If you’re like thousands of other people right now, you may have just bought a new Instant Pot (or perhaps will be getting one for Christmas).
When I first bought mine, it was literally 9 months before I was able to bring myself to take it out of the box and use it. I was so intimidated by it, and too afraid of messing things up to use. I finally joined a couple of great Facebook groups for Instant Pot users and after watching the conversation and asking a few questions, one day I got brave enough to make hard-boiled eggs. They were perfect, and I was sold. Now I rarely make hard-boiled eggs any other way, and I’ve branched out to make a few more dishes.I’m still not terribly adventurous, but there are about 10 simple dishes I cook fairly regularly.
The first thing you’ll want to do is bookmark (or download) the extremely handy cooking charts found over at Hip Pressure Cooking. There are many times coming when you’re going to ask yourself the question, “how long should I cook that in the Instant Pot?” Having these charts handy will answer that question for you pretty much every time.
Next, watch this video. It will show the basics of how to use the Instant Pot.
Now you’re ready to get cooking. The following recipes are some of the first I tried in the Instant Pot, and a couple that could have been my first because they are easy enough, and have become favorites that I cook often. There are lots of recipes and cookbooks out there though. If these don’t look good to you, just surf around until you find something that appeals to you and your family.
Hard-boiled Eggs
It only makes sense that my first recipe would be the one I would recommend to you, right? It works so well to make a dozen or more hard-boiled eggs with the Instant Pot. You’ll really love this come Easter!
Keto Egg Cups
Not a big fan of hard-boiled eggs, try these keto egg cups. They are super quick, freeze well, and work well for breakfast on the go.
Greek Yogurt
I used to spend quite a bit of money on Greek yogurt (mostly for Ben). Learning how easy it is to make it in the Instant Pot not only means I have better control on the ingredients, but it’s an extremely frugal, not to mention delicious, option.
Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal
You can have a lovely apple-cinnamon oatmeal ready for your whole family in a matter of minutes. If you made the Greek Yogurt, be sure to top your oatmeal with it for an extra special treat!
Whole Chicken
I used to be a grocery-store rotisserie kind of girl. But now, in less time than it would take for me to drive to Costco to buy one, I can cook a whole chicken in the Instant Pot (even if it’s frozen). I can use this chicken in the same way I use rotisserie chicken — for salads, soups, wraps, tacos, and more. Another simple and frugal way to use the Instant Pot.
Pot Roast
My husband’s favorite meal is pot roast with potatoes and carrots. I used to make it in the slow cooker, but there were (and are) many times that he will request it too late in the day for the slow cooker (or even the oven). No problem anymore. In less than 2 hours, start to finish, we can have pot roast that is just as delicious.
Bone Broth
Bone broth is something else I always made in the slow cooker. It took a minimum of 24 hours and for that entire time, I had to listen to my husband complain about the smell (I personally think it smells delicious, but he does not). The Instant Pot takes the cooking down to about 2 hours. This makes my husband happy, and I get excited to have broth ready so quickly for making soup or drinking by the healthful cupful.
Beans
Cooking dried beans is such a frugal option, but I often found myself buying canned versions because it just took too long to cook dried beans. I love that I can cook them in about an hour with the Instant Pot. Some of my favorites include Great Northern, Red Beans, and Black-eyed Peas. Cooking times vary depending on the kind of bean you are cooking, so be sure to bookmark the handy chart I mentioned above.
Pulled Pork
When is the last time you were able to put pulled pork bbq on the table in about an hour? Probably the last time you picked up some local bbq carryout. My men love bbq and so bbq carryout was common here. Not any morewith the Instant Pot and this delicious recipe. These pork carnitas are also very good.
Loaded Mac and Cheese
Okay . . . so this isn’t your everyday mac-n-cheese. You can make that, too, in the Instant Pot, but if you’re going to make mac-n-cheese anyway, you may as well try this one. It’s a meal in itself and you’ll get 6 thumbs up from our family.
There are so many more wonderful meals you will cook in your Instant Pot once you get going. So be brave, sweet friend, take it out of the box and make some eggs. Then yogurt. You’ll build your confidence quickly enough, and before you know it, you’ll be telling other people what to make first in their Instant Pots. I can’t wait to hear what you come up with! If you want some more recipes, I have two rather large lists you might find helpful — 75 Whole 30-Compliant Recipes for the Instant Pot (delicious even if you don’t follow Whole 30) and 25 Mostly Healthy Breakfast Recipes for the Instant Pot. That’s 100 more recipes. That should keep you busy for awhile.
And if you happen to be one of those who are afraid to even buy an Instant Pot, don’t be. Jump right in. I really think you’ll love it. I bought mine on Amazon. I have the 6-quart size. If you have a larger family, you may want to go with the 8-quart.
Please share!
