Instant pot mushroom risotto is a luscious, creamy dish that is perfect as a meal, appetizer or side. Made with baby Bella mushrooms and arborio rice in a savoury vegetable broth with shallots, garlic and herbs, this dish is full of flavour. Made in the instant pot, this risotto is mostly hands-off and is ready in just 30 minutes.
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Risotto is one of those dishes that may seem intimidating to make. Most recipes call for standing over the stove, paying close attention and stirring constantly to ensure the perfect dish of creamy risotto.
But when you use the instant pot to make this decadent dish, all that intimidation disappears. There is no need to constantly attend to the dish, instead you add everything to the pot, turn it on and walk away.
Made in the instant pot, mushroom risotto is ready in a fraction of the time it takes to make it on the stove.
With only a 6 minute cook time under pressure, this risotto is fully ready in about 30 minutes and it turns out perfectly creamy everytime.
This mushroom risotto recipe can be made in either a 3qt or a 6qt instant pot. We chose to use our 3qt pot for this recipe because it is the perfect size and comes to pressure faster than the 6qt pot.
Ingredients & Substitutions
For a full list of ingredients and measurements, see the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
This risotto is made with simple ingredients. You should be able to find everything you need at any local grocery store.
Arborio rice – Arborio rice is a short grain rice that is higher in starch which gives risotto its chewy, creamy texture. It is essential for perfect risotto.
Vegetable broth – We chose to keep this dish vegetarian and use a boxed vegetable broth for the liquid, but it’s even better if you use homemade and a homemade Mushroom Broth would be perfect with this recipe. But if you are not worried about keeping the recipe vegetarian, you can use either chicken or beef broth.
You can also try replacing half a cup of the vegetable broth with dry white wine. Add the white wine to the pot as the first half cup of liquid when deglazing the bottom.
Mushrooms—We use baby bella mushrooms, also known as cremini mushrooms, in our risotto. These are young versions of portobello mushrooms. They are a bit meatier, hold their shape a bit better than white button mushrooms, and have a slightly more developed flavour.
If you can’t find baby bella mushrooms, you can use white button mushrooms, oyster mushrooms, or even portobello mushrooms. If you are going to use portobello mushrooms, I suggest removing the gills, as they can have a gritty texture.
Low sodium soy sauce – We use just a tablespoon when we sauté the mushrooms. It adds an extra level of flavour and caramelization to the mushrooms. You can skip this if you prefer, but we love the flavour it adds.
Parmesan cheese—For this recipe, you should use fresh shredded parmesan cheese, not the fine-grated parmesan cheese you usually shake on spaghetti. You can also use asiago or romano cheese.
Step by Step Instructions
Begin by cooking the mushrooms.
Set the instant pot to saute and add 2 tablespoons of the butter. Add the sliced mushrooms and cook until the mushrooms have shrunk and the liquid has evaporated. This should take about 5-7 minutes.
Add the soy sauce and stir, cook another 1-2 minutes until all the liquid is absorbed then remove the mushrooms from the pot and set aside.
Add the remaining butter to the pot along with the diced shallots and minced garlic. Cook 3-4 minutes until the shallots are soft and fragrant.
Add the rice to the pot and cook while stirring for 2-3 minutes, just until you see the edges of the rice grains turn slightly translucent. Add half a cup of the vegetable broth to the pot and use a wooden spoon to scrape any bits from the bottom of the pot. Then add the remaining broth, salt and thyme.
Stir to combine then press cancel. Place the lid on the pot with the valve open, then turn the valve to seal and set the pot on high pressure for 6 minutes.
When the timer is complete, turn the valve to quickly release the pressure. When the pin drops, carefully remove the lid.
Give the rice a gentle stir, then stir in the mushrooms and parmesan cheese. Stir until the cheese is melted and serve.
If the risotto is too thick, you can add a bit of broth a couple of tablespoons at a time until it is smooth and creamy. You are looking for a creamy, but not liquidy texture for perfect risotto.
Serving Suggestions
Risotto is one of those dishes that work equally well as the main course, appetizer or side.
Many times we choose to have it as the main course along with a simple salad. But occasionally we serve it as a side dish, or in smaller bowls as an appetizer.
The flavours in this mushroom risotto are rich and a bit earthy. Because it has so much flavour we like to serve it with a main dish that has complimentary, or milder flavours so they don’t compete with each other. A simple protein, roasted vegetable and garden salad make for a nice meal.
Some of our favourite main dishes to pair with mushroom risotto are air-fried pork chops, which are done in a simple herb seasoning or cast iron flank steak where the rich and creamy risotto is a perfect pairing to the lean beef.
To complete the meal we may add some instant pot steamed broccoli or air-fried asparagus.
FAQS
You can reheat leftover risotto in the microwave or on the stovetop. After it has been in the refrigerator it will become thicker and less creamy. You can revive it by stirring a few tablespoons of broth into the risotto as you are heating it.
I don’t recommend making risotto ahead of time. As it sits it will become thick and pasty, it will have a much creamier texture if it is made right before it is served.
If you want to prepare some of this recipe ahead of time to speed up the cooking process when it comes time to serve, I suggest dicing the shallots and garlic, shredding the cheese and slicing the mushrooms. You could also cook the mushrooms ahead of time if you wish since the cooked mushrooms are stirred into the risotto at the end of the process.
More Instant Pot Recipes
Printable Recipe
Instant Pot Mushroom Risotto
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoon salted butter divided
- 8 oz baby bella mushrooms, sliced approximately 3 cups sliced
- 1 tbsp low sodium soy sauce
- 1 small shallot, diced approximately ¼ cup diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 Cup arborio rice
- 2 Cups low sodium vegetable broth
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- ½ Cup shredded parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Turn the pot to saute and add 2 tablespoons of butter. Add the sliced mushrooms and cook until mushrooms are soft, have released their liquid and the liquid has evaporated. 5-7 minutes.
- Add the soy sauce and cook 1-2 minutes longer until the liquid is absorbed, then remove the mushrooms from the pot and set aside.
- Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, diced shallots and minced garlic. Cook for 3-4 minutes until the shallots are soft and fragrant.
- Add the rice and cook for 2-3 minutes, just until you see the edges of the rice turn slightly translucent.
- Add ½ cup of the broth and use a wooden spoon to scrape any bits from the bottom of the pot, then add the remaining broth, salt and thyme.
- Stir to combine, then press cancel to turn off the saute function. With the valve of the lid open, place the lid on the pot and then turn the valve to seal.
- Set the pot on high pressure for 6 minutes. When the timer is complete, turn the valve to quickly release the pressure. When the pin has dropped carefully remove the lid.
- Give the rice a gentle stir, then add the shredded cheese and mushrooms.
- Stir to combine until the cheese is melted. The risotto should be creamy and smooth. If it is too thick you can stir in a few tablespoons of broth until it reaches your desired consistency. It should be creamy, but not liquidy.
- Serve garnished with additional parmesan cheese and fresh herbs, if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates. Actual nutritional content will vary with brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes and more.