Description
A comforting and flavorful Mushroom Rice recipe featuring cremini mushrooms sautéed to caramelized perfection and tender long-grain rice cooked in fragrant broth with garlic, onions, and fresh thyme. This stovetop dish is a perfect side or light main course, delivering a rich umami taste with a wholesome texture.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 pound cremini mushrooms, sliced
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 1½ cups long-grain rice
- 2½ cups low-sodium broth (chicken or vegetable)
- Fresh thyme, to taste
- Salt, to taste
- Black pepper, to taste
- Chopped green onions, for garnish
Instructions
- Sauté Mushrooms: In a large pan, melt 1 tablespoon of butter with 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add half of the minced garlic and sauté until fragrant, then stir in the sliced cremini mushrooms. Cook for about 8 minutes, allowing the mushrooms to caramelize and release their moisture. Once done, remove from heat and set aside.
- Sauté Onions and Garlic: In the same pan, add the remaining butter and olive oil. Add the diced yellow onion and cook until the onions are soft and translucent. Stir in the remaining garlic briefly to release its aroma.
- Toast Rice and Season: Add the uncooked long-grain rice to the pan along with fresh thyme, salt, and black pepper. Stir continuously and toast the rice for about 30 seconds to enhance flavor.
- Deglaze: Pour half a cup of the broth into the pan to deglaze it, scraping the bottom to lift any browned bits which add extra depth of flavor.
- Simmer: Add the remaining broth, cover the pan, and reduce the heat to low. Let the rice simmer gently for 15 to 17 minutes or until the liquid is fully absorbed and the rice is tender.
- Combine and Rest: Remove the pan from heat, then stir in the sautéed mushrooms and chopped green onions. Cover the pan again and let the dish rest for 10 minutes to allow flavors to meld before serving.
Notes
- Use low-sodium broth to better control the salt level in the dish.
- For a vegan version, substitute butter with additional olive oil and use vegetable broth.
- Long-grain rice is preferred for its fluffy texture; avoid short-grain rice which can be stickier.
- Ensure mushrooms are cooked until golden to enhance the umami flavor profile.
- Fresh thyme can be substituted with dried thyme, but reduce the quantity to one teaspoon.
