Instant Pot Pesto Risotto Recipe (Vegan, Dairy Free)
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Jump to RecipeThis Instant Pot Pesto Risotto recipe is an easy & flavorful weeknight meal in the pressure cooker! Loaded with fresh vegetables, homemade pesto, and arborio rice its is perfect to meal prep.
This green herby pesto would make a perfect St. Patrick’s Day side dish!
This recipe is a true weeknight wonder! I couldn’t even believe that you could make a proper risotto in the instant pot, but it the consistency turns out PERFECT. No lie!
I am a huge fan of Easy Weeknight Meals, and therefore, also a huge fan of my Instant Pot. I love making quick, hearty, simple dishes in under an hour, and this risotto is perfect.
Traditional risottos are a true labor of love, and I only used to make them on special occasions when I had a ton of time to cook and stir and stir and stir. But with the below recipe, this no-stir risotto is a game changer for us! Its also low sodium with the addition of the pesto. You get bright bold herby flavors without the salt!
Another thing I used to love was adding tons of parmesan cheese to my risotto – but this salt-free pesto is the perfect substitute! The fresh herbs give it a ton of flavor, the garlic brings heat, and the walnuts add a wonderful rich consistency. Its the cherry on top (or the pesto on top) of this recipe!
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Instant Pot Risotto with Pesto
Ingredients
For the Risotto
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 sweet onion chopped
- 2 cups arborio rice
- 1 zucchini diced
- 1 lb mushrooms sliced
- 1 lb asparagus
- 6 cups Vegetable Stock or water
- 1 teaspoon Herbes de Provence
- Sea Salt and Black Pepper
For the Pesto
- 1 bunch basil
- 1 bunch parsley
- 1/2 cup walnuts toasted
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1/4 extra virgin olive oil more depending on consistency desired
Instructions
- Set the instant pot to Sauté mode. Add the olive oil, garlic, and onions and sauté on low for 6-8 minutes until the vegetables become translucent.
- Add the rice and continue to sauté for 2-3 additional minutes until the rice begins to brown.
- Add the zucchini, mushrooms, asparagus, vegetable stock, and Herbes des Provance to the pot. Stir to combine.
- Set the Instant Pot to Manual/Pressure Cook for 7 minutes. Once it has cooked, allow the pressure to release manually for 15 minutes. After then, do a quick release of the rest of the steam.
- While the risotto is cooking, add all the pesto ingredients to a blender: basil, parsley, walnuts, garlic, and olive oil. Blend to a smooth consistency, adding more olive oil if desired.
- To serve, scoop risotto into a bowl, and add a dollop of pesto on top. Stir the pesto into the risotto and enjoy!
Nutrition
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I want to make this recipe tonight but I don’t have an Arborio and I have lots of other grains. Would Pearl barley, orzo, jasmine rice or nishiki sushi rice work? I’m sure you can see why I am not running out to get a new grain!
Hi Cat, great question! I haven’t tried it with other grains/rices, however I’d start by trying the nishiki sushi rice first. It’s similar to arborio in that it’s a short grain which should give you a lot of the creaminess that arborio has. Let me know how it turns out!
such a good idea to use pesto in a risotto