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Mushroom & Asparagus Risotto

By Cat Harvey

Updated December 21, 2022

91 Ratings

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Top view of Mushroom and Asparagus Risotto in a white bowl with a lemon slice.

This creamy mushroom and asparagus risotto is packed with fresh vegetables. But thanks to the perfect combination of spices, veggie broth, and nutritional yeast, it tastes as decadent as traditional risotto.

Like our Vegan Asparagus Pasta, this dinner is a great option for weeknights when you’re craving a little comfort food. It takes some patience to get right, but comes together quickly despite a long list of fresh ingredients.

Why I Love This

If you’ve been vegan for some time, you may not have had the opportunity to try your hand at cooking risotto. This dish typically requires a heaping of butter and some cheese to achieve the creamy texture it’s celebrated for.

With this mushroom and asparagus risotto recipe, I achieve that same creamy decadence without any dairy products. The key is a combination of vegetable broth, garlic, onion, spices, and nutritional yeast. Together, these ingredients create the enticing umami flavor that makes this traditional Italian dish oh-so-good.

The key to getting the smooth texture is all in the cooking. The truth is, you don’t need loads of fat to make risotto creamy. You only need a little patience.

By slowly adding broth, the rice is exposed to higher heat as it absorbs moisture. This causes the rice grains to release more starch. This starch, in turn, creates that gooey texture we crave.

Ingredients

What makes risotto so unique in flavor and texture is the combination of ingredients that go into it. Creating the perfect tango of umami, earthy, acidic, and gooey requires some key players.

Arborio rice. This Italian variety of short-grained rice is a perfect medium for carrying the variety of flavors that this dish contains. Arborio has a higher content of amylopectin starch compared to other types of rice, which gives it a unique, creamy texture when cooked slowly.
Mushrooms. The deep, earthy flavor of mushrooms really elevated this vegan dish. I prefer cremini for their softer texture.
Asparagus. Thick and chewy, asparagus compliments the mushroom flavor and brings some satisfying variety to the texture of this dish.
White wine. An element of the traditional risotto-making process, white wine lends the dish a little bit of acidity to counteract the richness. If avoiding alcohol, you can absolutely skip this ingredient and still achieve a delicious final product.
Nutritional yeast. Traditional risotto is made with butter and parmesan cheese. Nutritional yeast is a great way to imitate those flavors in plant-based cooking and add some necessary vitamin B12 to your diet.

How to Make

This mushroom and asparagus risotto recipe is not difficult to make once you know the steps. Here is a quick overview to help you learn the process.

Preparation

Step 1: Dice the onion, mince the garlic, and chop the asparagus and mushrooms.

Cooking Instructions

Step 1: Saute the veggies. Start with the onions, garlic, and asparagus and cook until the asparagus is fork tender and the garlic is fragrant.

Asparagus and onions sautéing in a skillet.

Step 2: Add the mushrooms, spices, and wine. Stir well to coat the vegetables.

Asparagus and mushrooms sautéing in a skillet.

Step 3: Add the rice and mix well. Continue stirring occasionally until the rice grains begin to glimmer and pop like Rice Crispies in milk.

Arborio rice added to skillet with Mushroom and Asparagus Risotto mixture.

Step 4: Add the vegetable broth about ½ cup at a time, allowing it to fully absorb into the rice before adding more. Stir slowly and continuously through this process to entice the creamy starch out of the rice.

Pouring vegetable broth into Mushroom and Asparagus Risotto mixture.

Step 5: Stir in the spinach, lemon juice, and nutritional yeast. Cook until the spinach is wilted.

Mushroom and Asparagus Risotto with wilted spinach added to skillet.

Expert Tip

The key to achieving the perfect risotto texture is convincing the rice to let go of all that ooey-gooey starch. To do that, you need the right combination of heat and liquid throughout the cooking process.

One thing that I’ve found really helps achieve this perfect balance is to, first, add only ½ cup to ¾ cup of broth at a time. And second, to warm your broth before you add it to the rice.

Adding only small amounts of broth allows the rice to maintain a higher level of heat than it would if submerged in broth. Higher heat pulls out more starch than lower heat. This translates to a smoother, creamier, and more satisfying final product.

Another important aspect to retain that starch-capturing heat is to warm your broth before adding it to the pot. If you add cold broth, your rice will cool down and hold tighter to that starch each time you add more broth. Not only will this reduce how creamy the final dish is, but it will lengthen the cooking process.

What to Serve it With

Mushroom and asparagus risotto pairs well with salads, vegetables, and crunchy bread. Here are my favorite sides to serve with this dish to help inspire you.

Salads

This risotto pairs exceptionally well with crisp, fresh salads, including spring salad, easy broccoli salad, and raspberry vinaigrette over artichoke hearts salad.

Vegetables

Fresh and roasted vegetable sides both provide a great texture contrast to this dish. I often serve it with roasted sugar snap peas and asparagus, green garlic, and pea tendrils.

Crunchy Bread

Crispy, baked bread is the perfect compliment to this dish. Serve it with slices of freshly baked easy vegan bread or double down on the decadence with my favorite vegan garlic bread.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why isn’t my risotto creamy?

Most likely, you cooked it too fast or added the broth too fast. The key to creamy risotto is giving the rice time to slowly absorb the broth while keeping it hot so it can release its starches to create a velvety texture.

Can I substitute Arborio rice with another type of rice?

Yes, you can substitute another type of short-grained rice for Arborio if you don’t have it. However, Arborio is the type of rice traditionally used for this dish in Italy and is, in my opinion, the absolute best option for getting that perfect velvety texture.

Is this vegan risotto allergen-friendly?

Yes, this creamy dish contains no soy, nuts, or gluten. And since it’s vegan, it doesn’t contain allergens like eggs, dairy, or shellfish.

Storing and Reheating

Mushroom and asparagus risotto tastes best when served hot out of the pot. But if you do have leftovers, you have a few options for storing them to eat later.

Fridge

Yes, this can easily be stored in the fridge. Place leftovers in an airtight container and store for up to five days.

Freezer

Yes, you can freeze mushroom and asparagus risotto leftovers, but the texture won’t be nearly as good once you defrost it.

Allow the dish to cool fully before storing it in an airtight, freezer-safe container. It will stay good for up to six months.

Reheating

To reheat this dish from the fridge, place it in a saucepan and add ¼ to ½ cup of broth. Set the burner to medium and bring the mixture to a simmer before lowering the heat to medium-low, stirring occasionally. Enjoy once it’s heated through.

If reheating frozen mushroom and asparagus risotto, place the container in the fridge and allow it to thaw overnight. Once thawed through, reheat according to the instructions above.

Serving Size

This recipe makes two to four servings. I have found that when served alone, it can typically feed about three people. But when I pair it with a big salad or multiple veggie sides, it can easily feed four.

It is easy to double this recipe if needed, just make sure you have a big enough pot with an extra-wide base to cook it all in.