Miso Mushroom Risotto with Shiitake and Toasted Sesame

Name: Miso Mushroom Risotto with Shiitake and Toasted Sesame
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 1 h 5 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Japanese
Ingredients: 5 cups (1200 ml) low-sodium vegetable broth, hot; ⅓ oz (about 4 mushrooms) (10 g) dried shiitake mushrooms, rinsed briefly under cold water; 12 oz (340 g) fresh shiitake mushrooms, stems removed and discarded, caps sliced ¼ inch (6 mm) thick; 3 tbsp (45 ml) neutral oil (avocado or grapeseed); 1 large (about 3 oz) (85 g) large shallot, finely diced; 4 whole (50 g) scallions, thinly sliced, white and green parts kept separate; 3 cloves (12 g) garlic cloves, finely grated; 1 tbsp (6 g) fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated; 1½ cups (300 g) arborio rice, not rinsed; ½ cup (120 ml) dry sake (or dry white wine), at room temperature; 3 tbsp (55 g) white (shiro) miso paste; 2 tsp (10 ml) soy sauce; 1 tsp (5 ml) unseasoned rice vinegar; 1 tbsp (15 ml) toasted sesame oil; 1 tbsp (14 g) vegan butter, cold (optional); 1 tbsp (9 g) toasted sesame seeds; kosher salt, to taste, start with ½ tsp (3 g); black pepper, freshly ground, to taste

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Creamy, fully vegan risotto built on a dried-shiitake broth, seared fresh shiitake, and white miso stirred in at the end for savory depth. Toasted sesame oil, scallions, and sesame seeds give it a Japanese-inspired finish.

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 45 min
Wait: 5 min
Total: 1 hr 10 min
Makes: 4 main-course servings (about 5 cups / 1.1 kg total)

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Ingredients

4 servings

5 cups (1200 ml) low-sodium vegetable broth, hot
⅓ oz (about 4 mushrooms) (10 g) dried shiitake mushrooms, rinsed briefly under cold water
12 oz (340 g) fresh shiitake mushrooms, stems removed and discarded, caps sliced ¼ inch (6 mm) thick
3 tbsp (45 ml) neutral oil (avocado or grapeseed)
1 large (about 3 oz) (85 g) large shallot, finely diced
4 whole (50 g) scallions, thinly sliced, white and green parts kept separate
3 cloves (12 g) garlic cloves, finely grated
1 tbsp (6 g) fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated
1½ cups (300 g) arborio rice, not rinsed
½ cup (120 ml) dry sake (or dry white wine), at room temperature
3 tbsp (55 g) white (shiro) miso paste
2 tsp (10 ml) soy sauce
1 tsp (5 ml) unseasoned rice vinegar
1 tbsp (15 ml) toasted sesame oil
1 tbsp (14 g) vegan butter, cold (optional)
1 tbsp (9 g) toasted sesame seeds
kosher salt, to taste, start with ½ tsp (3 g)
black pepper, freshly ground, to taste

Equipment (7)

Medium saucepan (3-quart / 3 L) for the hot broth
Wide, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven (4–5 quart / 4–5 L) for the risotto
12-inch (30 cm) skillet for searing the mushrooms
Ladle
Wooden spoon or flexible spatula
Small bowl and whisk or fork for the miso
Microplane or fine grater

Steps

Before you start

Read the whole recipe first: the broth must stay hot, and the risotto needs about 20 minutes of near-constant stirring.
Use low-sodium vegetable broth. Miso and soy sauce add a lot of salt, so you season at the end.
Check that your white miso is labeled vegan. Some are sold with fish-based dashi added.
Measure everything and set it by the stove before you start. Once the rice goes in, you can't step away.

1
Prep the ingredients
- Slice the fresh shiitake caps ¼ inch (6 mm) thick and discard the tough stems.
- Finely dice the shallot.
- Slice the scallions, keeping the whites and greens in separate piles.
- Finely grate the garlic and ginger.
- Rinse the dried shiitake briefly under cold water.
- Measure the sake, miso, soy sauce, vinegar, and sesame oil and set them by the stove.
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Ready when: Everything is sliced, grated, and measured before any heat goes on.
Tip: Rice is easy to scorch or overcook once you start, so finish all the prep first.
2
Infuse the broth
- Pour the broth into the medium saucepan and add the rinsed dried shiitake.
- Bring to a bare simmer over medium heat, then reduce to low and keep it hot and barely bubbling for 10 minutes.
- Lift out the dried mushrooms with a spoon, squeeze the liquid back into the pot, trim off and discard the hard stems, and thinly slice the caps.
- Leave the broth on low heat for the rest of the recipe.
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Ready when: The dried mushrooms are soft and pliable and the broth smells deeply earthy.
Tip: Cold broth added to rice stops the cooking and makes the risotto gummy, so keep it hot the whole time.
3
Sear the mushrooms
- Heat 2 tbsp (30 ml) of the neutral oil in the 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers.
- Add half of the fresh shiitake in a single layer and cook without stirring for 2 minutes, then stir and cook 2 minutes more.
- Move to a plate and repeat with the remaining fresh shiitake.
- Return all the mushrooms to the pan with the sliced rehydrated shiitake, add the soy sauce, and cook 30 seconds until absorbed.
- Transfer to a plate and wipe out the skillet if you want to reuse it.
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Ready when: Mushrooms are deep golden brown at the edges, have released and re-absorbed their liquid, and look glossy.
Tip: Don't crowd the pan. Overcrowded mushrooms steam and turn rubbery instead of browning.
4
Soften the aromatics
- Set the wide pot over medium heat and add the remaining 1 tbsp (15 ml) neutral oil.
- Add the shallot and scallion whites with a pinch of salt and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes.
- Add the garlic and ginger and stir for 30 seconds.
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Ready when: The shallot is soft and translucent with no browning, and the garlic and ginger smell fragrant.
Tip: If the garlic starts to brown, lower the heat. Burnt garlic turns the whole pot bitter.
5
Toast the rice
- Add the arborio rice to the pot and stir constantly for 2 minutes so every grain is coated in oil and heated through.
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Ready when: The edges of the grains turn translucent while the centers stay chalky white, and the rice smells slightly nutty.
6
Deglaze with sake
- Pour in the sake and stir steadily, scraping the bottom of the pot, for 1 to 2 minutes until the liquid is almost completely absorbed and the sharp alcohol smell has faded.
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Ready when: The pot looks nearly dry and a spoon dragged across the bottom leaves a clear trail.
7
Add broth gradually
- Reduce the heat to medium-low so the rice bubbles gently.
- Add about ¾ cup (180 ml) of the hot broth and stir often until it is mostly absorbed, 2 to 3 minutes.
- Keep adding broth in ½-cup (120 ml) ladles, waiting until each addition is mostly absorbed before adding the next.
- Reserve about ¼ cup (60 ml) broth for the miso.
- Total cooking time is 18 to 22 minutes.
- Taste a grain at 18 minutes.
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Ready when: The rice is tender with a slight bite in the center (al dente), and the risotto flows slowly into a loose, creamy pool when you drag a spoon through it.
Tip: If you run out of broth before the rice is tender, finish with hot water, ¼ cup (60 ml) at a time.
8
Finish with miso
- Whisk the miso with the reserved ¼ cup (60 ml) hot broth in a small bowl until completely smooth.
- Remove the pot from the heat.
- Stir in the miso mixture, rice vinegar, sesame oil, vegan butter (if using), and half of the seared mushrooms.
- Beat vigorously for 30 seconds to make it creamy.
- Taste and add salt if needed, then a few grinds of pepper.
- Cover and let stand for 5 minutes.
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Ready when: The risotto is glossy, thick but still loose, and smells savory and nutty.
Tip: Add miso off the heat. Boiling it dulls its flavor and aroma.
9
Garnish and serve
- Loosen the risotto with a splash of hot water if it has tightened.
- Spoon into warm shallow bowls, top with the remaining seared mushrooms, scallion greens, and toasted sesame seeds, and serve immediately.
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Ready when: The risotto spreads gently in the bowl rather than holding a firm mound.
Tip: Risotto thickens quickly as it cools, so serve it right away.

Good to know

Tips

Stir often but not constantly. Regular stirring releases the starch that makes the risotto creamy without breaking the grains.
Keep the heat at a gentle bubble. Too high and the outside turns mushy before the center cooks.
Season at the end. Miso and soy sauce add a lot of salt, so taste after stirring them in.
Aim for a loose texture. The risotto will thicken as it rests, so it should look slightly wetter than you want it on the plate.

Make ahead

"Make the infused broth up to 2 days ahead and refrigerate. Sear the mushrooms up to 1 day ahead and refrigerate. Rewarm the broth before cooking. The risotto itself is best made and served right away."

Storage & reheating

"Room temperature: up to 1 hour. Refrigerator: airtight container up to 3 days. Freezer: not recommended because the rice turns grainy. To reheat, warm in a saucepan over low heat with a splash of water or broth, stirring until creamy, 4 to 5 minutes. Or turn cold leftovers into pan-fried rice cakes."

Substitutions

dry sake (or dry white wine) → Dry white wine. Use the same amount. For an alcohol-free version, use ½ cup broth plus 1 tsp rice vinegar.
fresh shiitake mushrooms → Cremini or oyster mushrooms. Use the same weight. Cremini are milder and oyster mushrooms are more delicate, so cook oyster mushrooms about 1 minute less.
white (shiro) miso paste → Yellow miso. Slightly stronger and saltier. Start with 2 tbsp (35 g) and add more to taste. Avoid red miso, which is overpowering here.
large shallot → Yellow onion. Use ½ small onion, finely diced (about 85 g).