Cheat’s Mushroom & Asparagus Risotto Bowl Recipe

This cheat’s mushroom & asparagus risotto bowl tastes like you stood at the stove for ages — but nope. It’s creamy grains, earthy mushroom flavour, lemon-zingy rocket on top. Done in 15-ish mins. And no endless ladling like real risotto.

Ingredients Needed

For the Filling:

• 160g asparagus
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 x 250g pouch mushroom grain mix
• 15g unsalted butter
• 30g Parmesan or vegetarian hard cheese
• ½ lemon

For Assembling:

• 1 large handful of rocket
• Sea salt
• Black pepper

How To Make Cheat’s Mushroom & Asparagus Risotto Bowl

1. Cook the Veggies: Snap off the woody ends of your asparagus. Slice the stalks thinly, keep the tips whole. Heat olive oil in a pan, cook stalk slices for 2 mins till they soften a bit.
2. Add the Main Ingredient: Pour in the mushroom grain pouch and 200ml boiling water. Let it simmer. After 2 mins, chuck in the asparagus tips. Simmer 3 more mins till grains are creamy and the tips are just tender.
3. Assemble the Dish: Take it off the heat. Add butter and half your grated cheese. Stir till glossy.
4. Grill to Perfection: No grill. But the creamy finish and lemon zest make it feel fancier than it is.
5. Serve Hot: Spoon into bowls. Grate over lemon zest. Toss rocket with lemon juice, salt, pepper — pile on top. Finish with more Parmesan.

Why I Love This Recipe

I made this one night when I didn’t wanna cook but also couldn’t eat another sandwich. It smells like comfort, tastes like spring. Creamy, cheesy, fresh from the lemon and rocket — proper balance. Like fake risotto that fooled me, and I made it.

Recipe Tips

• Don’t overcook the asparagus tips — keep a little bite
• Stir butter in at the end off-heat for a silky texture
• Use a vegetarian cheese if needed
• Lemon zest = bright flavour without heaviness
• Rocket on top adds a peppery crunch — don’t skip
• Add a soft-boiled egg if you want more protein
• Pouch grains save so much time — make life easy

How To Store Cheat’s Risotto Bowl

• At Room Temperature: Serve right away. Not great left out.
• In the Fridge: Store in airtight container up to 2 days. Keep rocket separate.
• In the Freezer: Not ideal. Texture of grains and cheese gets weird.
• Reheating: Microwave gently with a splash of water. Stir well. Add fresh rocket after.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

• Calories: ~460 kcal
• Carbs: 40g
• Protein: 14g
• Fat: 25g
• Sugar: 4g
• Fibre: 6g
• Sodium: ~520mg

Let’s Answer a Few Questions! (FAQs)

• Q: Can I make this vegan?
  A: Yep — use vegan butter and skip the cheese or use a plant-based version.
• Q: What grain mix should I use?
  A: Any mushroom risotto-style pouch works. Spelt, barley, brown rice, even quinoa-based.
• Q: Can I use frozen asparagus?
  A: Totally fine. Just cook from frozen, a bit longer in the pan.
• Q: What’s a good cheese swap?
  A: Try pecorino, Grana Padano, or a good hard vegetarian cheese.