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 made this last night and it was amazingly yummy! I used a Japanese short-grain brown rice, which might account for the fact that it came out of the oven already very very moist, so I didn’t add in another cup of broth at the end, just the other ingredients. Loved it so much–thank you!
Hi, going to try this tonight. Would it be safe to freeze the leftover portions?
thanks,
M.
Hi Kate,
Just finished making your Mushroom Risotto dish.
Fantastic!
Thank You,
Scott
Thanks, Scott! I’m so glad you enjoyed it.
This is among the best risotto I have ever eaten. Even my risotto-phobic daughter was sneaking seconds. I’ve made it according to the recipe’s directions, and enjoyed it thoroughly. I have also switched it around and given it a fresh thyme and Sherry flavouring, which was just as delightful. Thank you for such a fabulous recipe. I love when they’re both nutritious and delicious – a common combination on C and K. Thank you again.
Thank you, Chelsea! I’m so glad you loved this one, and thank you for your kind words. My new favorite risotto is in my upcoming cookbook, hope you’ll get a chance to make that one, too!
Absolutely perfect!!! In addition to using fresh mushrooms per recipe, I have had great success with:
Dried mushrooms
Sautéed asparagus
Green peas
Sautéed bell peppers
THANK YOU!
Great flavor but I used white Arborio, checked it at 30 min, and it was overdone…I will try making it again, baking it less time :)
I love making classic risotto, but I was itching to use up some brown rice in my pantry. I came across this recipe and OMG amazing! Loved how easy this was to make and the fact that it cooks in the oven gave me plenty of time to prep the rest of my meal. This is now my go-to brown rice recipe, my only recommendation is to make a double batch so you get to enjoy leftovers ;) – Thank you for a great dinner!
Thank you, Andi! So glad you loved this one. I have several variations on the blog that you might like, too!
How do you think it would affect the recipe to add the wine with the broth rather than at the end? I love the idea of the flavor it would impart, but for health reasons I have to avoid alcohol much of the time. I’m assuming the time in the oven would boil off the alcohol content and leave only the flavor components, but I expect that would also significantly alter the wine’s impact on the final flavor of the dish, to put it through that much baking time. Would love to hear your thoughts.
I used de-alcohloized wine and it turned out great!
I made the vegan version of this yummy, easy risotto (no parmesan and I used 1tablespoon of my best olive oil in place of the butter) and it was delicious! Creamy, earthy, comforting, and so satisfying! I didn’t have a dutch oven that could go in the oven, so once I had the onion, garlic, broth, and rice together, I poured it all into a pre-heated casserole dish. I covered the casserole dish tightly with foil, and then placed the lid on top of that. It worked great. I will definitely make this recipe again. Thank you!
Christmas came early with this recipe! Delicious,easy and tasty even days later – I tasted happiness and joy with each bite thanks for another winner!
Yum, yum yum! I’ve been baking a variety of rices this year so I was happy to see this recipe. I just finished my first bowl of this delicious dish and may need to go back for seconds!
Hi! I’ve made this recipe a few times and it is absolutely delicious! Quick question – if I wanted to double the recipe, would simply doubling all of the ingredient amounts be suitable? I have tried doubling rice-based recipes before with mixed results. Thank you!
Hi Kelle, that’s a good question. I presume that you could but I haven’t tried for sure. You will definitely need to use a suitably-sized Dutch oven.
Hello! I want to make your risotto using brown arborio rice. I linked to the Lundberg brown rice link which is brown, short grain but not arborio. Do they even make a brown, arborio rice? Thank you!
They are one and the same! It’s confusing, I know.
I love risotto, and making it with brown rice is perfect…any chance you have tried this in a pressure cooker. I also love my Instant Pot!
I’m sorry, I don’t have a pressure cooker. Please let me know if you try it out!
Did you ever try the pressure cooker?
I just tried it in InsantPot and sautéed onions, garlic, olive oil on saute in it, then did rice + broth x 22 min on high and then natural release x 10 min. I separately sautéed mushrooms in a little olive oil and once rice was done added mushrooms, wine, butter, cheese, herbs, Worcestershire. it was delicious & easy!
This recipe was super easy. The results came out great. I’m currently doing a cleanse so I omitted the wine and cheese but it still tasted great. I can’t wait to try other variations of this.
Oh, awesome! So glad to hear it was still delicious sans (slight) indulgences. Let me know what other versions you try, please :)
I made this again today using butternut squash sautéed in brown butter and sage which I puréed with some broth. This is the best shortcut for risotto that still comes out tasting rich.
This is the second recipe I’ve tried from Cookie & Kate and both have been winners. Thank you! This is the first time my risotto has had the correct consistency. I used Biona brown arborio which worked well. This recipe is so easy and the result is delicious. I’m going to try making a vegan version next.
Will the cooking method be the same if I used sprouted brown rice?
Hi Sherrie, I wouldn’t recommend switching the rice variety unless your sprouted rice is specifically short-grain (AKA arborio) rice. Short-grain offers a special kind of starch that makes risotto creamy once stirred.
I really liked this recipe and I’m not even a mushroom lover. It came our fantastic. What a wonderful idea to bake risotto using short grain Brown rice and this technique. Everyone loved it ! Tastes just as good the next day too. Thanks for the recipe. It’s a keeper.
That’s great, Margot! Thanks for your review.
Wow! This looks like the perfect weeknight dinner! Yum!
I think so!
I literally just finished eating this, and it was DELICIOUS! I am going to be putting this one into my regular rotation. Thank you so much for always sharing such tasty and nutritious meals. And, yesterday I made your Mexican quinoa stew, another big hit!
You’re welcome, Jan! I always love hearing when a recipe becomes part of the usual routine. :)
Such a delicious recipe! The fresh oregano really makes it.
Such a delicious recipe! The fresh oregano really makes it.
Thanks, Jess!
Thank you, Jess! Glad you liked it.
I made this risotto for the second time last night. Again, it was delicious. I used to make white risotto the traditional way – this is easier and healthier. I think I’ll add broccoli next time. Thank you!!! Love your blog and am ordering cookbook today.
Awesome! I hope you like the book, too, Rhon!
Just found your blog the other day from a blog post that one of your fellow food bloggers wrote (cannot remember which one now, sorry). This was the first recipe I tried and wow it is soooooooo goooooood! Soooooo eeeeeeeeasy! I used shitake mushrooms. This will be a recipe I make over and over and over and over and never get tired of…especially with all the options of changing it up with different veggies and herbs. THank you for such a fabulous addition to the rice section of my recipe binder.
So happy you enjoy this so much, Mer! I hope you try some of my other recipes, too.
I made this for a potluck dinner for Interesting Women that I convene from time to time. It was a great hit! I liked it because I could do most of the work ahead of time. I even did the final assembly before the guests arrived, put the lid back on the Dutch oven, and put it back in my oven to stay warm and it was perfect a half hour or more later. Thanks for making a great recipe! I will definitely cook this again.
Hey, Lisa! First, an Interesting Women group sounds like such a great way to spend an evening. Second, I’m so glad this was such a hit! Thanks so much for the kind comment.
Just found your recipe in a Huffington Post “Meal Prep” article and made it on a rainy spring afternoon. Truly scrumptious. The technique worked like a charm. This will become a regular fall/winter recipe for me. I loved being able to prep the mushroom while the rice was baking. A spring version with asparagus and peas, as I see in another of your photos, would be good, too. Thanks for making risotto more approachable.
Oh, I’m so glad you found the blog, Mary! Enjoy your meal planning, and I hope you try the asparagus and pea version of this, too!
Looks delicious! So, Easter dinner is for 30…I’m thinking that the best way to cook so much is to double the recipe and make two batches doubled which is 24 servings which should be fine. Can you foresee any complications other than lugging g all that broth home from the grocery store?
Hi, Donna! Sorry–I didn’t see this until today. How did it turn out?
Just made this and I’m having a REALLY hard time leaving enough for dinner (it’s 3:10) :D
I’m totally amazed at how hands-off this was and how totally creamy can be without all the painstaking stirring, especially with brown rice.
Couple tweaks included chopped asparagus and subbed 2 of the 5 cups of veg broth with organic miso broth.
Thanks for another recipe I can’t believe I lived without for so long!
PS having trouble getting the star rating to work, but it’s definitely a 5-er!
That sounds delicious, Amy! Asparagus would be great with this.
Love it! Another winner. The white wine really made this perfect. It smells like my grandma’s homemade cheese fondue. Heavenly. I’m so glad I found your site and recipes. We’ve been cooking vegetarian recipes from your site for a week and my family hasn’t even asked about the missing meat. I have to get the cookbook!
Thank you, Sherry! So sweet that this reminded you of your grandmother, too. :)
Easy Brown Rice Risotto with Mushrooms
Love it! Can you give me the nutritional information?
Thanks, Steve! Unfortunately, I don’t have nutritional info available for my recipes just yet. I’m looking for a solution, and will update about it once I find one. In the meantime, here’s a nutrition calculator that might come in handy.
I’ve made this recipe countless times over the past year because it’s just so delicious. It combines all of my favourite flavours into one big bowl of warm comfort (and I truly would eat the whole pot if I could).
I make this using veggie Better Than Bouillon for the stock (really makes a difference vs the first time I used regular chicken stock), no butter (it’s plenty creamy with just the oil and cheese imo), and unfortunately have never tried it with the fresh oregeno, just because I’ve never had time to grab some on the day of.
Definitely a stellar comfort dish. I usually just make sure to eat extra protein for lunch because this doesn’t have too much in it. Thank you!!
I’m so glad you enjoyed this so much, Jo! Thanks for all the notes on preparation.
Holy Cow. This is awesome. Of course, because I can never leave a recipe alone, so my version was quite different from yours; however, I would not even have tried it if you hadn’t posted this. Your post gave me the confidence to try it and I did stick to the basics. I love it, and you are right–it is so good, I want to eat it for breakfast, lunch and supper, for days in a row!
Thanks, Sarah! I’m so glad you love this one. :)
This is literally the tastiest thing I’ve ever made. I never comment online, but I just made this tonight for my boyfriend, and it is so addictive, I just had to let you know! I omitted the parm because I’m a vegan, and it was still so amazing! Thanks,Kate and Cookie!
Thanks so much for taking the time to comment and rate this! I appreciate it.
Hey… this might sound kinda stupid.. but is the temp of the oven stated in degree fahrenheit or celsius?? thanks!
Fahrenheit! I’m in the US.
Turned out delicious. It was quite rich – could I reduce the butter in half or dry saute the mushrooms and still achieve a great result?
I think so, Camille! Let me know how it goes.
I have made this recipe many times, it is always a treat! However, I am looking for a vegan option re: parmesan cheese without loosing the consistency. Any recommendations? Thanks a bunch!
I haven’t tried it yet, but my friend Dana at Minimalis Baker has a homemade recipe using cashews and nutritional yeast. You won’t get the meltiness, but it should bring the same umami flavor to the dish!
I adore brown rice… tried a brown rice risotto once years ago and the endless stirring was just too much (also it soaked up too much broth so ended up far too salty).
This, however, is brilliant! Made it this evening with some lovely local maitake mushrooms and grilled eggplant, with a blend of cheeses. Delectable!
I can’t believe how well this recipe turned out! It was so easy and delicious. It’s definitely one I’ll make again.
Do you think this recipe would work in a slow cooker on the “low” setting?
Hi Jaimee, I’m really not sure. I think the rice part might work in a slow cooker, but you’d probably want to roast the mushrooms as directed so they turn out right. Please let me know if you give it a try!
I made this for the first time a few months ago and fell in love. I’ve made it sooooo many times since – it instantly went on my mental comfort food list. I’ve made all of your variations too – love them and love how easily it adapts to whatever veggies I have around. My current addiction is all sorts of roasted veggies and they get added to this regularly. Last night I made your paella and now I’m in love with that one too. Thanks SO much for all of the work you put into your site and your recipes!!!!!
Awesome, Kim! Thank you for for trying out several of my recipes. I love that you enjoy them so much! If you would want to leave a star review, I would appreciate it! :)
I make a 1/2 batch of this – substitute the parmesan with 1/4 cup nutritional yeast (for the 1/2 batch) and omit the wine. I eat it for breakfast with black beans added – complete protein and I call it my Goddess Breakfast! Have been making it for months now – sooooo good – thank you! (I only do a 1/2 batch because it’s just me eating it and that lasts 4 mornings)
What a great take and idea! Goddess Breakfast, that is awesome. Thank you, Susi for sharing! If you wouldn’t mind leaving a star rating, I would greatly appreciate it. :)
Wow…thank you for the inspiration. I recently made a yummy butternut and collard arborio risotto in my Instant Pot, and although yummy, I really wanted to change out the rice to a higher fiber brown rice… but could brown rice risotto? You conform YES, so I’ll experiment. Thank you, thank you, thank you (BTW, your butternut chili seriously rocks!)
You are welcome! Yes, brown rice can be used. It makes it healthier for sure :)
I just made this for a vegetarian Thanksgiving. Paired with Fluffy potatoes, mushroom & onion gravy, and crock-pot seasoned stuffing I never missed the bird! Less fuss over the stove while whipping up the gravy really saved my butt (and arms).
Thank you for sharing!
Sounds like a delicious combination! You are welcome. Thank you for your review!
I made this for dinner tonight, it was my first ever successful risotto flavour was amazing, I cannot wait to try more of your recipes. So nice to be finding gluten free and vego recipes that are actually delicious, I did not miss meat in this dish at all.
This was a fantastic dish. I used vegan soy-free butter and vegan parmesan cheese (using cashews). I also used long grain rice, because that is all I had. Other than having to throw away the bottom layer of the rice, which burned with the lengthy cook time, it went very smoothly. Next time I might cook on a lower heat. Definitely will make again!
Thank you, Gina for the comment and review!
I’ve made this recipe about 20 times now, and have also made the vegan version, both are delicious thank you! I usually add courgettes to increase my veggie content
I love that, Rebecca! Thank you for your comment and review.
I’ve made this before and it was absolutely delicious! Unfortunately, I moved to a place with a less diverse selection of cheeses, and the only parmesan I see is the powdered kind. Would that be an acceptable substitute or does it need to be the shredded kind?
Hi Tara! That’s a good question. I haven’t tried using the powdered kind in risotto. If you can find a block of Parmesan somewhere and shred it yourself, that would work best. If you can’t, the powdered kind is worth a shot—just add it to taste. The rice is mostly responsible for the creaminess of the risotto, so it will still be nice and creamy even without any cheese!
Now I am only allowed to eat brown rice, I thought I could never enjoy a tasty risotto ever again. One of my favourites is hot smoked salmon, lemon and dill risotto. Hard to find anything but medium grain brown rice here in Australia, but I tried this anyway. Made the basic recipe but added the wine towards the end whilst still in the oven. Once the 4 cups of stock were absorbed and rice cooked I stirred in juice and zest from one lemon, shredded hot smoked salmon, a handful of fresh chopped dill and a generous amount of freshly ground black pepper. It was delicious, I served it with some roasted veggies as a side dish cooked whilst I had the oven on. Going to try the rice base with one of my other favorite risottos, a pumpkin, parsley and Parmesan one. Thanks again for another yummy adaptable recipe!
You’re welcome! Thank you, Donna for the review.
I usually don’t leave comments, but this recipe is too delicious not to. I love it! For anyone else on a student budget, the recipe still comes out perfectly if you mix the broth and rice in a disposable baking pan from the dollar store and cover it in foil to bake. Heaven!!
I have made this 3 times, and it is fantastic. I changed a couple of things. I added the rice to the onions and garlic, just as you would do with regular risotto, after coating the rice with the oil and onion/garlic, I add 1/2 c wine and let it absorb, then I add the broth and finish exactly as described.
Frank
Love that! Thank you, Frank for sharing and for your review.
This risotto recipe has been my go to recipe for the past few months, absolutely love it! Thanks so much. I love risotto but not the time involved , this recipe never fails in taste and appearance
You’re welcome! Thanks for the review, Stephanie.
So Delicious! Made tonight <3
Thank you, Michelle for the review!
This recipe sounds delicious!
I am having friends to stay and need to cook meals that are both gluten free and vegetarian …. Something that I’m not used to doing. I’m thinking that this recipe would be gorgeous?
NB. I live in South Ayrshire Scotland which is farming and dairy country and hence most of the populous eat meat!
Can you confirm that your recipe would fit the bill.
Many thanks
Y
Yes, this one will work but make sure you are using gluten free tamari or skip it all together. Check out the notes section of my recipes to see how to adapt to specific dietary needs. I do this with most of my recipes.