Traditional stovetop risotto demands constant attention, endless stirring, and perfect timing. But what if you could achieve that same creamy, restaurant-quality texture without standing over the stove for 30 minutes? This Instant Pot Parmesan risotto delivers all the luxurious comfort of classic risotto with a fraction of the effort. The pressure cooker transforms simple ingredients into a silky, flavorful side dish that’s sophisticated enough for dinner parties yet simple enough for busy weeknights.
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Table of Contents
Why This Recipe Works
The Instant Pot’s sealed environment creates the perfect conditions for risotto. The constant pressure and even heat distribution allow the arborio rice to release its starches gradually, creating that signature creamy texture without continuous stirring. Adding dry vermouth and quality Parmigiano-Reggiano elevates the flavor profile, while the chicken broth provides a savory foundation that makes this dish irresistible.
Ingredients
- Butter – Creates a rich base and helps sauté the aromatics to perfection
- Shallots – Provide sweet, mild onion flavor that’s more refined than regular onions
- Garlic – Adds aromatic depth and savory complexity to the base
- Medium grain or arborio rice – Contains high starch content essential for creamy texture
- Dry vermouth or dry white wine – Deglazes the pot and adds sophisticated flavor depth
- Chicken broth – Forms the flavorful liquid base that the rice absorbs
- Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese – Delivers rich, nutty flavor and creamy finish
- Salt – Enhances all flavors and balances the richness
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
- Place the Instant Pot on sauté, add butter, and when the butter has melted, add the shallots.
- Sauté the shallots until they have become translucent.
- Add garlic and sauté until the garlic becomes fragrant.
- Add rice and stir until the rice is coated with the melted butter.
- Cook rice for about 1 minute.
- Add half of the vermouth and stir to combine with rice.
- When the rice has absorbed the vermouth, add the remaining Vermouth, chicken broth, half of the cheese, and salt. Stir to combine thoroughly.
- Place the lid on the Instant Pot and cook for 8 minutes on high pressure.
- Turn the valve to release naturally, or you can quickly release the pressure.
- Add the remaining cheese before serving.
You can garnish it with chopped fresh parsley or fresh thyme.
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.
Storage & Reheating Instructions
- Refrigerator Storage: Store in airtight containers for 3-5 days. Risotto will thicken as it cools.
- Reheating Method: Reheat gently on the stovetop over medium heat, stirring in additional broth or cream to restore creamy consistency. Cover and stir occasionally to distribute heat evenly.
- Microwave Option: Cover with a damp paper towel and microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring between intervals 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.
Great Instant Pot Recipes
- Mulligan Stew
- Instant Pot Italian Sausage
- Instant Pot Shredded Chicken
- Instant Pot French Onion Rice
- Instant Pot Beef Stew without Mushy Vegetables
- Instant Pot Macaroni and Cheese
Favorite Rice Recipes
- Cajun Rice
- Easy Broccoli Rice Casserole
- French Onion Rice Casserole
- Japanese Fried Rice Recipe
- Chipotle Mexican Grill White Rice
- Spanish Rice Casserole with Ground Beef
Be sure to check out my easy Instant Pot recipes and the best side dishes to make for dinner.
Instant Pot Parmesan Risotto Recipe
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.
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…
I am so glad you like it!
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
Maybe your your sealing ring wasn’t properly secure in the lid. Sounds like it didn’t properly come to pressure.
The recipe was written for a specific type of white rice, it was not developed for brown rice. This is why the recipe failed.
Great!! enjoyed my children so much . Thank you
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.
Mine was a little overcooked but tasted great. Next time I wont do a 10 minute release but a manual release.
Just curious did you use the type of rice recommended or if you used long grain rice?
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.
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!!!
I need to double the recipe for New Year’s Eve. Do I double cooking time?
No, you never need to double cooking times in pressure cooking.
I Only have brown medium grain rice- do you know what time I should adjust to? Thanks!!
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.
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.
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!
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!!!
My trial run with the instant pot was this recipe and both are awesome! thank you!
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.
I too think it needs a shorter cooking time of 7 minutes and quick release
Just curious did you use the type of rice recommended or if you used long grain rice?
I want to double this recipe. Do i double everything including the liquid?
I just doubled everything and it turned out great!
Double also the cooking time?
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.
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.
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.
If I don’t want to use the wine, can I just omit or should I sub in more broth?
I’d like to know the answer to this as well.
I believe the alcohol is critical to the recipe. If you did not want to use the alcohol, I would make a change in the rice type to a long grain rice.
For this recipe, I believe the alcohol is critical to the recipe. If you did not want to use the alcohol, I would make a change in the rice type to a long grain rice.
I subbed part white wine vinegar/part extra vegetable broth and still thought it tasted great. Added sautéed asparagus & tomatoes at the end.
I always substitute since I don’t drink or cook with alcohol. Use 1 C water and 1T white wine vinegar in place of 1 C alcohol. Use red wine or balsamic vinegar to replace a red wine.
I subbed with just broth and it was delicious! My picky 14 yo son asked me to make it again the next day.
That is awesome!
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.
Thank you for letting me know Michael. I will see what I can do about working on my color balancing.
I almost didn’t make the recipe because of the picture. I’m glad I went ahead and did it anyway. But it would make it way more appealing with a better photo.
Thank you for letting me know that my photo is unattractive. I will see what I can do about the photo.