If you love risotto but don’t love standing over the stove for an hour, this Instant Pot Risotto is the perfect answer! This is the perfect, creamy, delicious side dish for so many recipes.
My kids absolutely love risotto. They honestly ask for it at least twice a month. We love it too, but with the way our lives go, taking an hour at the stove just isn’t really an option most nights. This Instant Pot risotto is the perfect solution.
This recipe has only about 10 minutes total of hands-on time, and the rest is handled by your pressure cooker. The result is magically creamy risotto that your family will adore and that is less time intensive than stovetop risotto. There are so many great variations to this basic fantastic recipe.
Using Arborio Rice For Risotto
Risotto is made with Arborio rice, a short-grain rice. With a higher starch content than other kinds of rice and a unique ability to absorb liquid while releasing starch, Arborio rice is essential for achieving the creamy texture and signature consistency of risotto. You can’t substitute another type of rice for this recipe.
How to Make Risotto in the Instant Pot
Here is a brief overview of how this easy risotto recipe comes together in your Instant Pot. For the full recipe including all measurements and cooking time, scroll to the recipe card.
- Preheat the Instant Pot. Prep your ingredients while you wait.
- Sauté the vegetables. Cook the diced onion and minced garlic in the hot Instant Pot until the garlic becomes fragrant. Add the Arborio rice and stir until it becomes toasted, about two to three minutes.
- Add the other ingredients. Stir in the white wine, and deglaze the bottom of the Instant Pot, scraping up all the browned bits. Stir in the chicken broth, salt, and pepper, until well combined.
- Cook the rice. Close the Instant Pot and cook at high pressure for 10 minutes. When the ten minutes is up, quick release the pressure.
- Stir in the Parmesan. Remove the cover and stir in the Parmesan cheese. Taste and add more salt and pepper if needed. Enjoy immediately with some freshly grated Parmesan and minced parsley.
Instant Pot
Cooking With Wine
When choosing a wine for making this recipe, choose one that you enjoy the flavor of and that’s not sweet. I prefer to use a dry white wine like Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc. It is also important that you choose a wine that is made for drinking, do not use one labeled “cooking wine.” I love to keep small bottles of wine on hand for cooking when I don’t want to open a whole bottle for a small amount.
Every time I have a recipe that calls for wine, I like to share alternatives for those who are cooking for someone who can’t have alcohol. While some of the alcohol will cook off, not all of it will. You can swap the white wine for another 1/2 cup of chicken broth, which will give the dish a slightly different flavor, but still be delicious.
Variations
Here are some ways you can dress up the risotto:
- Add mushrooms: Add diced mushrooms with the onions and garlic to sauté.
- Add peas: Stir in some frozen peas when you add the Parmesan. They will thaw perfectly in the hot risotto.
- Make it vegetarian: Swap out the chicken broth for vegetable broth to keep this a vegetarian recipe.
FAQ
Yes! Since it is a rice, it is naturally gluten-free. Always double-check your ingredients when cooking for someone who can’t have gluten.
Risotto is made with arborio rice, which is not pasta.
Storing Leftovers
Store any leftover risotto in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. Reheat the portion you plan to eat in the microwave on half power until heated through. You may want to add a splash of broth or water to loosen it up.
What to Serve with Risotto
Creamy risotto is the perfect easy side dish. Here are a few ideas of what to serve it with.
- Chicken and risotto always go together. I love to pair it with my Stuffed Chicken Breast or Crock Pot Chicken Thighs.
- Smothered Pork Chops
- Tomato Soup or a chopped salad
If you make this instant pot risotto recipe or any of my other recipes, I’d love to hear what you think!
Creamy Instant Pot Risotto
Ingredients
- 3 1/2 cups chicken broth (793.6 grams or 828 ml)
- 1/2 small onion diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 1/2 cups Arborio rice read more on Arborio rice here (270 grams)
- 1/2 cup white wine (118.3 ml)
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt if using table salt, start with half
- dash black pepper
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese shredded (50 grams)
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Instructions
- Set your Instant Pot to sauté and wait for it to get hot while prepping the other ingredients. (Get everything measured out and ready to go.)
- Add the diced onion and minced garlic to the hot Instant Pot. Stirring, sauté it for 30 seconds to 1 minute or until it becomes fragrant.1/2 small onion, 3 cloves garlic
- Add the Arborio rice, stirring it, until it becomes toasted, about 2 to 3 minutes.1 1/2 cups Arborio rice
- Stir in the white wine, and deglaze the bottom of the Instant Pot, scraping up all the browned bits. Stir in the chicken broth, salt, and pepper, until well combined, scraping the bottom of the Instant Pot to make sure no rice is stuck there.1/2 cup white wine, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, dash black pepper, 3 1/2 cups chicken broth
- Close the Instant Pot and cook at high pressure for 10 minutes. When the ten minutes is up, quick release the pressure by turning the steam release from "sealing" to "venting". From the time you close the Instant Pot to the time you open it will be about 23 minutes, this includes the time it takes to come to pressure, the 10 minutes of cook time, and the time it takes for the pressure to release.
- Once the float valve has dropped remove the cover and stir in the Parmesan. Taste and adjust seasonings if needed, adding more salt and pepper. Enjoy immediately with some freshly grated Parmesan and minced parsley.1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
LEAVE A COMMENT