Easy weeknight mushroom risotto that’s special enough for occasions too! The Instant Pot makes it fast and failsafe. Also, we have a hack you can use to time your dinner to perfection!
BE PICTURED IN; CHARACTERIZED IN:
What is risotto?
Risotto is great, and risotto is time consuming. An Instant Pot saves time. You know where we’re going with this.
If you’ve never had risotto before, now is your time. This exquisite touchstone of Northern Italian cuisine is traditionally prepared, consisting of starchy, short-grain rice that’s fed and stirred and stirred and stirred and slowly fed with several ladlefuls of flavorful, simmering broth. If it looks right, you stop.
The rice grains gradually swell, and instead of being fluffy and distinctive like a pilaf, they swim in a creamy pool of savory liquid, topped with butter and finely grated hard cheese. A perfectly cooked risotto is creamy, yet there is a tiny bit left in each grain of rice al dente bite.
What’s so special about pressure cooker risotto?
You should make risotto the traditional way at least once if you like to groove into a mindfulness zone while cooking.
But a pressure cooker takes the work out — and assumeWork – from the risotto preparation. The results are almost identical to the classic fuzzy stir-stir-stir method, but about 95% less stirring is required. You also add the broth all at once without having to bring it to a simmer.
I was a skeptic at first, but the proof is in the mush. Now I don’t make risotto any differently.
Why do you need risotto rice?
You can’t make risotto with just any old rice. For the consistency to be right, it must be short-grain rice with a high starch content, either Arborio or Carnaroli. I prefer Italian Carnaroli rice because I think it gives you better texture, but I can only get Texas Arborio rice at my grocery store. Should I be put off making risotto? No, and neither should you.
The Magical Risotto Trick That Will Change Your Life
As if liberating the free-roaming Instant Pot wasn’t enough, here’s a mind-blowing risotto secret. When you make risotto, you usually need to serve it right away because when it’s done, it’s done. Like a pear, it’s perfect for about five minutes.
But that makes planning your whole dinner difficult, doesn’t it? Relax. You can make 3/4 of this recipe up to two hours ahead of time. Follow the recipe below to the end of step 3, then stop.
About 18 minutes before you’re ready to serve dinner, add the broth and fire up the Instant Pot. You are the boss of this risotto, not the other way around. And you thought risotto was totally fancy and tough.
What are the best mushrooms for this recipe?
I use cremini mushrooms here. These are the ones that look like regular white button mushrooms but are brown instead. (Fun Fact: Cremini mushrooms are simply tweenage Portobello mushrooms, harvested before a major growth spurt.)
You can use white button mushrooms or shiitake mushrooms or a gourmet mix. Whatever you do, use lots of mushrooms for loads of flavor. I like quartering the mushrooms for a meatier texture. Slice them as you like or use pre-sliced mushrooms.
Some mushroom risotto recipes call for using only dried mushrooms (often porcini), and others call for using both fresh and dried mushrooms. I stick with fresh mushrooms because I like their texture and honestly they’re cheaper than dried ones. We’re also stepping up that umami action with dollops of soy sauce and miso paste to give this risotto a real flavor boost!
Risotto is easy to customize!
Risotto is gluten-free and can easily be made dairy-free (omit butter and cheese and use olive oil instead) or vegetarian (vegetable broth instead of chicken broth).
You’ll find shrimp risotto, tomato risotto, spinach risotto, butternut squash risotto — even unadorned Risotto, God forbid. People all over the world are now making it with unorthodox ingredients (like I do in the summer when I add fresh corn on the cob and basil and top it with bacon sprinkles). All of these versions can easily be adapted to the Instant Pot or pressure cook using the basic method from this recipe.
Need more recipes for your Instant Pot?
- Easily peel hard-boiled eggs in the pressure cooker
- Pressure Cooker Ground Beef Chili
- Pressure cooker chicken broth
- Instant Pot Yogurt
- Pressure Cooker Teriyaki Chicken Wings
Instant Pot Mushroom Risotto
If you don’t cook with wine, simply substitute an equal amount of chicken broth. The soy sauce and miso paste add more mushroom-like depth, but don’t worry—it’s not enough to overwhelm the rest of the dish. White wine is a classic ingredient in risotto, but for a new twist, try a dry, medium-bodied red wine. The mushrooms hold up!
ingredients
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2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
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1 pound mushrooms, washed, trimmed and quartered or sliced
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1 medium onion, finely diced
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3 garlic cloves, chopped
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1/4 teaspoon salt or to taste
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1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper or to taste
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2 cups Arborio or Carnaroli rice
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1/2 cup dry white wine
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2 teaspoons soy sauce
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2 teaspoons miso paste (white or red)
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3 3/4 to 4 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth, divided
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2 tablespoons unsalted butter
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1/2 cup finely grated parmesan cheese, plus more for garnish
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1/4 teaspoon lemon zest, optional
method
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Fry mushrooms:
In the Instant Pot, select “Sauté” and turn the heat up to high. Put the oil in the stove. When the oil is simmering, add the mushrooms and sauté, stirring occasionally, until the liquid has evaporated and the mushrooms are lightly browned, about 15 minutes. (If it seems long, it’s because liquid in the deep pot of the pressure cooker takes longer to evaporate.)
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Sauté onions and garlic:
Once the mushrooms are fully cooked, add the onions and garlic to the Instant Pot and cook until onion is translucent, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
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Add rice:
Add the rice and cook, stirring, until the grains are coated in the oil and the outer parts of the rice kernels are translucent, 1-2 minutes. Add the wine and cook, stirring, until almost all of the wine has evaporated, about 3 minutes. (This prevents the wine from having a raw taste, which can happen in a pressure cooker.)
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Seasoning and pressure cooking:
Stir in the soy sauce, miso, and 3 3/4 cups of broth. Secure the lid and make sure the pressure relief valve is set tight. Program the Instant Pot to cook on Manual/Pressure at High Pressure for 5 minutes. (It takes about 10 minutes for the Instant Pot to pressurize.)
When the Instant Pot beeps, release the pressure with the quick release: depending on the model of your saucepan, you can do this by pressing a button on the pressure cooker or by using the handle of a long spoon to push the valve open to keep your fingers away from the steam. Unlock and open the lid. There is a layer of thick liquid at the top of the pot and most of the rice is at the bottom. Stir to combine.
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Check doneness:
Carefully try some of the risotto. They check the doneness – the rice should have some bite, but not be raw and crispy.
If it’s fluffy and soupy or crispy, turn on the sauté setting and cook uncovered. If the rice is fluffy, stir constantly until more liquid is absorbed by the rice. When crispy, add the remaining 1/4 cup broth and stir until slightly absorbed, about 1 minute.
You want the consistency “all’onda(“like waves” in Italian). It’s that happy spot in risottoland between soupy/watery and sloppy/stiff. You want it to be rich and creamy.
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Finish the risotto:
Stir in the butter and parmesan. Taste again for seasoning. If it seems a little too earthy and flat, add 1/4 teaspoon lemon zest. Adjust with salt if necessary. Serve immediately.
