Instant Pot Mushroom Risotto
Creamy, speedy risotto made in an Instant Pot with chestnut mushrooms, lemon and vegetarian hard cheese.
Yes, you can make a proper, creamy risotto in an Instant Pot — and it’s not cheating. This version uses chestnut mushrooms and a hit of lemon to keep the dish bright, plus vegetarian hard cheese so it’s suitable for non-meat eaters.
It’s ideal for midweek dinners when you want the comfort of risotto without babysitting a pan for half an hour. The pressure cooker shortens active time and gives reliably creamy rice every time.
Ingredients
- 300 g Arborio rice — uncooked
- 300 g chestnut mushrooms — sliced
- 1 brown onion — finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves — crushed
- 15 ml olive oil — about 1 tbsp
- 25 g unsalted butter — divide between steps
- 120 ml dry white wine — optional but recommended
- 900 ml hot vegetable stock — kept hot
- 60 g vegetarian hard cheese — finely grated
- 5 ml salt — plus extra to finish
- 5 ml black pepper — freshly ground
- 1 lemon — zested
- 10 g fresh parsley — roughly chopped
Equipment
- Instant Pot or electric pressure cooker
- wooden spoon
- grater
Instructions
Prepare ingredients: slice the chestnut mushrooms, finely chop the brown onion, crush the garlic cloves, grate the vegetarian hard cheese, zest the lemon, and keep the hot vegetable stock at a simmer in a saucepan or kettle.
Set the Instant Pot to Sauté (normal). Add the olive oil and half the unsalted butter. When shimmering, add the brown onion and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.
Add the chestnut mushrooms and cook until they release their liquid and begin to brown, about 6 minutes. Stir occasionally so they brown evenly.
Add the garlic cloves and Arborio rice. Stir continuously for 1–2 minutes so each grain is coated and lightly toasted but not browned.
Pour in the dry white wine and scrape the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon to deglaze. Let the wine bubble for about 1 minute until mostly reduced.
Add the hot vegetable stock, the remaining salt and the black pepper. Stir once to combine, then cancel Sauté.
Seal the Instant Pot lid and set to Manual/High pressure for 6 minutes.
Allow the pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes, then carefully turn the valve to vent to release any remaining pressure.
Open the lid and stir the risotto vigorously with a wooden spoon to release starch and create creaminess. Stir in the remaining unsalted butter, the vegetarian hard cheese, lemon zest and most of the fresh parsley. Taste and adjust seasoning.
Cover the Instant Pot (lid off or loosely placed) and let the risotto rest for 2 minutes before serving to allow flavours to settle.
Tips
- Keep the vegetable stock hot — adding cold stock prolongs the time to pressure and can affect texture.
- If you prefer very pronounced mushroom bites, sauté them separately in a frying pan until deeply brown and fold in at the end.
- If your Instant Pot shows a burn warning, deglaze thoroughly next time and make sure no stuck-on bits remain before sealing.
- Make ahead: cool quickly and refrigerate for up to 2 days; reheat gently with a splash of stock and finish with a knob of butter and grated cheese.
- For a looser risotto, stir in 50–100 ml extra hot stock at the end until you reach the desired consistency.
Substitutions
chestnut mushrooms → mixed wild mushrooms, same weight
Stays closedry white wine → extra hot vegetable stock, 120 ml
Stays closevegetarian hard cheese → Parmesan (regular)
Noticeably differentunsalted butter → extra 15 ml olive oil
Noticeably different
Nutrition
Per serving · estimated
- 440
- Calories
- 14 g
- Protein
- 64 g
- Carbs
- 14 g
- Fat
- 5 g
- Fibre
- 4 g
- Sugar
- 650 mg
- Sodium
FAQ
Can I use a different rice?
Arborio or Carnaroli are best for the classic creamy texture. Long-grain rice will be dry and is not recommended.
Why did my Instant Pot show a burn warning?
Burn warnings usually happen when browned bits stick to the base. Deglaze thoroughly after toasting the rice and ensure you use hot stock.
Can I make this vegan?
Yes — replace the butter with olive oil and the vegetarian hard cheese with a vegan cheese or nutritional yeast; texture will be slightly different.
How should I reheat leftovers?
Reheat gently in a pan with a splash of hot stock, stirring until loosened and heated through; finish with a little butter or oil for shine.
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