This Instant Pot Parmesan Lemon Risotto makes a deliciously savory risotto that requires no fuss and very little effort. You can easily serve this bright, flavorful Instant Pot Risotto any busy weeknight. Bonus: this happens to be gluten-free and vegetarian.
May is an awesome month here in the Twin Cities, but along with the gorgeous weather comes the insane flurry of activities. We are suddenly in the thick of daily baseball, soccer, swim, and more soccer. Plus scout camps and piano and violin. We are hardly ever home, which is probably why my succulent is dying. [I thought they didn’t need much water? I’m so confused.]
I’ve said this before, but I truly never imagined I’d turn into that crazy mama. I always envisioned us sitting down to a homemade meal every night, with the entire family happily eating together with zero bickering. Definitely no scarfing down PBJ’s in the car while rushing to the soccer field. I was an awesome parent before I had kids 😉
And this on-the-go lifestyle, Friends, is why my Instant Pot has earned a special space in the kitchen. It is pressure cooking magic. I literally made this Instant Pot Parmesan Lemon Risotto on a particularly hectic weeknight. This Instant Pot risotto is fuss-free, easy, and fast.
Who would have thought risotto could happen on a hectic Thursday night?
How to make Risotto in an Instant Pot:
If you’ve made risotto before, you know it’s normally rather fussy. Risotto generally requires a bit of elbow grease and time. However, the Instant Pot levels the playing field for busy home cooks and lets us enjoy dishes like risotto with minimal effort.
There are only 2 steps to this Instant Pot risotto recipe: sauté and pressure cook. You’ll sauté chopped onions until aromatic and then stir in the rice. Toss in the remaining ingredients and set the pressure cooker for just 8 minutes. Yes, 8 minutes.
Let the Instant Pot do its natural release thing, while you go about your business. Once the natural release is done, the risotto is ready. Bonus: You only have one pot to clean.
Why this Instant Pot Parmesan Lemon Risotto is awesome:
- It’s savory, satisfying, and full of flavor
- It goes well alongside any vegetables or protein you want to serve it with
- No fussing, standing over the stove, or constant stirring
- It’s super easy and even faster than normal rice
Here’s to carpooling around town while still eating risotto. Enjoy 🙂
You May really like this Recipe, too:
Instant Pot Parmesan Lemon Risotto
- Prep Time: 5 mins
- Cook Time: 8 mins
- Total Time: 13 mins
- Yield: 6-8 1x
Description
This Instant Pot Parmesan Lemon Risotto makes a deliciously savory risotto that requires no fuss and very little effort. You can easily serve this bright, flavorful Instant Pot Risotto any busy weeknight. Bonus: this happens to be gluten-free and vegetarian.
Ingredients
- 2 cups dry Arborio rice, rinsed and drained well
- 2 TB salted butter
- 1/4 cup chopped onion
- 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
- 3 3/4 cups regular strength chicken or vegetable broth (depending on whether its to be vegetarian)
- 2 TB freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- Garnishes: freshly chopped chives and grated lemon zest
Instructions
- Set Instant Pot to sauté mode and add butter until melted. Add onions and stir until tender, 1-2 min. Add drained rice to melted butter and stir for 2 minutes. Add salt, pepper, broth, and lemon juice; stir to combine well.
- Secure lid and set to pressure cook for 8 minutes. Allow Instant Pot to do its natural release. Once natural release is completed, carefully remove lid and stir in parmesan while “fluffing” the rice. Add salt and pepper to taste, if needed. Serve immediately, with chives or lemon zest for garnish, if desired.
- Category: side dish, rice
- Cuisine: Italian
Easy, Delicious Rice Dishes:
Easy Rice Pilaf with Mushrooms
Ok, I really need an instant pot. This looks so delicious, risotto is my complete weakness!!
I’m always looking for more delicious recipes to try with my instant pot and this looks like a definite keeper! Thanks!
I have everything on the ingredients list, think I will whip with up for dinner. Thanks
This checks so many boxes for me, I love this recipe! I especially love that I can make it in my pressure cooker. Thanks for posting this, I will be making it very soon.
Risotto doesn’t get any easier than this. I loved it!
★★★★★
So happy you enjoyed this, Susan!
This looks so delicious and so good for the warmer months when you don’t want to eat anything too heavy. Looks like a fab weekday meal, I’ll be trying this one!
Wow this recipe looks absolutely delicious and so easy to make! Definitely pinning this to make for my family to enjoy!!
I am not a huge rice fan, However my parents are. This seems like something they would really enjoy, i will be sharing it with them.
I really love risotto! And this instant pot Parmesan risotto looks really amazing. I really have to look into getting one of these instapot soon.
This looks sooo good! I have to try your recipe! 🙂
Ok 1) love my instant pot, such a time saver! 2) this sounds soooooo yummy!!
I have to get an instant pot!! This looks so good
Yummy, this looks perfect for summer! Will try it!
This looks like a gorgeous meal for a nice sunny day. I like that it can be vegetarian but is also simple and quick to make. Definitely one to try out.
This risotto looks so delish. More so for me being a vegetarian dish. And now with recipe at hand I can certainly try too, though not a good cook.
Oh, this looks super yummy. I will definitely have to try this. I love trying new recipes!!
Risotto is definitely not a dish I will ever think to be “instant” and fuss free… But thanks to your recipes, I always get to see and feel that it’s not that unattainable!
Yum! Looks so good!
You really have some nice recipes here, glad to run into this one
This is a great on the go dish, it’s very hearty too. I am not a fan of peanut butter sandwiches. Kids need a good meal to get them through the day. And this is great for anyone to enjoy!
Love all your recipes. I’m going to try this risotto this weekend as soon as I have all the ingredients!
8 minutes??!! you just blew my mind! I should have asked for an Instant Pot for Mother’s day…
I have never tried risotto before but this seems like a simply recipe to final try it.
“I was a great parent before I had kids”— Love it! My thoughts exactly… Parenthood is messy for sure! This is a fantastic recipe. I am all for one pot meals. Thanks for sharing!
I cannot believe how delicious this sounds!! Its going straight in my recipe book!! Your blog is beautiful by the way. 🙂
Such a delicious rice meal recipe and it looks so easy to prepare. I will definitely make this Risotto for our meal today, thanks for sharing this recipe with us.
My friend made a chicken risotto for me many years ago and I love it so much. I have never tried Parmesan Lemon Risotto and would love to try making once. I love parmeson so this recipe works well for me. Lemon is kind of interesting but I still add in to see how is the final taste.
This looks soooo good. I’d really love to try this sometime! I’ve actually never made a risotto but this looks too good to pass up.
Oh I love find new recipes like these! Thanks for posting! I’m gonna try this for sure!! Look so yummy!
The Risotto looks nice and yummy. In Malaysia , we do love Risotto Rice so much but sometime the Risotto rice a bit wet and oily at here.
This looks so good. My family likes risotto and would be happy with eating it every week. I’m really missing out by not having a instant pot.
Sweet! I was just looking for a new Instant Pot recipe. We LOVE risotto and haven’t tried it in the Instant Pot. Thank you so much! Woo!
Mama | http://www.mamawritesreviews.com
Oh wow, my mouth is watering just looking at that!! Yum! I’ve always loved risotto, and this sounds like such an easy recipe. I’ll have to give it a try!
What anawesome option for dinner. i would love to make a serving of this!
This looks like a savory recipe indeed I can imagine the flavors of Parmesan and citrus melting in my mouth. On top of all this, there’s only one pot to clean? I am in!
Yummmmm. This risotto looks so absolutely delicious.
Wow this risotto looks so good. Never made it before.
I love risotto, but you’re right about the effort that goes into it. I’m obsessing with the idea of making it in my instant pot now. And this is a serious upgrade from my past recipes.
Wow! This one’s a winner.This looks so delightful and tasty. I would love to try making this recipe. My boys would both probably DIG this!
Mmm looks delicious and perfect for summer!
Ha! I really was just now thinking of an instant pot! It’s so amazing what you could put in it! I love that the rice option is there too!
I should really use my instant pot more! There are so many awesome recipes like your risotto to try! I think it’s wonderful that you can make risotto in an instant pot. It looks SO good.
Is there anyone here who has actually MADE this recipe? Otherwise it’s just a big hug-fest and doesn’t help other readers at all. I’m sure it’s good, but when I look for recipes online, I also look to what others said AFTER they made the recipe.
^^^ Yes! I’ve made too many recipes that failed because there were no actual reviews. Am thinking about making this for Valentine’s Day dinner but don’t want to risk another IP fail. Anyone make this yet? How is it?
So I’ve made it twice, the first time I went by the recipe and used chicken broth. It was very tasty, but the chicken broth way overpowered the lemon, which I could not taste. So it’d say it was more of a chicken Parmesan risotto than Parmesan lemon.
The 2nd time, i used 2 tsp of McCormick Zesty lemon and pepper season salt in place of the lemon salt and pepper. Don’t do that. The lemon was artificial tasting and it was way too peppery.
8 minutes on high or low pressure??
Hi,
Just thought I’d let you know that Parmesan cheese is not vegetarian, so you really shouldn’t label this recipe as such.
thanks.