Hearty Instant Pot Mushroom & Barley Risotto with Crème Fraîche

A comforting mushroom and pearl barley risotto with thyme, Parmesan and crème fraîche

Earthy mushrooms, nutty pearl barley and fragrant thyme come together in this hearty Instant Pot mushroom and barley risotto. Finished with crème fraîche and Parmesan, it’s a rich and satisfying dish that’s perfect for cooler autumn days.

Instead of traditional risotto rice, this recipe uses pearl barley, which gives the dish a pleasantly chewy texture and nutty flavour. Using an Instant Pot Multicooker makes preparation simple, with no need for the constant stirring usually associated with making risotto.

Serve it as a warming lunch or an easy autumn dinner when you’re in the mood for seasonal comfort food.

Servings: 4
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 25 minutes
Total time: 40 minutes
Appliance: Instant Pot Multicooker

Ingredients

• 1 large leek
• 1 onion
• 3 garlic cloves
• 400 g mixed mushrooms
• 1½ cups pearl barley
• 5 g fresh thyme or 1 tsp dried thyme
• 800 ml hot chicken stock
• 100 g crème fraîche
• 30 g Parmesan cheese
• Olive oil, as needed
• Salt and black pepper, to taste

Preparation method

Prepare the vegetables
Finely slice the leek and wash it thoroughly in a bowl of cold water to remove any grit, then drain well.
Finely dice the onion, slice the garlic and chop the mushrooms into bite-sized pieces. If using fresh thyme, pick the leaves from the stems.

Sauté the mushrooms
Select Sauté on the Instant Pot and set it to high heat for 15 minutes.
Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil, followed by the mushrooms and half of the thyme. Sauté for 7-10 minutes, until the mushrooms are caramelised and golden brown.
Add the garlic and cook for another 2 minutes.
Remove the mushroom mixture from the Instant Pot and set aside.

Toast the pearl barley
Add the onion to the inner pot and cook for approximately 3-4 minutes, until translucent.
Add the leek and pearl barley and cook for another 2 minutes, stirring regularly to lightly toast the barley.
Press Cancel to stop the Sauté function.

Pressure cook the barley risotto
Pour in the hot chicken stock and add the remaining thyme. Stir everything together.
Secure the lid, select Pressure Cook and set the cooking time to 18 minutes.
Once the cooking programme has finished, perform a quick pressure release.

Finish with mushrooms, crème fraîche and Parmesan
Add the cooked mushroom mixture, crème fraîche and Parmesan to the pearl barley and stir well to combine.
Replace the lid without sealing it and allow the risotto to rest for 5 minutes. This gives the barley time to absorb more of the liquid and helps the dish thicken.
Taste and season with salt and black pepper as needed.

Serve
Divide the mushroom and barley risotto between bowls.
Finish with a drizzle of olive oil and a little extra fresh thyme, if desired. Serve warm and enjoy.

Tips for the perfect mushroom & barley risotto

Use a mix of mushrooms: A combination of different mushrooms adds variety in both flavour and texture.
Fresh or dried thyme: You can use either 5 g of fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon of dried thyme, depending on what you have available.
Don't skip the resting time: Letting the risotto sit for 5 minutes after adding the crème fraîche and Parmesan allows it to thicken before serving.
Season at the end: Both the stock and Parmesan add saltiness, so taste the finished risotto before adding extra salt.

This mushroom and pearl barley risotto is perfect for autumn: warm, creamy and full of savoury flavours. Discover more seasonal recipes in our Instant Pot recipe collection and get inspired to easily create delicious dishes with your multicooker and air fryer.