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Quinoa 103: The Day I Found Out Mushrooms Were Fungus — Wild Mushroom Quinoa Risotto with White Truffle Oil

Finding out mushrooms are fungus didn’t stop me from eating them — if anything, it made them more interesting. There’s something wonderfully weird about a ingredient that exists in its own biological kingdom and still manages to be one of the most savory, meaty, deeply satisfying things you can put in a bowl.

This wild mushroom quinoa risotto is everything a classic risotto should be — creamy, earthy, and rich — without a drop of dairy or a single arborio grain. The quinoa brings protein and a slightly different texture that honestly works better than rice in some ways. Finished with a drizzle of white truffle oil, this one feels like a proper restaurant dish.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
  • 2 cups vegetable broth
  • 2 cups mixed wild mushrooms, sliced (cremini, shiitake, oyster)
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 small shallot, finely diced
  • 1/2 cup dry white wine
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon fresh thyme
  • 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
  • 1 teaspoon white truffle oil
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Fresh parsley for garnish

Instructions

  1. Cook quinoa in vegetable broth according to package directions. Set aside.
  2. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add shallot and garlic and sauté until softened, about 3 minutes.
  3. Add mushrooms and thyme. Cook until mushrooms are deeply browned and most of their liquid has evaporated, about 8 minutes.
  4. Pour in the white wine and stir, scraping up any bits from the bottom of the pan. Let it reduce by half.
  5. Fold in the cooked quinoa and nutritional yeast. Stir until everything is combined and creamy.
  6. Season with salt and pepper. Plate and finish with a light drizzle of white truffle oil and fresh parsley.
  7. A little white truffle oil goes a very long way — don’t overdo it or it’ll take over the whole dish. One slow drizzle right before serving is all you need.
  8. This is part of the ongoing quinoa series on the blog. Check out Quinoa 102 if you missed it.

Craving more? Try Quinoa 104: American Comfort Food — Quinoa Wild Mushroom Spinach Loaf with Cashew Gravy next.