Risotto isn’t a dish that’s ever really excited me, but since getting my pressure cooker and learning that you can use one to cook risotto, I thought about it giving it a go.

If you didn’t know about this already, just stop for a moment to think. That means no adding stock gradually and no stirring constantly. It means risotto can in fact be a ‘set and forget’ dish and sometimes, there’s nothing wrong with that.

After a few attempts to get it ‘just right’, this dish has quickly become a weeknight staple in my household, well and truly proving that risotto can be good – and simple.

Pressure cooker risotto with sumac roasted butternut
Serves 4

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, divided
1 tbsp sumac
1/2 butternut pumpkin, peeled and diced
1 red onion, diced
1 tbsp garlic powder
1 1/2 c arborio rice
3 1/4 c vegetable stock
1/2 c dry white wine
1 tsp salt
1/4 c nutritional yeast flakes
1 tbsp non-dairy butter (i.e. Nuttelex)
1 c chopped baby spinach

Preheat oven to 180 degrees C.

Toss butternut pumpkin with 1 tbsp olive oil and sumac then place in the oven until cooked and browning on the edges. Set aside.

While the pumpkin is cooking, heat remaining 1 tbsp olive oil to pressure cooker and the onion. After a few minutes when the onion starts to brown, add garlic powder and rice. Mix continuously until rice starts to become translucent.

Add stock, white wine and salt. Then, put the lid on and wait for it to reach pressure. Once at pressure, cook for 5 minutes.

Quick release the pressure and mix through the yeast flakes, butter and spinach. Return the lid to your pressure cooker and let it sit for about five minutes.

Gently fold the roasted pumpkin through when ready to serve.