A creamy and delicious plant-based risotto featuring a flavorful cheezy sauce and colorful roasted broccoli. Perfect served with fresh rolls, toast, or cornbread muffins.
Have you ever had risotto?
In case you haven’t, risotto is a creamy rice dish highly regarded for its influence in Italy. One of the biggest reasons why risotto is enjoyed in many Italian homes is because it is a simple and hearty dish. It’s also easy to prepare, nutritious, delicious, and can be made in a variety of ways. These are really great benefits, but it’s also relatively inexpensive to make.
It is believed that rice was introduced to Italians sometime during the Middle Ages. Then, popularity grew under two hundred years of Spanish rule. Over time, risotto was developed by slow cooking the rice to create a creamy, tasty, inexpensive, simple, and nutritious one-pot meal. Many risotto recipes use arborio rice and vegetables. And many versions start by sautéing onions and garlic in oil, then adding in the rice, herbs, and seasonings.
Then, a little vegetable broth is added. If you don’t already, I highly recommend that you start making your own vegetable broth. Not only is my Umami Vegetable Broth full of flavor, it doesn’t contain any artificial colors or flavors; it doesn’t contain any salt; and it is practically free! The primary ingredients are kitchen scraps from celery, onions, and carrots. Pretty neat, eh? But let’s shift the focus back to the risotto.
As the broth comes to a boil, the mixture is stirred to release the starch from the rice. You steadily increase a little more broth as it continues to be absorbed by the rice. The result is a thick and creamy rice -> also known as risotto. Doesn’t this risotto look oh so creamy and indulgent?
Many recipes use oil, cheese, and butter to make risotto more indulgent. While you can add these to your risotto, I find that my Mighty Cheez Sauce contains lots of creamy indulgence all on its own. I recommend making it ahead of time for another meal like Baked Mac ‘n Cheez, then using the remaining half to make this risotto. It allows you to create this meal in about half an hour. And you wanna know the best part? This is mostly hands-off time.
I have also found that most short and medium grain rices make great risotto because they contain more starch. I use medium grain rice or sushi rice most of the time because I have it on hand – to make sushi, of course! Seriously, it works. The proof is in these photos. I use it to make my Creamy Rice Pudding as well. You know, now that I think about it, rice pudding is just a sweet risotto. Hmmm…
So now that we’ve talked about what risotto is, how it’s traditionally made, and the type of rice you can use. It’s time to get real. I don’t stand at the stove stirring away to make my risotto or rice pudding. I don’t have to because I have an electric pressure cooker that does a pretty fantastic job at making my meals much more hands-off.
This Instant Pot Broccoli-Cheez Risotto uses an Instant Pot or pressure cooker to create the most creamy and cheezy risotto. Honest, The photos do not do this dish justice. It’s actually really hard to take photos of food, and this one proved even more difficult than usual.
But I tried to capture the essence of this Instant Pot Broccoli-Cheez Risotto for you. It’s super creamy, delicious, easy, inexpensive, and nutritious. All of risotto’s great benefits listed at the beginning, And yet here we are.
Why do I use an Instant pot?
I bet you already know the answers!! Yes, there are actually three reasons. First, I have found that an electric pressure cooker or Instant Pot makes perfect rice every single time. I have never had it turn out imperfect. Seriously. So, since I use my Instant Pot to make rice all the time, it only makes sense that I would use my Instant Pot.
Second, it makes the best rice pudding. I know I already mentioned this, but it’s a pretty good reason. I remember making sushi rice in my Instant Pot and thinking how great it would be to make rice pudding in it. So I tried it and developed the best whole food plant-based rice pudding ever! (so I’m a little proud of my rice pudding. It is pretty terrific.)
The third reason I use my Instant Pot to make this Broccoli-Cheez Risotto is because it really simplifies the process. Honest. There is no need to stir and add broth and stir and add more broth for twenty to thirty minutes. Simply sauté your onions and garlic, add your seasonings and rice, pour in the broth, and press start. It really is that simple.
After the Instant Pot depressurizes, you add in the Mighty Cheez Sauce and roasted broccoli. Stir and Serve! So yes, you do have to stir this Instant Pot Broccoli-Cheez Risotto for , but it really is super easy.
Did I say roasted broccoli? Yes, I did. The reason I prefer to roast my broccoli in the oven is because I don’t like or want mushy vegetables in my risotto. By roasting the broccoli, it remains firm and full of vibrant colors and bright flavors. And the good news is the broccoli roasts while the rice is doing it’s thing. Then you simply combine the two. If you don’t mind brown and mushy broccoli, feel free to add it to the pressure cooker with the rice. Just know that I strongly oppose this.
I like using a combination of broth and plant milk in this Instant Pot Broccoli-Cheez Risotto. I add the broth to the rice before it is cooked in the pressure cooker, then add the milk after stirring in the broccoli and Mighty Cheez Sauce. You can use any kind of milk, though I typically use plain unsweetened almond milk or Oat + Nut Milk. This is important! Do not use vanilla or sweetened plant milk. That wouldn’t pair well with the cheezy sauce or broccoli.
And yes, this is where some stirring occurs. But I promise it isn’t laborious. I usually need to add one to two cups of plant milk to make it the perfect creamy consistency that risotto is famous for. I recommend starting with one cup of milk, stirring, and then adding half a cup at a time. Just don’t add too much milk or it will get soupy. And risotto is not soupy.
The final note I have for this Instant Pot Broccoli-Cheez Risotto is that it makes fantastic leftovers! I have also frozen it with great success, which makes it great for meal prep and batch cooking for work lunches or trips. So if it’s just you or two of you, don’t think you have to eat it all week. Freeze half of it or portions of it for later enjoyment.
Okay, I may have one more note for you. When you do reheat your leftover risotto, you may need to add in a splash of milk. Just like rice pudding or pasta, the rice continues to absorb the liquids in the risotto. I find that adding just a little milk when reheating makes all the difference and results in the same creamy risotto you had the night or week before.
I hope you enjoy this Instant Pot Broccoli-Cheez Risotto as much as I do.
I’m just starting out and would love to see your results. Please leave a comment and rate it down below, tag a picture @pebblesandtoast and #pebblesandtoast on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook! Enjoy!!
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Ingredients
- 1 onion, chopped
- 3-4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1½ cups arborio or sushi rice (medium grain rice)
- 3 cups Umami Vegetable Broth
- ½ tsp thyme
- 2-3 heads of broccoli
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 cups Mighty Cheez Sauce
- 2 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
- 1½-2 cups plant milk
- ¼ cup vegan parmesan or cheddar cheese to garnish (optional)
- salt and pepper to taste (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425° F.
- Using the sauté function in a pressure cooker, sauté the onions for 2-3 minutes. Pour in a little broth to prevent sticking, as needed. You can also use vegan butter or oil, if desired.
- Stir in the garlic and sauté for 1 minute. Stir in the rice and sauté for another minute.
- Pour in the broth and thyme. Press Cancel.
- Lock the lid in place. Set for 8 minutes on high pressure; then allow the pressure to release naturally, or at least 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, scatter the broccoli florets evenly on a lined baking sheet.
- Cook in the preheated oven for 10-15 minutes, until desired tenderness. This preserves the color and releases incredible flavor, while retaining firmness and preventing mushy broccoli.
- Remove the lid and stir in the roasted broccoli, Mighty Cheez Sauce, parsley, and 1½ cups of milk. Adjust the seasonings, including salt and pepper, to taste. Add in additional milk if the risotto is too thick.
- Garnish with shredded cheese, if desired, and serve!
- Store any leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Notes
After refrigerating or cooling, you may need to stir in a little plant milk, which brings the risotto back to a nice creamy texture.
– To cook this Broccoli-Cheez Risotto on the stove, roast the broccoli as instructed above. Sauté the onions and garlic in a large pot over medium-low heat for 4-5 minutes. Stir in a little broth, if needed, to prevent sticking. Stir in the rice and sauté for 1-2 minutes. Stir in the broth and thyme, and cook until the rice is fully cooked and broth is absorbed, stirring frequently. Add in the Mighty Cheez Sauce, parsley, and a portion of the plant milk (one-half cup at a time), until the mixture is thick and creamy, about 25-30 minutes total. Stir in the roasted broccoli and serve.
Instant Pot Broccoli-Cheez Risotto
Equipment
- Pressure Cooker
- oven
Ingredients
- 1 onion chopped
- 3-4 garlic cloves minced
- 1½ cups arborio or sushi rice medium grain rice
- 3 cups Umami Vegetable Broth
- ½ tsp thyme
- 2-3 heads of broccoli
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 cups Mighty Cheez Sauce
- 2 Tbsp fresh parsley chopped
- 1½-2 cups plant milk
- ¼ cup vegan parmesan or cheddar cheese to garnish optional
- salt and pepper to taste optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425° F.
- Using the sauté function in a pressure cooker, sauté the onions for 2-3 minutes. Pour in a little broth to prevent sticking, as needed. You can also use vegan butter or oil, if desired.
- Stir in the garlic and sauté for 1 minute. Stir in the rice and sauté for another minute. Pour in the broth and thyme. Press Cancel.
- Lock the lid in place. Set for 8 minutes on high pressure; then allow the pressure to release naturally, or at least 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, scatter the broccoli florets evenly on a lined baking sheet. Cook in the preheated oven for 10-15 minutes, until desired tenderness. This preserves the color and releases incredible flavor, while retaining firmness and preventing mushy broccoli.
- Remove the lid and stir in the roasted broccoli, Mighty Cheez Sauce, parsley, and 1½ cups of milk. Adjust the seasonings, including salt and pepper, to taste. Add in additional milk if the risotto is too thick.
- Garnish with shredded cheese, if desired, and serve!
- Store any leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.