Creamy vegan Instant Pot risotto is packed with veggies and flavor and is a snap to make! It's a one-pot meal that the whole family loves.
Y'all, my kid helped me develop this vegan risotto recipe! He has been very interested in risotto ever since seeing a character eat it in a video game. All of the mix-ins were his requests, and the results were absolutely delicious!
I love an Instant Pot dinner, because it's so hands off. Just toss everything into the pot, and walk away. This Instant Pot risotto has become a staple recipe in our house.
Need more Instant Pot dinners? Try my 3-bean Instant Pot chili, Instant Pot curry tofu soup, or creamy Instant Pot pasta.
What is risotto?
Risotto is a rice dish cooked in broth. Usually, it includes vegetables and is topped with cheese, as well. This vegan risotto uses white beans and plenty of veggies to make it a whole meal.
The key thing that makes risotto risotto is the arborio rice.
Arborio rice is a starchy, short grain rice. If you can't find arborio rice, bomba rice or even sushi rice will also work well.
In a pinch, you can also use short grain white rice, though the finished texture will vary a bit traditional risotto.
Recipe notes
You can make this risotto in your Instant Pot or any pressure cooker that includes a sauté function.
To start, you use the pot's sauté function to soften the onions, garlic, and carrots. When the onions are translucent, press the cancel button.
Then, you add the rice, broth, and all of the remaining vegetables except the baby kale to the Instant Pot. Lock the lid, and cook it at high pressure for six minutes. Let the pressure come down naturally for 10 minutes, then do a quick release. This is also called a 10-minute natural release.
Now open the lid, and stir in the baby kale until it wilts. The ambient heat from the pot should do the trick, but you can use the sauté button, if needed, to warm it more.
If the risotto comes out too thick for your liking, add a splash of non-dairy milk, like soy or oat, and stir it in to thin the risotto without losing any of its creamy texture.
Dish it into your bowls, top each one with vegan cheese shreds, and serve.
Seriously, this recipe is so easy that my kid can practically make it himself. He just needs help with the cutting parts.
How to serve and store
I serve this as an entree, but you can also use Instant Pot risotto as a side with your favorite plant-based protein. Here are some options:
If you do have leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They will keep for three to five days in the fridge.
Reheat them in the microwave for a minute or two, until warmed through.
📖 Recipe
Vegan Instant Pot Risotto Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup diced sweet onion
- 3 cloves minced garlic
- 1 diced carrot
- 1 cup arborio rice
- 2 ¾ cups vegetable broth
- ½ cup frozen peas
- ½ cup frozen corn kernels
- 1 15-ounce can white beans - drained
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
- ½ teaspoon dried sage
- 5 ounces baby kale - or baby spinach
- ¼ cup vegan parmesan shreds
Instructions
- Press your pot's saute button, and add the olive oil. When the pot beeps, add the onion, garlic, and carrots, and cook until the onions turn translucent, about 3-5 minutes.
- Add the rice, broth, peas, corn, beans, and herbs to the pot. Lock the lid, and cook at high pressure for 6 minutes, then do a 10-minute natural release.
- Open the lid, and add the baby kale, stirring until it wilts into the risotto. If needed, you can press the saute button to warm it up, but the ambient heat from the rice should be enough to cook down the greens.
- Divide the risotto into your bowls, and top each one with a tablespoon of the vegan parmesan. Serve immediately.
Equipment
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Frequently asked questions
Yes! Arborio rice is a grain, like any other rice. What makes conventional risottos not vegan is the dairy ingredients. Luckily, you can make cheesy, creamy risotto without any dairy!
Not all risotto recipes need cream! The starchy rice and flavorful broth combine to create a creamy texture without any dairy. You can add vegan butter, non-dairy milk and/or non-dairy cheese to up the creaminess, if you like.
If you can find it, store-bought vegan parmesans work perfectly in a dairy-free risotto. If not, you can simply omit or make your own vegan parmesan to add.
For perfect risotto, use 2 ¾ cups broth per 1 cup arborio rice.
While rinsing and soaking rice works well in many recipes, it works against you in risotto. You don't want to rinse away any of the starch, because that's what gives risotto so much of its creamy texture!
Liz W
I made this tonight for my family and it is a WINNER!! I didn't add the whole table spoon of oil, just sprayed the bottom of the Instant Pot with some avocado oil. Also, I didn't have corn so I used a whole cup of peas. LOVE the addition of kale!! I'm going to put this in regular rotation. Thank you!!
Becky Striepe
Oh I'm so glad to hear it was a hit! And great substitutions! Thank you, Liz!