Risotto Recipe with Spinach, Mushrooms, and Peas

AKA: Ryan’s Risotto

As with so many things in life, this risotto recipe comes with a story. I came to enjoy cooking later in life, as I have mentioned before. Later means after undergraduate, right when grad school started, and I’d have to feed myself for a reasonable amount of money. So, this risotto recipe is a 2015 vintage.

About that time, I’d also started seeing this guy, and I really wanted to make a good impression. I had some free time before my classes and lab work would be starting, so I invited him to come over to my little studio apartment for dinner after he got off work. I thought it would be a smooth move to ask if there was anything he’d like me to cook for him.

He was pleased. “Oh, if you could make a risotto, that would be great!”

I said I’d make it happen! But I should note that there was a small problem.

I had never made risotto. I’d also never had it in a restaurant. I was totally clueless about what I was going to do.

So, naturally, I panicked.

Not wanting to look clueless, I consulted my mom (who still laughs about this), and the internet. I was quite intimidated when I looked up risotto recipes online. It looked like a lot of steps, SO MUCH stirring, many potential vegetables to include, and always talk about not letting the rice dry out.

Risotto isn’t actually scary

To get perfect texture in risotto is really tricky. Now, I do not claim to provide advice that will achieve such quality every time in this risotto recipe. You don’t want the rice too squishy or drowning in broth, but you certainly do not want to bite into a mouthful of undercooked rice.

Bon Appétit has a piece on some of the “do’s and don’ts” of making a fabulous risotto. Even if you overcook the rice a little or add a bit too much stock (I’ve done both), I think you’ll be happy with this risotto recipe. It’s easier than you’d think, flavorful, and the ingredients are easy to find. I have written out some of my thoughts on substitutions and potential pitfalls later in the post and in the recipe text.

Anyways! The conclusion to the story is that it all worked out fine. The risotto was delicious, we’ve made this together dozens of times, and he’s still around five years later. Hence the name that my family uses all the time for this risotto recipe is “Ryan’s Risotto”.

It’s going to work just fine for you, too!

Preparation & Photos

I strongly recommend that you have all of your produce chopped and other components (rice, wine, Parmesan) measured in advance. Things can get a little hectic. If you feel confident managing three pots at once, this goes very fast. If you prefer to break up the preparation a little, finish the mushrooms before you start on the risotto and just warm them up a little before combining them with the risotto.

I recommend starting to warm your stock before preparing your vegetables.

MUSHROOMS AND PEAS

Heat olive oil over medium-low heat in a skillet and stir in sliced mushrooms. Stir occasionally until fully cooked.

RISOTTO

Warm the stock over medium heat until it reaches a simmer. Lower the heat and then keep it covered so you don’t lose too much to evaporation.

Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat and add the onions. Cook until the onions are quite soft and there is no “crunch” remaining. This takes 10 minutes or more. If you aren’t concerned with the risotto’s texture, you can move on sooner.

Add the garlic and sauté until fragrant

Add the rice and stir regularly for about two minutes. Do not allow the rice to burn.

Add the white wine and stir for about 2 minutes

Add hot broth about ½ cup at a time. Stir regularly after each addition, and do not allow the rice to dry out.

Check the texture of the rice as you go – stop when the rice is al dente and remove the pot from heat

Add black pepper and stir until incorporated. Add the spinach and mix well.

FINISHING

Add the cooked mushrooms and warmed peas to the risotto and mix. Stir in the Parmesan cheese and fold until fully incorporated. You can garnish with parsley if you’re feeling fancy, or just run with it as is like I usually do. Enjoy!

Substitutions

Three pots and pans = a ton of dishes!

I totally agree. And I hate doing dishes more than a great many things. I don’t have a good suggestion to eliminate the need for two pots – one for the risotto, and one for the broth. The broth needs to be hot before it goes into the rice.

If you prefer to avoid using the skillet, you can absolutely skip the separate cooking on the mushrooms and peas. I have made this by stirring the mushrooms and peas directly into the risotto before the rice is done numerous times. If you do that, just keep in mind that you run the risk of overcooking the risotto or undercooking the mushrooms. Make sure you cook everything fully. Slightly mushy rice will still be quite edible.

Once I have the recipe more thoroughly tested, I am planning to re-publish this recipe with instructions for the instant pot.

All of the Cheese!

There is an inordinate amount of cheese in this recipe. This is not intended to be a healthy dish… by any means. You can absolutely decrease the amount of Parmesan you use to about 3/4 cup, add salt to taste, and it will still be delicious. I just love cheese, so I tend to use a lot.

My main recommendation is that you do not skimp on the quality of the cheese. A sub-par Parmesan will not do you any favors in risotto. I typically use Parmigiano Reggiano, which is made from raw, unpasteurized milk.

If you cannot find any, cannot eat raw milk cheeses due to a medical condition (such as pregnancy), or avoid them as a precaution (See the FDA’s discussion on raw milk in food) there are other options that will work. Pecorino Romano has worked just fine for me in a pinch and that is often made from pasteurized milk. Be sure to check on the milk source if you have any concerns before buying!

I have not tested a dairy free cheese here.

Spinach

Feel free to omit the spinach entirely if the texture doesn’t do it for you (It won’t for everyone!). You can add extra peas or mushrooms if you prefer.

Chard and kale are likely fine in place of the spinach, although I haven’t tested it in this recipe. If you make that switch, make sure you cook them separately along with the mushrooms rather than stirring it directly into the risotto. They will not cook down as quickly as the spinach.

Mushrooms

I use cremini mushrooms most of the time because they’re easy to find. Button mushrooms will work fine, and I love oyster and cinnamon cap mushrooms if you can track them down. If you use bigger portobello mushrooms, scrape the gills out before you cook them.

Keep in mind cook time on these will vary, which is why cooking them in a separate pan gives you more control over substitutions.

Peas

I like frozen peas here because they hold up well, but if you use canned peas, I think they’ll be okay stirring them in with the spinach.

Vegetarian Adaptable

This risotto recipe is easily vegetarian adaptable. Just swap out the chicken broth for a good quality vegetable broth, and make sure your cheese wasn’t made with animal rennet.

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