Instant Pot Lemon Risotto is a bright and flavorful risotto. It's made in the pressure cooker and turns out creamy and delicious. Stir in peas or your favorite vegetable, and top with some freshly grated parmesan cheese for a delicious easy to make risotto.
One of my absolute favorite things to make in my Instant Pot is risotto. And this Instant Pot Lemon Risotto is the perfect spring risotto dish! But because it's made with frozen peas, it can be made any time of year!
Don't like peas? Leave them out! It's delicious even without the peas.
This risotto is a no-stir risotto. You sauté some ingredients in your Instant Pot, then add in broth and spices, and then close it all up and let it work its magic. The risotto comes out creamy, delicious, and perfectly cooked!
The lemon adds the perfect amount of brightness to this dish. You'll need both the juice and zest of a medium lemon.
How to Make Instant Pot Lemon Risotto
First, prep your ingredients for the lemon risotto. Chop your onions and garlic and get out your Instant Pot or pressure cooker.
Melt 2 tablespoon of butter in the Instant Pot, then add the onion and saute for a few minutes. Next, add the garlic and saute for 1-2 minutes.
Add the arborio rice and cook, stirring frequently for 2-3 minutes.
Deglaze with the white wine, then add the chicken broth (or veggie broth for a vegetarian risotto), oregano, salt, and pepper. Close up the Instant Pot and set to cook for 5 minutes. Let the Instant Pot come to pressure and cook for 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, prep the rest of the ingredients. Grate some fresh parmesan cheese. Zest and juice your lemon.
Once the Instant Pot is finished cooking, release the pressure, and then add the lemon zest, lemon juice, 4 tablespoon butter, parmesan cheese, and frozen peas. Stir to combine and then serve!
How to serve the risotto
This Instant Pot lemon risotto is delicious as is, but you can always serve topped with chicken, shrimp, salmon, or even scallops. This dish pairs perfectly with seafood.
What is lemon zest?
Lemon zest is the outside rind of the lemon zested into small pieces. It helps get the aromas and flavor of the lemon zest into food to really boost the lemony taste.
Only zest the top yellow part of the lemon, not the white part underneath. That white part is called the pith and it is bitter.
What is risotto rice?
Risotto rice is also called arborio rice. It's a starchy rice that can absorb flavors and becomes creamy and delicious when cooked in a risotto. Most grocery stores carry arborio rice, and you can also find it on Amazon.
Can I use regular rice?
I wouldn't recommend using regular rice to make Instant Pot risotto, as it cooks and absorbs flavors differently that arborio rice.
More Instant Pot Recipes
If you like this risotto, you'll love our Instant Pot Parmesan Risotto recipe. It's similar, but doesn't have lemon or peas. We also have an Instant Pot Chicken Risotto recipe.
Looking for something a little more meaty? Check out our Instant Pot Mongolian Beef and Instant Pot Beef Stew recipes.
Instant Pot Lemon Risotto
Equipment
- Instant Pot
Ingredients
- 6 tablespoon butter divided
- 1 medium onion
- 3 cloves garlic
- 2 cups arborio rice
- ½ cup white wine
- 4 cups vegetable or chicken broth or stock
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¾ cup grated parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoon lemon zest
- 2 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 cup frozen peas
Instructions
- Take your onion and peel it and then mince it into small pieces. Take your garlic cloves and also peel and finely mince those into small pieces.
- Take your Instant Pot and put it onto SAUTE mode. Add 2 tablespoon of butter and let melt almost completely, then add your onions and saute for 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Add the garlic, then stir for 1 minute.
- Add the arborio rice and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Add the white wine to the pot and stir to deglaze, scraping the bottom of the pot to make sure nothing is stuck. Hit the CANCEL button on the Instant Pot.
- Add the chicken or vegetable stock, dried oregano, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine everything.
- Put the lid on the Instant Pot and make sure the valve is sealed. Set the Instant Pot on MANUAL mode for 5 minutes. The Instant Pot will come to pressure (takes around 10 minutes), then start counting down the 5 minutes.
- After the Instant Pot is done and beeps, QUICK RELEASE the steam and then remove the lid.
- Add the grated parmesan, 4 tablespoon butter, lemon zest, lemon juice, and frozen peas and stir to combine for about 1 minute.
- Plate and enjoy. Top with more grated parmesan cheese, if desired.
Nutrition
If nutrition info is shown, values are based on an online calculator and are estimates. Please verify using your own data.
Deborah Frank
Absolutely delicious and perfect, wouldn’t change a thing!
Gail Sprague
This was delicious but was way too much for just 2 of us. I will use for leftovers but make half next time. Served as a side with lemon garlic marinated lamb chops. Not a fan of peas so I left them out & added some chives. Told the hubs I could eat this as desert it was so good. Maybe I can use the leftover in soup too.
Gail Sprague
I used the leftover risotto and made arancini, delicious.
Melissa C
Thanks! I didn’t have lemon zest, but this was still delicious and turned out with a great consistency. I liked that you used 2 cups of rice because I like to cook for having leftovers!
Aimee
I love leftovers too! So glad you enjoyed it.