6 Minute Instant Pot Lobster Risotto

People, people, people…oh my gosh. Instant Pot lobster risotto is a game changer.

I can hardly catch my breath after making this risotto, my mind is racing with all the possibilities. I mean, I’ve slaved over many a pot of risotto in my life, and this is genius. I actually think the risotto texture is better out of the Instant Pot than when it’s laboriously cooked on the stove, it has more of a ‘bite’ to it ~  not as mushy. I think we’re going to have a different risotto for dinner every night this week…yum!

The only problem? I actually found myself a little rushed trying to get the table set before the Instant Pot timer went off!

the instant pot risotto method

1. The miraculous thing about the Instant Pot is that you can sauté right in the machine.
2. After sautéing the aromatics, I add the rice and broth, close it up, and the whole thing cooks in 6 minutes. No standing at the stove, no endless ladling and stirring, no nothing.
3. After the Instant Pot beeps I stir in a couple of spoonfuls of Mascarpone cheese, scooped out my risotto into shallow bowls, arranged the lobster meat on top, and drizzled liberally with browned butter for an added dose of luxury.

The browned butter is optional, but very luxe. Just heat a stick of butter in a pan over medium heat, let it melt, and swirl it around for another few minutes until you see it turn a rich nutty brown. That’s the milk solids in the butter caramelizing! Watch it like a hawk so the butter doesn’t actually burn. If it seems like it’s going too fast, take the pan off the heat and swirl it to cool it down quickly.

how to buy lobster for lobster risotto

I bought 2 fresh lobster tails, which were available in my supermarket because we’re close to Valentine’s Day, but you can also buy frozen lobster tails, but be sure to thaw them before boiling. If you can’t get lobster, then shrimp or scallops will work fine.

cooking lobster separately for Instant Pot lobster risotto

The lobster (or other shellfish) cooks up in minutes in a pot of boiling salted water. We cook them separately because they would over cook in the Instant Pot. When the tails turn bright red and curl up, they’re done. It only takes a few minutes.

You can serve them whole, right on top of the risotto, or remove and chop the meat. Just cut along the length of the back of the shell with a pair of kitchen shears and then crack it open, the meat will pop right out.

If you’re like me and have trouble planning ahead for dinner, the Instant Pot will be an amazing help. As a general rule I start thinking about dinner 30 minutes before we like to sit down. Not ideal, but it’s the way it is. This Instant Pot is a problem solver (can you tell I’m excited?)

Count on it ~  I’ll be back here with lots more Instant Pot recipes before the winter’s out, I’m smitten 🙂

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6 Minute Instant Pot Lobster Risotto

3.89 from 44 votes

6 Minute Instant Pot Lobster Risotto ~ a luxuriously creamy risotto enriched with brandy, mascarpone cheese, and browned butter, all made in just a few minutes, right in the Instant Pot (you have one, right?)

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Total Time:35 minutes minutes

Servings: 4 servings

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Ingredients

 

• 2 lobster tails, about 4 ounces, more or less
• 1 Tbsp butter
• 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 large shallot, peeled and minced
• 1 leek, sliced and rinsed well to remove grit
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup arborio rice (be sure to use Arborio)
• 1/2 cup brandy
• 2 cups fish stock (I used Swanson)
• 3 Tbsp mascarpone cheese
• salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste
• fresh thyme leaves or snipped chives for garnish

browned butter (optional)

• 6 tbsp butter

Instructions

• Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and boil the lobster tails for about 7 minutes, or just until the shells turn bright red and the tails curl. Let the tails cool slightly and then use kitchen shears to cut lengthwise along the back of the shell. Crack it open and pry out the meat. Give the meat a rough chop and set aside.
• Add the 1 Tbsp butter and olive oil to the Instant Pot and push ‘Saute’. Saute the shallots and leeks for a minute or two, then add the garlic and cook for another minute.
• Add the rice and stir well. Add the brandy and let it absorb for a few seconds. Add the fish stock and give everything a stir.
• Put the lid on, lock, and set the pressure release valve to ‘sealed’. Press ‘pressure cook’ and set the timer for 6 minutes.
• When the timer beeps, release the pressure and open the pot. Stir in the cheese and season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Serve in shallow bowls topped with the lobster and drizzled with browned butter. Garnish with fresh thyme or chives.
• To make browned butter, heat the butter, stirring constantly, in a skillet over medium heat. It will melt, and then foam up. After the foaming subsides the little specks of milk solids in the butter will start to turn brown. Keep stirring or swirling the butter until it is a nice deep brown. Be careful not to take it too far or it will burn.

Notes

• Because it’s mid February and Valentine’s Day is around the corner I pulled out all the stops with this risotto.  But you can simplify if you like.  Use other shellfish like scallops or shrimp in place of the hard to source lobster.
• No fish stock?  Use chicken.
• Don’t try to substitute another variety of rice for risotto ~ arborio rice is a starchy, short grain rice that cooks up firm and creamy ~ just what you want in risotto.
• Out of mascarpone cheese?  Make your own!

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Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Author: Sue Moran

Keyword: dinner, Instant Pot, lobster, pressure cooking, rice, risotto, romantic

Nutrition

Calories: 571 kcal · Carbohydrates: 45 g · Protein: 13 g · Fat: 30 g · Saturated Fat: 17 g · Polyunsaturated Fat: 2 g · Monounsaturated Fat: 8 g · Trans Fat: 1 g · Cholesterol: 104 mg · Sodium: 692 mg · Potassium: 283 mg · Fiber: 2 g · Sugar: 2 g · Vitamin A: 1147 IU · Vitamin C: 4 mg · Calcium: 106 mg · Iron: 3 mg

Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although The View from Great Island attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates.

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