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A creamy single serving mushroom risotto made with short-grain rice and Parmesan in one skillet in 30 minutes.
Featured Comment
“My boyfriend & I are obsessed with this recipe – we make it at least once a month.”
– Lindsey
Quick Look
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Equipment: 10-inch skillet and a saucepan for warming the broth.
- Cook Method: Stovetop
- Servings: 1
- Difficulty: Easy
A small batch risotto with a rich, velvety finish from butter and freshly grated Parmesan, scaled down for a quick weeknight dinner for one.
About This Single Serving Risotto
Most risotto recipes are sized for a family. That’s how I learned to make it, and how I made it for years before I started scaling things down. But leftover risotto never reheats the way fresh risotto tastes, and risotto is one of those dishes that really is best the moment it comes off the stove.
So I scaled my recipe down. The portion is generous, the technique stays the same as classic risotto, and there’s nothing left over to deal with the next day.
What makes this recipe work is how the rice cooks. Short-grain rice is high in surface starch, and as warm broth is added a little at a time, that starch releases slowly into the liquid, building the silky, spoon-coating texture. No cream, no shortcut. Just rice, broth, butter, and Parmesan.
The recipe is intentionally simple so you can keep it as is or build on it. Cooking for two? Double everything and use a slightly larger skillet. The cook time stays the same.
After 35 years of cooking and more than a decade developing single serving recipes, this is the recipe I’d hand to anyone who’s ever felt intimidated by risotto. It isn’t difficult. You just need warm broth, short-grain rice, and a little patience at the stove.
If you like this risotto, you’ll also love my Chicken Marsala For One, Fettuccine Alfredo For One, and Mini Lasagna For One.
Ingredient Notes
If you have any ingredients leftover from this risotto recipe for one, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder.
Chicken Broth: Low-sodium gives you control over the final salt level. The broth must be warm before adding it to the rice. Cold broth drops the skillet temperature and slows cooking. Vegetable broth works for a vegetarian version.
Use leftover broth in mini broccoli casserole, chicken paprika for one, or single serving tortellini soup.
Arborio Rice: A short-grain rice with high surface starch that releases into the broth as you stir, building the creamy sauce. Long-grain varieties like basmati or jasmine won’t produce the same result. Carnaroli and Vialone Nano also work well. Store uncooked rice in a cool, dry place or freeze for long-term storage.
Parmesan Cheese: Use freshly grated, not pre-shredded. Pre-shredded Parmesan is coated in cellulose that prevents it from melting smoothly into the hot rice.
White Wine: A dry white like sauvignon blanc, pinot grigio, or chardonnay adds acidity and depth. The alcohol cooks off in minutes. If you skip the wine, use an equal amount of broth with a small squeeze of lemon juice for brightness.
Use extra wine in baked stuffed fish for one.
Mushrooms: Cremini, baby bella, or shiitake all work. Quarter or slice depending on how you like the texture, or leave them out for a plain risotto.
Use leftover mushrooms in a crustless spinach and mushroom quiche, single serving mushroom pasta, single serving salisbury steak, or mini chicken and rice casserole.
Butter: Salted, divided into two additions. The first tablespoon sautés the vegetables with the olive oil. The second is stirred in at the end with the Parmesan to create the glossy, velvety finish.
Olive Oil: Goes in with the first addition of butter. The oil raises the smoke point so the butter heats without browning too quickly.
Onion and Garlic: Finely chopped yellow or white onion with one minced clove of garlic. They cook together briefly with the salt to soften without browning. If the garlic goes too long, it turns bitter.
Kosher Salt: Added early with the onion and garlic to build flavor from the base. Taste and adjust at the end after the Parmesan goes in.
Recipe Variations
This single serving risotto works as a base for a number of variations.
Chicken Risotto: Stir in ½ cup diced cooked chicken during the last few minutes of cooking.
Pea Risotto: Add ¼ cup frozen or fresh peas during the last 2 to 3 minutes of cooking. They hold their color and add a light sweetness to the finished bowl.
Shrimp Risotto: Sauté 4 to 5 medium shrimp separately in butter, then place them on top of the finished risotto or fold them in at the end. Cooking them separately keeps the texture right.
Vegetable Risotto: Stir in ¼ cup chopped asparagus, spinach, or roasted butternut squash near the end of cooking. Cut vegetables small so they warm through quickly without overcooking the rice.
How To Make Risotto For One
This risotto comes together in two pans: a saucepan for the warm broth and a skillet for everything else. Have all your ingredients prepped before you start because the cooking moves quickly once the rice goes in. See the recipe box for ingredient amounts.
- Bring the chicken broth to a gentle simmer in a 2-quart saucepan over low heat. Keep it simmering the entire time you cook. Have a ladle ready.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of butter and the olive oil in a 10-inch skillet over medium heat. Once the butter melts, add the mushrooms and cook for about 1 minute, stirring frequently. Add the chopped onions, garlic, and salt and cook for another minute, stirring occasionally, until the onions begin to soften.
- Stir in the rice and coat every grain with the oil and butter. Toast the rice for about 2 minutes, stirring frequently. The edges of the grains will start to look translucent.
- Add ¼ cup of warm broth to the rice. Stir until the broth is almost fully absorbed, about 1 to 2 minutes. The rice should look nearly dry before you add the next ladle of broth.
- Continue adding broth ¼ cup at a time, stirring after each addition until it absorbs. Repeat until the rice is tender with a slight bite at the center, about 20 minutes total.
- Remove from heat. Stir in the remaining tablespoon of butter and the Parmesan cheese until melted and creamy.
- Taste and adjust with additional salt if needed.
Expert Tips
Use freshly grated Parmesan. Pre-shredded cheese is coated in cellulose that won’t melt smoothly into the rice. Grate it right before you add it.
Don’t rinse the rice. Rinsing removes the surface starch that builds the creamy sauce. Use the rice straight from the bag.
Keep the heat at medium or just below. Too high and the broth evaporates before the rice can absorb it. Too low and the rice gets gummy.
Let the risotto rest for one minute off heat before serving. This gives the sauce time to tighten slightly and coat every grain evenly.
Use the full amount of broth if the rice still has a bite. Every stove runs differently. If you’ve used 1½ cups and the rice isn’t tender yet, keep adding broth until it is.
Troubleshooting
Why is my risotto thick and sticky?
The broth absorbed too quickly or the heat was too high. Stir in a splash of warm broth until it loosens to a creamy consistency.
Why is my risotto soupy?
Too much broth was added at once. Keep the skillet on medium heat and stir until the excess liquid absorbs. The texture should be loose but not watery.
Why is the rice still crunchy after 20 minutes?
Some stoves run cooler than others. Keep adding broth ¼ cup at a time and stirring until the rice is tender with a slight bite at the center. It may take a few extra minutes.
Why did the rice turn mushy?
The rice was either overcooked or too much broth was added at once. Next time, test a grain around the 18-minute mark and pull the skillet off heat as soon as the center has just a slight bite. The rice continues cooking in the residual heat.
Why did my risotto stick to the pan?
The heat is too high or the broth additions aren’t frequent enough. Lower the heat slightly and stir more often between additions.
Storing and Reheating Risotto
Store leftover risotto in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Let it cool completely before refrigerating and don’t leave it at room temperature for more than an hour. Risotto does not freeze well because the texture breaks down.
- Stovetop: Add the risotto and a splash of broth to a saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir often until warm and creamy.
- Microwave: Place the risotto in a microwave-safe dish, add a splash of broth or a small piece of butter, and heat in short intervals, stirring between each one.
Serving Suggestions
This single serving mushroom risotto works as a main dish on its own or as a side paired with a protein.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Use 1 cup of rice, 3½ to 4 cups of broth, and double the remaining ingredients. Use a larger skillet to give the rice room to cook evenly. The cook time stays about the same.
No. Rinsing removes the surface starch, and that starch is what creates the creamy sauce as the rice cooks. Use it straight from the bag.
Yes. Replace the wine with an equal amount of broth and a small squeeze of lemon juice. The lemon adds the brightness that wine would normally provide.
The rice should be tender with a slight bite at the center, similar to al dente pasta. The overall texture should be creamy and loose, not dry or sticky. If the rice still has a crunch, keep adding broth and stirring.
Yes. Cold broth drops the temperature in the skillet and slows the cooking process. Keeping the broth at a gentle simmer in a separate saucepan ensures the rice cooks evenly and absorbs liquid at the right pace.
No. Short-grain rice like Arborio, Carnaroli, or Vialone Nano is what gives risotto its creamy texture. Long-grain varieties like basmati or jasmine don’t carry enough surface starch to produce the same result. You’ll get a rice dish, but it won’t have the consistency of a true risotto.
About 30 minutes total. That includes 10 minutes of prep (chopping onions, grating cheese, warming broth) and about 20 minutes of active cooking on the stove. Most of the cook time is spent adding broth and stirring.
Ways To Use Leftover Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this mushroom risotto recipe, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder or you might like to consider using them in any of these single serving and small batch recipes:
RELATED – Comfort Foods For One
If you’ve been looking for a risotto recipe for one that tastes like the real thing without the leftovers, this is it. Print the recipe card below, and let me know how it turns out in the comments.
If you take a picture please tag us on Instagram (@onedishkitchen) we’d love to see it!
Risotto For One
Watch How To Make This
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 ½ to 2 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons salted butter -divided
- ½ tablespoon olive oil
- ¼ cup sliced mushrooms (fresh or jarred)
- ¼ cup chopped onions
- 1 clove garlic -minced
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup Arborio rice
- 2 ounces white wine
- ¼ cup grated or shredded Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Bring the chicken broth to a gentle simmer in a 2-quart saucepan over low heat. Keep it simmering the entire time you cook.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of butter and the olive oil in a deep-sided 10-inch skillet over medium heat. Once the butter melts, add the mushrooms and cook for about 1 minute, stirring frequently.
- Add the chopped onions, garlic, and salt and cook for another minute, stirring occasionally, until the onions begin to soften.
- Stir in the rice and coat every grain with the oil and butter. Toast for about 2 minutes, stirring frequently, until the edges of the grains look translucent.
- Pour in the wine and stir occasionally until the liquid has almost fully evaporated, about 2 minutes.
- Add ¼ cup of warm broth to the rice. Stir until the broth is almost fully absorbed and the rice looks nearly dry before adding the next addition.
- Continue adding broth ¼ cup at a time, stirring after each addition until absorbed. Repeat until the rice is tender with a slight bite at the center, about 20 minutes total.
- Remove from heat. Stir in the remaining tablespoon of butter and the Parmesan cheese until melted and creamy.
- Taste and adjust with additional salt if needed. Serve immediately.
Notes
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Absolutely the best risotto I have ever had. I added peas and broccoli and it was delicious. Thanks for the recipe!
I love hearing that. Peas and broccoli are such nice additions, and I’m so glad it turned out well for you.
Really nice risotto. Delicious! I added a salmon fillet and broccoli spears along with a few chilli flakes. It’s nice to see a risotto recipe for one. Thank you.
Really delicious, very tasty! It was great to find a risotto recipe for one person.
I added tender-stem broccoli and a salmon fillet, which plumped it up quite a lot. I also added a pinch of chilli flakes. I think it would have been just as delicious without my additions.
I will definitely be making again. Thank you
Just made this for dinner. Served with seared scallops and green beans! Oh, my gosh! So good! I will be making this frequently.