Helpful Tips And Tools
- All cook times referenced in this list are for a 6 quart Instant Pot
- Make sure to rinse your rice 2-3 times or until the water runs clear. I like to do this in a strainer and then add it straight to the Instant Pot. Rinsing the excess starch helps prevents the rice from sticking together.
- Follow the appropriate ratio for your rice and you can easily double or triple the recipe.
- Make sure to do the full 10 minute Natural Pressure release. You may think the rice will be overcooked and mushy, but it wont be. After 10 minutes, release the remaining pressure and fluff the rice with a rubber scraper/spatula to release any excess steam.
- You can cook and freeze your rice for easy meal prep. Spread your cooked rice on a sheet pan in a single layer and freeze. Then break up the rice and place in a gallon-size freezer bag. It will keep in the freezer for up to 2 months.
Instant Pot Vs Stovetop
The beauty of the Instant Pot is that it makes perfectly cooked grains and beans in a fraction of the time that it would take on the stovetop, no soaking required .
But unlike the stovetop where you can easily modify the cooking time, its not as easy with the Instant Pot . So getting the times right is important!
Why Cook Pasta In The Instant Pot
There are three reasons to cook pasta in the Instant Pot / pressure cooker.
Also Check: How To Make Ribs In The Instant Pot
More Instant Pot Recipes
- Our Favorite Bone Broth is made in a pressure cooker. Think of bone broth as a more intense, velvety broth. It can be used in recipes calling for stock or broth, but also doubles as a delicious and comforting soup to enjoy by itself.
- Easy Instant Pot Salsa Verde Chicken is perfect for serving with rice, cooked grains or in tortillas.
- Our Ultimate Pulled Pork is amazing when made in a pressure cooker. See our tips as well as how to make it in a slow cooker.
- These Instant Pot Eggs could not be simpler! If you are looking for a 100% foolproof method for how to cook hard or soft boiled eggs, this is it.
- I love making Homemade Applesauce in my pressure cooker! So easy.
For more beef recipes, take a look at our classic chili recipe made with ground beef and beans or these shredded beef tacos.
Important Things To Remember
- Be sure to add enough liquid. All recipes need at least 1 cup of liquid for a 3 or 6 quart instant pot and 1.5 cups liquid in an 8 quart instant pot for the right pressure to be achieved.
- Don’t use TOO MUCH liquid. If you are cooking a recipe with a lot of liquid, like a soup, decrease the liquid by ½ to 1 cup total liquid, as the liquid will not evaporate from the Instant Pot as they do on the stove.
- Do NOT add cornstarch, flour, or dairy products. These ingredients can cause burn warnings and will not allow your pressure cooker to reach pressure.
- It is best to add dairy products at the end of cooking time or use pot in pot method.
- Add a cornstarch slurry at end of cooking time and let thicken on saute function for a minute or two, if you desire your recipe to be thickened.
Also Check: Instant Pot Chicken Soup
Instant Pot Pasta Recipes
- Instant Pot Mac and Cheese – This method of cooking pasta in the Instant Pot works so well with Mac and Cheese. Because the starches in the pasta thicken the cheesy sauce, you get an extra creamy mac without needing a ton of cheese or butter.
- Instant Pot Chicken Spaghetti – Classic and comforting, this one pot meal is a family favorite around here. Check out that post .
- Instant Pot Italian Pasta Salad – This pasta salad uses a different method than the one described here. For Instant Pot pasta salad you boil the pasta above the other ingredients using the pot-in-pot method. But it’s such a fun Instant Pot trick, it deserved a mention here.
How To Make Instant Pot Baked Potatoes
These Instant Pot potatoes are so simple to make. Youll start by scrubbing your potatoes. Then, prick the potatoes a few times with a fork. Pricking the potatoes will allow steam and pressure to escape from the potatoes as they cook.
Place 1 cup of cold water in your Instant Pot. Cold water is recommended because the water temperature will affect how long it takes your Instant Pot to reach pressure, and therefore how long your potatoes will cook.
Next, place the metal trivet in your Instant Pot. You want to cook the potatoes on top of the trivet so that they dont sit in the water and get soggy.
Place the potatoes on top of the trivet. It is okay if your potatoes are stacked on top of each other in the pot. Close the Instant Pot lid and turn the steam release valve to the sealing position.
Recommended Reading: Instant Pot Chicken Breasts
Converting Recipes Into Instant Pot Recipes
First, ask yourself if your recipe can be made in the Instant Pot.
Not everything should be cooked in the instant pot. There are some dishes, like fried chicken or a juicy filet that should never be attempted in a pressure cooker. Find out more about what NOT to cook in your Instant Pot.
However, Instant Pots do excel at making inexpensive cuts of meats tender and making soups or chili that taste as though they have simmered all day, but are ready in less than an hour.
How do you KNOW if a recipe will work in the Instant Pot? There are a few things that you want to keep in mind when choosing a recipe to adapt for the Instant Pot.
Choose recipes that
- Require a longer cooking time–like dried beans and chicken chili
- Use moist heat to cook–things like creme brulee or cheesecake
Avoid these types of recipes
- Anything breaded
*Again refer to what NOT to cook in the Instant Pot for more detailed explanation.
Instant Pot Guide: A Beginners Guide To Using Your Pressure Cooker
Wondering how to use your new Instant Pot? In this Instant Pot Guide, Ill walk you through what you need to know to start cooking with your Instant Pot today. Safety features, how to do an Instant Pot water test, whats the difference between a natural pressure release and a quick release, and what will happen step by step through the cooking process.
Ill be honest the first time I used my Instant Pot, I was overwhelmed and a bit scared. An Instant Pot can be intimidating for a new user. There are so many buttons and safety warnings.
However, I guarantee that once you get started, youll wonder what you ever did without your Instant Pot. I love mine so much that I now own two Instant Pots!
Im going to help you get started with all of the tips and tricks that I have learned through trial, error and research. This Instant Pot manual will tell you everything you need to know to use your Instant Pot for the first time.
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How Long Do You Cook A Roast In An Instant Pot Pressure Cooker
Now for the confusing part: how long should you cook a roast in an Instant Pot?
Instant Pots have become a bit of a craze and theres a lot of different information online. No wonder some people are confused. Different blogs will give you different times.
Were here to clear up the confusion and give you a couple of very simple principles to work with.
Cooking time depends on 3 things
The time youll need to cook a roast in your Instant Pot depends on 3 things:
- the size of your piece of meat,
- what type of meat it is ,
- and whether it is frozen or thawed.
We recommend never cooking meat from frozenthaw it first for tenderest and juiciest results. It can be done, however, and weve provided times for that method too.
Dont overdo it
Remember, once you have overcooked a piece of meat, you cannot undo it. If overcooked, it will be dry, grainy, and sometimes inedible. You can always cook an undercooked piece a few minutes longer though.
So, principle number one is this: no matter how ridiculously short the cooking time in the instructions sounds, try it. You can always add a little more time after checking.
If youre unsure, use a meat thermometer to check. The internal temperature of the meat should be 145F/63C when done.
Lets look at size first
Now lets look at types of meat
If youre roasting a chicken, you will need just 6 min per pound. So, for a 34-pound chicken, you should cook it for 18-25 minutes. If frozen, add another 3 min for each pound.
Instant Pot Cooking Times For Vegetables
Everyone needs more veggies in their lives. Its important to load up on all of the vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants found in vegetables. But if youre anything like me, youre just at a loss for how to cook them. Ive tried everything: roasting, steaming, boiling, grilling, sautéing But nothing ever did the trick.
Enter: Instant Pot. In the Instant Pot, veggies of all types from starchy to non-starchy cook to perfection in mere minutes. Take sweet potatoes for example. In the oven, sweet potatoes can take upwards of an hour to cook, depending on their size and your preferred consistency. But in an Instant Pot, a whole sweet potato takes as little as 12 minutes! Pro tip: If you cube them first, it takes less than five.
Don’t Miss: Can You Instant Pot Frozen Chicken
How To Convert Recipes To Your Instant Pot
One of the most frequent questions that we get asked is: Can I cook this recipe in an Instant Pot®?
The short answer is usually yes, but because of how the Instant Pot® works, there are some recipes and ingredients that just arent suitable to be cooked in this way.
Weve put together a list of dos and donts, as well as some handy conversion times to help give you the best chance of success.
Instant Pot Cooking Times Cheat Sheet: Fresh Meals & Freezer Meals
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
After testing hundreds and hundreds of Instant Pot recipes for our cookbook, From Freezer to Cooker, we have honed in on the best timing and methods for cooking different types of meals in the Instant Pot.
We are excited to share this valuable Instant Pot cooking times information with you.
There is so much misinformation on the internet about the Instant Pot. It makes us cringe when we see well-intentioned recipe creators misinform Instant Pot recipe hunters.
This is why we are sharing all of the Instant Pot cooking times youll need below. We also created a one page cheat sheet for Instant Pot Cooking times.
No more overcooked meals.
No more undercooked meals.
No more googling, How long to cook ____ in the Instant Pot?
We have all the information youll need in order to cook meals in the Instant Pot from both fresh AND frozen. Yep. You read it right. We have provided Instant Pot cooking times for freezer meals too!
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Cooking Tips For Instant Pot Potatoes
- Dont forget to prick your potatoes a few times with a fork before cooking them. This allows steam and pressure to escape from the potatoes as they cook.
- Be sure to cook your baked potatoes on the metal trivet to keep them out of the water in the bottom of the Instant Pot.
- The cooking time for baked potatoes depends on their size. Cook the standard large size Russet potatoes that you find at the grocery store for 20 minutes at high pressure plus 10 minutes natural pressure release.
- If you want potatoes with more flavorful, crispy skins you can place them in your oven and broil for a few minutes after they have cooked in the Instant Pot. Rubbing the skins with olive oil and sprinkling them with salt and pepper helps them to crisp and adds flavor.
More Easy Instant Pot Recipes
Instant Pot Rice Recipes
Rice is not only a super frugal pantry ingredient to keep stocked, its naturally gluten free and really filling. By cooking rice in the Instant Pot, we cut the cooking time in at least half and dont have to heat up the house by turning on the stove. These Instant Pot Rice Recipes are sure to save you time in the kitchen and save on your grocery budget!
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My first attempt at cooking rice in my Instant Pot, or electric pressure cooker, was brown rice. Traditionally, brown rice takes at least 45 minutes to cook on the stove. And I never plan ahead, so you see the problem.
But the pressure cooking for the Instant Pot cuts the cook time down to 22 minutes! Thats a game changer for anyone who is struggling to get dinner on the table quickly.
Imagine, throw your rice in the Instant Pot, vegetables in the microwave and saute up some chicken and youve got a balanced, budget-friendly, homemade dinner on the table in less than 30 minutes. And the best part is the rice cooking is completely hand off.
Ive rounded up 25 of the best Instant Pot Rice recipes from basic Brown Rice to dishes such as Risotto or Cheesy Chicken and Rice Casserole.
Also Check: How To Cook Beets In An Instant Pot
Can You Make Turkey Bacon In An Instant Pot
Absolutely! The process stays exactly the same.
Just cook until the turkey bacon begins to brown, then flip.
It wont reach quite the same golden brown color as regular bacon, but it will be obvious when cooked once all of the pink color is gone, and the corners crisp up.
The same goes for any bacon alternatives you like to use.
As for plant-based alternatives, the process depends entirely on how crispy you like your bacon! Cook until the consistency is just as you like it.
How To Make Instant Pot Pot Roast
So, here is my basic Instant Pot pot roast recipe . This is an adaptation of my long time favorite low and slow traditional method roast. Its secret ingredients are Montreal Steak Seasoning and a packet of onion soup mix. They give awesome flavor to to the roast!
Coat the beef roast with olive oil and rub a generous amount of Montreal Steak Seasoning on all sides of the roast. Then sear the beef in the pot using the saute function. After searing, remove the beef and add a chopped onion with a small splash of beef broth to deglaze the pot. Once deglazed, pour in the remaining broth and add a trivet.
Place the beef roast on the trivet and pour a package of onion soup mix over it. Set two or three bay leaves on top.
Pressure cook on high pressure at 25 minutes per pound, followed by natural release. Then remove the roast from the pot.
Add vegetables to the pot and pressure cook for 5 minutes. I add baby potatoes, carrots, celery, and onion to mine.
To serve, cut the roast against the grain or cut into chunks and serve with the vegetables and a ladle of the broth. You can also make a gravy by removing the vegetables, then making a cornstarch slurry and adding it to the pot to thicken the broth. But I prefer to serve my roast without gravy, and I include a savory bread, such as my Savory Jalapeno Irish Soda Bread, or a good grainy wheat bread, to use to soak up the broth.
The roast is tender and juicy with lots of flavor.
Here is the Recipe card:
Also Check: What Can You Cook In An Instant Pot
Perfect Instant Pot Baked Potatoes
See my guide on how to use an Instant Pot.
A foolproof recipe for easy Instant Pot Baked Potatoes. Learn how to cook perfect baked potatoes in your pressure cooker, plus how to make baked potatoes with crispy skins.
One of my go-to quick and easy weeknight meals is a simple baked potato bar. Our usual toppings include butter or sour cream, shredded cheese, roasted broccoli and sometimes chili. My family loves baked potatoes, especially since everyone can choose their own potato toppings!
Baked potatoes are a filling and nutritious meal that is also budget-friendly. Russet potatoes are a good source of protein, fiber, iron, magnesium and Vitamin C, as well as other vitamins and minerals.
Since Ive owned an Instant Pot pressure cooker, cooking baked potatoes in my Instant Pot is my preferred method. Its faster than cooking them in the oven and the potatoes always turn out fluffy and tender. Just like with my Instant Pot mashed potatoes recipe and Instant Pot sweet potatoes, the Instant Pot works its magic on potatoes once again with these Perfect Instant Pot Baked Potatoes!
Besides being a delicious lunch or dinner on their own, baked potatoes are a good side dish to serve with baked salmon, steak, pork tenderloin or baked chicken thighs. You can cook your baked potatoes ahead of time and reheat them for an even faster meal.
If you are new to using an Instant Pot, you might find my post about how to use an Instant Pot helpful.
