How To Cook In An Instant Pot

Must Try

Tips For Cooking Instant Pot Corn On The Cob:

How to Cook a Steak in the Instant Pot
  • You can fit up to 6 ears of corn in a 6 quart Instant Pot and up to 9 ears of corn in an 8 quart Instant Pot.
  • Remember to arrange the layers of corn in opposite directions in your Instant Pot, as shown in the photo.
  • Trim the stalks if the cobs are too long to fit in the pot.
  • Quick release the pressure as soon as the cook time ends to keep the corn from over-cooking.
  • Serve your corn with butter, salt and pepper, or as desired.

Pop Plenty Of Popcorn

If you dont have a large saucepan or tall pot, you can use your Instant Pot as your go-to popcorn popper. Its actually so simple you may soon bid farewell to anything that comes in a microwavable bag.

How to do it: Turn your Instant Pot to the Saute feature, selecting More to get the pan a bit hotter. When the surface of the pot is hot, add an oil of your choice . When it begins to sizzle, pour in popcorn kernels. Cover with a lid. Listen for the popcorn to pop, and turn off when about two-thirds of the kernels are popped so you can prevent scorched kernels. Before serving, sprinkle with your preferred seasoning, and gently toss.

Hard Boil Eggs For The Week

If youre a big fan of hard-boiled eggs for breakfasts or snacks, you may have mastered the art of cooking eggs on the stovetop, but if you need to make more , you can use your Instant Pot to cook them more efficiently.

How to do it: Place a basket or wire trivet in the bottom of the Instant Pot. Add one cup of water. Place as many or as few eggs as you want to cook in the Instant Pot, and put the lid on the cooker. For a soft-boiled egg, cook on high for four minutes. For a more hard-boiled egg, cook on high for five minutes. Let the steam release naturally, then move the eggs into ice-cold water.

The total time comes out to about 15 minutes , but thats still faster than stovetop boiling, and youll get a lot more eggs cooked at once.

Also Check: How To Cook Frozen Hamburger Meat In The Instant Pot

The Three Most Important Instant Pot Buttons

There are really only three buttons you need to know when you are just starting out with pressure cooking:

Manual/Pressure Cook. This button is where the magic happensif a recipe says to cook at High Pressure, this is the button you need. Just press it, then use the and buttons to change the cook time. After a brief pause, the Instant Pot will beep to tell you its beginning the pressure cooking process. Some Instant Pots, such a the Duo Evo Plus have a start button that youll need to press to start the cooking process.;

Sauté.;Press the Sauté button to brown meats, sauté vegetables, and simmer ingredients in the pressure cooking pot. Adjust;Sauté to less for simmer, normal to sauté and more for browning.

Keep Warm/Cancel.;Use this button to cancel a function or to turn off your Instant Pot.

Honestly, thats it! I recommend beginning with some easy, tried-and-true recipes before branching out into converting your old favorites. Since I write my recipes so they can be made in any electric pressure cooker, I rarely use the preset Instant Pot buttons.

How To Use An Instant Pot

How to Cook a Whole Chicken in an Instant Pot

People love their Instant Pot pressure cookers, but learning how to use them can feel a bit overwhelming.

Since it’s not quite like tossing food in the oven unlike say, an airfryer there is a barrier to entry for some folks. But do not fret. It’s actually quite simple once you get the hang of it.

We have 6 essential tips laid out in the order you’ll need them for using your Instant Pot that’ll make your cooking life easier. There are plenty of different models of the Instant Pot, so find one that works best for you.

Recommended Reading: How To Cook Tuna Steak In Instant Pot

Can You Cook Frozen Chicken Breasts In The Instant Pot

While this tutorial focuses on cooking fresh chicken breasts in the Instant Pot, you can easily achieve the same results with frozen chicken breasts using this technique. Just make sure to add 5 additional minutes of cooking time when using frozen chicken breasts. And be sure the breasts are separated before cooking. For more details, learn step-by-step how to cook frozen chicken in the Instant Pot.

The Two Most Important Safety Instructions For Your Instant Pot

The Instant Pot manual is filled with safety instructions, but these two are the critical ones to remember:

First, never put your face near the steam release valve or float valve while the Instant Pot is on. When I toggle the steam release valve, I use a long handled wooden spoon so my hand and arm are not near the valve opening. ;Any kitchen utensil with a long handle will do. Alternatively, you can use an oven mitt to carefully turn the steam release valve to the venting position when you are ready to release the pressure in your Instant Pot.

Second, never open the Instant Pot lid until the pressure has been released through the steam release valve. You will know that all the pressure has been released when the float valve drops down.

Depending on which Instant Pot model you have, the float valve may be red or silver. It may pop up above the level of the lid when the pot is pressurized, or it may pop up to be flush with the level of the lid. In my 6 quart LUX, the silver float valve is below lid level normally and pops up to be flush with the level of the lid when pressurized. You will get to know how your Instant Pot model works.

These photos show my 8 quart DUO and you see that the float valve is above the lid level in the left photo, which shows a pressurized pot.

Never attempt to open the lid of your Instant Pot while it is pressurized.

Don’t Miss: Instant Pot Yogurt No Yogurt Button

Instant Pot Coconut Chicken

Spice up your weeknight dinner game with boneless, skinless chicken thighs cooked with soy sauce and vinegar in the Instant Pot; a little bit of unsweetened coconut milk added in at the end makes for a super creamy sauce that you’ll want all over a side of jasmine rice.

Get the Recipe: Instant Pot Coconut Chicken

How To Start The Instant Pot

How to Make a Roast in an Instant Pot

Step 1. Place the Instant Pot on a sturdy countertop or a table close to a power socket. Make sure there is plenty of open space above the pot as you will have steam eject from the lid up in the air if you quick release the pressure.;

Step 2. Make sure the inner pot is inside the cooker base and is clean. Plug the power cord in. Instant Pot will switch on and the OFF status symbol will appear on the control panel. This is called a standby mode.

Step 3. Decide on which cooking method you want to use from the below scenarios. This will depend on what you want to cook. Usually, recipe instructions will guide you along here.

In general, your choices will come down to whether you want to Sauté food first and then whether you want to use a manual setting or one of the smart programs.

You May Like: Steam Frozen Tamales In Instant Pot

Learn How To Boil Water

Whichever electric pressure cooker you end up with, your first time using it should involve literally learning to boil water. You do this by adding a cup or so of water to the inner pot , sealing the lid, and selecting a short cook time. Within five minutes, the water should heat up and build pressure, at which point the pressure is released via the natural method, or you can use the quick-release method. .

How To Cook Pasta In The Instant Pot

Published: · by Jess Smith · Jump to Recipe · · This post may contain affiliate links.

Use these easy step-by-step instructions to cook perfectly al dente pasta in a 6-quart Instant Pot / pressure cooker.;

Pasta has been my Instant Pot nemesis ever since I fell in love with the kitchen gadget of the moment. In the past few years Ive become pretty confident when cooking in the pressure cooker. It only took a few weeks to get over my fear of releasing the pressure valve. ;

These days, I use the pressure cooker a couple times a week to make everything from rice, to a big pot of Crispy Pork Carnitas, to 20-minute weeknight meals like Chickpea Curry with Rice. But pasta is tricky.;

That is, until I learned the Instant Pot pasta formula. It involves a tiny bit of math, but the payoff is perfectly tender pasta every time. Heres how its done.

Read Also: Cooking Frozen Ground Beef In Instant Pot

How To Saute In The Instant Pot

Sauté is a non-pressure cooking program that can be used in place of a frying pan or flat-top grill. For recipes that call for browned onions or garlic, its important to sauté them before adding liquid to the pot as you will release a lot of flavor this way. Another reason to sauté first is for browning meat. Lastly, sautéeing before cooking is a great way to increase heat and reduce the amount of time your pot will take to come to pressure.; Learn more about other smart program settings on Instant Pot here.

Step 1. Star the Instant Pot. Insert the inner pot into the cooker base. Do not use the lid for the next step.;

Step 2. Press the Sauté button. After 10 seconds, the cooker displays ON to indicate that it has begun heating. When display switches from On to Hot, add ingredients you want to brown. Note: You can add ingredients before the Hot message appears; if you do, it may not appear at all. This is normal.

The control panel will display a 30-minute countdown timer as a maximum Sauté time, you can use it for reference if you like or disregard.

The default temperature setting for Sauté function is Normal. Press Sauté again to cycle through for Less;and More temperature options. Use Normal for general pan searing or sautéing, Less for simmering, thickening and reducing liquids and More for Stir-frying or browning meat.

Step 4. Add any other ingredients and liquids. Stir if needed or leave layered and continue with the manual or program settings to pressure cook the food.;

Instant Pot Chicken With Quinoa Pistachios And Apricots

How to Cook a Whole Chicken in an Instant Pot

This is going to be your new go-to healthy weeknight dinner. Full of protein and fiber, this dish is light, yet satisfying. The heat of the chile and ginger balance out the sweetness of the apricot, and the pistachios provide a pleasant crunch.

Get the Recipe: Instant Pot Chicken with Quinoa, Pistachios and Apricots

You May Like: How Long To Steam Broccoli In Instant Pot

Is This Thing Safe

Its actually safer than conventional cooking or stovetop pressure cooking. Everyone has heard stories about old-time pressure cookers exploding. Your Instant Pot wont do that because the temperature and pressure inside the pots is carefully monitored and regulated through its internal programming.

Remember: Its your trusty cooking robot.

How To Use Instant Pot Chicken Breast

Congratulations! You’ve got tender, juicy chicken breast that’s ready to use in this week’s meals. Rub a little butter and salt on your whole chicken breasts and reheat for an easy weeknight meal . Use cubed chicken in Chef John’s top-rated Spicy Chicken Noodles. Shredded chicken makes Mexican night a breeze when used in this Slow-Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup or Baked Chicken and Rice Chimichanga. Browse our entire collection of chicken recipes for more inspiration.;

Related:

Read Also: Burn Food Instant Pot Message

How To Use Your Instant Pot: Everything You’ve Wanted To Know

It’s not just a supercharged pressure cooker — it’s a way of life.

Like a microwave or an electric kettle, the Instant Pot has become a kitchen staple.;This versatile pressure cooker;replaces so many countertop appliances, from rice makers to slow cookers. It’s introduced a new generation to pressure cooking, and shown us just how quickly it can cook a healthy meal.;

Whether you’re a new Instant Pot owner or it’s long been stored away in a cabinet, this guide is for you. A longtime Instant Pot owner myself, I’ll guide you through the basics, including explaining those strange buttons and some basic recipes.

To kick things off, let’s walk through Instapot basics. Even if you’ve owned yours for a while, there’s something here for you, too. Let’s get started.

More tips:15 healthy Instant Pot recipes for breakfast, lunch and dinner;|;Does the Instant Pot destroy nutrients in your food while cooking?;| The best paleo Instant Pot recipes;|;Best Instant Pot accessories you need right now;|;Best air fryers of 2020

The Most Important Step Add Liquid

How to cook frozen chicken in the Instant Pot–Instant Pot Tips

No matter what youre using the pot-in-pot method for, dont forget to add liquid to the bottom of the pot. If youre cooking a saucy dish in the bottom at the same time, this should already be covered. If you are only cooking something in the elevated pot, be sure that you add water to the pot first. Otherwise, you will get the burn message as the pot heats up.

Also Check: Instant Pot Burn

Share Some Bottles Of Homemade Limoncello

In theory, you could drink the vanilla extract, but it wouldnt be nearly as delicious as you might imagine. What is seriously good for sipping, however, is limoncello, a sugary lemon liqueur thats great as an aperitif or after-dinner dessert beverage.

How to do it: Youll need the same equipment for limoncello as you did for vanilla extract: your Instant Pot, trivet, and mason jars. For ingredients, youll need lemon peels, vodka, water, and sugar.

For the first step of this process, you need to infuse the vodka with lemon. Pour one cup of water in the Instant Pot, and place the metal trivet in the bottom. In each pint-sized mason jar, add vodka and lemon peels, leaving about an inch between the top of the liquid and the jar lid. Place two big strips of lemon peel in each jar, and seal the lid tightly but not firmly. Use the Instant Pots manual function to cook on high 30 minutes. Then let the machine release the pressure naturally. Remove the jars, and set them aside to cool overnight.

The next day, strain the lemon peel out of the vodka, and combine the lemon-infused liquor in a larger jar. Add simple syrup to the vodka mix to taste. Cool, then pour into bottles, and enjoy.

Safety Time Steam Is Hot

Steam is hotter than boiling water, and it can burn you badly. Keep your hand clear of the steam release valve when you do a quick release. Sometimes I even use the handle of a spoon to push it open instead.

If you have your Instant Pot near cabinets, be mindful when you do a quick releaseit can get a lot of condensation on your cabinets, which can damage them over time. To keep the steam at bay somewhat, you can tent the valve with a kitchen towel during a quick release. Foods like oatmeal, beans, and porridges can sputter goop through the steam valvethe towel trick is handy for those times, too.

Also Check: Instant Pot Add Ons

What Is The Timer Button For

Some models have a button that reads Timer. While you may think that this is the button that sets the cooking time for your Instant Pot, it actually delays cooking time and will start the cooking when the timer counts down. You can set the cooking time with the plus/minus buttons or the dial, depending on the model.

Pressure Cooking Requires Liquid

How To Cook a Whole Chicken in an Instant Pot

Before we continue, we must mention the most important aspect of pressure cooking. It requires liquid. This is because the pressure is built by the steam accumulating inside the pot, which is produced from the liquid.;

Whether youre cooking rice, chicken breasts, pot roast, carrots, stew or cheesecake, you will need at least a cup of liquid for the Instant Pot to do its job.

This is a total amount of liquid and can be in the form of water, stock, tomato sauce, juice, wine and liquids released from the food while cooking , or a combination of those. Amount of liquid required varies depending on the recipe and amount of food but as a rule of thumb, 1 cup is always a good starting point. Also, the food doesnt need to be completely covered or submerged in liquid to cook.;

Recommended Reading: What To Do If Your Instant Pot Says Burn

Instant Pot Water Test

Before you use your Instant Pot for the first time, you should perform a water test. The Instant Pot water test is like an initial test run for your Instant Pot.

The water test will both ensure that your Instant Pot is working properly and will familiarize you with using your Instant Pot.

One of the Instant Pots that I purchased was defective. A water test helped me to determine that the Instant Pot wasnt working properly. I was able to contact Instant Pot support and get a replacement.

Note: If you have the Instant Pot Ultra, you will use the dial to select cooking programs and change the cook time and then press start. Instead of a steam release valve that you turn, the Instant Pot Ultra has a steam release button that you will press if you want to manually release the pressure. The steam release valve will seal automatically on the Ultra, whereas on other models you turn the valve between a venting and a sealing position.

Latest Recipes

More Recipes Like This