Risotto with Zucchini, Mushroom & Basil Recipe

Every time I make risotto, I think I’m making something elegant and sophisticated. That’s probably because I’ve seen Gordon Ramsay prepare this dish a thousand times. He’s an awesome chef and if this is one of his favorites, it must be something special. The truth of the matter is that risotto is just rice. Now don’t get me wrong, it’s really good rice and there’s a lot that goes into preparing a quality risotto dish, but just because famous chefs love the stuff doesn’t mean any of us should be intimidated by it.

The Recipe

This is an incredibly simple recipe to prepare. The reason I like it so much is because all it requires is some prep work and then cooking all the ingredients in the same skillet. There’s no browning something in one pan and then combining that into another pan with something else. Ingredients are cooked in one skillet and then additional ingredients are added to that same skillet. After a lot of stirring and a modest amount of time, you’ll be left with a wonderfully tasting vegetable and cheese risotto. Risotto is so good, I really should be making more of it around here. There’s something creamy and delicious about it and I’m thrilled to share this tasty recipe with you.

Ingredients

Serves: 4

1 Tablespoon Regular Olive Oil
1 Small Sweet Onion, Chopped
1 Large Zucchini, Cut into 1/2 Inch Pieces
2 Cups Mushrooms, Sliced Thin
1 Cup Arborio Rice
2 Cups Water
2 Cups Vegetable Broth
1/2 Cup Dry White Wine
3 Tablespoons Fresh Basil, Chopped
Salt
Ground Black Pepper
1 Cup Parmesan Cheese, Grated

Step-by-Step Instructions

I’d like to thank Cooking LSL for this recipe. Although I changed things up very slightly, I truly appreciate that the author of this blog decided to share this recipe so I could share it again.

Lightly Brown the Onion

Warm a large skillet over medium heat and add the olive oil to it. Then, add in the onion and let that cook, while stirring occasionally, for about ten minutes or until the onions begin to brown.

Add in Zucchini & Mushroom

Next, add in the zucchini and the mushroom and continue to stir. Cook everything for an additional five minutes.

Cook the Rice

Increase the heat to medium-high and add the rice to the skillet.

Stir everything well and then add in 1/4 cup of the vegetable broth. Continue to stir until the broth has been absorbed. Then, alternate between the water and the broth in 1/4 cup increments, stirring in between each addition and waiting until the liquid is absorbed. Also add in the wine and the basil and stir thoroughly.

All said and done, I had about an 1/8 of a cup of water left at the end that I didn’t need to add. Towards the end, I began tasting the rice and when it was tender and the contents of the skillet were creamy, I stopped and turned off the heat.

Add Cheese & Season

Turn off the heat when the rice is tender and add in the Parmesan cheese. Stir that in well and then season to taste with salt and pepper.

Plate & Serve

Divide the rice between bowls or plates and serve. If you want, you can sprinkle more cheese over each dish. Enjoy!

The Final Vegetable & Cheese Risotto

I’d say this was an easy but tasty one. I’m actually tempted to make it again very soon. Since it’s totally zucchini season, I can add them to my heart’s content. I have lots of rice and I could also mix up the veggies a bit. It’s a versatile dish. Anyway, if you decide to give this risotto dish a try, please let me know your thoughts in the comment section below. Thanks for reading!