Instant Pot Mushroom and Barley Risotto – this Instant Pot Risotto is so easy and so delicious! If you haven’t tried a barley risotto, you are in for a treat! It’s pure comfort food! Barley, mushrooms, leeks, sherry, chicken broth, Parmesan cheese and fresh parsley.
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Pressure Cooker Risotto
Did you know that you can make risotto in the pressure cooker or in my case in the Instant Pot!  We loved the Instant Pot Shrimp Risotto that I made so when I saw this barley risotto, I was intrigued.  Barley risotto! To be more specific, barley risotto in the pressure cooker. Oh my goodness.
I’ve been trying to add more whole grain recipes to my weekly cooking, and decided that I really had to have Whole Grains Every Day, Every Way
Easy Dinner from Pantry Ingredients
Making this risotto is so easy and as a plus, most of the ingredients are pantry ingredients. I always keep dried mushrooms, fennel seeds, pearl barley, sherry and chicken stock in the pantry. I also always have Parmesan cheese and fresh parsley in the fridge. So, all I need to buy for this risotto was leeks!
Making an Instant Pot Risotto
Making this risotto is so easy! First you rehydrate the dried mushrooms in some boiling water. Gather your ingredients and chop your leeks. Saute the leeks and fennel seeds in olive oil. Stir in the barley and then add the sherry, cook until it evaporates. Add the stock, mushrooms and soaking liquid. Pressure cook as directed on recipe card.
Finishing the Risotto
When the risotto is finished, give it a stir and cook for about 5 more minutes to let it finish thickening up. Stir in fresh parsley and Parmesan cheese. Serve in bowls and garnish with extra cheese.
Instant Pot Mushroom Barley Risotto
This was wonderful! It was warm and comforting and filling and best of all ready in under and hour! I am not a vegetarian and unlike a lot of vegetarian recipes, this did not leave me feeling like I was missing something. Serve this with a salad and you have a very easy weeknight meal!
You might also want to try this Baked Cauliflower Risotto it’s not an Instant Pot recipe, but it’s so easy!
Instant Pot Mushroom Barley Risotto
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup dried porcini mushrooms or other dried mushrooms
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 cups chopped leeks white and light green parts, or onions
- 1 teaspoon whole fennel seeds
- 1 cup pearl barley
- 1/3 cup dry sherry or red wine
- 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 4 tablespoons Parmesan cheese grated (plus more for garnish)
- 3 tablespoons flat leaf parsley minced
- salt and fresh ground black pepper
Instructions
- Place the mushrooms in a glass bowl and pour 2 cups of boiling water over them. Cover and let soak.
- In a 4-quart or larger pressure cooker, heat the oil - in the Instant Pot - press saute. Add the leeks and the fennel seeds and cook over medium-high heat, stirring often, until leeks are softened, about 4 minutes.
- Stir in the barley, stirring it to coat it with the oil.
- Add the sherry and cook until it evaporates.
- Stir in the broth. Add the soaked mushrooms with their soaking liquid, taking care to not pour in any grit that may have settled in the bottom of the bowl.
- Lock the pressure cooker lid in place and turn valve to sealing. Set to high pressure for 18 minutes.
- When timer beeps, let pressure reduce naturally for 10 minutes. The turn the sealing vent to allow the rest of the pressure to release. When pressure has returned to normal (valve has dropped) remove the lid.
- Stir the risotto and either set it back to saute or leave on the warm feature. Cook for about 5 minutes or until it thickens and the barley is done to your liking.
- Stir in the parsley and Parmesan cheese. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
- Serve with extra Parmesan cheese.
Nutrition
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Update Notes: This was originally published in 2008 and has been updated for 2018.
Looks amazing. I’ve never used barley for risotto and now I must. Loving all of the earthy flavors, too!
It works really well for a risotto!
I had forgotten how good barley is but I’ve never made it into a risotto. This recipe looks absolutely delicious and I’m trying it soon!
It is pure comfort food!
I am definitely adding this to my Instant Pot line up! My family is sure to love it!
You’ll have to let me know what they think!
Yummy dish! I love using the instant pot, makes life easier 🙂
Doesn’t it!!
No more stirring when making risotto?! This might be my reason for having to buy an instant pot. This wild mushroom risotto looks delicious.
It’s one of the best reasons, that and beans!
This looks good; barley risotto, eh? So, I was gifted an instant pot for Christmas, and made a soup that would have taken 30 minutes on the stove; because of the pressurizing time, it took a lot longer than that. Can you tell me how long it takes for the instant pot to reach pressure and start cooking? Because the instructions say rice takes 2 minutes to cook, but I’m betting it would take more than the 20 minutes total that cooking on the stove takes. I’d like to use it, but not if it’s going to take longer than ordinary cooking takes. Thank you.
I emailed you a response, Marjie. I love my Instant Pot, but for things that already only take about 30 minutes, it’s probably not much of a time saver.
Food for the soul. Bookmarked ready for a cold winter evening.
It is pure comfort food!
I’ve never made risotto, but this sounds delicious with the mushrooms. Need to add pressure cooker to my wish list.
I have tried Oven Risotto but risotto in the pressure cooker is genius. Your recipe sounds fantastic and the photos are mouth watering. Looking at the snow outside my window I am thinking how wonderful it would taste right now!
Barley risotto is good and a wild mushroom barley risotto sounds great!
talk about a day of discoveries, and both are so useful! thanks for sharing–i never, ever would’ve known otherwise. 🙂
In a pressure cooker? Really? Wow, what a great idea.
I love barley risotto, and I’ve been up in the air about getting a pressure cooker. This just might push me over the edge!
PS I am new to fennel seeds. Did you use them–was it very ‘licorice-y’? Will you use them again. Thank you. Carla
Thanks for sharing the recipe and your results. I am going to make this. Lorna Sass’ Great Vegetarian Cooking Under Pressure is another great cookbook! “2 hour taste in 10 minutes”–SO TRUE!!!
Wonderful! I love barley risotto.
Maybe I need a pressure cooker. I won’t put in mushrooms, because at least half of us won’t eat them. Another great offering, Pam!
I recently tried a good barley risotto and I’m inclined to make my own.
Glad you’re a pressure cooker proponent…they are a must in the kitchen.
This sounds soooo good. I know my hubby wouldn’t eat it because of the mushrooms but I may have to make it anyway.
mmm that looks so good and wow! a pressure cooker? how cool!