See my guide on how to use an Instant Pot.


Instant Pot Risotto is the easiest way to make risotto! This simple recipe made with garlic, Parmesan and lemon is wonderfully creamy and so comforting.

Risotto in a small dish with Instant Pot in the background.

There are a few recipes that anyone who owns an Instant Pot must try, and risotto is one of them. (The others include this Instant Pot Pot Roast and Instant Pot Pulled Pork!)

What makes Instant Pot risotto so magical? If you’ve ever made risotto on the stove you know that it’s a commitment. One that involves lots of time standing by a pot stirring, as you add liquid to the risotto bit by bit, stirring constantly and waiting for the liquid to be absorbed. By making risotto in the Instant Pot, you get to skip most of the work and still be rewarded with an incredibly creamy, delicious risotto.

In this Instant Pot risotto recipe, garlic, lemon, Parmesan and thyme mingle together to add layers of subtle flavor. This risotto is a comforting main dish, served with a salad, or enjoy it as a side dish with chicken, pork or fish. Mushroom lovers might also enjoy this Instant Pot Mushroom Risotto.

Risotto in Instant Pot with a wooden spoon.

Use the Right Kind of Rice

There’s only one kind of rice to use when making risotto: arborio rice, which is a type of short grain rice with a high starch content. Another key tip for success when making risotto? Don’t rinse the rice. Rinsing would remove some of the starches from the rice. The starches are what gives the risotto its signature creamy texture, so it’s crucial that you don’t rinse them away.

Ingredients for Instant Pot risotto recipe.

How to Make Instant Pot Risotto

Find the full printable recipe, including ingredient amounts, in the recipe card below.

Sauté the onion in olive oil using the Instant Pot sauté function.

Sautéing onions in Instant Pot.

Stir in the rice and garlic and cook, stirring for 2-3 minutes. This toasts the rice to develop more flavor.

Arborio rice and garlic added to pot.

Deglaze the pot. Pour in the wine and stir it into the rice until absorbed. It will soak into the rice pretty quickly. Then stir in the broth and scrape up any bits that may be stuck to the bottom of the pot. Place the thyme sprigs on top of the rice and broth.

Pressure cook for 5 minutes at high pressure. When the cook time ends, quick release the pressure.

Add remaining ingredients. Open the pot and discard the thyme stems. Stir in the butter, grated Parmesan cheese and lemon zest. Season the risotto with salt and pepper, to taste. Don’t skimp on the seasoning! Serve the risotto, with an extra sprinkle of Parmesan cheese.

Butter, lemon zest and grated Parmesan added to cooked risotto in Instant Pot.

Recipe Variations

  • Peas: Stir in frozen peas after pressure cooking.
  • Spinach: Stir in chopped fresh spinach after pressure cooking. The spinach will wilt in the hot risotto.
  • Butternut Squash: Add about 2 cups of cubed butternut squash on top of the rice/broth before pressure cooking. Or, stir in Roasted Butternut Squash cubes after pressure cooking.
  • Mushrooms: Use this Instant Pot Mushroom Risotto recipe.
  • Bacon: Add cooked, crumbled bacon after pressure cooking.
  • Chicken: Stir in chopped Poached Chicken or Baked Chicken Breast to the finished risotto.
Two small dishes with risotto with a fork in one dish.

Serving Suggestions

This Italian risotto is hearty enough to be a main course, served with a green salad. It also makes a lovely side dish, served alongside your favorite protein. Here are a few suggested dishes to pair with Instant Pot risotto:

To Store and Reheat

  • Refrigerator: Store leftover risotto in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
  • To Reheat: Reheat risotto in a pot on the stove over medium-low heat, adding a little extra broth to make it creamy again.

More Easy Instant Pot Recipes

The Instant Pot is an amazing appliance that can help you get quick and easy meals on your table. Try one of these Instant Pot recipes next.

Like this recipe? Pin it to Pinterest!

Risotto in a small dish with fresh thyme leaves for garnish.
5 from 1 rating

Instant Pot Risotto

Servings: 8 side dish servings
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Inactive Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
This Instant Pot Risotto with garlic, lemon and Parmesan is wonderfully creamy and so comforting. Making risotto in the Instant Pot is incredibly quick and easy. Forget standing at the stove stirring, this is the only way you'll want to make risotto from now on!

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 cup chopped sweet yellow onion
  • 2 cups arborio rice*, do not rinse
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • ½ cup dry white wine
  • 4 cups low sodium chicken broth, or vegetable broth
  • 4 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  • ½ teaspoon lemon zest
  • ¼ teaspoon salt, plus more to taste, as needed
  • black pepper, to taste

Instructions
 

  • Heat the olive oil in the Instant Pot using the sauté function. Add the onion and sauté, stirring often, for 3 minutes or until softened.
  • Stir in the rice and garlic and sauté, stirring, for 2-3 minutes.
  • Pour in the wine and stir, scraping up any bits that are stuck to the bottom of the pot. Cook, stirring, until wine is absorbed, 2-3 minutes. Press Cancel to turn off the Instant Pot.
  • Stir in the broth and scrape up any bits that are stuck to the bottom of the pot. Press any bits of rice on the sides of the pot down into the broth. Then place the thyme sprigs on top of the rice and broth.
  • Close the Instant Pot lid and move the valve to the sealing position. Pressure cook on high pressure for 5 minutes. (The Instant Pot will take a few minutes to reach pressure and then the cook time will begin counting down.) As soon as the cook time ends, quick release the pressure by carefully moving the valve to the venting position.
  • Once all of the steam has escaped and the pin drops down, carefully open the Instant Pot lid. Remove and discard the thyme stems (most of the leaves will have fallen off).
  • Stir in the butter, grated Parmesan and lemon zest. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve, with additional Parmesan cheese if desired.

Notes

  • Do not substitute other types of rice.
Calories: 294kcal, Carbohydrates: 44g, Protein: 9g, Fat: 8g, Saturated Fat: 4g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 3g, Cholesterol: 13mg, Sodium: 266mg, Potassium: 196mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 1g, Vitamin A: 177IU, Vitamin C: 3mg, Calcium: 116mg, Iron: 3mg
Nutrition information is an estimate.
Cuisine: Italian
Course: Main Course, Side Dish
Tried this recipe?Mention @kristines_kitchen on Instagram or tag #kristineskitchenblog.
This site contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through these links, I may receive a small commission, at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting Kristine's Kitchen!