Easy Garlic Mushroom Risotto Recipe

If you love garlic and mushrooms, this easy garlic mushroom risotto is one of those simple dinners that tastes far more impressive than the effort involved.

You don’t need lots of unusual ingredients or restaurant-level cooking skills. The trick with risotto is mostly patience: add the stock gradually, give it a stir and let the rice become lovely and creamy as it cooks.

This is the mushroom risotto I’d make when I want an easy midweek dinner using ordinary supermarket mushrooms. The garlic is very much part of the flavour rather than something quietly hiding in the background – and if you’re anything like me, you’ll probably be tempted to add another clove anyway!

I also have a mixed mushroom risotto made with fresh mushrooms and dried porcini. That’s the one I’d choose if you want a deeper, more restaurant-style mushroom flavour. This recipe is deliberately simpler and much more garlic-forward.

Garlic mushroom risotto vs mixed mushroom risotto

I have two mushroom risotto recipes on Just Average Jen, and while they obviously have quite a lot in common, I make them for different reasons.

This garlic mushroom risotto is my easier version. It’s ideal when you’ve got a punnet of mushrooms in the fridge and want to turn them into a straightforward dinner without buying lots of extra ingredients.

My mixed mushroom risotto uses both fresh mushrooms and dried porcini, which gives it a much richer and more intense mushroom flavour. It also uses balsamic vinegar and soy sauce to add depth.

If garlic is your favourite part, stay right here. If you’re a complete mushroom fanatic and want the mushroom flavour to be the star, try the mixed mushroom version instead.

How much garlic should I use?

Garlic strength is very much a matter of personal preference. I like this risotto properly garlicky, but you can reduce the amount if you prefer a gentler flavour.

Fresh garlic gives the best result for me, although frozen chopped garlic is one of those things I’m quite happy to keep in the freezer for nights when I can’t be bothered with peeling and crushing cloves.

Remember that adding twice as much garlic doesn’t necessarily make something twice as nice – although I admit I’ve tested that theory more than once!

Can I add other vegetables?

Absolutely. Spinach works particularly well because you can stir it through towards the end and let it wilt into the risotto.

Peas are another easy addition, or you could add asparagus when it’s in season.

I wouldn’t add so many vegetables that you lose the garlic-and-mushroom flavour, though. If I wanted a fridge-clear-out risotto with six different vegetables, I’d treat that as a different recipe altogether.

Can I make garlic mushroom risotto creamy without cream?

Yes. Risotto doesn’t actually need cream to become creamy.

Arborio rice contains plenty of starch, and gradually adding stock while stirring helps release that starch and creates the creamy texture we associate with risotto.

That’s why I wouldn’t rinse the rice before cooking it. You’re trying to keep that starch rather than wash it away.

If you want a richer finish, you can add some grated Parmesan at the end, but the rice itself should already have a creamy consistency.

Enjoying mushroom risotto for weight loss

If you follow Slimming World, Weight Watchers (WW), Noom or any other weight loss plan you can usually count the ingredients within this recipe in your allowances.

This mushroom risotto is filling and full of veggies so really healthy if you want to lose weight.

It is of course important to check yourself for any plan you follow and remember all nutritional information and ingredients are found in the recipe card below.

Comfort eating

It is easy when you are trying to lose weight to fall into the trap of comfort eating when you are feeling down.

Finding healthy snack alternatives can help you avoid weight gain. You do not need to just snack on fruit and vegetables to be healthy there are so many other alternatives.

Filling up on meals like this garlic mushroom risotto could also help as it is filling and comforting.

If you find that you are regularly feeling down and snacking then maybe you need to address this as possible depression and consider seeing your GP. We all have struggled every now and then so it really isn’t something to be ashamed of.

Another option instead of eating at all could be to find something else to do instead of eating when you are feeling down. Give it some thought and see if you can come up with any strategies to help yourself.

Garlic Mushroom risotto tips

Risotto is one of my favourite meals, it always feels so filling and stodgy whilst often having many vegetables in so being actually quite healthy.

Once you master the basic way of making it you can easily adapt recipes for new flavours.

I prefer Arborio rice for risotto, it is perfect for the way you cook risotto and works better than long grain or basmati rice. It is the one I recommend in my garlic mushroom risotto.

Risotto is always more stodgy and well-cooked if you reheat it so if you are saving some for another day remove it from the pan before you have finished cooking it.

Always use a bigger pan than you think you need. It is surprising how much you end up making and whilst simmering it is easy for it to splash.

More recipes you may enjoy

My favourite other risotto recipes are mixed mushroom risotto and butternut squash risotto, have you tried them yet?

If you are vegetarian or want to eat more vegetarian or plant-based meals I have a full list of vegetarian and vegan recipes which are perfect for weight loss plans.

If you are looking for more recipes with rice, check out my list of rice recipes from around the world. If you are not confident in boiling rice or making risotto I have a foolproof guide to boiling rice and a risotto guide.

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