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Bok Choy Risotto (Instant Pot pressure cooker)

Crunchy bok choy stirred into soft, chewy-creamy risotto—this classic Italian rice dish pairs two unassuming foods, Arborio rice and bok choy. Bok choy’s tender green leaves wilt into the hot risotto, and the sweet, the almost-white stalks keep their pleasing crunch. And best of all, this bok choy risotto cooks in your pressure cooker or Instant Pot in 5 minutes!

Bok Choy Risotto in bowl with spoon

How to cook risotto in the pressure cooker–learn with this recipe!

The truth is, I’ve never made risotto in anything but a pressure cooker. Then I read that busy modern Italian cooks use a pressure cooker to make risotto! Ta-da! Why go the labor-intensive standing-at-the-stove method when I can set the timer for 4 minutes, release the pressure and have risotto done and perfectly cooked?

Click here to PIN Bok Choy Risotto for Instant Pot Pressure Cooker!

How to cook risotto in a pressure cooker or Instant Pot:

  • Sauté the aromatics a few minutes, using the Sauté button on the Instant Pot, or over medium heat in a stovetop pressure cooker.
  • Add the rice, stirring to coat the grains with oil. If you wish, pour in a little wine, and cook and stir until the wine is absorbed. Then add the vegetable broth–all of it.
  • Close the lid. Cook 4 minutes, then release the pressure cooker immediately so the rice doesn’t get overcooked.
  • Now’s the time to stir in something healthy and flavorful. Your risotto is done when the rice gives to the bite of your front tooth, tender but still firm, al dente.

In this recipe, risotto’s inherent creaminess paired with bok choy’s delicate Asian quality gives you a creamy risotto without dairy cream or cheese.

Wondering what to make with that kale or chard in the fridge? Risotto’s neutral character begs for partnering with added flavors and textures, particularly vegetables and herbs. Stir it into your easy pressure cooker risotto. You will love bok choy’s delicate flavor with naturally creamy risotto!

Bok choy vegetable on white kitchen towel

What is bok choy?

  • Bok choy is a leafy green member of the cabbage family. Sometimes you’ll see it called Chinese cabbage or spelled pac choi.
  • It’s a bitter/sweet flavored vegetable with gentle notes of cabbage and chard, and a soft, kind of juicy texture. If you keep the cooking time short, the stalks can be as crunchy as celery.
  • Low in carbs and high in fiber, bok choy is highly nutritious. Like many of its cruciferous cousins, it’s also an excellent source of vitamins A, B-6, C, K, and beta-carotene and a very good source of calcium and folate.
  • For this recipe, you can use either baby bok choy or regular bok choy.

What is risotto?

  • Risotto is an Italian rice specialty made by stirring hot broth into rice that’s been sautéed in olive oil or butter. Instead of stirring the hot broth 1/2 cup at a time, with pressure-cooker bok choy risotto, you add the broth all at once.
  • Risotto’s trademark creaminess comes from starchy short grain rice varieties. Since Arborio is easiest to find, that’s what I use. Carnaroli is a classic risotto rice, also baldo rice, and one called vialone nano rice.
  •  When cooked, the rice grains remain “al dente” firm while the starch converts into a luscious creamy “sauce.”
bok Choy risotto done and ready to eat in white bowl

Risotto’s door is open, inviting a wide variety of ingredient choices, from butternut squash to zucchini. As I mentioned above, I tend to go with leafy greens. You could also add a protein such as tofu or beans, like in this recipe for Spicy Instant Pot Risotto with Chard and Pinto Beans.

*** Note: In the recipe card below, you’ll find detailed instructions for making risotto in both Instant Pot and stovetop pressure cookers. You’ll find directions for making bok choy risotto the traditional method too.

You’ll also want to try these delicious pressure cooker risotto recipes:

Scan the web searching recipes for risotto, and you’ll often find risotto with cheese stirred in at the very last. Here are some delicious risotto recipes from Letty’s Kitchen.

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About Bok Choy Risotto recipe ingredients:

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Nutrition information is meant to be an estimate only. The numbers will vary based on the brands you use and substitutions you made, and how much you actually eat. Numbers do not include the optional white beans.

Nutrition Facts
Bok Choy Risotto
Amount Per Serving
Calories 216 Calories from Fat 27
% Daily Value*
Fat 3g5%
Saturated Fat 1g6%
Sodium 574mg25%
Potassium 139mg4%
Carbohydrates 43g14%
Fiber 2g8%
Sugar 2g2%
Protein 4g8%
Vitamin A 1880IU38%
Vitamin C 17mg21%
Calcium 41mg4%
Iron 2mg11%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

*** With new photos and verbiage, this is an update of the risotto with bok choy recipe published here 2014!

5 comments

  • Don jones

    My large cutting board and Shun Knives are my staple. Reply · 25 June, 2014

    • Letty

      Thanks Don! Reply · 25 June, 2014

  • Don jones

    You’re welcome. After speaking to Robbie I am so excited to follow your blog and make some of these wonderful dishes. My best to everyone from the old days at Steins and Deer Valley. Reply · 25 June, 2014

  • Oh, how creative to use bok choy in a dish that normally doesn’t have it. Love your suggestion for leftovers…into a soup!

    Wonderful, Letty!

    –Your friendly Southern California farmers at Jade Asian Greens Reply · 26 June, 2014

    • Letty

      Love all greens!!! Thanks for commenting! Reply · 29 June, 2014

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