The fabulous fungi: Mushroom Risotto in the Instant Pot
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.
Instant Pot Mushroom Risotto
Equipment
- Pressure Cooker
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!
