Name: Instant Pot Risotto
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 42 min
Ingredients: 4 tbsp butter (unsalted); 1 large onion (chopped); 4 cloves garlic (minced); 1 tbsp Italian seasoning; 1/2 tsp salt (or to taste); 1 tsp pepper (or to taste); 2 cups arborio rice; 1/2 cup white wine; 4 cups chicken broth (low sodium or no sodium added); 1 cup Parmesan cheese (freshly grated); 1 tbsp fresh parsley (chopped)

Instant Pot Risotto is the lightening quick version we never knew we needed. We’re still getting all that flavor, that perfection texture, everything we dream about in a starchy risotto but in half the time. This recipe takes a labor of love and turns it into a quick weeknight option!

overhead shot of risotto in a white bowl

Risotto is a total classic, an Italian staple! We consider it a food group all its own in my house, I mean it’s got protein, starch, richness, and deliciousness – that’s the perfect amount of variety no? Today’s version is super simple and made in half the time compared to your more traditional stove top risotto and most of that time you’re just waiting around!

This is just a classic risotto recipe today, nothing too fancy or out there in terms of flavor or preparation. Traditional risotto chains you to your stove top, it just requires such a close eye and constant stirring that I find myself mentally drained after putting it together! This risotto dish today is easy, relatively hands free, and totally scrumptious. The Instant Pot and risotto truly are a match made in heaven.

The great thing about making risotto in an Instant Pot is that you are guaranteed a creamy, perfectly cooked risotto. It truly is a no fail way of making it.

Ingredients

Butter – Unsalted as we want to control our sodium content.
Onion – Something that cooks down well like yellow or white. You can use your cheese grater to shred this, if you don’t want chunks of onion in your risotto.
Rice – Arborio is the rice to use for risotto, I don’t make the rules!
Broth – We want chicken broth to carry through the flavors of the dish, no sodium as well to control our salt.
Wine – Just a bit of dry white wine, we want something like Sauvignon Blanc.
Garlic – Use as much or little as you like.
Salt & pepper – To taste.
Seasoning – Italian seasoning which is a blend of basil, oregano, rosemary, and thyme.
Garnish – Fresh parsley and freshly grated Parmesan, trust me you’ll want to use some of the good stuff!

What Is Arborio Rice?

This is a starchy white rice, with an almost round grain. It’s mostly grown in the Po Valley of Italy. It’s traditionally used for cooking this famous Italian dish, risotto. Arborio rice is also used in paellas or rice puddings. It’s also a rice that is lower in starch, so it won’t turn out fluffy and separate like a longer grain rice such as Basmati.

Prefer To Cook Without Booze?

Well then you’re in luck because you can totally make this Instant Pot dish without any alcohol, just substitute an equal amount of chicken broth in place of the white wine to deglaze the pan.

How To Make Risotto In The Instant Pot

Saute the sauteables: Set your Instant Pot to the “saute” setting and melt the butter. Add the onion and saute for 5 minutes until the onion has softened and is translucent. Add the garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper and stir. Cook for another 30 seconds until the garlic is aromatic.
Stir in the rice and cook for 2 minutes until it toasts up a bit. Deglaze the pot with the wine and cook until most of the wine is absorbed by the rice. Add the broth and stir. Close the lid, set the valve to “seal” and set on MANUAL/HIGH PRESSURE for 6 minutes.
Finish the risotto: When the timer goes off, turn off the Instant Pot and turn valve to “venting” for quick release. Remove the lid and stir in Parmesan and parsley. Adjust seasoning with more salt and pepper if needed, garnish with parsley and serve.

closeup of Instant Pot Risotto in a white bowl

Stove Top Method

If you don’t have an Instant Pot you’re in luck, because risotto has been made for countless generations right on the stove top. Just follow the directions as outlined above through step 1.

Combine the risotto: Add the rice to the pan, stir so that the rice is coated in the butter mixture and cook for a couple minutes, until all the oil is absorbed by the rice. Stir in the wine, making sure to scrape any bits from the bottom of the pan if necessary. Cook and stir until most of the wine is absorbed by the rice.
Cook the risotto: Stir in a ladle of broth at a time, cook until most of the broth is absorbed by the rice, and repeat by adding a ladle of broth at a time. The whole process should take about 20 minutes until you run out of broth and the rice should be cooked through. After about 20 minutes of this continuous process, add the pesto to the pan, stir and season with salt and pepper as needed. Set aside.

Some Tips

Warm your broth before adding it to the risotto. This will reduce the time it will take for your IP to come to pressure, so if you’re in a hurry, heat up the broth first.
Use the right amount of broth. While the ratio of rice to broth when making risotto is usually 1 to 4, when using the instant pot, the ratio is 1 to 2. The reason for this is that when making risotto in the pressure cooker there is no steam escaping it.
Make sure you do a quick release of pressure and don’t wait for it to naturally depressurize. This will prevent the risotto from overcooking.

How To Tell When Your Rice Is Done

Risotto is similar to pasta in the way that you want the rice to be al dente when it’s done cooking! You’ll also want to look for fluid surrounding the rice, it should be thick and viscous.

Storing Leftovers

This dish will last 3 – 4 days sealed well in the fridge and up to 3 months frozen. It can be microwaved to reheat or heated up right in the oven still frozen.

overhead shot of risotto in a small white bowl

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Comments

Brian Hennessey says

November 13, 2019 at 1:49 pm

The timings at the top of the recipe must have snuck in on Haloween. 20 min. NPR?

Reply
- jo says
  
  November 13, 2019 at 3:24 pm
  
  Yeah plus the time it takes to come to pressure, it could take that long. 🙂
  
  Reply
Roz | La Bella Vita Cucina says

November 13, 2019 at 7:29 am

I love making risotto! Now I need to make it in my Instant Pot! Thanks for the great recipe and prep method!

Reply