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 isn’t really an option most nights. This Instant Pot Risotto is the perfect solution.
This recipe requires only about ten minutes of hands-on time, with 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.
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 for your Instant Pot to preheat.
Sauté the Ingredients
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 Liquids and Cook
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. Close the Instant Pot and cook at high pressure for ten minutes. When the ten minutes are up, release the pressure.
Stir in the Parmesan
Remove the cover and stir in the butter and Parmesan cheese. Taste and add more salt and pepper if needed. Enjoy immediately with some freshly grated Parmesan and minced parsley.
Variations and Substitutions
- 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.
- Add in sausage. In step one skip the oil, and add in sausage breaking it up. When it starts to brown, add in the onion and garlic. Then continue with the recipe as written.
- Make it vegetarian. Swap out the chicken broth for vegetable broth to keep this a vegetarian recipe.
- Leaving out the wine. If you are cooking for someone who can’t have alcohol, you can swap the white wine for another 1/2 cup of chicken broth and a splash of lemon juice.
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 easy 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 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 small onion diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 1/2 cups Arborio rice see note 1 (270 grams)
- 1/2 cup white wine see note 2 (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 olive oil to the hot Instant Pot. Then stir in the onion and minced garlic. Stirring, sauté it for 30 seconds to one minute or until it becomes fragrant.1/2 small onion, 3 cloves garlic
- Add the Arborio rice, stirring it, until it becomes toasted, about two to three 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 ten 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 ten 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 and butter. 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
Recipe Video
Notes
- 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.
- When choosing a wine for making this recipe, 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.” Or replace the wine with more chicken broth and a splash of lemon juice.
Luann says
This is a very good recipe. I add fresh mushrooms and California Lemon Peel. I have even added shredded chicken.
I’m so glad you like it!