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Instant Pot Mushroom Risotto

Instant pot mushroom risotto is a luscious, creamy dish that is perfect as a meal, appetizer or side. Made with baby Bella mushrooms and arborio rice in a savoury vegetable broth with shallots, garlic and herbs, this dish is full of flavour. Made in the instant pot, this risotto is mostly hands-off and is ready in just 30 minutes.

Risotto with mushrooms and fresh herbs and parmesan cheese in a white bowl.
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Risotto is one of those dishes that may seem intimidating to make. Most recipes call for standing over the stove, paying close attention and stirring constantly to ensure the perfect dish of creamy risotto.

But when you use the instant pot to make this decadent dish, all that intimidation disappears. There is no need to constantly attend to the dish, instead you add everything to the pot, turn it on and walk away.

Made in the instant pot, mushroom risotto is ready in a fraction of the time it takes to make it on the stove. With only a 6 minute cook time under pressure, this risotto is fully ready in about 30 minutes and it turns out perfectly creamy everytime.

Equipment Needed

As this is an instant pot dish, the main piece of equipment you will require is an instant pot.

This recipe for mushroom risotto can be made in either a 3qt instant pot or a 6qt instant pot. We chose to use our 3qt pot for this recipe as it is a perfect size and it comes to pressure faster than using the 6qt pot.

The equipment we recommend is:

  • Instant pot – Either a 3qt Instant Pot or a 6qt Instant Pot.
  • Cutting board – We like to have a variety of sizes in our kitchen and prefer wood or bamboo over plastic.
  • Wooden spoons – I like to have a variety of sizes and shapes on hand.
  • Sharp all-purpose chef knife – The most used knife in my kitchen is the 7-inch Santoku knife. I have a large set of the Wusthof Classic knives, and the Santoku knife is the one I reach for the most due to it’s size and versatility.

Ingredients

This risotto is made with simple ingredients. You should be able to find everything you need at any local grocery store.

Some of the ingredients you will need and some notes about them are:

  • Arborio rice – Arborio rice is a short grain rice that is higher in starch which gives risotto its chewy, creamy texture. It is essential for perfect risotto.
  • Vegetable broth – We chose to keep this dish vegetarian, but you can use either chicken or beef broth in this recipe if you prefer.
  • Mushrooms – We use baby bella mushrooms, also known as cremini mushrooms, in our risotto. These are young versions of portobello mushrooms and are a bit meatier and hold their shape a bit better than white button mushrooms and have a slightly more developed flavour.
  • Low sodium soy sauce – We use just a tablespoon when we sauté the mushrooms. It adds an extra level of flavour and caramelization to the mushrooms. You can skip this if you prefer, but we love the flavour it adds.
  • Parmesan cheese – You will want to use fresh shredded parmesan cheese for this recipe. Not the fine grated parmesan cheese you usually shake on spaghetti.

For a complete list of ingredients, see the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Ingredients for mushroom risotto.

Instructions

Begin by cooking the mushrooms.

Set the instant pot to saute and add 2 tablespoons of the butter. Add the sliced mushrooms and cook until the mushrooms have shrunk and the liquid has evaporated. This should take about 5-7 minutes.

Add the soy sauce and stir, cook another 1-2 minutes until all the liquid is absorbed then remove the mushrooms from the pot and set aside.

Two photos showing raw and cooked mushrooms in an instant pot.

Add the remaining butter to the pot along with the diced shallots and minced garlic. Cook 3-4 minutes until the shallots are soft and fragrant.

Add the rice to the pot and cook while stirring for 2-3 minutes, just until you see the edges of the rice grains turn slightly translucent. Add half a cup of the vegetable broth to the pot and use a wooden spoon to scrape any bits from the bottom of the pot. Then add the remaining broth, salt and thyme.

Stir to combine then press cancel. Place the lid on the pot with the valve open, then turn the valve to seal and set the pot on high pressure for 6 minutes.

Two photos showing uncooked and cooked rice in an instant pot.

When the timer is complete, turn the valve to quickly release the pressure. When the pin drops, carefully remove the lid.

Give the rice a gentle stir, then stir in the mushrooms and parmesan cheese. Stir until the cheese is melted and serve.

If the risotto is too thick, you can add a bit of broth a couple of tablespoons at a time until it is smooth and creamy. You are looking for a creamy, but not liquidy texture for perfect risotto.

Risotto with mushrooms in an instant pot.

Variations and Substitutions

There are plenty of ways you can add variety to your risotto, or make changes if you have allergies or preferences.

  • You can substitue the vegetable broth with either chicken or beef broth. Chicken broth will have a lighter flavour, while beef broth will have a much richer flavour.
  • Try replacing half cup of the vegetable broth with dry white wine. Add the white wine to the pot as the first half cup of liquid when deglazing the bottom of the pot.
  • Try using different mushroom varieties or a blend of a few different mushrooms. If you can’t find baby bella mushrooms you can use white button mushrooms, oyster mushrooms, or even portobella mushrooms. If you are going to use portobella mushrooms I would suggest removing the gills as they can have a gritty texture.
  • In place of parmesan cheese, you can use asiago or romano cheese.
  • If you want to make this a vegan dish, use vegan parmesan cheese or you can eliminate it from the recipe.

Serving Suggestions

Risotto is one of those dishes that work equally well as the main course, appetizer or side.

Many times we choose to have it as the main course along with a simple salad. But occasionally we serve it as a side dish, or in smaller bowls as an appetizer.

The flavours in this mushroom risotto are rich and a bit earthy. Because it has so much flavour we like to serve it with a main dish that has complimentary, or milder flavours so they don’t compete with each other. A simple protein, roasted vegetable and garden salad make for a nice meal.

Some of our favourite main dishes to pair with mushroom risotto are air-fried pork chops, which are done in a simple herb seasoning or cast iron flank steak where the rich and creamy risotto is a perfect pairing to the lean beef.

To complete the meal we may add some instant pot steamed broccoli or air-fried asparagus.

A fork scooping a bite of mushroom risotto from a small bowl.

FAQS

How do you reheat leftover risotto?

You can reheat leftover risotto in the microwave or on the stovetop. After it has been in the refrigerator it will become thicker and less creamy. You can revive it by stirring a few tablespoons of broth into the risotto as you are heating it.

Can you make risotto ahead of time?

I don’t recommend making risotto ahead of time. As it sits it will become thick and pasty, it will have a much creamier texture if it is made right before it is served.

If you want to prepare some of this recipe ahead of time to speed up the cooking process when it comes time to serve, I suggest dicing the shallots and garlic, shredding the cheese and slicing the mushrooms. You could also cook the mushrooms ahead of time if you wish since the cooked mushrooms are stirred into the risotto at the end of the process.

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Printable Recipe

Risotto with mushrooms and fresh herbs and parmesan cheese in a white bowl.

Instant Pot Mushroom Risotto

Instant pot mushroom risotto is a luscious, creamy dish that is perfect as a meal, appetizer or side.
5 from 3 votes
Print Pin Save Rate
Course: Appetizer, Main Course, Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Diet: Vegetarian
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 6 minutes
Time to pressure: 10 minutes
Total Time: 36 minutes
Servings: 4
Calories: 358kcal
Author: Deanna

Ingredients

  • 4 tablespoon salted butter divided
  • 8 oz baby bella mushrooms, sliced approximately 3 cups sliced
  • 1 tbsp low sodium soy sauce
  • 1 small shallot, diced approximately ¼ cup diced
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 Cup arborio rice
  • 2 Cups low sodium vegetable broth
  • ½ teaspoon dried thyme
  • ½ tsp kosher salt
  • ½ Cup shredded parmesan cheese

Instructions

  • Turn the pot to saute and add 2 tablespoons of butter. Add the sliced mushrooms and cook until mushrooms are soft, have released their liquid and the liquid has evaporated. 5-7 minutes.
  • Add the soy sauce and cook 1-2 minutes longer until the liquid is absorbed, then remove the mushrooms from the pot and set aside.
  • Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, diced shallots and minced garlic. Cook for 3-4 minutes until the shallots are soft and fragrant.
  • Add the rice and cook for 2-3 minutes, just until you see the edges of the rice turn slightly translucent.
  • Add ½ cup of the broth and use a wooden spoon to scrape any bits from the bottom of the pot, then add the remaining broth, salt and thyme.
  • Stir to combine, then press cancel to turn off the saute function. With the valve of the lid open, place the lid on the pot and then turn the valve to seal.
  • Set the pot on high pressure for 6 minutes. When the timer is complete, turn the valve to quickly release the pressure. When the pin has dropped carefully remove the lid.
  • Give the rice a gentle stir, then add the shredded cheese and mushrooms.
  • Stir to combine until the cheese is melted. The risotto should be creamy and smooth. If it is too thick you can stir in a few tablespoons of broth until it reaches your desired consistency. It should be creamy, but not liquidy.
  • Serve garnished with additional parmesan cheese and fresh herbs, if desired.

Notes

This recipe can be made in either a 3qt or 6qt instant pot.
Be sure to use freshly shredded parmesan cheese for the best results.
If using table salt or fine sea salt, reduce to ¼ teaspoon.
Time to reach pressure is an estimate and varies by pot. It can depend on the size or model. 

Nutrition

Calories: 358kcal | Carbohydrates: 46g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 39mg | Sodium: 729mg | Potassium: 342mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 453IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 171mg | Iron: 3mg

Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates. Actual nutritional content will vary with brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes and more.

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Recipe Rating




Susan

Thursday 3rd of February 2022

This was amazing! I had mushrooms I needed to use up and a bit of leftover risotto from another recipe. I didn't have shallots on hand, so I used sweet onion and it was still fantastic! I used this to meal prep and cannot wait to have the leftovers tomorrow!