This Instant Pot risotto is so quick and easy to make, and tastes delicious. Amazing, creamy risotto without any effort at all!
If you love risotto, this recipe is for you! This Instant Pot risotto is creamy and delicious, and takes next to no effort at all to make. If you know how to turn on an Instant Pot, you can make this risotto. It’s SO easy.
I’ve never actually made risotto on the stove. The constant attention it needs while cooking it the traditional way prevented me from wanting to make it, even though I love risotto.
But making risotto in the pressure cooker is so hands off and easy, that I will be making it on a regular basis now. It’s absolutely delicious, and only takes about 15-20 minutes to make.
And that includes the time it takes for the Instant Pot to come to pressure. Only about 5 minutes of that cook time is hands on time, chopping up a few vegetables and sauteeing them.
If you haven’t tried the Instant Pot method for cooking risotto yet, you need to try this recipe. You’ll love it!
Should you rinse arborio rice?
Don’t rinse the arborio rice before using it to make risotto. The starches on the rice help to thicken the risotto and contribute to the creamy texture.
If you rinse the rice before using it, the texture of your risotto won’t be the same!
What kind of liquid should I use to make Instant Pot risotto?
You need 4 cups of water to cook 2 cups of arborio rice in the Instant Pot. For this recipe I like to use either vegetable broth or chicken broth to cook the rice.
Either liquid will work fine in this risotto recipe, so use your preference.
How to make Instant Pot Risotto:
- Adding the asparagus to the Instant Pot for the full 5 minutes of pressure cooking time (as I wrote it in the recipe) does result in very well done asparagus. It tastes good, but if you don’t like the texture of really well done asparagus, I would recommend steaming the asparagus separately and adding it with the peas instead. You can also add it after the risotto is done cooking, replace the lid on the Instant Pot, and let it steam in the pressure cooker with the residual heat from cooking for 10-15 minutes, for asparagus that’s still a bit on the crunchy side.
- If your risotto still looks soupy when you open the lid after pressure cooking, that’s okay. Stir in the peas and parmesan, and it will thicken up after a minute or so of stirring while the cheese melts. If it still looks soupy, you can use the saute function for a minute to cook off any excess liquid.
- The vegetables in this risotto are very adaptable. I’ve made it with diced onion instead of leeks, and mushrooms instead of (and in addition to) the asparagus and it was delicious with any of those options. Use what you like!
- This recipe makes a LOT of risotto. If you’re serving it as a side dish, you will likely want to halve the recipe. The cook times remain the same.
Here are some more great side dishes for you:
- 7 Roasted Brussel Sprouts Recipes
- Asian Broccoli Stir Fry
- Easy Cucumber Salad
- Greek Pasta Salad
- Coconut Lime Rice
Instant Pot Risotto
This Instant Pot risotto is so quick and easy to make, and tastes delicious. Amazing, creamy risotto without any effort at all!
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2-3 leeks, white and light green parts only, chopped (8oz, 225g)
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon coarse black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 2 cups arborio rice
- 1/2 cup white wine
- 4 cups vegetable stock (or chicken stock)
- 1 pound (450g) asparagus, woody ends removed, cut into 1-2” pieces
- 1 cup peas
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice (half a lemon)
Instructions
- Press the “saute” button on the Instant Pot, and add the butter and olive oil to the pot.
- When the butter is melted and the oil is hot, add the leeks and garlic and cook, stirring, for about 1 minute, until the leeks are softened.
- Stir in the salt, pepper, thyme, and arborio rice. Continue to cook, stirring constantly, for 2-3 minutes, or until the rice turns a bit translucent.
- Add the white wine and scrape up any brown bits on the bottom of the pot. This is important so you don’t get a burn warning when pressure cooking. The bottom of the pot must be clean.
- Press “cancel” on the Instant Pot to turn off the saute function.
- Add the vegetable stock and asparagus (see note) and stir everything to combine.
- Place the lid on the Instant Pot, and turn it to the locking position. Make sure the vent is in the “sealing” position.
- Cook at high pressure for 5 minutes. The Instant Pot will take about 10 minutes to come to pressure and then will start counting down the cook time.
- When the cook time is complete, quick release the pressure. Remove the lid when the pressure is fully released.
- Stir in the peas, parmesan cheese, and lemon juice. Continue stirring until the cheese is fully melted.
- If the risotto still looks like it has too much liquid, you can press “saute” again and cook off the excess liquid. It will thicken a bit more as it cools though, so wait a couple minutes while stirring in the cheese and letting the peas heat through, before deciding to cook it some more.
Notes
Adding the asparagus before the pressure cooking time of 5 minutes does result in VERY well done asparagus. If you don't like the texture of well cooked asparagus, I would recommend steaming the asparagus separately and stirring it in with the peas at the end. If you like your asparagus with a bit of crunch, you can add it after pressure cooking and put the lid back on the Instant Pot and let it steam with the residual heat for 10-15 minutes before stirring in the peas and parmesan and serving.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
8Serving Size:
1/8 recipeAmount Per Serving: Calories: 180Total Fat: 7gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 13mgSodium: 633mgCarbohydrates: 23gFiber: 2gSugar: 3gProtein: 5g
Nutrition Information is estimated based on ingredients used and may not be exact.