Easy Mushroom Quinoa Risotto without Wine

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Updated November 17, 2021

This creamy Parmesan Mushroom Quinoa Risotto made without any wine is a healthy and delicious side or main dish. It’s easy to make on the stove top in 35 minutes. Or make ahead and reheat on a busy weeknight!

This creamy Parmesan Mushroom Quinoa Risotto made without any wine is truly one of my all time favorite recipes!!  It comes together quickly on the stove top for a family dinner side dish or main.  And the flavor will blow your socks off!  You get the garlic flavor in the background with the nuttiness from the  Parmesan combined with the earthy mushrooms.  The quinoa soaks up the broth just as rice does so you make it the same way until it becomes creamy deliciousness.  This Quinoa Risotto recipe is Gluten Free and Vegetarian.

Want more Quinoa Recipes? Check out all of these delicious ways to use Quinoa for dinners!

Easy Ingredients for Mushroom Quinoa Risotto

Fridge Ingredients

Mushrooms – I used White Button Mushrooms, but you can use a variety of different mushrooms, such as cremini, or shiitaki. I like to buy them whole because it is easier to clean the dirt off with a dry paper towel. You can buy them already sliced to save time, but check if they have dirt on them still because if they are sliced, it’s harder to clean them.

Scallions – Scallions, or green onions, melt into the sauce with a mild onion-y flavor. I like to cut them all up even if I only use a few in a recipe and then add them to salads, eggs, and other dinner recipes throughout the week for more flavor. TIP: If you save the hairy stem end with about an inch of the white part of the scallion and then put that in a cup with enough water to cover the hairy part of the stem, it will regrow in just a couple days!!

Garlic – in this recipe, the garlic is minced. You can buy whole cloves and mince or to save time, buy the jar of the pre-minced garlic also found in the vegetable section usually.

Parmesan cheese – For this recipe, you want to get good quality parmesan cheese from the cheese section of your store, not the shelf-stable version found in the pasta section. To save time, you can usually find it already grated in the cheese section.

Pantry Ingredients

Vegetable Broth (or stock) – You can either buy the boxed or canned broth or stock or make your own. To save time, the easiest way to make your own is to use a vegetable base, which usually comes in a tick paste form. You can also use bouillon.

Quinoa, uncooked – For this recipe, you really do need uncooked as it’s all about cooking the quinoa slowly with the broth, garlic, and scallions for the most infused flavor. I used white quinoa and it can be found near the rice usually in your store.

Dried Oregano – Dried oregano (vs. fresh) is a huge time save and tastes great in this recipe. Of course, if you have fresh, you can also use that.

QUINOA IS A SUPERFOOD

I have been making variations of creamy risotto-style rice dishes for many years.  But once I swapped rice for Quinoa, I fell in LOVE with this Quinoa Mushroom Risotto. 😍

If you already make Quinoa at home, then you likely know how amazing it is for you.  Quinoa, pronounced KEEN-wah, is actually an edible seed.  The Incas referred to it as the “mother of all grains” thousands of years back and believed it to be sacred.  It started to become trendy around the world a handful of years ago.  We now see it show up in a lot of new recipes and it has moved from being a specialty item, to a mainstream grocery store item. 

Quinoa is Packed with Nutrients

When I first created this recipe in 2018, I knew quinoa was good for you. But then when I got my Certification in Nutrition, I really started to pay attention to the health benefits of quinoa.  First, it is high in protein, which makes it a great addition to any vegetarian dish.  1 Cup of Cooked quinoa has 8g of complete protein containing all nine essential amino acids. 

Quinoa contains almost twice as much fiber as most other grains – did you know that?  Fiber is of course, important for digestion, but also helps reduce high blood pressure, lower cholesterol and lower glucose levels.

Quinoa contains Iron, the antioxidant Manganese and Lysine.  It also is rich in magnesium and Riboflavin (B2).

PREP-AHEAD STEPS FOR THIS QUINOA RISOTTO

Well, there really isn’t much to prep ahead, so it should only take you about 10 minutes of prep time.

Slice and then rough shop the mushrooms.  I used white button mushrooms, but you can use baby portabella, cremini, porcini mushrooms, or shiitaki mushrooms.

Slice the scallions, separating the whites from the greens. Mince 1 clove of garlic.

Rinse the quinoa in a strainer under warm water 2 times.

If you are getting ready to start cooking the risotto, then preheat vegetable broth in a pot.

COOKING YOUR MUSHROOM QUINOA RISOTTO

This Quinoa risotto recipe uses broth instead of wine to cook and thicken, while focusing on the flavors from the garlic, parmesan, and mushrooms.  The quinoa soaks up the broth just as rice does so you make it the same way.

In a preheated frying pan or skillet over medium heat with extra virgin olive oil, add the mushrooms and the scallion whites (save the greens). Saute for 4-5 minutes until the mushrooms are seared and reduced in size by half. Remove the mushroom mixture from the pan and set aside.

To the same pan the mushrooms were cooked in, add the garlic and half of the scallion greens.  Cook for 1-2 minutes. Add the quinoa and a few ladles of hot broth to cover the quinoa. Cook until broth is absorbed, stir frequently. Ladle more broth into the quinoa, another ½ cup at a time allowing it to absorb. Continue this until quinoa is fully cooked, about 20 minutes.

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Last, add the remaining scallion greens (save a teaspoon for garnish) and the mushrooms and stir to combine. Add the parmesan cheese and stir to combine. If the parmesan makes it too thick or dry, just add a splash of the broth to make it creamy.

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Serve and enjoy!

 

Recipe FAQs

Is this Quinoa Risotto recipe Vegan?

This recipe is not considered vegan as it includes Parmesan cheese.  You could eliminate the parmesan cheese all together and it would be vegan. 

Is Quinoa Gluten Free?

Quinoa is naturally gluten free. This recipe is also gluten free, but always check your food labels if you are following a gluten free diet.

Can I make this Mushroom Quinoa Risotto ahead and reheat it?

Yes, this is a great recipe for making ahead and enjoying on a busy weeknight!  Store it in the refrigerator in an airtight container.  To reheat it, you can add it to a pot or saucepan over medium low heat.  Add a touch of broth to give it moisture and warm it up covered, stirring frequently.

Can I freeze this Quinoa recipe?

You can store this in the freezer for up to 6 months in an airtight container.  To reheat it, first move it to the fridge to thaw 24 hours ahead.  Then you can add it to a pot or saucepan over medium low heat.  Add a touch of broth to give it moisture and warm it up covered, stirring frequently.

What can I serve with this Quinoa Risotto?

Since quinoa is loaded with complete protein, you do not need to add a meat or fish protein.  However, Quinoa is often used as a side dish, so if you want to add a main dish, then I suggest Oven Fried Chicken Breasts with Bacon Crumbs.

Or you can fo with a simple Mediterranean Marinated Chicken Breast. 

If you are entertaining, then try my Mushroom, Goat Cheese, & Basil Stuffed Flank Steak.

Have you tried this recipe? If so, please leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ star rating in the recipe below! I love to hear your feedback and your rating helps others to find this recipe. Thanks so much!