ½ a small onion) and a pinch of salt; sweat until translucent, ~3–5 minutes. Add the garlic for 30 seconds.
- Add the arborio rice and stir to coat, toast for 2–3 minutes, until the edges look translucent but the centers are still chalky. This gives a better texture.
- Pour in 1 cup of white wine (or a cup of stock) and stir until nearly all the liquid has evaporated.
- Begin ladling in warm stock (including 2–3 tbsp of the reserved porcini soaking liquid). Add stock one ladle at a time, stirring often but not constantly. Wait until most of the liquid is absorbed before adding the next ladle. Maintain a gentle simmer, not a boil.
- After ~8–10 minutes of gradual stock additions (rice should be loosening but still chewy), add the sliced baby bellas and chopped rehydrated porcini. Continue adding stock ladle by ladle, stirring as you go.
- At about 14–16 minutes total cooking for the rice (taste test!), stir in the chopped maitake so it cooks but keeps some texture. The rice should be al dente with a creamy, slightly loose sauce.
- In a hot skillet, add a good drizzle of olive oil. Sear king trumpet coins 2–3 minutes per side until golden; remove and keep warm. In the same pan, quickly sear a handful of maitake pieces until edges crisp. Optionally, fry a few sage leaves in butter for 15–20 seconds until crisp; drain on a paper towel. Keep all toppings warm.
- When rice is done (usually 16–18 minutes total from first stock), remove from heat. Stir in: 3 tbsp browned butter, tahini, walnut cream, ½ cup toasted chopped walnuts (reserve some for garnish), caramelized shallots (fold in gently). Finish with lemon zest, a squeeze of lemon juice and a handful of fresh thyme leaves or torn fresh or fried sage.
- Taste and season with salt + black pepper. If risotto is too thick, loosen with a splash of hot stock. If too thin, simmer 1 minute.
Best ways to enjoy
Warm and fresh is key – straight off the stove, creamy, glossy, and aromatic.
Pair with a simple side or drink – a crisp green salad or lightly dressed arugula balances the richness. For wine, a medium-bodied white like Chardonnay or a gentle Pinot Noir.
Garnish thoughtfully – those golden king trumpet “scallops,” crispy maitake, caramelized shallots, and fried sage leaves are as much a feast for the eyes as the palate. You can also use fresh parsley if that is all you have.
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Storage instructions, reheating
- Refrigerate promptly. Store leftover risotto in an airtight container for 2–3 days.
- Reheat gently. Warm on the stove over low heat, adding a splash of hot stock, water, or even a tiny bit of olive oil to revive the creamy texture. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
- Add finishing touches after reheating. For best results, fold in a little walnut cream or butter, and top with reserved crispy mushrooms, toasted walnuts, or a squeeze of lemon before serving.
- Avoid the microwave if possible. It can make the risotto gummy — gentle stove reheating preserves the luscious texture.
Pro tip: Risotto is always best fresh, but these tips let you enjoy your woodland bowl a day or two later without losing any of its nutty, mushroom-forward charm.
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Creamy Mushroom Risotto with Walnuts Recipe
Equipment
- Heavy-bottomed pot or wide sauté pan
- Medium skillet
- small saucepan
- Sharp knife, cutting board
- Wooden spoon or silicone spatula
- Fine mesh strainer or coffee filter
- Blender or mini food processor
Ingredients
For the Risotto Base
- 1 ½ cups arborio rice or carnaroli rice
- 1 small onion finely diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 cups baby bella mushrooms sliced
- 1 cup maitake chopped
- 2 king trumpet sliced into thick coins
- 15 grams dried porcini soaked in hot water
- 1 cup dry white wine or extra stock
- 4 cups chicken stock or veggie, kept warm
- 2 tablespoons tahini
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
Caramelized shallots:
- 2 large shallots thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- Pinch salt
- ½ cup walnuts chopped and dry toasted
For the walnut cream
- ¼ cup walnut
- stock splash, to help blend the walnuts
- Finishing magic:
Finishing touches
- 3 tablespoons butter browned
- Juice + zest of ½ lemon
- Fresh thyme or sage
Instructions
- Rehydrate porcini: put 15 grams dried porcini in a small bowl, cover with 1 cup of hot water. Let sit 15–20 minutes. Strain through a fine sieve or coffee filter into a jar and reserve the liquid. Chop the rehydrated porcini finely.
- Warm the 4 cups chicken stock in a saucepan;
- Prep mushrooms: slice 2 cups baby bella mushrooms, tear/chop 1 cup maitake, cut 2 king trumpet into 6–8 thick coins. Pat all dry.
- In a dry skillet toast the chopped ½ cup walnuts (~3–4 minutes) until fragrant; set aside. Make walnut cream: blitz ¼ cup walnut + 2–3 tbsp hot reserved stock in a blender until smooth; add more stock if needed to reach a loose cream.
- Peel & thinly slice 2 large shallots. Mince 3 cloves garlic. Zest the lemon and juice half.
- In a medium skillet over medium-low heat, heat 1 teaspoon olive oil + 1 tablespoon butter. Add 2 large shallots(sliced) and a pinch of salt. Cook slowly, stirring occasionally, until deep golden and jammy, about 12–18 minutes. If they start to brown too fast, lower the heat. Remove and set aside.
- In a wide heavy-bottomed pan, heat 3 tablespoons olive oil over medium. Add the finely diced 1 small onion and a Pinch salt ; sweat until translucent, ~4–6 minutes. Add minced 3 cloves garlic for 30 seconds.
- Add the 1 ½ cups arborio rice and stir to coat — toast for 2–3 minutes, until the edges look translucent but the centers are still chalky. This gives a better texture.
- Pour in 1 cup dry white wine (or extra stock) and stir until nearly all the liquid has evaporated.
- Begin ladling in warm stock (including 2–3 tbsp of the reserved porcini soaking liquid). Add stock one ladle at a time, stirring often but not constantly. Wait until most liquid is absorbed before adding the next ladle. Maintain a gentle simmer, not a boil.
- After ~8–10 minutes of gradual stock additions (rice should be loosening but still chewy), add the sliced baby bellas and chopped rehydrated porcini. Continue adding stock ladle by ladle and stirring.
- At about 14–16 minutes total cooking for the rice (taste test!), stir in the chopped maitake so it cooks but keeps some texture. The rice should be al dente with a creamy, slightly loose sauce.
- In a hot skillet, add a good drizzle of olive oil. Sear king trumpet coins 2–3 minutes per side until golden; remove and keep warm. In the same pan, quickly sear a handful of maitake pieces until edges crisp. Optionally, fry a few sage leaves in butter for 15–20 seconds until crisp; drain on a paper towel. Keep all toppings warm.
- When rice is done (usually 16–18 minutes total from first stock), remove from heat. Stir in: 3 tablespoons butter (previously browned), add 2 tablespoons tahini, walnut cream and toasted walnuts.
- Fold in caramelized shallots, Juice + zest of ½ lemon to brighten
- Garnish with a handful of Fresh thyme or sage
- Taste and season with salt + black pepper. If risotto is too thick, loosen with a splash of hot stock. If too thin, simmer 1 minute.
- Spoon risotto into warmed bowls. Top with seared king trumpet coins and crispy maitake. Scatter remaining toasted walnuts, a few caramelized shallot ribbons, and flaky salt. Drizzle a little brown butter or olive oil and add the fried sage leaf(s). Finish with a small lemon wedge on the side.
Notes
Nutrition
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Conclusion
With no cheese added, this Mushroom Walnut Risotto does not lack in flavor.
All the mushrooms, walnuts, and caramelized shallots bring earthy, nutty, and satisfying flavors. The combination of textures, creamy rice, tender mushrooms, and crunchy walnuts delivers savory flavor in every bite.
It’s a mushroom risotto recipe you should save.
FAQ
Can I use other types of rice if I don’t have arborio or carnaroli?
Risotto rice, like arborio and carnaroli, are ideal for their starch content and creamy risotto. Short-grain sushi rice could work in a pinch, but long-grain varieties like basmati or jasmine won’t give the same texture. You can use brown rice but it is less starchy and needs a lot more time to soften. You will need to increase the cooking time to 50-60 minutes and use more broth.
Can I make this recipe vegan?
Absolutely! Swap the butter for olive oil or vegan butter, and skip any dairy finishes. The walnut cream and tahini already give richness, so you won’t lose the luxurious mouthfeel.
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This Mushroom Walnut Risotto is my go-to comfort food (right after pierogi :)). It is creamy, umami-rich, and very satisfying. Oh, and there is no cheese in it! Flavor is 10 out of 10!