Can we talk about how intimidating risotto is" I had never attempted to make this fussy dish until I was forced to in my culinary program. I dreaded making that recipe, sure that I would overcook or burn the rice and fail. To my delight, it wasn?t as difficult or time-consuming as everyone said it would be. Actually, it was one of my absolute favorite things we made. And I didn?t ruin it!

Traditional risotto is a rich, creamy, northern Italian dish made with supple grains of rice, butter, and wine. In my plant-based cooking program we used cashew cream to get the right consistency and the result was positively decadent. The only downside to making risotto the authentic way is that you have to stand over the stove and stir constantly for about 20 minutes. I?m all about hands-off cooking, so I was excited to see if I could make a creamy risotto in my Instant Pot.
While any Italian chef would probably call this ?risotto? recipe an abomination, we call it easy, quick, and delicious. Instead of rice, we used farro for the base, made creamy with the help of a trusty can of white beans. We used great northern beans, but cannellini beans would also work really well.

This farro risotto is warm and comforting, but because it?s dairy-free feels light at the same time. It?s swirled with a fresh basil and kale pesto that will complement all of your favorite summer veggies like grilled zucchini, corn on the cob, and heirloom tomatoes. Get creative with your mix-ins! Bonus: you on...