Creamy and delicious vegan mushroom risotto. This risotto is dairy-free, gluten-free and contains healthy plant-based protein from chickpeas. It’s a flavorful and easy to make weeknight dinner recipe.
I am probably the biggest fan of mushrooms, I always loved them, even as a child. I add them to almost all of my favorite savory dishes, like pasta, rice, pizza, omelet, even mashed potatoes. The flavor and texture of mushrooms are incredible, and they are furthermore healthy. So let’s make this delicious creamy mushroom risotto.
What Is Risotto?
Risotto is a traditional Italian dish made from starchy short-grained rice, for example, Arborio rice. Making risotto involves stirring warm broth (typically chicken broth) into the rice ladle after ladle. Once the liquid has been absorbed, more broth is added. This cooking method makes the rice release its starch, and therefore, results in a creamy risotto dish.
Of course, I didn’t use chicken broth, instead, I used vegetable broth. A classic risotto often also contains butter and cheese. I prefer the healthier version without butter, but with the addition of mushrooms and chickpeas. It’s actually fairly easy to make a healthy risotto which still turns out creamy, and delicious. If you love cheesy risotto, check out my Vegan Broccoli and “Cheese” Risotto.
How To Make Mushroom Risotto?
This vegan mushroom risotto is a perfect comfort meal and it’s ready in about 35 minutes. This recipe requires only a few steps that aren’t complicated at all. Check the step-by-step photos for easy visual instructions. All ingredients with measurements and nutrition facts are in the printable recipe card below.
- Dice the onion and prepare the other ingredients.
- Heat coconut oil in a skillet/pan, stir in half of the diced onion and minced garlic. Sauté for a few minutes over medium heat, then add risotto rice, stir for about 1 minute until the rice is opaque.
- Pour in the wine, keep stirring constantly until the wine is absorbed.
- Add 1/2 cup vegetable broth to the rice, and cook on low heat until the broth is absorbed. Stir frequently and add more broth, 1/4 cup at a time until the liquid is absorbed and the risotto is al dente and creamy (about 15 minutes).
- Chop the mushrooms. You can use white button mushrooms or any other mushrooms of choice.
- In a different skillet/pan heat the remaining coconut oil, add the other half of the diced onion and minced garlic and sauté for a few minutes over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and chickpeas, sauté for 3-5 minutes, then stir in balsamic vinegar, and soy sauce.
- Also, add coconut milk and let simmer for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Season with black pepper, red pepper flakes, salt to taste and fresh parsley.
Finally, combine the mushroom/chickpea mixture with the risotto rice, stir in the nutritional yeast flakes and enjoy!
Questions & Tips:
Why is stirring important? Risotto should be stirred frequently. You don’t need to stir it all the time, but stirring every few minutes is quite important. Also adding the broth 1/2 cup at a time is a must for the rice to release the starches.
Can I use normal rice? I recommend that you make this delicious dish with risotto rice (for example Arborio, Carnaroli, Vialone, Nano or Baldo) and it will turn out very creamy. However, if you don’t have risotto rice at home then you can also use regular white rice (I tried both). The vegan mushroom risotto will still turn out delicious and creamy because of the coconut milk but it’s not traditional to use regular rice for risotto.
Can I use different milk? Sure! You can use any other plant-based milk of choice like almond milk, oat milk, cashew milk, etc. However, the mushroom risotto will be less creamy because canned coconut milk is higher in fat.
How to store? Store leftover mushroom risotto in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Can I freeze risotto? I don’t recommend freezing risotto as it will change the texture once you reheat it.
Mushroom risotto with peas: You can add green peas to make mushroom and pea risotto. Simply leave out the chickpeas and use peas instead (either canned or thawed from frozen).
Vegan Parmesan: As mentioned before, most mushroom risotto recipes contain cheese/Parmesan but you can simply add nutritional yeast flakes to make this dish even more flavorful, delicious, and of course, vegan. Or check out my Vegan Parmesan Recipe.
This Mushroom Risotto Is:
- Vegan (dairy-free)
- Creamy
- Rich
- Flavorful
- Comforting
- Protein-rich
- Gluten-free
- Easy to make
Should you try out this vegan mushroom risotto recipe, please leave a comment below and don’t forget to tag me in your Instagram or Facebook post with @elavegan and #elavegan because I love to see your recreations.
Do you love vegan rice recipes? Then make sure to also check out my other simple vegan recipes:
- Vegan Broccoli and “Cheese” Risotto.
- Turmeric Rice
- Vegan Chickpea Curry with Rice
- Sweet Potato Curry With Rice
- Rice And Bean Casserole
Vegan Mushroom Risotto
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (120 g) risotto rice
- 1 medium onion diced (divided)
- 2 large cloves garlic minced (divided)
- 2 tbsp coconut oil divided
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) white wine or use more broth
- 1 1/4 cup (300 ml) vegetable broth heated on the stove
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) coconut milk canned (*see notes)
- 3 cups (200 g) mushrooms sliced
- 1 cup (150 g) chickpeas canned (*see notes)
- 1 tbsp soy sauce (gluten-free if needed) or tamari
- 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- Nutritional yeast to garnish
- Fresh parsley, black pepper, sea salt, red pepper flakes to taste
Instructions
- Heat 1 tbsp coconut oil in a skillet/frying pan, stir in 1/2 of the diced onion and 1 large clove of minced garlic and sauté for a few minutes over medium heat.
- Add rice, stir for about 1 minute until the rice is opaque. Pour in the wine, keep stirring constantly until the wine is absorbed.
- Add 1/2 cup vegetable broth and cook on low heat until the broth is absorbed. Stir frequently and add more broth, 1/4 cup at a time until the liquid is absorbed and the risotto is al dente and creamy (about 15 minutes).
- In a different skillet/frying pan heat the remaining 1 tbsp coconut oil, stir in the remaining diced onion and minced garlic and sauté for a few minutes over medium heat.
- Add the mushrooms and chickpeas and sauté for 3-5 minutes. Also, add balsamic vinegar, soy sauce, coconut milk, and let simmer for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season with black pepper, red pepper flakes, salt, and fresh parsley to taste.
- Finally, combine the mushroom/chickpea mixture with the cooked risotto rice, stir in the nutritional yeast flakes and enjoy! Check the recipe notes below.
Notes
- Coconut milk: You can use any other plant-based milk of choice, however, the risotto will turn out less creamy.
- Chickpeas: Use canned chickpeas or cook from dry. Instead of chickpeas, you can also use peas.
- How to store: Store leftover risotto in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Check the step-by-step photos in the blog post above.
- Recipe serves 4. Nutrition facts are for one serving made with canned coconut milk.
Nutrition information is an estimate and has been calculated automatically
Sue Alves
Another amazing and delicious recipe. A Sunday well spent in the kitchen. thank you Ela.
Ela
Hi Sue, I am glad you liked the recipe! 🙂
Ana
Another 10/10 just like all your recipes I’ve made so far. Absolutely amazing!
Ela
That’s wonderful, Ana. I am so glad you liked the risotto. 🙂
Ana
Absolutely deliciously amazing. 10/10. All recipe creators will have their hits and misses but your recipes seriously never disappoint . Thank you!!!!
Ela
So glad you love my recipes! 🙂
Célia
I made this risotto for my luch today
Just delicious!!!
Thank you so much for your recipe!
Ela
You are very welcome, Célia. So happy you enjoyed it. 🙂
Nuha Najjar
I made this yesterday and it was AMAZING!!! I loved it!! Thank you so much for an amazing recipe.
Ela
You are very welcome! I am so glad you liked it. 🙂
Bethany
This is absolutely gorgeous, I’m sat here eating it right now. I tweaked it a little by adding a large handful of spinach to wilt before adding the coconut milk, I used crushed chilli’s instead of pepper flakes, and I added 1/4 cup nutritional yeast at the same time as the coconut milk. Heaven! I do advise you double the recipe if cooking for 4 though, this made enough for 2 very large portions, or 3 smaller portions. Thank you for the recipe!! I’ll be making it again for sure.
Ela
I am so glad you liked it, Bethany! Thanks for your feedback. 🙂
Lisa
Just made this for dinner and it was really delicious. Thanks for a great recipe!
Ela
I am glad you liked it Lisa. 🙂
Shrav Tapal
Another delicious recipe. My whole family ate it and loved it. So easy to cook and faster than I thought. Very healthy delicious and easy to make. Never knew I would enjoy being vegan this much. Thanks a lot Ela. Hugs from NYC.
Ela
Aww, that makes me so happy! Thanks for your great feedback, I appreciate it. 🙂
Marie
This risotto is so delicious! I had to add a bit more water (also added more wine) so the risotto was cooked enough is it wasn’t there yet after having absorbed all the broth. I would definitely recommend doing double the portions as it only was enough for two servings (good sized portions).
Ela
I am glad you love the recipe, Marie! Thanks for your feedback. 🙂
Nicki
WOW! This is the nicest risotto I’ve ever had (not that I’m a massive risotto eater), so creamy and full of flavour, even my husband loved it and he turned his nose up at the sound of it. I added tofu for additional protein, just beautiful. Thanks so much, I’ll will be sharing this with anyone who asks me about vegan/veggie recipes! It’s so easy to make too. ❤️
Ela
That’s wonderful, Nicki! I am so glad you both enjoyed the recipe. Thanks for your feedback. 🙂
Colleen
Favourite risotto of all time ! Have you ever made it in the instapot? I was hoping to make it for a dinner party and not have to stand by the stove in the heat:)
Ela
Hi Colleen, I am so glad you loved it. No, I haven’t made it in the Instant Pot yet, but I am pretty sure it should work fine. I would sauté the onion, garlic, and mushrooms for 6-7 minutes, then add the rice and toast it for 1-2 minutes. Deglaze with the wine and sauté for a further 2 minutes. Then add the broth, coconut milk, and all spices. Seal the IP and pressure-cook (high pressure) for 5 minutes, then natural release for 10 minutes. I would add the cooked (canned) chickpeas afterward, otherwise, they might turn mushy. Let me know if you give it a try. 🙂
Katarina
The recipe is amazing!! So creamy and tasty 🙂 I added some vegan cheese when it was done and it was great. 5/5 🙂
Ela
I am so glad it was a success. 🙂
Nik Farrugia
This came out delicious! Thank you. All the family loved it!
Ela
Wonderful! So glad you all loved it. 🙂
Caroline
Es war unglaublich lecker Ela! Ich liebe deine Rezepte! Hatte aber anstatt Reis veggie noodles genommen und hab sie genauso wie den Reis zubereitet. Einfach super lecker!! Hab meiner Mama in Deutschland auch ganz viele Rezepte von dir geschickt!
Ela
So lieb von dir, Caroline! Ich freue mich sehr, dass es dir so gut geschmeckt hat. 🙂
LG, Ela
Jordan Spencer
I made this a few weeks ago and am going to make it again for friends tonight! Absolutely delicious.
Ela
So glad you loved it, Jordan! 🙂
YALP
Thank you Ela, You are a wonderful person by sharing all your DELICIOUS recipes with ALL US… really enjoy it, You are my favorite chef. I Did his Rissotto and, ohhhh my Goood…. Speechlesssss… Thanks !!!
Ela
Aww you are very kind! Thanks for your kind comment dear. 🙂
Renee Coles
I’ve made this recipe a few times and it is easily one of the top 10 recipes I’ve tried and I’ve literally tested hundreds. My meat-eating husband said “three thumbs up” tonight as we were eating it. It’s easily a recipe I would make for non-vegan company. Just perfect.
Ela
Wow, that’s amazing, Renee! I am so glad you and your husband enjoyed the risotto. 🙂
Hannah
Hey,
I am currently eating this dish and I’m sooo in love with it!
Ela
I am so glad you love the risotto! Thanks for your kind comment. 🙂
Ro Owen
Wow Ela, another winner from your amazing blog. Made this tonight and it was a total winner with us. Definitely will be making this again heaps!!! We didn’t have any vegan wine so just added extra stock, and am trying as much as possible to cook without oil so just cooked with a little water instead of using the coconut oil….and still turned out amazingly delicious!!! The only thing was it didn’t make enough because we loved it so much we couldn’t help being greedy so went back for more and more!!! Next time will just make double the recipe. THANK YOU AGAIN for your awesome recipes that you create and share. xxx 🙂
Ela
Wow, that’s such a wonderful compliment! Thank you very much for your thorough feedback, I really appreciate it. 🙂
Good idea to double the recipe. 😀
Much love, Ela
Maria
Ela thank you so much for creating and posting this fav recipe! I made it today for lunch and it turned out delicious!
Ela
Hi Maria! I am glad it turned out amazing! 🙂