How to Make a Mushroom Risotto Recipe in an Instant Pot
To kick off the month of “fancy meals”, I knew that I wanted to start with How to Make a Mushroom Risotto Recipe in an Instant Pot. Now, you might be wondering where in the world this came from. But every time I visit my brother and his wife in Denver, Colorado we check out some nice restaurants with delicious dishes that are often on the pricier side. And without fail, she always orders risotto. (And I usually steal a bite!)
If you’ve never had risotto, here is my feeble attempt to try and explain the taste, texture, and flavor. (I’m specifically describing mushroom risotto.) It’s creamy with an earthy bite from the mushrooms. The Parmesan cheese adds a depth of flavor along with the thyme, garlic, and onion. It’s finished with a little bit of butter to add silkiness. Divine y’all. That’s what it is. It’s good food!
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The first thing I want to discuss about risotto is the traditional way it’s made. (I think this is why many people steer away from it and save it for special occasions and eating out. Because they believe it is hard work.) It only takes 20 minutes to make but that 20 minutes will require all of your attention while you ladle hot stock into the rice and constantly stir.
(By the way… it’s a special Italian short-grain rice. Arborio Rice to be exact.)
This rice is a white rice with high starch content. This process of slowly adding stock to the rice as it is absorbed releases the starches in the rice and results in a creamy risotto that is velvety, and thick in texture.
One big difference in this recipe is that we are removing the need to constantly watch the risotto and stir by making it in an instant pot, slow cooker, or crock pot. But that also means that we are adding quite a bit of cooking time. I let the risotto cook for about an hour and a half. So, it depends on if you are in a hurry and don’t mind standing over the stove or if you want to take a more hands-off approach because you have the time.
If I had to compare this slow cooker mushroom risotto to any Southern dishes, I would have to say it reminds me of Chicken and Rice, grits, and porridge. (Strange combo, I know) Risotto is creamier than chicken and rice but it’s still very similar in the fact that it’s rice, slow-cooked in liquid. Grits and porridge are thick and rich and remind me so much of the texture of risotto. Plus, all of these dishes can be flavored any way that you like to create 1,000 different combinations.
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You might be wondering how risotto could ever be a main dish, but I’m telling you that it’s substantial enough to fill you up. But I would also like to point out that it would make a great side dish to your meal. (In the South we are used to our starchy sides)
In Italy, it is usually served as a first course in their traditional four-course menu with the protein coming as the second course.
When I visited Italy several years ago, I was fascinated by the way that they ate. Their courses, order of foods, and portion sizes were all very different from America and that’s not a bad thing. In America, you get a large serving of one thing typically. But in Italy, multiple courses progressed throughout the meal with different elements. The portion sizes were smaller but by the time you have consumed all the courses, you are full and satisfied. I like it. Let me give you an example below of what it’s like.
- Appetizer (Antipasti)
- A small salad, fried foods, bruschetta (a small piece of crusty bread with tomatoes, basil, balsamic…)
- First course
- This is where your pasta or risotto will be.
- Second course
- This is where your protein/meat will be like steak, veal, fish, etc…
- (Contorno)
- is the side that accompanies the second course like roasted potatoes or vegetables.
- Frutta e dolce
- This is the final dessert course but fresh fruits are also an option to finish your meal. You don’t do both, you choose one or the other.
Interested in Learning More? Click here for a deep dive into dining in Italy. Dinner courses, etiquette, and more!
Tips for How to Make a Mushroom Risotto Recipe in an Instant Pot:
- Watch the onion and garlic on the saute setting because that is high heat and can burn quickly.
- Check the risotto at the times in the recipe to avoid burning the rice or letting it stick to the bottom of the Instant Pot.
Let me show you How to Make a Mushroom Risotto Recipe in an Instant Pot on YouTube!
How to Make a Mushroom Risotto Recipe in an Instant Pot Ingredients:
- 1 small yellow onion chopped finely
- 8 oz. portobello mushrooms chopped
- 5 tablespoons of butter
- 2/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 6 cups of vegetable stock or chicken stock (I did a mixture of both. 4 cups vegetable stock and 2 cups chicken stock)
- 4 garlic cloves chopped or grated
- 1/4 cup dry white wine
- 1 1/4 cups Arborio Rice
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons Avocado oil
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- Parsley for garnish
How to Make a Mushroom Risotto Recipe in an Instant Pot Instructions:
- First, turn the Instant Pot onto the sauté setting.
- Second, in a separate boiler on the stove, add all the stock and bring that to a simmer over medium heat.
- Third, add 2 tablespoons of butter to the Instant Pot along with your onion and garlic, and saute until translucent. (Be careful because the saute setting on Instant Pots is high heat. Make sure to stir so that the garlic doesn’t burn.)
- Then, add the chopped mushrooms along with 2 more tablespoons of butter and the avocado oil and saute until browned.
- Next, add the white wine to the mushrooms, onion, and garlic and let it simmer until it’s reduced by half, about 2-3 minutes.
- Add the rice and let it absorb the rest of the white wine.
- After the white wine is gone, add 4 cups of hot stock, thyme, salt, and pepper to the rice and mushroom mixture and stir well.
- Put the lid on the Instant Pot and let the mushroom risotto cook on the slow cooker setting for 45 minutes.
- At the 45-minute mark remove the lid and add 1 cup of hot stock, stir to incorporate, and place the lid back on.
- Let the risotto cook for another 30 minutes then remove the lid, add the final cup of hot stock, stir to incorporate, and place the lid back on.
- Then, let the risotto cook for about 15 more minutes until all the stock is absorbed and the mushroom risotto is creamy.
- Next, add the Parmesan cheese and 1 tablespoon of butter and stir.
- Finally, serve while hot with extra parmesan cheese and parsley!
Variations for Risotto recipes:
- Try using different types of mushrooms. The only mushrooms available to me locally were portobello and white button mushrooms but porcini mushrooms, shitake mushrooms, chestnut mushrooms, and more would be delicious in this dish!
- I used a combination of chicken broth and vegetable broth but you can choose one and make this dish vegetarian if you’d like.
- Although this dish traditionally omits protein, you can make it however you like. Juicy slices of chicken breast would be good for a sort of Italian version of “Chicken and Rice”.
- Of course, you can always cook the risotto the traditional way, and that in and of itself will be a variation. You will be able to watch the risotto closely and add the stock at the exact moment the previous broth has been absorbed. (It’s truly the best way to do it. But we love a good slow cooker risotto hack!)
- The amount of time you use to cook risotto can also be a variation. Traditionally risotto is slightly al dente. It’s not complete “mush”. But since you are making this dish at home, you can control that texture. If you would like a little bit of chew or bite in your risotto, cook it for a little bit less. If you prefer the softer texture, follow my recipe above. I also like to add textural elements in other ways with nuts, seeds, toppings, etc…
What are the Macros for Mushroom Risotto Recipe?
Makes 8 servings (Nutritional information below is for 1 serving = 1 cup)
- Calories – 253.6
- Protein – 6 grams
- Carbs – 26 grams (net)
- Fat – 11.3 grams
Storage for an Instant Pot Mushroom Risotto Recipe:
- Store leftover mushroom risotto in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Check out some of my other “fancy” recipes!
Baked Brie with Honey and Walnuts
Brussel Sprouts with goat cheese and a raspberry vinaigrette
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How to Make a Mushroom Risotto Recipe in an Instant Pot
Equipment
- 1 Instant pot, Crockpot, or slow cooker
- 1 Stock Pot
Ingredients
- 1 small yellow onion chopped finely
- 8 oz. portobello mushrooms chopped
- 5 tablespoons of butter
- 2/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 6 cups of vegetable stock or chicken stock I did a mixture of both. 4 cups vegetable stock and 2 cups chicken stock
- 4 garlic cloves chopped or grated
- 1/4 cup dry white wine
- 1 1/4 cups Arborio Rice
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons Avocado oil
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- Parsley for garnish
Instructions
- First, turn the Instant Pot onto the sauté setting.
- Second, in a separate boiler on the stove, add all of your stock and bring that to a simmer over medium heat.
- Third, add 2 tablespoons of butter to the Instant Pot along with your onion and garlic, and sauté until translucent. (Be careful because the sauté setting on Instant Pots is high heat. Make sure to stir so that the garlic doesn’t burn.)
- Then, add the chopped mushrooms along with 2 more tablespoons of butter and the avocado oil and sauté until browned.
- Next, add the white wine to the mushrooms, onion, and garlic and let it simmer until it’s reduced by half, about 2-3 minutes.
- Add the rice and let it absorb the rest of the white wine.
- After the white wine is gone, add 4 cups of hot stock, thyme, salt, and pepper to the rice and mushroom mixture and stir well.
- Put the lid on the Instant Pot and let the mushroom risotto cook on the slow cooker setting for 45 minutes.
- At the 45-minute mark, remove the lid and add 1 cup of hot stock, stir to incorporate, and place the lid back on.
- Let the risotto cook for another 30 minutes then remove the lid and add the final cup of hot stock, stir to incorporate, and place the lid back on.
- Then, let the risotto cook for about 15 more minutes until all of the stock is absorbed and the mushroom risotto is creamy.
- Next, add the Parmesan cheese and 1 tablespoon of butter and stir.
- Finally, serve while hot with an extra sprinkling of parmesan cheese and parsley!
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