Mushroom and spinach risotto featuring whole baby button mushrooms, loads of iron-rich spinach and is topped with brown butter walnuts.
I cook all of my risotto recipes in a traditional way, adding stock a little at a time, but they are very easy to make, and this will go from your cupboard to your table in around an hour.
The Perfect Autumnal Risotto
I’ve waxed lyrical about risotto here more than a few times.
My site is littered with recipes for this Italian masterpiece of cooking, I have everything from old favourites like lemon and prawn risotto, tomato and mascarpone risotto and butternut squash risotto to slightly more "off piste" recipes like my black pudding risotto and a wonderful smoked haddock risotto.
As a result, I will try to avoid the same old ode to the joys of cooking a proper risotto when talking about this walnut, mushroom and spinach risotto.
Well, maybe I will just reinforce that it is pretty much the law that you must sup wine whilst stirring a risotto!
This risotto recipe is full of autumnal flavours, mushrooms, spinach, and all topped with crispy fried walnuts.
The mushrooms are given a flavour boost thanks to an old British condiment, mushroom ketchup.
Just like all of my recipes, I favour an old school cooking technique that involves plenty of stirring, but it is all very easy and quite cathartic!
Frequently Asked Questions
What sort of risotto rice do you use?
All of my risotto recipes are tested and developed with arborio rice. This is because it is the type that is most readily available.
However, this will work with any risotto rice, and when I am cooking for myself, I usually use carnaroli rice because it is a little creamier.
You should be aware that the timings of cooking risotto vary considerably based on pan size and shape, as well as the cooking temperature.
Can I use a different type of mushroom?
Yes, this recipe will work with any mushroom. I like to use baby button mushrooms because it reduces the amount of chopping.
What is mushroom ketchup?
Mushroom ketchup is an old British condiment dating back to the early 19th century.
It's not like tomato ketchup, it has much more in common with Worcestershire sauce or Henderson's relish, both of which make good substitutions in this recipe.
Don't worry about having another bottle in the cupboard, you can use it in everything from my cream of wild mushroom soup to Welsh rarebit.
Can I use frozen spinach?
Yes, it will need to be defrosted, squeezed of excess moisture and roughly chopped before adding it to the risotto.
You will need around 200-250g (frozen weight) of frozen spinach.
Can I make this recipe vegetarian?
The only thing in this recipe that is not vegetarian is Parmesan cheese; true Parmesan contains animal rennet. However, there are many vegetarian alternatives on the market, and you can sometimes find vegetarian Pecorino cheese.
Serving Suggestions
A risotto is the perfect one-bowl comfort meal as far as I am concerned, and this little spinach and mushroom number is no different.
However, I do usually serve my risotto with a bit of bread to mop up the juices from the bowl.
I've been making this soft potato focaccia recipe by a friend quite a bit lately. I freeze it in wedges, then defrost and heat it in an air fryer.
An old favourite and an alternative to this is garlic bread or cheesy garlic bread.
Equipment Used
I only mention brands of equipment if I think that they make a material difference to a recipe. But if you have any questions, feel free to ask them in the comments section below the recipe.
- Hob/stovetop.
- 28cm or 11" frying pan (not nonstick if possible).
- 20cm or 8" frying pan.
- 15cm or 6" saucepan.
- 20cm or 8" saucepan.
- Colander.
- Ladle.
- Chopping board.
- Kitchen knife.
- Stirring and serving spoons.
- A combination of weighing scales, a measuring jug, measuring cups and spoons.
Creamy Mushroom and Spinach Risotto Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
- 250 g Baby Button Mushrooms 2 Cups
- 2 tablespoon Mushroom Ketchup
- 125 g Risotto Rice ⅔ Cup
- 1 Small-Medium Echalion or Banana Shallot 35g
- 35 g Celery ⅓ Cup
- 2 Cloves Garlic
- 50 g Butter 3 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon
- 125 ml Dry White Wine ½ Cup
- 500-650 ml Vegetable Stock 2-2½ Cups
- 250 g Baby Spinach 8-9 Cups
- 125 ml Water ½ Cup
- 75 g Parmesan Cheese ¾ Cup
- 35 g Walnut Halves ⅓ Cup
- Salt (as needed)
Instructions
- Place the vegetable stock in a small 15cm or 6" saucepan and bring it to a simmer.
- Cut the shallot in half, peel it and then dice it as finely as you can.
- Dice the celery as finely as you can.
- Peel and dice the garlic cloves as finely as you can.
- Heat a 28cm or 11" frying pan over a medium-high heat, and when it is hot, add the olive oil, then fry the mushrooms for 3-5 minutes, stirring regularly.
- Pour in the mushroom ketchup, then sauté for another 30-60 seconds, remove the mushrooms and return the pan to a medium heat.
- Add half of the butter, and when it begins to foam, add the diced shallot and celery and cook for 2 minutes, scraping the "fond" from the bottom of the pan as you go.
- Throw in the garlic and cook for another minute.
- Add in the risotto rice, and stir continuously for 2-3 minutes; the edges of the rice should become opaque.
- Pour in the white wine and stir until almost all of the wine has evaporated or absorbed. You should end up with a starchy residue in the base of the pan.
- Have a taste of the stock before you get started, and add salt if you think that it needs it. Then add a ladle of the hot vegetable stock and stir again until almost all of the stock has been absorbed and you have a similar white starchy residue in the base of the pan. Repeat until the rice is almost cooked.
- Pour the 125ml (½ Cup) of water into the base of a 20cm or 8" saucepan and bring it to a boil, throw in the spinach and cook it until it has wilted, drain it through a colander pressing out as much liquid as you can (I use a ladle for this), then transfer it to a chopping board and roughly chop it.
- When you add the last ladle of stock to the pan, return the mushrooms and add the spinach, stir and cook until the rice has the tiniest bit of texture left.
- Remove the risotto from the heat (you want a slightly wet risotto at this point) and add the parmesan cheese, stir until it has melted, then add a lid, and let it sit for 5 minutes before serving.
- Heat a small (20cm or 8") frying pan over a high-medium heat and add the butter. When the butter has begun to brown (not burn), add the walnut halves and saute for 2-3 minutes, and serve them on top of the risotto with a drizzle of the brown butter.
Tina Lindquist
Sunday 3rd of February 2019
I haven't made risotto in a long time, I need to make this, I forgot how much I love this, saving for later:)
Christine
Sunday 3rd of February 2019
It looks as beautiful as I bet it is delicious! The flavors leap off the page with those gorgeous photos! Yum!
Lisa|Garlic & Zest
Sunday 3rd of February 2019
The flavors in this risotto are spot on -- and I just love your photography! I always sip a glass of wine when making risotto -- I think it's actually an instruction in the recipe!
Katie | Healthy Seasonal Recipes
Sunday 3rd of February 2019
Oh wow! Jealous that you found those mushrooms at our market. They look so meaty! Yum!
Shashi at SavorySpin
Sunday 3rd of February 2019
Those mushrooms sure look tempting in that spinach and walnut risotto - there's a store near me that carries a wide array of mushrooms and am hoping they have these King oyster/French Horn mushrooms! Btw - I just learned I haven't been making risotto in the right way - you see, I've never had something to sip on while making it - that needs to change! :) Happy Friday Brian, hope your weekend is wonderful.