This Instant Pot Risotto redefines risotto! Forget fancy restaurants or endless stirring—this hands-off dish cooks in just SIX minutes, delivering a creamy indulgence the whole family will love.
Obsessed with this method? Us too! That’s why we’ve created this irresistible spin-off: Sweet Potato Risotto.
Can You Make Risotto In An Instant Pot?
A resounding yes! And here are a few reasons why we love using the instant pot so much in this recipe:
- ONE dish cooking — Pressure cookers have a function that allows you to sauté ingredients before cooking. Sautéing adds layers of flavor to the final risotto.
- High-pressure cooking — This cuts the risotto cook time from 18-20 minutes down to 6 minutes.
- Quick pressure build-up and release — Pressure builds surprisingly fast and is released immediately after cook time.
- Incredible results — The flavor and texture of this Instant Pot Risotto recipe are out of this world! It’s ridiculously creamy and indulgent tasting without being too heavy.
Quick Tip
If you haven’t jumped on the Instant Pot train yet, this is the recipe to finally convince you to get one. 🙂 Check out some other pressure cooker favorites like this Salsa Verde Chicken, Instant Pot Beef Stew, or Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup.
How To Cook Risotto In An Instant Pot
When prepared right, risotto is creamy, rich, and delivers perfectly al dente rice. Tossed with veggies and fresh herbs, there are few rice dishes as savory as a good risotto (although there is certainly some competition with this Curry Rice!).
That said, risotto is notoriously easy to mess up and often quite finicky. That is — until this recipe!
The pressure cooker takes all of the guesswork out of it and delivers perfect risotto in SIX minutes. And it’s a hands-off process. Seal up the uncooked rice and let the pressure cooker work its magic. Risotto Instant Pot Magic!
What Rice Makes The Best Risotto?
The most important detail for this recipe is the rice. Risotto relies on arborio rice. This is a short-grain rice with a high starch content and is used specifically in risotto. When the arborio rice cooks, it releases its starches giving risotto that classic creamy texture. It’s not the same as standard long-grain rice or any of the other varieties of rice we use on this site.
There aren’t any workable substitutes in this recipe — arborio rice must be used for this Instant Pot Risotto to work properly.
It’s typically found in the rice aisle of the grocery store. Occasionally it can be found in the bulk section.
Variations
- Want to add some meat to this Instant Pot Risotto? Serve it with a prepared rotisserie chicken or sautéed shrimp (We love Instant Pot Risotto Shrimp!). Or prepare this Italian Chicken Marinade or Blackened Chicken and serve atop or on the side.
- Not wild about Instant Pot Risotto with Peas? Replace ’em with another similar veggie you enjoy, like frozen corn or stir through some diced Roasted Asparagus.
- Make Instant Pot Risotto Sausage by coining smoked sausage and browning in a skillet. Stir through risotto at the end.
- Prepare Mushroom Instant Pot Risotto by roasting mushrooms and mixing them through at the end.
Instant Pot Risotto FAQs
No, the rice doesn’t need to be washed before using. In fact, washing it can mess up the texture by adding too much extra liquid!
Risotto absorbs liquid quickly and can become sticky if not eaten right away. To fix it, add a splash of warm chicken stock.
‘Sticky’ means the rice has absorbed too much liquid, causing the grains to split and turn into a soft, gluey texture.
Typically, Arborio rice takes 18-20 minutes to cook, but only 6 minutes in the Instant Pot!
Nope! The Instant Pot will fully cook the rice.
Risotto isn’t a great dish to make ahead of time since it’s best served fresh.
What Is The Trick To Making Good Risotto?
- Release pressure immediately. If you let the rice sit in the pressure cooker for any length of time, it will get gummy.
- Stir vigorously. This ensures that the starches release to make a creamy risotto.
- Don’t skip the butter. It’s essential to getting the creamy texture (plus it adds flavor!) to this Instant Pot Risotto. The better the butter, the better the flavor!
- Add cheese last. Fat breaks under heat and will get stringy and gross if added too early. This is why we pull the pan out to begin cooling and then wait to add the Parmesan in last (in multiple additions). This will give it the classic light and silky texture.
- Finishing touches make a big difference. Some fresh herbs and a squeeze of lemon liven everything immensely– just a little goes a long way!
More Delicious Rice Recipes
- Pesto Rice made in ONE dish with chicken sausage and sun-dried tomatoes
- Rice and Beans quick, 20-minute meal of cheesy beans over rice
- Meatballs and Rice made in ONE pot with one-ingredient meatballs
- Mexican Rice Recipe with the best seasoning blend!
- Butternut Squash Wild Rice Pilaf made on a sheet-pan!
Instant Pot Risotto
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, separated
- 1-1/2 cups finely diced yellow onion, 1 large
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- Salt and pepper
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme, optional
- 1 cup arborio rice Note 1
- 2-1/3 cups chicken stock or broth, divided, Note 2
- 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese Note 3
- Optional: 3 tablespoons finely chopped Italian parsley or chives, 1-2 teaspoons lemon juice
Instructions
- Set a 6-quart pressure cooker to "sauté." Add 2 tablespoons of butter. When mostly melted, add onion and garlic. Season with 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until onions are translucent, about 3-5 minutes. Mix in Italian seasoning and dried thyme. Add uncooked rice and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Pour in 1/3 cup chicken stock and scrape the pot bottom to release browned bits, preventing a "burn" warning. Cook for 1 more minute until the liquid evaporates.
- Pour in the remaining 2 cups of chicken stock. Stir and press "cancel." Ensure everything is submerged in the liquid. Secure the lid and set the knob to "sealed." Select the manual setting to cook for 6 minutes. Once done, immediately release the pressure by venting the knob. Open the pressure cooker as soon as the pressure is fully released; do not let it sit.
- Remove the Instant Pot insert and place it on a heating pad or trivet. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, stirring until fully melted. Stir in the cream until incorporated. Add the peas and gently stir for about 30 seconds to warm them. Gradually add the Parmesan cheese, 2-3 tablespoons at a time, stirring gently, see note 4. If desired, add parsley and lemon juice. Taste and adjust seasonings; I usually add another 1/4-1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper.
- Risotto should have a porridge-like consistency and is best served immediately (it can become gluggy; add a splash of cream if it gets too thick). See Note 5 for the definition of gluggy. Spoon into serving bowls, garnish with extra Parmesan if desired, and enjoy immediately!
Video
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
