Beginner Vegetarian Cooking: White Wine and Mushroom Risotto

Risotto is an Italian dish made by cooking Arborio rice in a flavorful broth. This version is made with vegetable broth and white wine, and is full of nutritious mushrooms.

Ingredients:

Arborio rice

White wine

Butter

Yellow onion

Portobello mushrooms

Vegetable broth

Salt and pepper

Parsley to garnish

To make this dish, begin by heating 2 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet. Once melted, add 1/2 cup of diced onion and cook until softened. Next, add 1 pound of sliced mushrooms and cook until lightly browned.

Once the mushrooms are cooked, add 1 cup of Arborio rice and stir for about 2 minutes. Next, pour in 1 cup of white wine and cook until the wine is almost completely absorbed.

Once the wine is absorbed, begin adding 4 cups of vegetable broth one cup at a time, stirring constantly and allowing the broth to be absorbed before adding more. Continue adding the broth until all 4 cups have been added and the rice is cooked through and creamy.

Once the risotto is done cooking, stir in 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve the risotto topped with fresh parsley and a sprinkle of more Parmesan cheese. Enjoy!

Arborio rice is a carbohidrate like any other form of rice. However, it has about four times the amount of fiber as regular long grain rice. Its benefit though is for those looking to limit their sodium. Arborio rice has all the flavor without all the salt of other carb options.

Mushrooms are a great source of vitamins and minerals. Just one cup has 25% each of your daily value of copper, niacin, and selenium which help you form connective tissue, regulate your metabolism, and boosts your immune system respectively.

Parmesan cheese packs a surprising nutritious punch with 10 grams of protein and 25% of your daily value of calcium in just a 1/4 cup. It's also low in lactose due to the way it's made, helping if you have issues digesting dairy. It also has lactobacillus bacteria, a probiotic.

So enjoy a bowl of risotto. It's a great dish for a beginner, new to vegetarian cooking. Not only is it very easy to prepare, it's also very hearty and satisfying. And the meaty mushrooms help with any cravings for animal protein.