Instant Pot Risotto
Six minutes under pressure instead of twenty minutes of stirring, and it still turns out creamy.
- Preparation
- 10 min
- Cook/bake time
- 20 min
- Total
- 30 min
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
Six minutes under pressure instead of twenty minutes of stirring, and it still turns out creamy. Stirring risotto has a purpose: it rubs starch off the grains. Under pressure, the movement of the boiling liquid takes over this job, and the result differs less than purists might believe.
Why this works
The creaminess of a risotto comes from amylopectin, a starch found primarily in short-grain rice like Arborio or Carnaroli. It releases from the surface of the grain during cooking and binds the liquid. The constant stirring in the classic method accelerates this through friction. Under pressure, the vigorously circulating liquid does the exact same thing. The crucial factor instead is the ratio: 1 to 2.5 rather than the usual 1 to 3.5, because nothing evaporates in a closed pot. Toasting the rice before adding the liquid remains mandatory. This lightly seals the outer layer of the grain so that it absorbs liquid slowly and remains al dente, rather than turning to mush in six minutes.
Step-by-step instructions
- 1
Sweat the onion
Set the pot to the sauté function and sweat the onion in oil for four minutes until translucent, without letting it take on any color. It must be very finely diced: in a risotto, you want to taste it, but not bite into it.
- 2
Toast the rice
Add the rice and toast it for two minutes while stirring, until the grains become translucent at the edges and the centers remain white. This step is indispensable even under pressure: it seals the surface of the grain so that it absorbs liquid slowly instead of disintegrating in six minutes.
- 3
Pour in and reduce the wine
Pour in the wine and let it evaporate completely, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom. Then pour in the hot broth and stir once. The ratio is tighter than with classic risotto because nothing evaporates in a closed pot.
- 4
Six minutes under pressure
Close the lid, set the valve to sealing, and cook on high pressure for six minutes. Afterward, release the pressure manually right away. With a natural release, the rice will continue to cook for another ten minutes and become mushy.
- 5
Mantecare: butter and Parmesan
Vigorously stir in the cold cubed butter and the Parmesan until the risotto is glossy and flows slowly when you tilt the pot. No machine can take over this step. This is where the emulsion of fat, starch, and liquid is created, which is what makes a risotto.
