Leek Risotto is the perfect side dish made with creamy Gouda cheese and topped with sautéed mushrooms. It's perfect for a romantic dinner for two or a family dinner for many!
A creamy, cheesy leek risotto recipe
Risotto is one of those dishes that screams elegance and sophistication.
It's typically the kind of dish only ordered out at fine dining restaurants because it looks way too complicated to make at home.
Well, I'm here to show everyone how easy risotto is to make right in your own kitchen!
Watch how to make leek risotto
Forget going out to some fancy restaurant for leek risotto, this comfort food recipe can now be made whenever the craving hits.
What is risotto
Risotto is a dish specifically made with Arborio rice, an Italian short-grain rice.
The rice's high starch content is what makes the risotto super creamy when it's slowed cooked over a stove.
Risotto can be served as a side to an entrée or as a vegetarian main course.
It also makes a complete meal with an added protein or vegetable.
Be sure to check out the recipes I've included at the end of this post for serving suggestions!
What are leeks
Leeks are part of the onion/garlic/chives family and have a very mild onion-like flavor.
They look like a huge green onion and grow in sandy soil, just like a green onion!
The dirt likes to get in-between all the layers of the leek, so they can be pretty difficult to clean.
I've included steps below on how I easily clean them at home.
How to clean leeks
Here's the easiest way (I've found) to clean dirty leeks:
- Cut off dark green leaf part and save to add to homemade stock later
- Cut each leek down the middle and thinly slice white and pale green parts into half moons
- Put leek pieces in a large bowl filled with cold water and move them around to remove the dirt
- Drain the water and lay the leek pieces out to dry on a kitchen towel
Use the best fresh veggies for the best mushroom and leek risotto
Leeks are in season later winter to early summer. Whenever I find them in my organic CSA box, I like to make this easy risotto recipe.
If you can't find fresh leeks, leave them out and just make mushroom risotto or substitute spinach, like this spinach artichoke risotto.
Get a good quality Gouda cheese and some organic, white button mushrooms to enhance the flavors.
I roasted my mushrooms in the oven sprinkled with Frontier Smoked Applewood Sea Salt to give them a slight smoky flavor.
It's a wonderful salt to use if you're looking to add a little smokiness to any dish.
How to reheat risotto
Yes, you can successfully reheat leftover risotto!
Risotto should be a creamy dish, where it flows across a flat plate, not looking all clumpy and hard.
The reheating method below will bring the risotto to it's wonderfully creamy consistently without all the work.
- Place the leftover risotto in a heat-proof bowl and mix in enough extra chicken or vegetable broth to fully moisten throughout.
- Put the bowl in a steamer basket over boiling water or in a microwave with a steam setting for 3-4 minutes.
- Stir and add more broth to the risotto, if necessary.
- Reheat for an additional minute or two, if needed.
p.s. I always heat mine via the microwave steam setting and the risotto turns out as good as new each time!
What to serve with risotto?
- Pan Seared Scallops - This is hands down my FAVORITE protein to serve with risotto. The scallops pair so well with the creamy side dish and the combo is absolute perfection on a plate!
- Braised Lamb Shanks - Slow cooked lamb shanks in a rich wine sauce is a fantastic
- Braised Beef Short Ribs - Just like the lamb shanks above, but for the all the beef lovers in the house.
- Mexican Roasted Broccoli - Serve with a roasted green vegetable, like this healthy spiced broccoli, to make a complete vegetarian meal.
- Easy 7 Layer Salad - Make this salad a day ahead of time for added extra convenience! It's a family favorite around my household.
- Fresh Ginger and Shallot Green Beans - This simple and healthy green beans recipe has less than 5 ingredients and takes less than 15 minutes to make. PIN this one for later because this is one side dish that goes with EVERYTHING!
Add these bread recipes too
- Garlic Cheddar Cheese Angel Biscuits - Angel biscuits are a cross between a biscuit and a yeast roll. It's the best of both worlds.
- Leek Focaccia with Feta and Toasted Pine Nuts - Got leftover leeks? Use them to top this homemade focaccia with creamy feta and crunchy pine nuts
Got Leftover risotto? Make these Risotto Cakes or Risotto Balls!
Did you try this recipe? Please leave a comment and a rating below to let me know! I LOVE to hear from you!
RECIPE
Leek Risotto
Ingredients
FOR THE LEEK MIXTURE:
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 3 large leeks (To clean: 1. Cut off dark green leaf part and save to add to homemade stock; 2. Cut each leek down the middle and thinly slice white and pale green parts into half moons; 3. Put leek pieces in a large bowl filled with water and move them around to remove dirt; 4. Drain the water and lay the leek pieces out to dry on a kitchen towel)
- 1 garlic clove, finely minced
- salt and pepper to taste
FOR THE MUSHROOMS:
- 12 ounces mushrooms, cleaned and roughly chopped (use your favorite type of mushroom)
- 2 teaspoon olive oil
- ½ teaspoon sea salt, (I use Frontier's Yakima Applewood Smoked Sea Salt for a little smoky flavor)
FOR THE RISOTTO:
- 7-8 cups chicken broth or vegetable broth
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
- 2 cups Arborio rice
- ¾ cup dry white wine
- 2 cups Gouda cheese, freshly shredded
Instructions
FOR THE LEEK MIXTURE:
- Melt 4 tablespoons of butter in a large heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté for about 3 minutes.
- Add the leeks to the onions and sauté for another 10 minutes.
- Add the garlic to the leek mixture and sauté for another 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove mixture from pan and set aside.
FOR THE MUSHROOMS:
- Preheat oven to 425F/218C degrees. In a medium bowl, mix together the mushrooms, olive oil, and salt. Place mixture on a baking sheet and roast in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned and cooked through. Keep warm.
FOR THE RISOTTO:
- While the mushrooms are roasting, prepare the risotto. Heat the broth in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat and keep warm.
- In the same large pan that the leek mixture was cooked in, melt 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Add the Arborio rice and cook, stirring continuously, for about 1 minute, making sure all rice is coated with the butter.
- Add the wine to the pan and stir constantly until the wine has fully absorbed into the rice, about 1-2 minutes.
- Add the hot broth, 1 cup at a time, to the rice and stir constantly until the broth is almost fully absorbed into the rice. Continue to add the broth until the rice is tender and mixture is creamy, about 20-25 minutes. Add more broth for a creamier texture. Rice should be slightly al dente (firm to the bite) and not mushy.
- Stir in the Gouda cheese, the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter, and the leek mixture. Transfer risotto to a large serving bowl and top with the roasted mushrooms.
Recipe Notes & Tips:
- To Clean The Leeks:
- Cut off dark green leaf part and save to add to homemade stock
- Cut each leek down the middle and thinly slice white and pale green parts into half moons
- Put leek pieces in a large bowl filled with water and move them around to remove dirt
- Drain the water and lay the leek pieces out to dry on a kitchen towel
- Store leftover risotto in a tightly covered container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- To reheat leftover risotto: place in a heat-proof bowl with enough chicken or vegetable broth to fully moisten. Put bowl in a steamer basket over boiling water or in a microwave with a steam setting for 3-4 minutes. Stir and add more broth, as necessary.
- Got leftover risotto? Make Risotto Cakes or Risotto Balls!
Rahul
This looks unbelievable Karrie. Mushroom risotto is my favorite and I loved the addition of leeks – can’t wait to try this soon!
Karrie
Thanks so much Rahul! Mushrooms and leeks are such a great combo.
michelle @ Unbound Wellness
Ah, I swear I can SMELL this. It's gotta taste so, so good. Those are some of my favorites all in one dish.
Karrie@tastyeverafter
Thanks Michelle!
simonacallas
This is a great recipe - rice, mushrooms and cheese are very nice together I love the plating and the photos (y)
Karrie@tastyeverafter
Thanks so much Simona. Nothing's better than a cheesy veggie risotto dish!
Hunter
Wow Karrie! Your posts are beautifully styled! This Leek Risotto with Gouda and Smoked Mushrooms sounds divine! Can't wait to see all your other recipes.
xo,
Hunter
Karrie@tastyeverafter
Aww, thank you Hunter!! xoxo
Kathleen | Hapa Nom Nom
Girl... you're cracking me up! I fell off the holiday post train a long time ago, in fact I totally missed it this year. But at least I'm ahead on post-turkey posts (or are those just regular posts???)
Anyway, I love all of the flavors going on in this dish! Rich and creamy risotto is one of my all time favs and smoked gouda - I could eat that by the wheel!
Karrie@tastyeverafter
Haha! Thanks Kathleen and glad I'm not alone in missing the post train. I could eat Gouda and every other cheese by the wheel too
Dawn
LOVE risotto. Could possibly eat every day I've never used another type of cheese in my risotto before, beside parm and this sounds different and delicious! Can't wait to try!
Karrie@tastyeverafter
Trust me Dawn, you have to try it with the Gouda
Erika @ Love&Custard
Great work Karrie, this risotto looks divine! I'm such a risotto fan - it's so flexible and pretty low on the effort count which makes it a firm favourite in my house! I'm also a big cheese lover so the Gouda in this is right up my street. I'm impressed you're able to take such great photos of meals - action shots aren't my strength either! I tried to photograph a dinner once and it just looked so sad. My husband isn't big on mushrooms so, damn, I guess I'll just have to make this and eat it all myself...
Karrie@tastyeverafter
Yay to cheese!! I love it when my husband doesn't like stuff because I don't have to worry about him eating it all. lol!
Beeta @ Mon Petit Four
This looks AWESOME, Karrie! My mouth is watering! First of all, ingredient combo? Fantastic! The flavors? Uhmazing! I'm so jealous of the fact that you have fresh cheese from local farms - I need to figure out where my local dairy farm is. Also genius idea adding the smoky salt to the mushrooms...that is just everything! Your risotto looks gorgeous, I don't know what you're talking about with the risotto photo fail...it looks beautiful! And I totally feel you on being a slacker with holiday recipes. It can be really hard for me too because it just doesn't feel right to eat certain holiday foods when its not actually the holiday yet! :p
Karrie@tastyeverafter
Thank you Beeta for always being so encouraging! xoxo
Ben Maclain
Haha, count me too, Karrie. I've got some time issues, but I hope I am a good boy this year (don't want to get in Santa's list haha). On the other hand, posting holiday recipes after the holidays means preparing to the next season, right? By the way, you've got delicious risotto. The combo is so comfort and flavorful - perfection!
Karrie@tastyeverafter
Thanks so much Ben and I've always thought you are so good with posting relevant recipes. Risotto is the best comfort food!
GiGi Eats
Leeks are some of my favorite veggies! I need to make them for Thanksgiving!
Karrie@tastyeverafter
Heck yeah Gigi! Put some leeks on that Thanksgiving table.
Rachelle @ Beer Girl Cooks
Come on ride this train! You totally crack me up, Karrie! I love that you posted your turchicken after Thanksgiving, but it does make sense that people would want to have it for Christmas too! It's so hilarious and awesome that you just put it all out there so straightforward and honest! I think your risotto looks delicious and not at all like regular rice. Thanks for the great reheat steaming tip!
Karrie@tastyeverafter
Thanks for your support Rach! lol!
Sophie
Oh gosh, this looks and sounds right up my alley!! Love that I like in the land of all things Gouda. (And only a 20 minute train ride away from the city itself!)
I still consider myself a newbie at this whole food blogging game but I am WITH YOU on the poor timing. I'm trying to be good and start planning my Christmas posts now, but my goodness... that just seems like a whole eternity away!
And I also 100% relate to the action shot dilemma - they either end up looking blurry or extremely unappetizing
Karrie@tastyeverafter
Lucky you Sophie! Can't believe you live only a short train ride away. Have you ever been to the cheese market there? Thanks for feeling my pain on the action shots
Katie Crenshaw
Love this, Carrie! I so want this dish on my dinner table along with a good glass of wine. It is perfect for this fall weather. You had me at Gouda, but add in risotto, mushrooms, leeks, and butter and I am totally in!!
Karrie@tastyeverafter
Thanks Katie. I love eating comfort food like risotto during the colder weather months.
Heather Wells
I love leeks, and no worries about risotto pictures, it's the tasty part in the title of blog that is the part to show concern over. Tell the photog snobs to kiss your risotto covered .....no....that won't work.
Karrie@tastyeverafter
And leeks love you, Heather. Thanks for not caring if I take sh*tty photos )
annie@ciaochowbambina
I know when I visit I am in for a laugh! And today's post is no exception! Now about this risotto - lovelovelove. Leeks are a favorite of mine with their whisper of onion flavor then combined with mushrooms - forget about it! PS) When's the savory bread pudding going to make its appearance? I'll be waiting!
Karrie@tastyeverafter
Haha! Thank you Annie! Oh man, leeks and risotto are two of my favs and I love this dish, if I may say so. That savory bread pudding I made the other morning was on the fly but may have to make it again for a post.
Liora @allthingsloveli.com
I was just admiring how beautiful the leaks were at whole foods... I don't remember ever seeing them that huge! And I'm totally pro- past thanksgiving posts! This kind of food I can behind eating year round
Karrie@tastyeverafter
I could eat leeks every day when they are in season, Liora. So sweet and yummy!
Thao @ In Good Flavor
I totally get your thinking on belated holiday posts. Sometimes there is no time for a dry run. Besides good food is good food no matter when you make it! I feel your pain when it comes to the action shots. That's why they are lacking in my photos as well! It's been a long time since I've made risotto. This looks YUMMY! I need to make some!
Karrie@tastyeverafter
Thank you Thao and I hear you about making pre-holiday food and about the action shots for the blog. I take so many photos for one post and 75% will be blurry or just overall crappy. Sometimes I wonder why I'm getting worse instead of better at taking pics
Gaila
Love the subtle taste of leeks, and the combination of flavors in this risotto seem to be just perfect, at least in my book! Hugs my dear!
Karrie@tastyeverafter
Thank you Gaila! xoxo
Lindsey
Always looking for a good leek recipe! Thanks for sharing this looks delicious <3
Karrie@tastyeverafter
Thanks Lindsey and I'm always on the lookout for a good leek recipe too