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
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. My friend 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 risotto 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 tried a few years ago.
I wondered, what would happen if I combined the two? The most marvelous brown rice risotto, that’s what! I added mushrooms this time, 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
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 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’ve been making a lot of risotto lately and it takes forever!! Loving this simpler recipe. Definitely need to try!
I’ve been on such a mushroom kick this week. In fact, I just had them for breakfast with onions and spinach. And then I saw your recipe which looks incredibly delicious. No fuss risotto? I could eat that for breakfast, lunch and dinner — and maybe even a snack or two!
These flavours are everything I want to eat during winter. Though I have to say that when I make risotto, I don’t mind the stirring and the fussing… Because it’s so mechanical, I find it calming, and I am able to watch a show or even enjoy a CD in the process – all of which are hard for me to do otherwise. Thanks for sharing this!
I completely agree that white rice pales in comparison to brown – in flavor and texture. I love this technique + just everything about this risotto!
p.s. Using your hair to block your computer screen on the plane? Thanks for the morning giggle.
Thanks, Marissa! I really did use my hair to block my screen. I have a lot of long hair and it comes in handy sometimes! :)
Since I don’t have a dutch oven,can I just pour the rice mixture into a baking dish when it goes into the oven?
Yes, I think so, but you’ll probably need to cover the baking dish with foil to trap the steam inside. Please let me know how it goes if you try it!
I am alll in for a vegan version! Kate these photos are stunning, love them!
Fascinating! I can’t wait to try this. I will likely sub in thyme for oregano, though, since mushrooms and thyme are a match made in heaven to me.
Go for it! I actually tried fresh thyme and oregano side by side, thinking I’d prefer the thyme, but oregano won by a landslide.
The fact that you can make brown rice look beautiful is pure talent! But on top of that, it SOUNDS amazing too! I think I’ll save this for my next date night.
A vegan version would be awesome! It looks so yummy.
Oh this sounds yummy! I love that you’ve made it so simple. I’ve been making farro risotto for a few years now and I just love the nuttiness and bite that the farro lends. Also, sign me up for anything that has mushrooms!
Vegan risotto sounds like a wonderful idea!
I’ve definitely gotten weird looks while editing videos on a plane (obviously I wear headphones!). There’s a lot of people who have no idea that talking to a camera is totally normal, especially talking while applying eyeliner or modeling a pair of boots. *sniff of disdain*;)
http://www.youtube.com/sparklesandsuch26
Haha! That is so great, Ella.
YES, A Vegan version, please!! This looks great but I’d love to see your take on it, instead of trying to veganizing it myself and maybe messing it up :)
Minimal effort is key with two kiddos running around (ok, the baby doesn’t run yet, but you get the idea). We love risotto and mushrooms around here, so this sounds amazing!
I’ve only made so-so successful risottos so I am so excited about this new method! And with brown rice to boot. I wonder if you cooked it for even longer you could make kamut risotto.
I edit pictures on planes too because its one of the few of the more useful things I can do without an internet connection. Besides that its just inexplicably watching awful movies that I would never consider watching on land.
I have yet to try a baked risotto, but I think you have inspired me to give it a whirl. I often make my risottos with barley, but brown rice would be just as yummy, I’m sure.
I love having leftovers to reheat and top with a fried egg!
Why is it that the best foods are the least photogenic? I can almost smell your kitchen from here. This risotto sounds fantastic and will definitely taste even better on date night! Thanks for another fabulous recipe that I’m sure to whip up!
I’d love to hear the vegan version please! It sounds/looks AMAZING!!! I’ve just found your blog and I totally love it! Thanks for the awesome work :))
Thanks, Jemma! Welcome! :) I’ll work on that vegan version ASAP.
I’m pretty sure I could eat this everyday for a month. Mushrooms are seriously my weakness (and my bf hates them so I’d get all of this to myself). I love the tamari in this – umami baby!! What a great recipe. Thanks Kate!
Look delicious!!! And all your pictures are stunning! :)
Your risotto will be on my table tonight with some fresh fish I got from my neighbor. I will use shiitake mushrooms and might substitute farro for the rice. Thanks for all your work and the lovely post.
1. Pictures are gorgeous
2. Love the recipe
3. What kind of brown arborio do you use? None to be found were I live – although I see it on Amazon.com, but it’s not organic. Help!
Thanks! Here’s the kind I used, which I found, I think, at Whole Foods: http://www.lundberg.com/product/organic-brown-short-grain-rice/
I know the wine is such a standard risotto ingredient, but any substitutions (underage)?
Hey Marisa, I think your best bet would be to leave it out altogether. It’ll still be delicious!
Ha! I love that you used your hair as a shield to cover your screen! I haven’t made a risotto in ages. This is definitely motivating me to get it going!
Vegan version please! And quickly! I’m drooling at the thought of it :)
Ok, I have ideas on how to make it happen, so I’ll try out the vegan version when I get back home next week!
Sounds soo yummy, i could eat risotto all day every day so im definitely gonna try this out!
Thank you for this recipe!! I love risotto and have always been interested in using brown rice, but never attempted because of the time commitment. I agree with you: it’s a perfect date night or dinner party dish. I’ll definitely be trying this recipe and experimenting with different mix-ins too!
You’ve sold me on this one, I’m going to try it this week. I’m thinking I will add some chopped spinach (just because I like to add greens to just about everything). What do you think?
Sounds like a good idea to me! Personally, I don’t like reheated spinach, so if you’re like me, you might want to just stir spinach into the portion you’re about to eat.
I like spinach best just wilted so that is a great idea. Plus, that way if I don’t like it in there then it wont ruin the whole batch. Thanks Kate!
I ended up skipping the spinach and served it with peas which was a great combo. This is a delicious (and I agree seriously addictive) dish. The easiest risotto I’ve ever made and the tastiest – win, win!!!
Great idea! Thank you for getting back to me. I’m so glad you enjoyed the risotto recipe!
A vegan version? Yes, please!
Ok, I’ll try!
Hey, no apologizing for how this risotto looks! The worst-looking food always tastes the best, right? And I’m just imagining how this must taste — amazing! I especially love the fresh oregano.
this sounds amazing! is it possible to make without a Dutch oven? thanks!
Hey Emily! I think you could make it in an oven-safe, heavy-bottomed pot with a lid. If you don’t have one of those, you might be able to (carefully!) transfer the hot rice and broth to a baker during step 3, cover it with foil and proceed as directed. Please let me know if you give either of those ideas a try!
hi kate, thanks a bunch for the suggestion…howeverrrr i caved and bought a dutch oven. i’ve been looking for an excuse and this recipe was the perfect one! it was so delicious, thanks for another great recipe!
Woohoo! You are going to love that Dutch oven forever and ever. Sometimes I want to give mine a hug. ;) So glad your risotto turned great in your new purchase!
This would be lovely made with some local wine and hard cheese. I have never made brown rice risotto before, but now I am wondering why I haven’t. Love this post.
Oh Kate! You are speaking my love language with this dish.
Mushrooms, brown rice, oregano – take me there :) I will definitely be making this for date night soon, but I can’t promise I’ll share ;)
Hahahaa!!! We don’t have internet at home at the moment (still getting broadband set up after returning from overseas) so I am doing exactly the same thing in coffee shops all over the city. Definitely attracts some interesting/quizzical looks; for instance I was editing cacao overnight oats a few days ago and… well, I can relate to the brown mush’ photograph scenario! In saying that, these photographs are beautiful. You definitely make mushroom risotto look absolutely drool-worthy. I love the idea of the mushrooms, cheese, oregano, brown rice and wine. Warming, nourishing and delicious. Perfect for cooler weather. Stay warm lovely, I hope that you and Cookie have a beautiful start to winter xxxx
Haha! I’m glad you can relate, sweet Laura. I hope you get to sit down to a bowl of mushroom risotto soon! Glad you guys made it home to Australia safely. xo.
Don’t know how you ever had any leftovers! I made this tonight and it was too delicious to leave any for a future date. My husband really liked it and the house smelled so good while it was cooking. Thanks for a great recipe!
Ellen, thank you for letting me know! I’m so glad you both enjoyed it. :)
This looks absolutely delicious, and an hour of stir-free risotto cooking sounds…amazing. I’m always a sucker for Risotto, especially when mushrooms are involved.
Sooooo glad you posted a simplified version of this recipe. I still crave that mushroom risotto that we made that night but fear the long wait. Gonna be adding this to my cozy meal rotation soon. Mmmmm.
Girl, YES! This is amazing! I could even see it rocking some wheat berries or pearl barley, perhaps…. though, those probably cook much longer. Baked risotto, so clever — and yes, YES to browned mushrooms. On everything! Must try :)
I haven’t attempted brown rice risotto because I tend to like eating dinner before midnight..but I definitely need to try your simplified method! Sounds so hearty and kind of like the perfect fall food.
Vegan version please!! Very interested. This looks yummy :)
Ok, I’ll try it when I get back home! Fingers crossed.
Please post the Vegan version!!
This was delicious….great recipe . Many thanks
Swoon! Thanks for perfecting the method Kate, this is on my list for next weeks meals! Also LOVING your instagram pics from Tel Aviv…!
Great recipe – I’ve had a bag of brown arborio sitting around in my cupboard for a while and I have been avoiding it as I wasn’t sure how to deal with its long cooking time so thank you! Made this last night and it was delicious. I didn’t have any white wine on hand so I deglazed the pan with sherry before the stock went in instead. Yum!
Thanks, Sasha! So glad you enjoyed the risotto. Sherry sounds like a delicious substitution, for sure!
I’ve never had brown rice risotto but it sounds beyond delicious! I can certainly imagine the nuttiness which pairs more than perfectly with mushrooms. Thanks for sharing this recipe and perfecting the method. Can’t wait to give it a go!
[Have you ever made farro risotto? I’ve been dying to make the Carrot Risotto w/ Mint Pesto & Feta from Nothing But Delicious!]
Thanks, Sini! I think you would really enjoy this risotto. I have not made farro risotto! I tried barley risotto last year and it didn’t turn out well, but I blame the recipe. :)
This looks great, I love the sound of oregano in it – reminds me of an Ottolenghi orzo recipe, it does really add a ‘zing’, and brown rice sounds good as well. I look forward to giving it a try – a great introduction for me to your site, after I came across it through your ‘starting a blog’ tips.
Thanks, Caroline! Hope you love this dish. Glad you found my blog and my tips!
This came out great, so much easier than standing there stirring forever. Thanks!
Yay! Thanks, Sue!
I just made this recipe with my boyfriend (along with an aged bone-in ribeye… shhh!). He had two remarks: 1) There is no bite fatigue with this dish; and 2) Probably the best recipe we’ve ever made together. Thanks for a great winter dish!
Update: “The rice stole the show.”
Woohoo! Thanks, Kelly. :D
I couldn’t find short grain brown rice, so I had to get white arborio. Will the cooking time be shorter for that? I can’t wait to try this!
Or rather I should say, do you know approximately how much I should adjust? Thank you!
Hey Katie, good question! Try baking the rice for 40 minutes instead of 60. I think that will be just right.
UPDATE: This was SO good! Your cooking time recommendation came just in time. I made this with white arborio since I couldn’t find brown and baked for 40 minutes. I was a little worried because I accidentally put all 5 cups of broth into the oven, but when I took it out and added the rest of the ingredients, everything came together beautifully. The wine, in my opinion, is a must — it added so much to the flavor. My husband’s not usually crazy about most meatless meals I make, but he LOVED this. I will definitely be making it again. Thank you so much, Kate!
Hooray! Thanks, Katie!
Risotto is one of my favourite comfort foods ever! I love that it can be made with almost any kind of vegetable sitting in the fridge! I have never tried it with brown rice though. Once I’m done with my current package or canaroli rice, I’ll try brown rice!
I almost never use the “normal” stirring method for risotto, usually I start by heating oil, adding minced onion/garlic/celery and cook until soft on low heat, then increase heat a to medium, add 1/2 cup rice per person and cook until shiny, then 1/2 cup white wine if I have some on hand and stir until it evaporates. At that moment, I add twice more broth than rice, all in one time, bring to a small boil, cover and cook on lot heat until the rice is ready, about 15 min later. It only requires a few stirring every 5 minute to ensure it doesn’t stick to the pan. After 15 min, I check if the rice is cooked, and if not I add a bit more broth or water and continue cooking for a few minutes, and so on. It can seem very untraditional, but I once heard the old cashier of the Italian grocery I shop in (and I live quite close to Italy so I can assume he knew what he was saying!) telling a customer that she had to “forget the pot on the stovetop for 15 minutes” when talking about the proper method for cooking risotto. And so far, it never failed! I usually add the chopped veggies with the broth (excepted for baby spinach or arugula, that I stir in in the last minutes of cooking) and everything cooks together. I even tried risotto in the rice cooker once, with a similar method, and it worked!
So I guess the same method would work for brown rice, no oven needed! Excepted that I don’t know the amount of water needed for brown rice, but according to my previous experiments on cooking brown rice, I’d say 1 amount rice and 3 amounts water. I’ll try it and see how it works!
Also, I’m all ears for the vegan version. I already have one but I am curious to hear about yours!
Hey Nina, thanks for sharing your method! That sounds like a great way to go about it. Let me know how your brown rice version turns out, please!
I made this a bit differently. I sautéed the onion and garlic and then put in the rice for a while. Then I added the wine (like I would make a stove top risotto). I boiled the broth and then put it all into a covered baking dish. I don’t have a Dutch oven, so this required more pans, but it worked fine. The short grain brown rice doesn’t give up its starch like white arborio rice does. This means the addition of the butter and cheese at the end is crucial in order to have that nice risotto creaminess. I didn’t need the additional cup of broth at the end. This was good and hearty the first night, but the next day, when more of the liquid had soaked into the rice, it was divine. Thanks for this method. The stovetop method has not worked for me with the brown rice.
Thanks, Julie! I appreciate your recipe notes!