Inflation, the war, and tariffs got you down? Here is a fancy-sounding dinner that costs pennies yet will impress.

Risotto is delicious, but who wants to spend 25 minutes stirring a pot? But if you use an electric pressure cooker (AKA Instant Pot), you just press a few buttons, and the machine does the rest.

I have been using some sort of pressure cooker for the last 50 years, but I’m trying to expand my recipe horizons with these wonderful machines. There are so many dishes that you can make beyond soups, curries, and stews.

I cook dinner on Sundays, and now that it is just Julie and me, I thought I’d make something a bit fancy. Risotto is just a rice dish, but its creamy texture and long preparation elevate it.

This recipe is from the website Spend With Pennies. I didn’t choose it because it used the cheapest ingredients; I chose it because it made a smaller quantity. I’m trying to be more cognizant of not wasting food, and I’m not sure how well risotto reheats.

Let’s take a look at the ingredients!

Here is a visual of the ingredients. It looks like a lot, but it really isn’t. The must-have is the arborio rice. It is plump and starchy, and it makes all the creamy goodness.

Although this is an Instant Pot recipe, I’m using a Brand-X machine. I’m slowly writing an article on how to buy a cheap electric pressure cooker. I found this one on eBay for $38, which included shipping. How well did it work, and did I have to change any cooking times? The answers are: 1. Great, and 2. No!

Place the electric pressure cooker (EPC) on sauté and let it heat up for a minute or two. Sauté the onion and mushrooms in a little EVOO for about two minutes.

Add the uncooked rice and sauté it for a minute or two. Stir to prevent burning.

Deglaze the pot with 1/4 C of dry white wine.

Now add your chicken stock. Mine is dark because I made it from a Costco rotisserie chicken carcass. However, you can use boxed, bouillon, or Better Than Bouillon.

Add your garlic, salt, pepper, and thyme.

Cancel sauté. Set your pressure cooker on high pressure for 5 minutes. Make sure your pot is on sealing (not venting). After the 5 minutes are up allow the risotto to stay in the pot for an additional 10 minutes. It will continue to cook during this time. Carefully, release any remaining pressure using the steam release valve. Open the pot.

Add the butter and stir it in.

Add the Parmesan Cheese and stir it in. Taste and adjust your salt and pepper.

Here is the risotto plated up and served with a poached egg on top. It is accompanied by a tomato and avocado salad dressed with a balsamic vinaigrette and toast points. It was delicious and looked very fancy, but it was easy to make with an electric pressure cooker.

I’m doing a few other tests with this $38 Instant Pot clone, but it clearly seems to be a competent device. Now that the Instant Pot craze is fading you can snap up a used electric pressure cooker or even a new one for a little more than a slow cooker. An electric pressure cooker is the one cooking appliance that I could not live without.

Peace

Mike