Creamy Vegetable Risotto ala Instant Pot

Creamy risotto that is fast and easy to make

I love rice dishes and risotto is as the top of my favorites list. Unfortunately, many risotto recipes take a lot of time and patience to get a great result. Since I am an impatient cook, I generally try to find the fastest and easiest way to make a tasty meal. That is where the Instant Pot, a multi-purpose pressure cooker, comes in!

Use a variety of veggies

This recipe requires some prep work regarding washing and dicing the vegetables. But the majority of the prep takes place while the rice has already begun to cook. The beauty of this recipe is that you can alter the vegetables based upon what you have in the refrigerator. I suggest using vegetables that vary in color for a mix of vitamins and antioxidants, as well as for visual appeal.

Creamy Vegetarian Risotto ala Instant Pot

Easy to make, creamy in texture, and full of nutritious vegetables, this vegetarian risotto is a great substitute for the classic stove top version.

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Total Time 30 minutes mins

Servings: 8 servings

Course: Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine: American, Italian

Calories: 265

Ingredients Equipment Method Nutrition Notes

Ingredients

  

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• 1 large Sweet onion diced
• 1 large Shallot diced
• 1 Leek white part thinly sliced
• 4 tbsp Olive oil divided 2 + 2
• 1½ cup Arborio Rice
• 1 quart Vegetable broth
• 1 Green bell pepper diced, approximately 1 cup
• 1 Red or orange bell pepper diced, approximately 1 cup
• 2-6 Tomatoes (Compari or Roma preferred) diced, approximately 1 cup
• 1 crown Broccoli chopped, approximately 1 cup
• 1 small Zucchini diced, approximately 1 cup
• 1 cup Spinach leaves cut into slivers
• 2 teas Basil dried
• 2 teas Oregano dried
• 1 teas Black pepper ground
• ½-1 teas Sea salt
• 2 tbsp Lemon juice
• ¼-½ teas (Optional) Red pepper flakes
• ½ cup (Optional) Dry white wine
• ¼ cup (Optional) Asiago or Parmasean Cheese grated

Equipment

• Pressure Cooker
• Saute pan

Method

 

1. Place diced onions, leeks, shallots into the Instant Pot and drizzle with 2 tablespoons of olive oil.
   
2. Turn on the saute function of the Instant Pot, cooking until soft and translucent (about 8 minutes). Stir occasionally to prevent from scorching the onions.
   
3. Add the rice and vegetable broth, cover with the lid, close the vent and set to manual, high pressure for 10 minutes.
   
4. While the rice is cooking, prepare the vegetables: peppers, zucchini, tomatoes and spinach.
5. In a saute pan, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and saute the vegetables over medium heat until brightly colored and firm. Turn off the heat and allow the veggies to rest until the rice is ready.
   
6. When the timer beeps on the Instant Pot, open the vent to allow the pressure to release.
7. Open the lid and add the lemon juice, optional wine, oregano, basil, salt and pepper. Stir well.
   
8. If including cheese, mix it into the hot rice at this point.
9. Toss in the sauteed vegetables and spinach slivers and mix.
10. Serve hot.
    

Nutrition

Serving: 0.75cupCalories: 265kcalCarbohydrates: 40gProtein: 5gFat: 8gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 2mgSodium: 682mgPotassium: 291mgFiber: 3gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 1509IUVitamin C: 44mgCalcium: 73mgIron: 3mg

Notes

Substitutions:

Alter the vegetable options to include 5 cups of diced produce.  Try adding green peas, cauliflower, asparagus, mushrooms or butternut squash for variety.

Skip the shallot and leek, and use extra sweet onion instead.

Vegan options:

Avoid the cheese and use Vegan friendly wine

 

Recipe courtesy of: www.thespacebetweenblog.com

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Need a Vegetable Broth Recipe? Try this Instant Pot recipe: