Instant pot has been all the rage in recent years. They have been bestsellers on Amazon Prime Day for a good reason. They make cooking so much easier and faster!
If you are one of those who got a new instant pot last year or got a gift on Christmas but have yet to open it, let me assure you the instant pot is different from the old stovetop pressure cooker. There are no scary sounds, and they are much easier to use.
So What Is an Instant Pot?
It is a device that combines an electric pressure cooker, slow cooker, rice cooker, steamer, saute, and yogurt maker in one handy unit. As a result, it can speed up cooking time, especially for meats, grains, and lentils.
Suppose you forgot to plan dinner ahead of time, no problem! With the faster cooking time, you can still have dinner on the table in less than 30 minutes.
You can make all kinds of dishes in the instant pot, from breakfast oatmeal to yogurt, rice, and complete dinners and desserts.
What Are The Advantages of Using an Instant Pot?
No need to plan much ahead of time
You can cook simple meals in less than 30 minutes. Isn’t that wonderful?
Forgot to thaw chicken last night? No problem! You can cook frozen chicken or frozen shrimp directly in the instant pot. Making fresh meals is much easier, so families can eat healthier and more homecooked meals with the instant pot.
The food tastes better, and you can make it in bulk
You can easily make soup or pasta for ten people in the instant pot. It takes almost the same time. Isn’t that great for parties or picnics?
Of course, you could also make your favorite meal in bulk and store it for later, but hey, this is quick so that you can prepare fresh meals daily.
One-pot meals with the built-in Saute function, which means fewer dishes to wash
Let me explain; you can saute and pressure cook in the same pot. You can also do pot-in-pot cooking, which means I can make a curry in the main pot and the rice in a small pot kept on a trivet.
So now you are only using one pot to make the whole meal, which means fewer dishes to wash and so much time saved!
Easy Instant Pot Recipes for Beginners
Let me get you started with ten easy recipes to familiarize you with the capabilities of your instant pot.
1. Perfect Boiled Eggs by Piping Pot Curry
Once you try this 5-5-5 method to steam eggs in your instant pot, you will never cook them any other way. Eggs are boiled to perfection every single time. The best part is the boiled eggs are super easy to peel when cooking in the instant pot.
2. Instant Pot Basmati Rice by Piping Pot Curry
One of the reasons to love the instant pot is perfectly cooked rice. You don’t need to keep that extra rice cooker anymore, so free up the counter space. Try this perfect basmati rice recipe in the instant pot, and you will surely be a convert.
Cooking rice needs perfection in the amount of water and time. With this recipe, you can make perfectly cooked white rice every time.
3. Instant Pot Penne Pasta by Piping Pot Curry
Make penne in tomato cream sauce as a one-pot dish in the instant pot. Who does not love a comforting, quick, and easy meal, perfect for weeknights?
Pasta is a favorite for both kids and adults. It takes just 20 minutes from start to finish to make penne in the instant pot. Perfectly cooked pasta in half the time and less dishes to do…it is a win-win for sure! Pair it with soup or salad for a perfect dinner.
4. Instant Pot Minestrone Soup by Keeping The Peas
Instant pot is the best tool to make soups. Try this easy Minestrone Soup that is a complete meal in itself – loads of veggies, beans, and pasta, topped with cheese and a side of bread. This soup is a healthy and simple meal that is satisfying and delicious!
This minestrone soup recipe is a copycat of the one you’ll find at Olive Garden. However, it is way healthier and much more flavorful. This version is vegan, so there is no parmesan cheese, and it is also oil-free, so there is no added olive oil.
5. Instant Pot Black Beans & Rice by Zardy Plants
Easy vegan instant pot black beans with rice is a delicious, filling, and pantry-friendly meal. Great if you like to meal prep, freezes well, and is inexpensive.
Packed with protein and fiber, these healthy black beans in an instant pot are the perfect side dish to make for your family.
6. Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes by The Tasty Travelers
Mashed potatoes made in the instant pot are rich, creamy, and easy to make! You will love that you can make mashed potatoes in a single pot in less than half the time.
7. Instant Pot Applesauce by The Picky Eater
This homemade instant pot apple sauce with cinnamon is easy to cook and is ready in just 20 minutes! This applesauce is made with five simple ingredients and is a good balance of sweet, savory, and tangy. Enjoy it as a perfect healthy snack or dessert.
8. No-boil Yogurt by Piping Pot Curry
Did you know you can make yogurt in your instant pot?
Don’t waste money on store-bought yogurt anymore. Instead, make this Instant Pot No Boil or Cold Ingredients Yogurt. It is a quick way to make yogurt using cold milk and cold starter yogurt in the instant pot.
The main difference from regular yogurt is that you don’t boil the milk or cool it to the right temperature before adding the starter. The cold milk and the starter with live cultures are added to the instant pot, and the “Yogurt” mode does its magic to make delicious yogurt for you.
9. Instant Pot Orange Chicken by Seasonal Cravings
Sweet and tender Instant Pot Orange Chicken is ready for a weeknight dinner in less than 30 minutes. The whole family will love the flavorful sauce, and you’ll love how easy it is to make.
Enjoy this orange chicken over a bowl of rice. You can also serve it with cauliflower rice for an easy low-carb meal.
10. Instant Pot Steamed Vegetables by Low Carb Africa
Instant pot is good for making soups, pasta, rice, and yogurt; it is also an excellent tool for steaming vegetables. Learn the fastest and easiest way to steam veggies without hassle. This instant pot steamed vegetable recipe is so stress-free you’ll never want to steam veggies any other way again!
11. Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken Dip by Always Use Butter
This amazing Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken Dip is made from scratch in under 40 minutes, and you just need 10 minutes of active cooking time. With hot sauce, sour cream, chicken, and blue cheese, this is a buffalo lover’s spicy dream.
This buffalo chicken dip is the perfect appetizer or snack for Buffalo sauce lovers – game day or any other day. Wait no more to make this delicious dip!
12. Instant Pot Shrimp by Allways Delicious
Instant Pot Shrimp is easy, and the shrimp turn out plump and flavorful. You can also cook frozen shrimp in the instant pot right out of the freezer! Serve it with a dipping sauce as an appetizer or with noodles or rice as a main dish.
I hope you enjoy your new Instant Pot and cook some fantastic food.
This article originally appeared on Wealth of Geek and has been republished with permission by Mama Say What?!
Featured Image Credit: Shutterstock /malacasia97
