A quick and easy mushroom marsala risotto, with baked risotto flavoured with Parmesan and topped with delicious Marsala mushrooms. A great, hearty meatless dinner recipe.
This baked risotto is one of my favourite meals. It also happens to be meatless. It’s hearty enough to stand on its own for dinner and comes together quickly.
Much of the credit for that goes to the fact that the risotto is baked. It’s a great time saver and the result is a pretty darn nice risotto. While the risotto cooks in the oven, just grab a skillet and quickly cook up the mushrooms. They’ll be done right about the time the risotto is done. Put it all together and enjoy!
Ingredients and substitutions
A few notes about the key ingredients …
White Wine – If you don’t have or want to use wine in the risotto, just omit. You could add a splash of lemon juice though, if you have some, for a little acidity.
Marsala – Marsala wine is available with the Italian wines. Be sure to pick up Dry Marsala and not Sweet Marsalad. I use Sperone Dry Marsala.
Arborio Rice – this is classic risotto rice, though Carnaroli rice is just as nice, if you prefer.
Chicken Broth – I love the flavour of chicken broth, but you can use Vegetable Broth for a vegetarian option.
Cream – heavy whipping cream always produces the best results, in my opinion. If you don’t have or don’t want to use heavy cream in the mushrooms, use a lighter cream or milk and increase the amount of cornstarch a bit, to compensate.
Recipe tips!
- Be sure to season both the mushrooms and the risotto well, with salt and pepper, to really bring out the flavours.
- For perfect timing, start the mushrooms after the risotto has been in the oven about 20-25 minutes. That way the mushrooms don’t have to sit or be re-warmed, which can cause the sauce to disappear a bit, as it is absorbed by the mushrooms.
Making ahead and storing
This risotto is best enjoyed freshly cooked. Store leftovers in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. Freezing is not recommended.
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Get the Recipe: Mushroom Marsala Risotto
Ingredients
Risotto:
- 3 Tablespoons butter
- 1/4 cup onion, finely diced
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 1 1/2 cups Arborio rice
- 4 cups chicken or vegetable broth, heated
- 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 cup frozen peas
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Marsala Mushrooms:
- 2 Tablespoons butter
- 24 oz mushrooms , sliced, I used 2 cremini/1 button
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, or 1/4-1/2 tsp. dried thyme
- 1/2 cup marsala wine
- 3/4 cup beef, chicken or vegetable broth
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 2 Tablespoons heavy cream
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350° F. (non-convection). Heat chicken stock in the microwave or a saucepan.
- Place an oven-safe Dutch oven on the stove-top over medium heat. Add butter and melt. Add onion and cook, stirring, until softened. Add rice and cook, stirring, for a minute or so. Add wine and allow to cook off for about 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add heated stock and stir to combine. Cover with lid (or tightly with aluminum foil) and place into oven. Bake for about 45 minutes, or until most (but not quite all) of the liquid has been absorbed.
- Meanwhile, place a skillet over medium-high heat. Add butter and melt. Add 2/3 of the mushrooms and a light sprinkling of salt and cook, stirring, for several minutes until much of their liquid has cooked off. Add the final 1/3 of the mushrooms and cook, stirring, until softened and deep golden. Add thyme leaves and stir to combine. Add marsala and allow to simmer for about 2 minutes, to allow the alcohol to cook off. add the broth and stir to combine. In a small bowl, stir together the cornstarch and cream. Add to the skillet and cook, stirring regularly, until sauce is warmed and thickened. Taste and season with salt and pepper, as needed. (Turn of heat under mushrooms if necessary and re-heat when risotto is done, if done well before the risotto).
- When risotto have baked for 45 minutes, remove from oven. Stir in Parmesan cheese and frozen peas and stir well for a minute to combine. Cover with lid and allow to stand for a couple of minutes. Remove lid. Taste and season with salt and pepper, as needed. Add a splash more broth, if risotto is too thick.
- To serve, spoon risotto into the bottom of a shallow bowl. Spoon warm Marsala Mushrooms over-top. Garnish with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and some sprigs of thyme, if desired.
Notes
- Be sure to season both the mushrooms and the risotto well, with salt and pepper, to really bring out the flavours.
- For perfect timing, start the mushrooms after the risotto has been in the oven about 20-25 minutes. That way the mushrooms don’t have to sit or be re-warmed, which can cause the sauce to disappear a bit, as it is absorbed by the mushrooms.
More meatless main dish recipes to love!
Hi! I’m Jennifer, a home cook schooled by trial and error and almost 40 years of getting dinner on the table! I love to share my favourite recipes, both old and new, together with lots of tips and tricks to hopefully help make your home cooking enjoyable, stress free, rewarding and of course, delicious!
Haha I WISH I had the spring cleaning bug…. I *should* be inspired by your cleaning, but instead I’ll just be inspired by your recipe ;) This looks amazing!!
Thanks Sarah!
This dish! Wow. It hits that perfect balance between upscale chic and earthy comfort food. And those mushrooms! They are calling my name – I just love mushrooms so much. And I hear you about the spring cleaning. I went through my kids the other day and I’m sure it’s time for our hall closet, too.
Thanks so much, Kim :)
Who needs meat when you can have THIS?! I love baked risotto – so easy- and yours looks seriously delicious! LOVING the marsala mushrooms in here, Jennifer! So flavorful and perfect for dinner any day of the week, not just meatless monday! Cheers, friend!
P.S. The spring cleaning bug has bit me, but I keep scratching the itch versus giving in to the cleaning virus. ;)
Thanks Cheyanne and scratching the itch is good, too. Cleaning can wait :)
Oh my goodness, Jennifer, such a delicious dish! I love mushrooms and I’m always looking for dishes in which they are the main star.
I’ve got the cleaning bug too and now that it’s going to be super warm today I don’t know how I’m going to work on my bog when all I want to do is tear open every drawer and cupboard in the house, lol.
I’m always captivated by your photos!
Thanks so much, Robyn. Loving this weather! Spring is definitely in the air :)
I love risotto and those marsala mushrooms are absolutely mouthwatering!
Thanks so much, Laura :)
Thanks Mary Ann and I’m sure you would both enjoy this one!
Tom and I LOVE risotto Jennifer, and anything with mushrooms AND marsala wine is a total hit!
this looks like a bowl of comfort to me… just pass me a fork, I’m dying to dig right in!
Thanks Diane :)
This is a dreamy dinner – on any night! You know I LOVE meatless Monday meals so thanks for giving me enough time to put it on the Monday rotation! I agree with Chris – the spring cleaning bug has not hit me yet – so please share! This is beautiful Jennifer – like all your posts, you cook like I want to eat!
Thanks Tricia :) The Spring cleaning bug hits hard it. It’s a long winter and the dust bunnies have lots of time to multiply!
Could you please pass on the cleaning bug to me? Everything in my house needs to be purged but I’m not there yet. Yum, this risotto looks wonderful, I can’t imagine anyone missing the meat! Marsala and mushrooms, yes please!
Thanks Chris. I’ve learned over the years that when the bug hits, I have to go with it. Never know when it will hit again ;)
Hearty mushrooms are the only veggie my husband will accept as a stand-in for meat, so this needs to happen here at our house, and I really need to get at my closets — but not before I make this polenta…I’ll need my strength!
Same here, Sue. Mushrooms are a great stand in for meat :)
Sounds nice. Thank you and have a great day in Muskoka.
Thanks Liz. Spring is in the air in Muskoka :) You have a great day, too!
Those mushrooms are SCREAMING “make me!” to me right now. So delicious! I just made a version of this over the weekend, but didn’t bake it – I’ve always wanted to try baked risotto!
Thanks Katrina. I have a couple of baked risotto recipes and I find them pretty darn good. Kind of nice to just throw it in the oven once in a while :)