Instant Pot Barley Risotto With Tomatoes & Marinated Feta
Creamy and perfectly al dente texture, this tomato-based Instant Pot barley risotto is made with pearl barley and topped with marinated feta cheese. Great for family dinners!
Course Main
Cuisine Italian
Keyword Barley, Dinner, Feta Cheese, Instant Pot Risotto, Italian Recipes, Tomatoes
Prep Time 15 minutesminutes
Cook Time 25 minutesminutes
Servings 4
Calories 822kcal
Ingredients
For the risotto
1.5tablespoonsbutter
2tablespoonsolive oil
1mediumwhite oniondiced
1mediumcelery stickdiced into cubes
4clovesof garlicfinely diced
1.5cupspearl barleyuncoooked and rinsed, using 250ml measuring cups here
½teaspoonsmoked or regular paprika powder
½teaspoonchili flakes
3peels of lemon rind
4thyme sprigs or 1 teaspoon of dried thyme leaves
1bay leaf
1can400g crushed tomatoes
2tablespoonstomato paste
3cupsvegetable stock750 ml with 1+½ stock cubes
1teaspoonssalt
For the feta
1tablespooncaraway seeds or cumin seeds
½cupolive oil
10oz.feta cheesebroken or diced into cubes, 300 g
Fresh oreganofor garnish
Instructions
Turn the Instant Pot on and press the Sauté function key. Add the butter, olive oil, onion, and celery and cook for 2-3 minutes, then add the garlic and cook for 2 more minutes, stirring a few times.
Add the barley, paprika, chilli, lemon rind, thyme, and bay leaf and stir through for 20-30 seconds. Press Cancel to stop the Sauté process.
Add the tomatoes, tomato puree/paste, stock and salt and stir through. Pop the lid on and lock it, making sure the steam valve is pointing to Sealing. Set to Manual, HIGH and adjust the time to 15 minutes. After 3 beeps, the Instant Pot will start to build up the pressure and the cooking will begin.
Once the timer goes off, allow pressure to release naturally for 5 minutes, then open the lid after using a quick release to let off the rest of the steam. Stir through the risotto and serve with crumbled feta over the top.
While the risotto is cooking, prepare the marinated feta. Add the olive oil to a hot frying pan together with the caraway seeds. Stir through for 1 minute to release the spice aromas.
Remove from the pan from the heat and allow to cool down for 5 minutes. Place the crumbled or cubed feta into a bowl and pour the oil with the seeds over the top. Stir through and set aside to infuse. You can do this step ahead of time, giving the feta more time to marinate.