* 2 cups Arborio rice * 1 lb (450 g) button or chestnut mushrooms, sliced * 8 cups vegetable stock, kept hot * 1 medium onion, finely chopped * 2 cloves garlic, finely minced * 2 tbsp butter, divided * 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil * ½ cup dry white wine — optional * 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan * ¾ cup peas, thawed * 4 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves removed * 1 bay leaf * 2 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped * Salt, to taste * Freshly ground black pepper
Optional finishing touch
* 1 tbsp cold butter * Extra Parmesan * A drizzle of good olive oil * A few sautéed mushrooms for topping
⸻
👩🍳 Step-by-Step
STEP 1 — Keep the stock hot
Pour the vegetable stock into a saucepan and bring it to a gentle simmer.
Turn the heat down to low and keep it hot throughout the cooking process.
The stock must stay hot—adding cold stock can interrupt the cooking of the rice.
⸻
STEP 2 — Sauté the mushrooms 🍄
Heat a large heavy-bottomed pan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
Add the olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter.
Add the sliced mushrooms and cook for about 4–6 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Let them develop a beautiful golden-brown colour.
Add:
* Garlic * Thyme * Bay leaf * Salt * Freshly ground black pepper
Cook for another 1–2 minutes.
Remove the mushrooms from the pan and set aside.
Sunday Simmer tip: Don’t overcrowd the mushrooms. Give them room to brown rather than steam.
⸻
STEP 3 — Start the risotto
In the same pan, add the remaining 1 tablespoon butter.
Add the finely chopped onion.
Cook over medium heat for about 4–5 minutes, until soft and translucent.
Don’t brown the onion—we want it soft and sweet.
⸻
STEP 4 — Toast the Arborio rice
Add the 2 cups Arborio rice.
Stir continuously for about 2 minutes.
The rice should become glossy and lightly toasted, with the edges looking slightly translucent.
This little step makes a big difference to the final texture.
⸻
STEP 5 — Add the wine 🍷
Pour in ½ cup white wine.
Stir continuously and allow the wine to cook away until almost completely absorbed.
If you’re making the alcohol-free version, simply skip this step and continue with the stock.
⸻
STEP 6 — The risotto ritual
Now comes the most important part.
Add about 1 cup of hot stock.
Stir gently but frequently.
When most of the liquid has been absorbed, add another 1 cup of stock.
Continue this process:
Stock → stir → absorb → stock → stir → absorb
Don’t rush it.
It should take approximately 18–22 minutes.
⸻
STEP 7 — Check the rice
Taste a grain.
The rice should be:
Creamy on the outside + slightly firm/al dente in the centre.
It should NOT be mushy.
You may not need all 8 cups of stock.
If the rice is still firm, continue adding stock a little at a time.
⸻
STEP 8 — Bring back the mushrooms
Once the rice is almost perfectly cooked, remove the bay leaf.
Add the sautéed mushrooms back into the risotto.
Stir gently and cook for another 2 minutes.
Add the peas.
⸻
STEP 9 — Make it silky ✨
Turn the heat off.
Add:
* 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan * 1 tbsp cold butter, if using * Fresh parsley
Stir gently but thoroughly.
The risotto should become luxuriously creamy and slightly loose.
If it looks too thick, add a small splash of hot stock.
The secret:
Risotto should slowly spread across the plate, not sit like a mound of rice.
⸻
STEP 10 — Rest & serve
Let the risotto rest for 1–2 minutes.
Taste and adjust the salt and pepper.
Spoon into warm bowls.
Finish with:
🍄 Golden mushrooms 🧀 Fresh Parmesan 🌿 Fresh parsley 🫒 A tiny drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil
Serve immediately.
⸻
⭐ Sunday Simmer’s 5 Golden Rules for Risotto
1. Always use hot stock. 2. Toast the Arborio rice before adding liquid. 3. Add stock gradually—not all at once. 4. Keep stirring, but don’t aggressively beat the rice. 5. Finish with butter + Parmesan off the heat.
1 Comment
Serves: 4
Ingredients
* 2 cups Arborio rice
* 1 lb (450 g) button or chestnut mushrooms, sliced
* 8 cups vegetable stock, kept hot
* 1 medium onion, finely chopped
* 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
* 2 tbsp butter, divided
* 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
* ½ cup dry white wine — optional
* 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan
* ¾ cup peas, thawed
* 4 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves removed
* 1 bay leaf
* 2 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
* Salt, to taste
* Freshly ground black pepper
Optional finishing touch
* 1 tbsp cold butter
* Extra Parmesan
* A drizzle of good olive oil
* A few sautéed mushrooms for topping
⸻
👩🍳 Step-by-Step
STEP 1 — Keep the stock hot
Pour the vegetable stock into a saucepan and bring it to a gentle simmer.
Turn the heat down to low and keep it hot throughout the cooking process.
The stock must stay hot—adding cold stock can interrupt the cooking of the rice.
⸻
STEP 2 — Sauté the mushrooms 🍄
Heat a large heavy-bottomed pan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
Add the olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter.
Add the sliced mushrooms and cook for about 4–6 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Let them develop a beautiful golden-brown colour.
Add:
* Garlic
* Thyme
* Bay leaf
* Salt
* Freshly ground black pepper
Cook for another 1–2 minutes.
Remove the mushrooms from the pan and set aside.
Sunday Simmer tip: Don’t overcrowd the mushrooms. Give them room to brown rather than steam.
⸻
STEP 3 — Start the risotto
In the same pan, add the remaining 1 tablespoon butter.
Add the finely chopped onion.
Cook over medium heat for about 4–5 minutes, until soft and translucent.
Don’t brown the onion—we want it soft and sweet.
⸻
STEP 4 — Toast the Arborio rice
Add the 2 cups Arborio rice.
Stir continuously for about 2 minutes.
The rice should become glossy and lightly toasted, with the edges looking slightly translucent.
This little step makes a big difference to the final texture.
⸻
STEP 5 — Add the wine 🍷
Pour in ½ cup white wine.
Stir continuously and allow the wine to cook away until almost completely absorbed.
If you’re making the alcohol-free version, simply skip this step and continue with the stock.
⸻
STEP 6 — The risotto ritual
Now comes the most important part.
Add about 1 cup of hot stock.
Stir gently but frequently.
When most of the liquid has been absorbed, add another 1 cup of stock.
Continue this process:
Stock → stir → absorb → stock → stir → absorb
Don’t rush it.
It should take approximately 18–22 minutes.
⸻
STEP 7 — Check the rice
Taste a grain.
The rice should be:
Creamy on the outside + slightly firm/al dente in the centre.
It should NOT be mushy.
You may not need all 8 cups of stock.
If the rice is still firm, continue adding stock a little at a time.
⸻
STEP 8 — Bring back the mushrooms
Once the rice is almost perfectly cooked, remove the bay leaf.
Add the sautéed mushrooms back into the risotto.
Stir gently and cook for another 2 minutes.
Add the peas.
⸻
STEP 9 — Make it silky ✨
Turn the heat off.
Add:
* 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan
* 1 tbsp cold butter, if using
* Fresh parsley
Stir gently but thoroughly.
The risotto should become luxuriously creamy and slightly loose.
If it looks too thick, add a small splash of hot stock.
The secret:
Risotto should slowly spread across the plate, not sit like a mound of rice.
⸻
STEP 10 — Rest & serve
Let the risotto rest for 1–2 minutes.
Taste and adjust the salt and pepper.
Spoon into warm bowls.
Finish with:
🍄 Golden mushrooms
🧀 Fresh Parmesan
🌿 Fresh parsley
🫒 A tiny drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil
Serve immediately.
⸻
⭐ Sunday Simmer’s 5 Golden Rules for Risotto
1. Always use hot stock.
2. Toast the Arborio rice before adding liquid.
3. Add stock gradually—not all at once.
4. Keep stirring, but don’t aggressively beat the rice.
5. Finish with butter + Parmesan off the heat.