Dried porcini deepen the mushroom flavor beyond what fresh cremini give alone, and their soaking liquid stands in for part of the stock. The rest is patience: stock added a ladleful at a time, stirred until the rice turns creamy on its own starch. One skillet, about forty minutes, mostly hands-on.

Skillet Mushroom Risotto

Scale

Method

Pour the boiling water over the dried porcini in a small bowl and let steep until soft, about 15 minutes. Lift out the mushrooms, chop finely, and strain the soaking liquid through a fine sieve into the stock to catch any grit.
Heat the olive oil and 1 tablespoon of the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the cremini in as close to a single layer as the pan allows and leave it alone for 3-4 minutes until the undersides brown — stirring too soon steams the mushrooms instead of searing them. Stir and cook 2-3 minutes more until golden all over.
7 min
Stir in the chopped porcini, season with a pinch of salt and pepper, and tip everything onto a plate.
2 min
Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter in the same skillet over medium heat. Add the shallot and cook until soft and translucent.
3 min
Add the garlic and cook until fragrant.
1 min
Add the rice and stir constantly until the edges turn translucent and the grains smell lightly toasted.
3 min
Pour in the wine and stir until the pan is dry again.
2 min
Add the stock mixture a ladleful (about 3/4 cup) at a time, stirring often and waiting until each addition is nearly absorbed before adding the next. Keep it at a steady simmer — too hot and the rice cooks unevenly on the outside before the center catches up. You likely won't need every last bit of stock.
18 min
Taste a grain: it should be tender with a faint bite at the center, and the pan should look loose and creamy, not soupy or stiff. Keep adding stock in smaller splashes if it isn't there yet.
2 min
Off the heat, stir in the reserved mushrooms, half the parmesan, and the thyme. Cover and let it sit 2 minutes — this relaxes the starch so the risotto turns looser and glossier than if served straight away.
2 min
Serve with the remaining parmesan grated over the top.

Substitutions

Dried porcini — Skip them and use all stock instead of the soaking liquid; the dish will be milder but still good.
Dry white wine — An equal amount of stock plus a teaspoon of lemon juice for similar acidity.
Arborio rice — Carnaroli or vialone nano cook the same way. Long-grain rice won't release enough starch to go creamy.
Cremini mushrooms — Shiitake, oyster or maitake work alongside or instead — mix in whatever looks best at the store.
Parmesan — Pecorino romano, for a sharper, saltier edge.

Storing leftovers

Best fresh, but leftovers keep three days refrigerated in an airtight container. The starch sets as it cools, so it firms up closer to a porridge — reheat gently in a skillet with a splash of stock or water, stirring until it loosens back to a sauceable consistency. The microwave tends to heat it unevenly, gluey at the edges before the center is hot.

Questions

Do I really need to add the stock gradually?

Yes — that's what makes risotto creamy. Dumping it in all at once cooks the rice more like boiled rice, without the steady starch release that constant stirring against hot stock and a hot pan produces.

Can I use a mix of mushroom varieties?

Yes. Shiitake, oyster or maitake all work alongside or instead of cremini — the porcini soaking liquid ties the flavor together regardless of which fresh mushrooms you use.

My risotto turned out gluey instead of creamy — what happened?

Likely too much stirring too early, or the rice cooked past tender. Stir often but not constantly for the first ten minutes or so, and start tasting a few minutes before you expect it to be done.

Is this gluten-free?

Yes — arborio rice and the rest of the ingredients are naturally gluten-free. Just check the label on your stock.