You are going to love this beautiful, creamy Instant Pot Butternut Squash Risotto. Made with ingredients like arborio rice, butternut squash, freshly grated parmesan and topped with crispy sage, it's a delicious vegetarian side dish.
Turn on the Sauté function on the Instant Pot. Heat the olive oil, then add the diced onion and sauté until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the minced garlic, then turn off the Sauté function. Sauté the garlic in the residual heat for up to a minute.
Add a small amount of broth and use a flat-bottomed turner to deglaze the bottom of the pot (scrape up any brown bits of food stuck to the bottom of the liner – this prevents a burn warning).
Pour in the remaining broth, then add the arborio rice, sea salt and ground sage (if not making crispy sage). Stir to combine, then layer the diced butternut squash and butter on top. Do not stir after adding the squash and butter.
Close the lid on the Instant Pot and set the vent to sealing. Pressure cook on Manual High pressure for 6 minutes (your Instant Pot may have a "Pressure Cook" button rather than a "Manual" button). It will take up to 10 minutes to come to pressure.
While the risotto is pressure cooking, make the crispy sage. In a small light-bottomed pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Once the butter is bubbling, add the sliced sage. Stir frequently until the butter starts to brown (don't walk away – the butter could burn!). Remove the pan from heat, scoop out the sage leaves and place them on a paper towel-lined plate to cool.
At the end of pressure cooking, quick release the pressure. Stir in the parmesan cheese and season with additional salt, to taste. The more you stir, the more the squash will blend into the rice. Stir less if you prefer some pieces of squash to remain intact.
Serve the risotto topped with crispy sage and additional parmesan cheese, if desired. Store any leftovers in a sealed container in the refrigerator and eat within 4 days.
Notes
You can add 1/4 cup more broth if you prefer an even creamier texture.
Inactive time indicates the time it takes for the Instant Pot to come to pressure and release pressure.
This recipe was tested in both 6-quart and 8-quart Instant Pot models.