🇮🇹 Italian · Risotto
🍄 Risotto ai Funghi Porcini
Risotto ai Funghi Porcini
A deeply earthy autumn risotto built on porcini mushrooms, both fresh and dried, whose soaking liquid enriches the stock for an intensely woodsy final dish.
Using both fresh and reconstituted dried porcini gives this risotto layered depth — the dried mushrooms and their strained soaking liquid provide a concentrated umami backbone, while fresh porcini sautéed separately add textural bite and aroma.
Ingredients
Equipment: Wide, heavy-bottomed pan, Small bowl for soaking, Fine sieve or cloth
- 320 g (1½ cups) Carnaroli or Arborio rice
- 30 g (1 oz) dried porcini mushrooms
- 300 g (10.5 oz) fresh porcini or cremini mushrooms, sliced
- 1 L (4¼ cups) hot vegetable or chicken stock
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 100 ml (scant ½ cup) dry white wine
- 80 g (⅓ cup) unsalted butter, divided
- 60 g (¾ cup) grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
- Fresh parsley, chopped
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Method
- Soak the dried porcini in 300ml (1¼ cups) hot water for 20 minutes, then lift out and chop, straining and reserving the soaking liquid through a fine sieve or cloth to remove grit.
- Combine the strained porcini liquid with the stock and keep warm over low heat.
- Melt half the butter in a wide pan and sauté the fresh mushrooms over medium-high heat until golden, then remove and set aside.
- In the same pan, sauté the onion and garlic until softened, then add the rice and toast for 2 minutes.
- Add the wine and stir until absorbed, then stir in the rehydrated dried porcini.
- Begin adding the warm stock-and-mushroom liquid one ladle at a time, stirring frequently and waiting for each addition to be mostly absorbed.
- Continue for about 18 minutes until the rice is creamy with a slight bite remaining.
- Stir in the reserved sautéed mushrooms in the final few minutes to warm through.
- Remove from the heat and beat in the remaining butter and Parmigiano vigorously, then finish with parsley and serve immediately.
Chef Tips
- Always strain the porcini soaking liquid carefully — it carries deep flavor but often also fine grit that needs removing.
- Cooking the fresh mushrooms separately and adding them near the end keeps their texture distinct rather than turning mushy.
- Dried porcini can vary widely in quality — buy the best you can, as they carry much of this dish's character.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Skipping the straining step for the porcini liquid, resulting in gritty risotto.
- Adding fresh mushrooms too early, causing them to overcook and lose their texture.
- Using low-quality dried porcini, which can taste musty rather than deeply savory.
Nutrition (per serving)
Health Benefits
- Mushrooms provide fiber, potassium, and B vitamins.
Cultural Note
Porcini mushroom risotto is a beloved autumn dish across northern Italy, timed to the porcini hunting season that draws foragers into the forests of Piedmont and beyond each year.
Storage & Serving
Storage: Best eaten immediately; does not hold or reheat particularly well.
Reheating: Reheat gently with a splash of stock, stirring constantly.
Serve with: A medium-bodied red wine from Piedmont