Easy Brown Rice Risotto with Mushrooms and Fresh Oregano
Creamy baked brown rice risotto with minimal stirring required! Brown rice risotto is healthier and so delicious. Feel free to change up the flavors!
Updated by Kathryne Taylor on August 14, 2024
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If you’re in the market for an awkward experience, try editing mushroom risotto pictures on an airplane. I caught the sweet older gentleman in the window seat eyeing my screen while I zoomed in and out on ambiguous brown mush. I hunched over and tried to use my hair as a shield. Didn’t work. I hope he likes risotto?
This dish may not be a looker, but good gracious, it’s delicious. So delicious that I had to stop myself from inhaling the whole pot of risotto while it was still hot. So delicious that I ate it for breakfast three days in a row because it sounded better than anything else. So delicious that you should definitely make this risotto on date night.
I’ve had mushroom risotto on my list since girls’ night a while back. Jordan was out of white rice, so she used short-grain brown rice, which took a LOT of stirring and absolutely forever to cook (seriously, over twice as long as white rice). Fortunately, we had plenty of wine to sip in the meantime. We finally sat down around the table with bowls of mushroom risotto, fresh salads and more wine before us.
That brown rice risotto blew away all the other risottos I’d ever tasted. Brown rice risotto is inherently more flavorful, with a light nuttiness and tender bite that pairs perfectly with sautéed mushrooms.
That dinner inspired me to find an easier brown rice risotto cooking method because, as much as I enjoy cooking, I don’t want to spend a whole hour straight stirring a pot. Months ago, I tried Mark Bittman’s simplified risotto method using brown rice, but it still wasn’t simple enough.
More recently, I came across Ina Garten’s easy baked Parmesan “risotto” method that only requires a few minutes of stirring at the end. Her recipe reminded me of America’s Test Kitchen’s baked brown rice recipe, which I shared a few years ago.
I wondered, what would happen if I combined the two? The most marvelous brown rice risotto, that’s what! I just had to add mushrooms this time around, but I have a whole list of other risotto flavors to try. I even have some ideas for how to make a luxurious vegan version (check the recipe notes).
So here’s how this brown rice risotto method works: First, you sauté some aromatics in a Dutch oven. Then you pour in the broth and bring it to a boil. Stir in the rice, cover the pot and bake for a solid hour of stir-free risotto time. You can prepare your mix-ins while the rice is baking.
Once your hour is up, remove the pot from the oven and stir in some requisite butter, Parmesan and seasonings. Stir for a good two to three minutes and watch while the starches in the rice magically turn the mixture into creamy, pillowy, wanna-curl-up-in-the-bowl goodness. Ta da! Brown rice risotto with minimal effort.
Watch How to Make Brown Rice Risotto with Mushrooms
Le Creuset Cast Iron 3 1/2-Quart Round French Oven
Lundberg organic brown arborio rice
Easy Brown Rice Risotto with Mushrooms and Fresh Oregano
Creamy, delicious, healthier baked brown rice risotto with minimal stirring required! This recipe is designed for brown arborio/short grain brown rice so any grain substitutions will affect baking time. (White arborio rice will only need to be baked for 40 to 45 minutes.) Look for brown arborio/short-grain brown rice at well-stocked grocery stores or health food stores. Skip the wine if you don’t drink, but it adds a lovely depth of flavor. Recipe yields 4 to 6 servings.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 small yellow onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
- 5 cups (40 ounces) vegetable broth, divided (if your broth comes in 32-ounce containers, feel free to avoid opening another container by substituting 1 cup water for 1 cup broth in step 3)
- 1 ½ cups brown arborio/short-grain brown rice
- 12 to 14 ounces sliced Cremini (baby portobello) mushrooms, debris rinsed from mushrooms and drained
- 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- ½ cup dry white wine, optional
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, diced
- 2 teaspoons tamari (for extra flavor, optional)*
- 1 teaspoon sea salt, more to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 4 sprigs fresh oregano, leaves removed from stems and larger leaves torn into small pieces
Instructions
- Make sure your oven rack is in the middle position. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a medium Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, for ten minutes, then add the minced garlic. Cook for another 2 to 4 minutes, until the onions are well browned.
- Add 4 cups broth (or 3 cups broth and 1 cup water), cover, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Remove from heat and stir in the rice. Cover the pot and bake until rice is tender and cooked through, about 65 to 70 minutes. It will seem pretty dry when you take off the lid, but don’t worry!
- During the last 20 minutes of baking time, prepare the mushrooms. Warm 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet until shimmering. Add the cleaned, sliced mushrooms to the pot with a dash of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are darker in color, fragrant and have soaked up most of their own juices, about 13 minutes.
- Remove the pot from the oven. Pour in the remaining cup of broth, the Parmesan, wine, butter, tamari, salt, and a generous amount of pepper. Stir vigorously for 2 to 3 minutes, until the rice is thick and creamy. Stir in the mushroom mixture and any remaining juices. Season to taste with salt and pepper, divide into bowls and top with a generous sprinkling of torn, fresh oregano leaves.
Notes
Recipe adapted from my version of America’s Test Kitchen’s baked rice (recipe here) and Ina Garten, via Food Network.
*Make it gluten free: Be sure your tamari is gluten free or skip the tamari altogether.
*Make it soy free: Skip the tamari.
Make it vegan: The starch in the short-grain rice is responsible for most of the risotto’s creaminess, so you can skip the Parmesan and add a vegan butter substitute or some extra olive oil, to taste, in place of the butter.
Storage suggestions: This risotto keeps well in the refrigerator, covered, for a few days.
Change it up: Feel free to substitute any prepared vegetables for the mushrooms!
If you must use white arborio rice: Bake it for 40 to 45 minutes, until tender to the bite, and proceed as directed.
If you don’t have a Dutch oven: Use a large saucepan instead, then carefully pour the boiling broth and rice mixture into a casserole dish. If the casserole dish has an oven-safe lid, use that; if not, cover it tightly with foil. Bake as directed.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.
I only have long grain brown rice. I’d love to do this, so maybe I’m going to make it with that and suffer whatever consequences happen. It sounds delish!
I made it with long grain and it still turned out AMAZING!
Loved this recipe, thanks so much.. have a veggie hating kidult so tend to hide things (mushrooms, onion and celery) in risotto by blending… so that’s what i did and then used silver beet sauteed in garlic and olive oil on the top (as all the other texture veg were hidden) and veggie hater had some of the silver beet raw on the side of his plate… i just love the fact that this recipe was so good. Used red wine too .. veggie hater knows there’s sneaky stuff in there but just doesn’t want to have to eat chunks of it. No pinenuts so used flaked almonds and also swapped fresh oregano for basil (as that and the silverbeet (chard) come from my container garden. This is a keeper !!
I just made this and OMGgggg I can’t wait to eat it! Just took a bite and it is soooo good!! Used par boiled brown rice (maybe it was 75% already cooked) and it was only 20 min needed in the oven. Delicious!!!!!
I love to hear that, Nicole! I appreciate your review.
This recipe has changed my risotto game! Absolutely spot on that the brown rice gives it a nuttiness and a new depth that was unanticipated. This was truly a hug in a bowl and was so simple. This is going to be on repeat from now on. While the locally foraged chanterelles were what I thought would be the star of the dinner, my husband said that it was truly this risotto.
Hooray! That’s great, Cari.
Love this easy bake and delicious recipe. I have made it several times. If i double the recipe does the cook time stay the same? has anyone tried that?
thanks!
Hi! Timing shouldn’t change. Let me know what you think!
Great recipe – doubled it for a crowd and everyone came back for seconds! I also added a squeeze of lemon juice for a touch of acidity. Thank you for creating this delishnous!
Hi Kate (and Cookie),
I was sceptical about a brown rice risotto recipe, but my wife’s new dietary restrictions dictate that I abandon my traditional arborio rice risotto recipe. I can report that your recipe was a hit: with me, with my wife, and with my stepson. I will try other recipes of yours, but I thought you would like to hear my full-throated praise for this particular one.
Best regards,
Meinrad from Canada
That’s great to hear, Meinrad!
This recipe is a keeper! I loved it. Makes alot, so next time I think I will invite friends over.
Used sushi rice (simply because that is what I had). Had to reduce the baking time (thank you for the timing notes), but it was still awesome.
Great to hear, ML! I appreciate your review.
Sounds great! How can I make it ahead for a dinner party? Cook to 75%, store, then finish cooking & add the remaining broth, etc? Or if I cooked it completely in advance, how do you recommend reheating?
I recommend this best as written. You can try and keep it warm in the oven.
I’m making this wonderful recipe for Thanksgiving, but all I can find is short grain brown rice. Online sources are telling me traditional arborio rice absorbs liquid differently than short grain rice. Has that been your experience? Would you recommend arborio over short grain? If so, where do you find it?
I find they are the same – just make sure you use brown. I hope you enjoy it!
Is this possible with a brown basmati rice?
It’s best with short grain rice. I hope you try it!
Oh my word this is amazing! Made it exactly as instructed except I added some chopped spinach. So happy to have found this recipe. This will go in my very short list of vegetarian recipes I can make for guests. Thank you!
You’re welcome, Bridget!
This recipe is a family favorite. I’m traveling and staying in a place with no oven but there is a slow cooker. What do you think about making this in the slow cooker on the high setting (after the stovetop steps)?
I’m not sure without trying it, sorry!
Do I wash the rice before adding to the Dutch oven?? Worried about the texture/moisture, wanted to check!
I recommend rinsing rice.
Thank you! If you hadn’t published this, I might never have known that we can have risotto that is easy, healthy and more delicious than the commercially boxed kind we’ve been eating. Apparently, Lundberg dropped brown arborio rice but I was able to find it online at Christina’s Spice & Specialty. I cut the recipe in half and baked it in a heavy lidded sauce pan. I did reduce the salt including diluting the broth, but otherwise followed your plan. I haven’t made it with mushrooms yet but with chicken and broccoli rabe (boiled to eliminate bitterness), it was wonderful. I’m sure we’ll never go back. Mushrooms next, then asparagus, then chicken and peas, …, mmmm. Thanks again.
You’re welcome, Linda! I appreciate your review.
This is easily one of the best things I’ve ever made… it makes so much food, it’s so, so easy, and the ingredients are all very easy to have in the pantry. The mushrooms can be subbed for other veggies — I’ve had frozen peas in the freezer that worked perfectly. Thank you for this recipe!
You’re welcome, Megan!
Yuuuummmm! This was great! Thanks for the easy take on risotto and offering a way to make it with brown rice. Genius! I don’t have a Dutch oven, so I cooked it in my all-metal pot for 70ish min. It looked way too liquidy when I added the final cup of water, but with stirring it got all creamy and yummy. I also didn’t have dry white wine so I tried the internet’s suggestion to replace 1/2 cup white with with 2 Tablespoons white wine vinegar + 6 Tbs water. This was a little too acidic / wine-y for me, but it’s very close. Next time I’ll try it with 1 Tbs. vinegar and the rest water. I think that’ll be spot on. There’s just 2 of us so there’s a lot left (yay!). Do you have any recommendations for how to reheat leftovers?
You can gently reheat in the microwave or on the stove top.
Hello Kate!
I’m curious why you don’t toast the rice with the onion like traditional risotto. Does it impede absorption while baking?
Thank you for all your wonderful healthy recipes!
This method really works well and takes some of the hands on time away from it. I hope you try it!
Where do you get your brown arborio rice? None of my local grocery stores (Portland, OR) have it. I made it with white arborio rice and it was still delicious. Love the minimal stirring!