Risotto… there’s nothing more comforting on a cool evening. Not that you’ll need it, after all that stirring you’ll be too hot to want it.

I love a good bowl of risotto. But, frankly, all the stirring made it more of a once-a-year treat instead of a staple meal in our house. That is until we got the Instant Pot.  Add to it mushrooms (our veggie of the month) and it’s a meal in itself. (Make a lot as it’s great for leftovers!)

Of course, the basis of risotto is rice, and rice originates from the Middle East and Asia.  When the Romans brought back rice from their escapades in the 13th Century, they find that the shot-grained rice grew well  Fast forward to today and there are more than 4,000 rice growers in Italy, mostly in the Piedmont region.

Risotto rice is a bit particular. it’s short, round, and plump.  Arborio is most common, but there are also Baldo, Carnaroli, Maratelli, Padano, Roma, and Vialone Nano. The key is they all have a high percentage of starch called amylopectin, which thickens the liquids, making it creamy while the rice doesn’t disintegrate.

But the problem is, to make it work, traditionally, you can’t add all the liquid at once. And you need to stir… a lot, to make sure the liquid is absorbed.  But not with the Instant Pot.  You just stir before closing the lid and after for amazingly creamy goodness.

And here’s what I love about this recipe: if you have any leftover cream of mushroom soup from the recipe last time, you can add it to this in combination with the chicken broth. The result is a creamier, shroomy-er effect.

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Instant Pot Mushroom Risotto

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Ingredients

• 1 tbs olive oil
• 1 small onion, finally chopped
• 8 oz sliced mushrooms
• 1 cup arborio rice
• 1/4 cup white wine
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 tsp dried thyme
• 1/2 tsp seasoned salt
• 1 Tbs butter
• 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded

Instructions

• Turn on the saute setting on the Instant Pot and add the oil.
• When the oil is hot, add the onions and mushrroms. Cook 3-4 minutes or until mushrooms are tender.
• Add the rice and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add white wine and scrape any brown bits off the bottom of the Instant Pot.
• Stir in broth, garlic and seasonings. Place the lid on the Instant Pot and turn the valve to seal. Set to pressure cook on high for 5 minutes.
• After the cooking time, let it sit for 10 minutes without opening. Release any remaining pressure after 10 minutes and open lid.
• Stir in the butter and half the Parmesan cheese.
• Serve in bowls and add the remaining cheese on top of each bowl.

A couple of notes: I used truffle butter instead of regular butter in the cooking. I also drizzled a bit of truffle oil on each bowl in addition to adding the cheese.

And yes! This can be doubled!

Mushrooms have been a part of the human diet for thousands of years. It’s a great addition to many dishes and has some solid nutritional value. But is the mushroom a vegetable? Fungi? Or something else?

The answer is both.  Scientifically, mushrooms are fungi, as they have no leaves, roots, or seeds. But according to the US Department of Agriculture, they are classified as a vegetable, because they have many of the same nutrients veggies do.

Confused? It’s okay. I’m am not going to get into the science vs. government debate today. (We’re all kind of sick of that one anyway, right?)

What you should know is there are hundreds of different kinds of mushrooms we can eat and even more ways to cook them.

And one of my favorites is Cream of Mushroom Soup. Forget that stuff in the can, which is full of salt and even less flavor. This soup is ‘professional-quality’ stuff, meaning people will swear you got it at a restaurant. But the problem with a good, flavorful soup is that it takes so much time.

But not with the Instant Pot. Yes, I have waxed poetic about mine. (I have two, actually.) But seriously, this soup takes only about 25 minutes from scratch.

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Instant Pot Cream of Mushroom Soup

the most amazing soup for every day and special occassions

Course: Appetizer, Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: instant pot, mushrooms, soup

Ingredients

• 1 lb baby bella or white mushrooms, sliced
• 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/4 cup cooking sherry or dry white wine
• 1/4 cup flour
• 5 cups vegetable or chicken broth
• 1 cup dried mushrooms I use a mixture.
• 2 Tbs dried thyme
• 1 Tbs seasoned salt
• 1 cup heavy cream
• truffle oil optional

Instructions

• Place the butter in the Instant Pot and hit “Sauté” and Adjust so it’s on the “More” or “High” setting. (Alternatively you can also do this on the stovetop in a large fry pan.)
• Once the butter’s melted, add in all the mushrooms, coat well with the butter and let cook (while stirring occasionally) for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes of cooking, add in the half the sherry and continue to cook the mushrooms for another 5 minutes.
• Using a slotted spoon, take out about 1/2 cup of the mushrooms and put aside.
• Add the onions and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally for 3 minutes.
• Add the rest of the sherry and cook 1 minute.
• Add the flour and stir constantly, cooking for 3 minutes.
• Add the thyme, salt, dried mushrooms, and broth. Stir well.
• Secure the lid and hit “Keep Warm/Cancel” and then hit “Manual” or “Pressure Cook” High Pressure for 7 minutes. Quick release when done.
• Once the lid comes off, take an immersion blender (or use a regular blender), blend everything in the pot together for about a minute until it’s pureéd. The soup will thicken.
• Add the cream and reserved mushrooms, stirring well.
• Ladle into bowls and add a drop or two of truffle oil if desired.