This might be our favorite Instant Pot recipe yet! Creamy, cheesy risotto in 6 minutes – rather than 20 minutes of constant stirring. We’ve added seasonal veggies and lemon juice for a fresh and healthier twist. Your family will love this creamy Instant Pot Risotto!

Risotto has always seemed like a labor-intensive dish to me. So, I steered clear. But rumor had it that risotto could be made in an Instant Pot without ANY stirring, and in just a few minutes. I had to test this! And add veggies, of course.

The result? Creamy, perfect, no-stir risotto! A super easy dish with impressive results.

Instant Pot Risotto Nutrition

We’ve upped the health factor of this risotto by adding veggies and reducing some fat. But even though we’ve reduced the butter and cut the cream, there is still plenty of creaminess!

While risotto isn’t made with brown rice (which we usually recommend), it is better than regular long-grain white rice. Arborio rice has 2 grams of fiber per serving rather than less than 1, and it has a little protein and iron. Not perfect, but balance is okay!

Then the veggies – always trying to get more of those in! Cherry tomatoes contain some vitamin A and C, which helps with absorbing the iron in the rice. Asparagus also contains vitamins A and C, as well as some iron and protein.

A note on altering the recipe

I need to mention something important to note before we jump in: if you change the vegetables or amounts I can’t ensure it will work. I’m not saying it will not work, but I did adjust liquid ratios for this specific recipe. If you experiment, I would love to hear what you figure out!

Here’s why: making risotto without veggies would call for about 2:1 liquid to rice ratio. With the vegetables I added and in the amounts I added them, we’re using only 3 cups water to 2 cups rice. Veggies have high water content, so they can replace some of the water.

If you do change the veggie amount, a good rule to go by is putting them in your liquid measuring vessel and then adding the broth to the amount you need (using the 2:1 ratio as a guide) – with an extra heavy dash of liquid to make up for the solid matter.

 

6-minute Instant Pot Risotto

First, heat up your Instant Pot. Press “Saute” and make sure it’s on the “normal” setting. This takes a few minutes to heat up, so turn to veggie prep.

Dice 1/2 an onion really tiny so that it isn’t noticeable in the final product. Now rinse your veggies (1 heaping cup cherry tomatoes and about half a bunch of asparagus) and chop the asparagus into 1-inch pieces. You should come out with about 1 1/2 cups asparagus. Mince 3 cloves of garlic.

Now throw 2 tablespoons of butter into the heated Instant Pot (it should say “hot” when ready). Saute onion for 3 minutes, then add in rice and saute for another 3. You want the rice to be lightly toasted. Push “cancel” to turn off the saute function.

Once a little toasted, pour in 3 cups of broth, 2 tablespoons of lemon, garlic, and veggies. Sprinkle in 1/2 teaspoon of salt and a teaspoon of oregano.

Close the lid of the Instant Pot and seal the vent. Push “Manual,” make sure the pressure is set to high (use adjust to toggle), and then set it to 6 minutes.

My pot came to pressure within a few minutes, so total cook time was around 10 minutes. Once the pot beeps, do a quick release by carefully opening the vent and letting steam escape. Once the pin drops, open the lid.

Gently stir in 1/2 cup of parmesan cheese. Serve warm, topped with sprinkles of lemon zest and extra cheese, if desired.

You’re going to love this heartwarming, healthier, easier risotto!

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