Mushroom Pea Risotto makes a comforting winter vegetarian dinner or side dish! Creamy, rich parmesan risotto paired with earthy mushrooms and bright spring peas for an incredible combination.
To clean mushrooms: wet half of a towel (that you don't mind getting dirty) and ring it out so it's just damp. You can also use a paper towel. Place the mushrooms on the towel and rub to remove the dirt. You do not want to rinse the mushrooms, they will absorb all the water and therefore won't absorb all of the yummy flavors you'll be cooking them in!
Add the vegetable broth to a medium saucepan and heat over medium-low to warm. You'll add the warmed broth to the risotto later on.
Heat a large stockpot or dutch oven over medium heat and add the olive oil. Once the oil is hot, add onions and sauté for approximately 2 minutes. Add minced garlic and sauté for another minute. Add in a dash of red pepper flakes (as desired) and season with salt and pepper to begin layering in the flavor. You will want to check the salt level throughout the cooking process (and remember that the parmesan will add more salt at the end, too).
Add the mushrooms to the stockpot and sauté for 4-6 minutes until browned and tender. Then, add the rice to the stockpot and stir until coated with mushroom and onion mixture. Deglaze the pan with white wine and continue stirring until it is mostly absorbed; about 1-2 minutes.
To make the risotto, you will continue adding additional broth, approximately 1/2 cup at a time, stirring between each addition, until the liquid is absorbed. After you have poured in approximately 3 1/2 cups of broth total, test the rice for doneness. This will give you a baseline for how much more broth you need to add. I usually use around 4 cups total, however, you may need more. The goal is al dente rice, similar to pasta: do not want the rice to be crunchy and want to avoid it becoming mushy. Continue adding broth 1/2 cup at a time and testing the rice until it has reached the al dente point and has lost any "crunch".
Once you have al dente rice, add the peas and stir to combine. Remove from heat; stir in the parmesan and butter until melted and incorporated. Serve risotto and garnish with parsley and additional parmesan as desired.
Notes
*Look for cheese specifically labeled vegetarian, if needed. BelGioioso and Whole Foods 365 are two brands that both make vegetarian parmesan cheese.