Mushroom risotto is a filling, warming family dish that can be enjoyed at any time of the year. But it’s not the easiest thing to throw together if you’re tight for time, so you might be tempted to prepare it in batches. But, how do you then store it?
Can You Freeze Mushroom Risotto?
Yes, you can freeze mushroom risotto for up to 3 months. Once cooled, simply portion it out into airtight containers, seal and freeze. Some websites will swear against freezing it, but it’s perfectly safe to freeze.
Does Mushroom Risotto Freeze Well? Yes
Can You Refreeze Mushroom Risotto? No
How to Freeze Mushroom Risotto
After going to the effort of preparing a home-cooked mushroom risotto, the great news is that you can freeze your leftovers and enjoy them as a meal in the near future.
Below are the steps you need to follow to freeze mushroom risotto:
- Allow to Cool: As you will likely be aware, you must be careful when preparing rice dishes, as it can quickly become a source of harmful bacteria. You will need to allow your mushroom risotto to cool for a couple of hours before you freeze it.
- Separate Into Portions: If you’ve prepared a big batch of mushroom risotto, you will need to separate the dish into appropriate portion sizes. This is to make things as easy as possible for you when it comes to defrosting your risotto, as you don’t want to try and separate frozen risotto!
- Place in Freezer-Safe Containers: Place your mushroom risotto in Tupperware boxes or freezer-safe bags. If you’re using the latter, push as much air out before sealing. Also, when you’re separating your risotto into portion sizes, make sure you evenly distribute all ingredients.
- Label and Freeze: On the lid of the Tupperware box, write down the date you prepared your mushroom risotto, as well as the use-by date.
3 Tips for Freezing Mushroom Risotto
Now you know how to freeze it, we’ve got our 3 top tips which we strongly recommend following when freezing mushroom risotto to have the best results:
Spread on Trays to Cool
If you’ve made a particularly large batch of mushroom risotto, it will take a fair amount of time to cool. As such, it’s helpful to separate it into flat trays to give it the best chance of cooling quickly. Don’t be tempted to cool your risotto in the fridge, as this can cause the rice to spoil.
Loosen with Water
When you’re ready to cook your mushroom risotto after defrosting it, you will probably need to add a small amount of water to the rice. This is because it dries out a little during the freezing process, and the water will help it return to its desired consistency.
Try Other Risotto Types
Although we’ve focused on mushroom risotto in this guide, the freezing process is the same for all types of risotto, so just follow the instructions as provided and you will be able to freeze any type of risotto.
How Long Can You Freeze Mushroom Risotto?
You can freeze mushroom risotto for around three months.
We wouldn’t recommend freezing it any longer than this, as the rice will begin to deteriorate in both taste and texture the more time it spends in the freezer.
Once cooled, mushroom risotto will last in the fridge for between 3 and 5 days. It must not be left out at room temperature for extended periods of time. This is when rice can harbour dangerous bacteria.
How Do You Defrost Mushroom Risotto?
This is where you need to be careful. The way you defrost and refreeze your mushroom risotto will determine how tasty it is when you come to sit down and enjoy it!
The day before you intend to enjoy your mushroom risotto, remove it from the freezer and place it in the fridge. You can keep it covered in the Tupperware box in which it was frozen.
When you’re ready to reheat your mushroom risotto, you will need to add it to a small pan of boiling water. This will help to loosen the rice and will ensure it returns to the desired texture. Stir gently and reheat it until it’s piping hot.
You can then add grated cheese to taste.
It’s not a good idea to reheat your mushroom risotto in the microwave, as it can be difficult to get the desired texture.
Can You Refreeze Mushroom Risotto?
Rice is one of those foods that you need to be careful with when it comes to freezing. And a mushroom risotto is no exception.
While it should be safe to refreeze your mushroom risotto if you’ve defrosted it in the fridge, you will likely see a significant deterioration in the texture if you return it to the freezer.
If you’re worried about wastage, make sure your portion sizes are suitable to your needs, so you don’t need to take out more risotto than you need from the freezer at any one time.
Does Mushroom Risotto Freeze Well?
Mushroom risotto freezes surprisingly well. As mentioned, you just have to be careful when it comes to defrosting it. The way you reheat your rice will determine how good its texture is when you sit down and eat it.
Avoid reheating in the microwave and follow the advice given above, and you should be able to enjoy the perfect mushroom risotto at any time of the year!
Mushroom Risotto Freezer Recipe
Risotto can be challenging to make, especially during the busy working week. This is why batch-cooking it and then freezing it is ideal. This recipe isn’t too complicated, is easy to prepare in advance and can be made vegan by using a vegan-friendly parmesan alternative:
Freezer-Friendly Mushroom Risotto Recipe
6
servings10
minutes30
minutes40
minutesThis mushroom risotto recipe is warming, unctuous and perfect for freezing, it takes a bit of time to prep but it’s well worthit!
Keeps the screen of your device ON
Ingredients
75g Dried Mushrooms
2 Vegetable Stock Cubes
3tbsp Olive Oil
1 Onion, Finely Diced
3 Garlic Cloves, Crushed
350g Chestnut Mushrooms, Chopped
2 Sprigs Thyme
450g Risotto Rice
250ml White Wine
40g Butter
1tsp Grated Nutmeg
75g Parmesan, Grated
Salt
Black Pepper
Directions
- First, you need to soak the dried mushrooms. Add the dried mushrooms to a bowl with 1.5 litres of boiling water and allow to soak for 15 to 20 minutes. Drain the mushrooms, reserving the liquid in another bowl. Give the mushrooms a gentle squeeze to remove excess liquid.
- Add the stock cubes into the mushroom liquid while it is still hot and give it a stir to combine. This will be the base flavour of your risotto.
- Heat the olive oil in a large, shallow pan and add the onion, softening for 5 to 10 minutes before adding the garlic for a final 2 minutes.
- Stir through the mushrooms, dried mushrooms, thyme sprigs and nutmeg along with a good pinch of salt and black pepper. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes until softened.
- Add the risotto rice to the pan and give it a good stir to coat each rice grain in a little oil before adding in the wine. Turn the heat up to high, keep stirring and allow the alcohol to burn off.
- Turn the heat down to medium and add around a quarter of the stock. Simmer, stirring the contents of the pan regularly until the liquid has disappeared.
- Repeat this process, adding stock and stirring the pan until it is absorbed. As you get to the final quarter of the stock, you should find that rice is al dente and perfectly cooked.
- Add the butter and cheese to the cooked rice and give it a gentle stir, you don’t want to be rough or you risk breaking the rice up.
Notes
Related FAQs
If you’ve still got questions about freezing mushroom risotto or risotto in general, then these may help:
An alternative to rice is barley and it is often used in risotto. The good news is that it can also be frozen for around 3 months or so. Once cooled, add it to airtight Tupperware containers, seal and freeze.
Yes, baked mushroom risotto can be frozen. Allow it to cool before adding spoonfuls of the risotto to plastic containers. Once portioned out, seal the containers and freeze.
