Instant Pot Parmesan Risotto

Do you love stovetop risotto but find it too time-consuming? You can make flavorful and creamy risotto in your instant pot.

overhead view of Parmesan Risotto in a serving dish


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What Makes Instant Pot Parmesan Risotto the Perfect Side Dish?

Parmesan risotto pairs with many different foods, making it an incredibly versatile side dish for your next home-cooked dinner. It tastes phenomenal when you serve grilled chicken, seared scallops, or shrimp on a bed of this creamy risotto.

This side dish has comforting, savory flavors with a creamy texture that will make your mouth water. With chicken broth and wine in the base, it takes on a deep flavor that enhances the taste of the Parmigiano-Reggiano.

Why This Recipe Is So Good

This Instant Pot risotto recipe is very easy to make. It is sophisticated enough for a dinner party but quick enough to upgrade your average weeknight meal.

Traditional risotto is very time-consuming because you must stand over the pot and stir continually.

Using your Instant Pot, you will prep your ingredients, stir everything together for a couple of minutes, put the lid on, and then, in about fifteen minutes, voila! – you have instapot risotto. It’s almost like magic!

Ingredients

Here’s what you need to make risotto in an Instant Pot:

  • Butter
  • Shallots
  • Garlic
  • Medium grain or arborio rice
  • Dry vermouth or dry white wine
  • Chicken broth
  • Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
  • Salt
Parmesan Risotto ingredients

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions

Here’s some helpful information and options for substituting risotto ingredients:

Rice for Risotto

To make this pressure cooker risotto, you can use arborio or medium-grain rice. Both kinds of rice have a lot of starch, making the dish creamy.

Medium-grain rice isn’t the most common type sold at your average grocery store, but it is sold there. Read the label. This recipe is not suited to long-grain rice. If you have long-grain rice, try my rice pilaf.

Wine for Risotto

I use vermouth in this Instapot risotto recipe, but you can use dry white wine like Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, or Sauvignon Blanc. Julia Child often substituted Vermouth for white wine.

Vermouth is dry, and since it is fortified, it won’t oxidize once opened like white wine. I always keep a bottle on hand for cooking. You can find vermouth, where wine is sold. It will be near other fortified wines, such as sherry or marsala.

I also use shallots in this recipe. If you can’t find shallots, you can substitute chopped white onion—it’s up to you.

How to Make Parmesan Risotto in an Instant Pot

  1. Place the Instant Pot on sauté, add butter, and when the butter has melted, add the shallots.
  2. Sauté the shallots until they have become translucent.
  3. Add garlic and sauté until the garlic becomes fragrant.
  4. Add rice and stir until the rice is coated with the melted butter.
medium grain Arborio rice for risotto in a bowl
  1. Cook rice for about 1 minute.
  2. Add half of the vermouth and stir to combine with rice.
  3. When the vermouth has been absorbed by the rice, add the remaining Vermouth, chicken broth, half of the cheese, and salt. Stir to combine thoroughly.
liquids and rice for risotto in a bowl
  1. Place the lid on the Instant Pot and cook for 8 minutes on high pressure.
  2. Turn the valve to release naturally, or you can quickly release the pressure.
  3. Add the remaining cheese before serving.

You can garnish it with chopped fresh parsley or fresh thyme.

Parmesan risotto in a blue serving dish and a serving spoon

What to Serve With Parmesan Risotto

As mentioned above, serve this risotto with rosemary chicken, scallops, or shrimp proteins. It’s also an excellent match for baked pork chops, salmon, or veal.

If you want to enjoy a vegetarian meal, try making it with vegetable broth instead and enjoying it with stuffed portobello mushrooms. The combination is simply irresistible!

Any of the proteins listed above can be served with the risotto and other sides like air fryer asparagus, steamed peas, or sauteed mixed vegetables for a complete, hearty meal.

How to Store the Leftovers

Please wait for the risotto to cool down before you transfer the leftover risotto to an airtight container and cover it with a lid (or tightly wrap it with foil). For the best quality possible, enjoy it within 3-5 days!

What Is the Best Way to Reheat Parmesan Risotto?

Risotto typically thickens when it cools, so you likely need to add more liquid to help loosen its texture when you reheat it.

The best way is to reheat it on the stovetop. Stir in the liquid, heat it over medium heat, and cover it. Make sure to mix it to distribute the heat occasionally.

You can also microwave it. Cover it with a damp paper towel for best results, and stir it every 30 seconds to prevent hot spots.

Instant Pot Cooking Tips

It’s not unknown why an Instant Pot does not seal sometimes. When this happens, I make a quick evaluation. Do I need something to come to pressure, or can I wait for it to cook longer?

I either leave it alone (just cook it longer) or carefully remove the lid and check that there is about a cup of liquid in the pot. If not, I add more liquid. Then I carefully look at the silicone seal (sometimes the silicone ring slips), ensure it is in the correct position, and see if the pot will come to pressure.

Find more advice on fixing common Instant Pot problems.

I hope you enjoy this recipe!

Are you interested in the Instant Pot? You can check out the Instant Pot Stainless Steel 6-in-1 Pressure Cooker with Mini Mitts on Amazon.

Parmesan Risotto in a serving dish

Great Instant Pot Recipes

Favorite Rice Recipes

Be sure to check out more of my easy Instant Pot recipes and the best side dishes to make for dinner.

overhead view of Parmesan Risotto in a serving dish

Instant Pot Parmesan Risotto

You can make an amazing risotto in your instant pot. 
4.62 from 18 votes
Print Pin Rate Add to Collection
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: Instant Pot Recipes, Parmesan Risotto
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Servings: 8
Calories: 194kcal

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1/2 cup finely chopped shallots or white onions
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 1/3 cups medium-grain rice or arborio rice
  • 1 cup dry vermouth or dry white wine, divided
  • 3 cups chicken broth
  • 2 ounces fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese , divided
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

Instructions

  • Place the Instant Pot on saute, add butter, when the butter has melted add shallots. Saute the shallots until they have become translucent. Add garlic and saute until the garlic becomes fragrant. Add rice, stir until the rice is coated with the melted butter. Cook rice for about 1 minute. Add half of the vermouth. Stir the vermouth in, it will be absorbed into the rice. When the vermouth has been absorbed add the remaining Vermouth and chicken broth. Add 1 ounce of Parmesan cheese and salt, stir in the cheese and salt into the liquid. Place the lid on the pressure cooker. 
  • Cook for 8 minutes on high, you can set this manually. After the rice has finished cooking you can either allow it to release naturally, or you can manually release the pressure. Before serving add the remaining cheese.

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 194kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 12mg | Sodium: 608mg | Potassium: 112mg | Fiber: 0g | Sugar: 0g | Vitamin A: 145IU | Vitamin C: 6.3mg | Calcium: 98mg | Iron: 0.5mg

About Stephanie Manley

I recreate your favorite restaurant recipes, so you can prepare these dishes at home. I help you cook dinner, and serve up dishes you know your family will love. You can find most of the ingredients for all of the recipes in your local grocery store.

Stephanie is the author of CopyKat.com's Dining Out in the Home, and CopyKat.com's Dining Out in the Home 2.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Breanne

    5 stars
    I love this recipe! This is my go-to risotto recipe. I add whatever veg I have on hand, but my fave is zucchini and spinach. Even my 2 y/o can’t get enough of it. It definitely isn’t “al dente” as traditional risotto is supposed to be, but I prefer mine on the softer side anyhow. 5 stars from me…

  2. Alvin

    1 star
    I don’t know what I did wrong but my rice was very undercooked and it was sitting at the bottom of a pool of broth. I used brown rice so I cooked it an additional 5 minutes but it was still raw

  3. Heidi

    5 stars
    So I made this dish tonight. It was a hit with my family. I did change a couple of things. I didn’t have vermouth to dry white wine, so I used a half a cup, instead of full cup, of a very nice sweet white wine. I then added a little more chicken broth to make up for the other half a cup of missing liquid. I didn’t have scallions, and my daughter hates onions, so I substituted onion powder instead. I used about 3 ounces of Parmesan cheese, instead of 2 ounces. And while I did use the suggested Aborizo rice, hope I spelled that right. I used cooked it for 10 minutes instead of 8 and it came out PERFECT!!! This is a great recipe to do in your electric pressure cooker. Very easy and delicious.

  4. Dee

    Mine was a little overcooked but tasted great. Next time I wont do a 10 minute release but a manual release.

  5. Steve H

    Everything went as expected . . . But the final product was way too vermouthy. Used 1 cup . . . 1/2 and then another half. I ate it, the wife and kids hardly ate any.

    Texture was perfect.

    Next time I’ll try without the vermouth. Must have done something wrong.

    Steve H.

  6. Michael

    5 stars
    I’ve been making risotto at home for a very long time, and I’m not sure whether it’s the Instant Pot or the vermouth, but this is the best I’ve ever had. I added peas after the pressure release – just to have a built-in veggie – and about two tablespoons of truffle butter – just because truffles are proof that God loves us! Just outstanding. Thanks for the recipe!!!! Fantastic!!!

    • Stephanie

      I would wait until you bought the right type of rice. I haven’t tried making this with brown rice, and I have never seen brown rice to make this style of rice before.

  7. Madelyn C

    Risotto used to be something my husband would make for special occasions since my one and four year old daughters don’t give me a lot of time to make risotto on the stove. This is now my go-to recipe. I add sauteed veggies (whatever I have on hand, tonight is going to be zucchini and pepper) to our bowls before serving.

  8. Kristen

    4 stars
    I made this last night for the first time – it will definitely be a regular in my dinner repertoire! The whole family loved it – so much so, that we fought over the little bit of leftovers for lunch today! 😉 I used reduced sodium broth, and didn’t adjust anything – the flavors were right on. Thanks for a great recipe!

  9. Kathleen

    Just got my instant pot and tried this in it — i LOVE risotto, but it’s such a pain to make. The instant pot took all the hassle out of it. The Risotto was effortless and perfect!!!

  10. Jill

    This is a perfect recipe, thank you! Great risotto that cooked while I took the dog for a quick walk.
    I’ve made it twice now & I like it 7 minutes then quick release. I stirred in sauteed chard with the rest of the cheese and it was great.

  11. Meghann

    I love Risotto and this was awesome! Thank you for posting. When i finish, I add cooked crumbled italian sausage and thawed frozen peas. I love that i have a quick alternative that is tasty and fast for nights when i don’t have 20 minutes to constantly stir a dish.

  12. Tim Blakley

    Love this recipe! I followed the direction but added roasted butternut squash on top before cooking in the instant pot. I also added one minute to the time, it wouldn’t hurt to add two minutes. It was A–Ma–Ziiiing!! I took a picture that I would like to add but didn’t see an option to do that.

  13. Pam Mac

    OMG this was so good. I love risotto and make it on the stove, so I was skeptical how this would turn out. It was restaurant quality good and so easy. Thank you for sharing the recipe. I just got an Instant Pot for Xmas and have been enjoying trying out some of my favorite foods.

  14. Michael

    The photo is very unattractive due to color balance when viewed against other returns for a search on instant pot risotto. I think your recipe is better than the first impression from the photo.

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