Creamy Baby Bella Mushroom Pea Risotto

Ingredients

• 4-6 cups vegetable broth
• 3 Tablespoon olive oil
• 1 cup yellow onion (finely diced)
• 5 cloves garlic (minced)
• 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
• Dash red pepper flakes
• Salt and pepper (to taste)
• 12-14 oz. baby bella mushrooms (or mushrooms of choice)
• 2 cups Arborio rice
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 1 cup parmesan cheese* (freshly shredded, more for garnish)
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• Fresh parsley (chopped, for garnish)

Instructions

1. 1

   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!

2. 2

   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.

3. 3

   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).

4. 4

   Add the mushrooms to the stockpot and sauté for 4-6 minutes until browned and tender. Then, add the arborio rice to the stockpot and stir until coated with mushroom and onion mixture. Toast for 1 minute. Deglaze the pan with white wine and continue stirring until it is mostly absorbed; about 1-2 minutes.

5. 5

   Add vegetable broth in ½ to 1 cup intervals, stirring between each addition, until the liquid is absorbed. This will take around 20-25 minutes. Taste test at this point - the rice should be al dente, like pasta, but not crunchy. Add additional broth as needed until absorbed and no longer crunchy.

6. 6

   Once the rice is ready, stir in the peas for a minute to thaw, then remove from heat and stir in the parmesan and butter until melted and incorporated. Serve risotto and garnish with parsley and additional parmesan as desired.