Morel Mushroom Risotto with Ramps and Peas – A Seasonal Spring Favorite
About this Recipe
By: Rachel
Morel mushroom risotto is the ultimate way to celebrate spring’s fleeting flavors. This creamy dish highlights the earthy richness of morel mushrooms, balanced by sweet English peas and the garlicky bite of fresh ramps. It’s a seasonal favorite that feels elegant but is surprisingly simple to make at home.
What Makes Morel Mushrooms So Special
The elusive morel mushroom, with its distinct, honeycomb-like texture, is the white whale for many a forager. These mushrooms are notoriously difficult to cultivate. They are foraged in the wild. They often appear growing on dead or dying elm, ash, poplar, or apple trees. It’s where they form symbiotic relationships with the trees’ root systems. They grow in cool, moist spring weather, and often appear prolifically after a forest fire. Experienced foragers know to avoid “false morels,” which look like true morels but are poisonous. Edible morels have a hollow stem; false ones do not.
Why Morels Are Worth the Splurge
Morels are expensive, thanks to their rarity—around $50/pound fresh; dried morels sell for around $20/ounce. However, they continue to be much sought-after thanks to their nutty, earthy flavor. They have an affinity for dairy and eggs, and are best prepared simply, so that their distinct flavor and texture can shine.
Why Morel Mushroom Risotto Just Works
The unique texture and deep, nutty flavor of morel mushrooms make them an ideal match for creamy risotto. Their ability to soak up butter, wine, and stock without losing their bite adds richness and depth to every spoonful. While there are plenty of dishes where morels can play a supporting role, in this morel mushroom risotto, they’re unmistakably the star.
Celebrating Spring with a Morel Mushroom Risotto
I love to enjoy morels in a light sauce with handmade pasta, or in a rich, spring risotto, like this one.
This dish also contains other seasonal spring vegetables – vibrant ramps and tender English peas, all brought together with the creamy texture of perfectly cooked arborio rice. A touch of lemon zest and fresh herbs brightens every bite, making it feel both indulgent and fresh.
To build depth of flavor, this morel mushroom risotto is made with a good-quality chicken stock or vegetable stock. Homemade is preferable if possible, but store-bought works just fine. The stock gradually absorbs into the rice, creating a luxurious, silky consistency that makes risotto so satisfying.
This morel mushroom risotto makes for a satisfying main dish on its own, especially when paired with a crisp green salad or lightly dressed arugula. You can also serve it as a first course before roasted chicken or grilled fish. Either way, remember to keep sides light to let the rich, earthy flavors of the morels shine.
So, whether you’re planning a cozy weekend dinner or looking to impress guests, this morel mushroom risotto captures everything that’s special about spring in one bowl.
Risotto with Morels, Ramps, English Peas, and Lemon
Ingredients
- 3 cups chicken or vegetable stock
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 shallot, diced
- ½ pound (225g) fresh morels, prepared* (or substitute 1 ½ ounces – about 40g dried morels)**
- Kosher salt
- ½ cup (52g) ramps, sliced
- 1 cup (190g) carnaroli or arborio rice
- ¾ cup dry white wine
- 1 cup (140g) English peas, shelled
- 1 cup (80g) grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
- Zest of one lemon
- 2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley (mint may be substituted)
Step by Step Instructions
- Step 1
- Heat the stock in a small saucepan, and keep warm over the stovetop.
- Step 2
- Heat 2 tablespoons butter in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the morels, and toss to evenly coat in the butter. Season lightly with a pinch of salt. Sauté for 5-7 minutes, or until soft and tender. Remove from heat, and set aside.
- Step 3
- In a large sauté pan, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Add the ramps and sauté for 2-3 minutes. Add to the saucepan with the mushrooms.
- Step 4
- Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large saucepan, add the rice, and stir to coat, seasoning with a pinch of salt. Add the wine and cook while stirring until absorbed.
- Step 5
- Add the warm stock one ladleful at a time, continually stirring (you may not need all the stock). After 15-20 minutes, the rice should have some bite to it—it should be about 3 minutes from being finished (at which point the rice is cooked but toothsome; not soft or mushy).
- Step 6
- Add the morels, ramps, and the English peas, along with about half a ladleful of stock, stir to combine, and cook for about 2 minutes. At this point, the rice should be at the perfect consistency, and should have enough liquid that it will almost run on a plate. If needed, add more stock to achieve this consistency.
- Step 7
- Remove from heat, and stir in the Parimgiano-Reggiano cheese, lemon zest, and parsley. Serve immediately.
*Most mushrooms should never be washed. But morels are the exception, as their honeycomb-like texture traps bugs, dirt, and grit. To prepare them, slice off the very bottom, tough part of the stem, and discard it. Cut the morels in half. Fill a large bowl with salted water, add the morels, and soak, agitating periodically to dislodge any dirt. Pour off water and replace with fresh, cool water, repeating the process as necessary until mushrooms are clean and the water runs clear. Leave the morels to drain on a paper towel or clean kitchen towel before using, replacing the towel if at any point it becomes soaked.
**If using dried morels, allow to soak in room-temperature water for 30 minutes before using, rinsing well to remove any grit.
Beverage Pairing
By: Olivia
A rich risotto like this—with morels, other seasonal vegetables, lemon, and herbs to boot—does well with a Hermitage Blanc. From Northern Rhône in France, wines from Hermitage were once the preferred wine of monarchs in the 17th century. The morels in this dish, considering their rarity, deserve to be paired with a regal Hermitage Blanc. These white wines are made predominantly from Marsanne and Roussanne grapes. The resulting wine is full-bodied and refined with notes of pit fruit and earthy minerals.
