Instant Pot Mushroom Risotto
by Chungah
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Easy no-fuss restaurant-quality mushroom risotto! A fool-proof recipe with the most perfect consistency every time. So creamy, so velvety!
Featured Comment
So freaking good. made it twice, once with the veggies and one without the peas and spinach. Will forever be on the menu as a special treat! So fast with the IP also, when you forget to make a starch it’s a perfect go-to.
Why you’ll love this instant pot mushroom risotto
- Restaurant-quality and affordable. Homemade risotto is incredibly budget-friendly, yielding restaurant-quality results (if not better) with a simple push of a button on your Instant Pot®, giving you complete control of all the ingredients.
- Ridiculously easy. This recipe is unbelievably easy – we’re talking no stirring, no babysitting, no fuss of any kind. The pressure cooker does all the heavy lifting for us.
- Fool-proof. Whether you’re a seasoned cook or it’s your first time making risotto, this is a fool-proof recipe that is impossible to mess up!
- Perfect consistency. The consistency of the risotto is simply perfect every single time – creamy, velvety, and al dente with a slight bite.
- Leftovers are even better. If you are graced with any leftovers, you can repurpose the extras into arancini (fried Italian rice balls!).
How to make mushroom risotto in the instant pot
- Sauté the aromatics. First, cook the garlic and onion in a 6-qt Instant Pot® until the onions are softened and translucent.
- Brown the mushrooms. Then really brown the mushrooms until tender with golden brown edges for a deeper, richer base.
- Toast the rice. Stir in the arborio rice until toasted.
- Pressure cook. Stir in the chicken broth (perfect for small portions) and thyme, pressure cooking for 6 minutes on high with an immediate quick release to avoid overcooking the risotto.
- Add the greens. Stir in the butter, spinach, peas, and Parmesan, seasoning one last time with salt and pepper.
- Serve. Serve warm, garnished with additional Parmesan.
Pro tip
Toast the arborio rice first.
This will bring out all the rich, toasty, warm, nutty flavors in the risotto.
Tools For This Recipe
6-qt Instant Pot®
Instant Pot Mushroom Risotto: Frequently Asked Questions
What mushrooms are best here?
Cremini, baby bella, chanterelles, shiitake, or oyster mushrooms are all great options. You can use an assortment or just one variety.
Can I use fresh herbs instead?
Absolutely! But because dried herbs are often more potent and concentrated than fresh herbs, you need less when using dry. For example, 1 tablespoon fresh thyme = 1 teaspoon dried thyme.
What can I substitute for the spinach?
Arugula or shredded kale are both excellent options.
Why does my risotto look soupy?
After opening the lid, the risotto may look soupy but with a few stirs (and a little bit of rest), the residual starch will help thicken the risotto naturally to its final creaminess.
Can you halve the recipe?
Yes! I have had much success halving the recipe by halving all the ingredients except decreasing the arborio rice to 1/3 cup and decreasing the cook time to 5 minutes.
Can I make this vegetarian?
Sure! Swap the chicken broth for vegetable broth.
Is risotto freezer-friendly?
Risotto will not hold up very well in the freezer and can result in a grainy texture when reheated.
Instant Pot Mushroom Risotto
Easy no-fuss restaurant-quality mushroom risotto! A fool-proof recipe with the most perfect consistency every time. So creamy, so velvety!
Video
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 onion, diced
- 8 ounces cremini mushrooms, thinly sliced
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 cup arborio rice
- 2 cups chicken broth
- ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
- 2 cups baby spinach
- ¾ cup frozen peas, thawed
- ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan
Instructions
- Set a 6-qt Instant Pot® to the high saute setting. Melt 2 tablespoons butter; add garlic and onion, and cook, stirring often, until onions have become translucent, about 3-4 minutes.
- Add mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 3-4 minutes; season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Stir in arborio rice until toasted, about 1-2 minutes.
- Stir in chicken broth and thyme. Select manual setting; adjust pressure to high, and set time for 6 minutes. When finished cooking, quick-release pressure according to manufacturer’s directions.
- Stir in spinach and remaining 2 tablespoons butter until the spinach has wilted, about 2 minutes. Stir in peas and Parmesan until heated through, about 30 seconds to 1 minute.
- Serve immediately.
Equipment
Notes
- Use a variety of mushrooms. This recipe uses cremini mushrooms for convenience and simplicity but feel free to substitute baby bella, chanterelles, shiitake or oyster mushrooms, using an assortment or just one variety.
- Do not rinse the rice prior to using. Typically it is recommended to rinse rice under cold water to remove any excess starch. In this case, the excess starch is essential to risotto, providing its creamy consistency. Removing the starch (washing the arborio rice) can lead to gummy risotto.
- Deglaze with a splash of wine. Add a splash of dry white wine (pinot grigio or chardonnay) to deglaze the bottom of the pot. This helps prevent the dreaded burn signal while also adding deep flavor by lifting up all the browned bits (fond) and bright acidity to the risotto.
- Freshly grated Parmesan goes a long way. Pre-packaged shredded cheese contains anti-caking agents that can hinder their ability to melt smoothly. Freshly grated cheese is always best, melting more smoothly and evenly, and creating a far superior creamy risotto.
- Let it rest. The risotto may look soupy initially but allow it to rest for 2-3 minutes before stirring frequently. It will thicken as it sits, transforming into restaurant-quality creaminess.
- Make it vegetarian. Vegetable broth can be used for the chicken broth.
- Stir in more stock with leftovers. When reheating leftovers, stir in more broth as needed as the rice will continue to soak up the broth.
Did you make this recipe?
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Taste was good, actually delicious! I do think the cooking time should be 7 minutes. Rice was a tad more chewy than I prefer. Also, when the recipe says peas should be defrosted, they mean it. If your peas are still pretty cold, put them in with the spinach.
I love this recipe. Use self harvested dried lobster mushrooms. Thoughts? Should I use the liquid that I rehydrate the mushrooms in place of the chicken stock? I also add a lot of homemade pesto.. Hmm…maybe can’t go wrong? Will never make stove top risotto again
I made this and it was easy and very good. I hate mushrooms but I wanted to make risotto in the instant pot and I had spinach that I needed to use up. I had all the other ingredients. So I substituted zucchini , which I also needed to use up. I put it in just before the rice, only 30-60 seconds sauté. The result was good.
I’m always a bit dubious that instant pot recipes will come out as good as doing it the conventional way, but this was so simple and came out amazingly well.
Will 100% being making this again in future.
Absolutely delicious! My husband and two toddlers loved this recipe. It was their first time having risotto but by the end of dinner, they said they could eat that every night. I added more fresh Parmesan than the recipe called for (because why not??), and it turned out excellent. Would highly recommend!
3rd time making this. Really enjoy how easy it is. I like it without the spinach and I use only 2tbs butter. I have made it with canned and fresh mushrooms. Fresh is better but still works with canned. Thanks for a great recipe.
So easy and delicious, great for busy weeknights! Have made it one a week for a few months now. Thanks for the recipe!
Love this recipe. I did double the parmesan being a Wisconsin Cheesehead and all. Will make this again.
I cook this all the time! It’s perfect!!
I love this recipe so much and we are trying to add more whole grains into our diet. I wondered if anyone has tried it with short grain brown rice which I read can be used for risotto-like dishes.
I make risotto with spelt grains. It is delicious.
I followed this but it was still very liquidy when the lid came off. The rice was cooked but I had to strain it in order to be able to serve.
If I make this recipe for 20 servings, is the cook time the same or different??
Not made this yet but it’s in the cue. I have an 8 qt IP and wondering if any changes need to be made. Thanks for another delightful recipe I can’t wait to try.
Was good! I took some shortcuts. Used frozen mushrooms, spinach, and peas. Was very easy and hard to believe it’s only 6 minutes in the pot!
Love this recipe! The Instant Pot makes it so easy to cook risotto without the usual hassle. Can’t wait to try it with some grilled chicken for a hearty dinner. Thanks for sharing!
Lovely, easy and quick recipe but doesn’t make 6 servings for me. I would easily double the recipe for 6 people.
I have made this recipe several times now. The first time is always exactly as written, but since then I have left out the mushrooms once, left out spinach several times, and doubled the amount of cheese at the end. Today we are using forged pheasant back mushrooms, and I’m skipping the spinach. I usually add a splash of white wine vinegar to deglaze before adding the chicken stock. Everything else this recipe is perfect and it lends well to adjusting ingredients as long as you keep cook times and ratios consistent. Thank you for a fantastic recipe!
This was amazing. Followed the recipe but left out peas and added a splash of white wine at the end. Definite keeper. Looking forward to serving this to guests.
Delicious
Delicious! And very easy – I bought chopped onion and sliced mushrooms, so there was hardly any prep. I used arugula instead of spinach. I didn’t add the extra butter at the end and it was still creamy.