I swear my Instant Pot might just be my kitchen soulmate. And there are a few reasons for our fateful pairing.
As an uncompromising person completely unwilling to sacrifice my eating standards on account of no time, this tool makes me fell like I CAN do it all…with a little help. It cooks fast and we always enjoy what it helps us to make, not to mention I really love that it only takes me 5-20 minutes of active time to make something truly warming and wonderful.
The second reason for my undying love for this less-than-aesthetic device is that, as a person who has a boatload of culinary acumen, and practically zero time to exercise it, there are few things that make me feel more annoyed than a poorly cooked meal. This annoyance immediately launches me into a place of guilt or shame that I myself can’t find the time to make the thing myself. But with the InstantPot on our counter, I know that it’s going to cook what I put in WELL. Not simply warm up and eventually burn or desentegrate the virtuous ingredients I add to it’s cavernous magic pot.
For clients having a difficult time making the shift from a “convenience driven” way of eating to a “health + wellbeing” way of eating, this is the first thing I recommend. I don’t know of any modern person with the time to make home cooked meals and do all of the other things required to work/parent/aspire. Not even chefs have this kind of time for themselves. Canned beans aren’t soaked and are full of anti-nutrients. The answer is making dry beans at home. Who has time for that? YOU DO, with an Instant Pot on the counter.
The best part – the meals that the Instant Pot does best are those that would take us the longest time to make as home cooks. Roasts, soups, stews. I love how it doesn’t just cook; it transforms ingredients into meals that feel homemade, comforting, and full of flavor—even on the busiest days. And the versatility! Sauté, steam, slow cook, make soups, even whip up yogurt or desserts…it’s like a little magic machine that quietly handles all the heavy lifting.
Cleanup? Barely a thought, which honestly makes me reach for it even more. It’s funny, but this little pot hasn’t just changed the way I cook – it’s changed the way we’re able to LIVE. My partner and I are both empowered to make meals, we can trust that no matter how much time we have, we’ll be eating something nourishing and powerful, and that trust and baseline goes a very long way in allowing us to give everything in life – our work, play, parenting, projects, passions – our all. That consistency is kind of my superpower.
Below you’ll find a little guide to empower you examine your ingredients and to use your InstantPot without a recipe, followed by eight things I make in my InstantPot on the regular.
OH! And if you’re looking for a new model, this is the one I recommend!
I’m often told that “without a recipe,” clients don’t know how to use this tremendous, powerful little device. Let’s unlock it for you! Here are some of the biggest questions I get about times, pressures, ingredients and more.
Most InstantPots and pressure cookers have both a high and low pressure setting. My general rule of thumb is:
This is going to depend greatly on what altitude you live at. In your own kitchen, try starting at the lowest end of these time scales and adjust to your preferred textures.
I use the quick release…almost always. Because we don’t often have the luxury of time. But there are a few distinct occasions when you might like to allow for a natural release instead. A “natural release” (one where the pressure in the pot naturally comes down) is wonderful for meats, soups and anything you want tender because the elongated pressure time will continue to tenderize the contents. It’s a good idea to use the natural release for this chicken for example. Quick release is not only convenient but also effective for making sure that veggies, grains and more delicate foods don’t fall apart.
YES. Here are my best practices/rules of thumb:
Your golden rule: “If it’s dense → high pressure, slightly longer. If it’s delicate → low pressure, slightly shorter. Always check & adjust next time.”
Sometimes I make whole meals in this miracle of a kitchen device. But most often, I’m using it to quickly cook “components” of a meal so I can cut down my cooking time. In the winter months, when the oven heat contributes to the coziness, I roast and steam in the oven. But every other season, especially in the summer time, these tasks are delegated to the InstantPot. Here are a few of the “things” I make in it:
Why: For those of us likely to forget that we have to pull a frozen chicken out before we can make it for dinner (so many times I’ve forgotten to do this,) this recipe allows you to make an entire chicken FROM THE FREEZER for quick meals and then to re-pressurize the bones and veggie scraps to make the most incredible golden broth.
Method:
Tip: Use the chicken for tacos, soup, grain bowls – the works. And freeze the broth if you won’t be consuming it immediately or using it for soup/stew.
Why: Sweet, caramelized flavor without heating the oven for hours. Not to mention the most tender, sweet potatoes ever! This method yields a very tender, mashed sweet potato. For sweet potato chunks, cube your potatoes and cook for less time to achieve your desired texture.
Method:
Why: There’s nothing more mind-numbing than peeling vegetables – especially beets. But this “roasting” method yields tender beets, ready to be used for ANYTHING, and you don’t have to peel them ahead of time. Simply roast them whole – skins on – then when they’re done cooking, run the beets under cool water and slip the skins off. Then, they’re ready for salads, bowls, soup, whatever you can dream up!
Method:
Why: I actually love making grains most in my rice cooker. But, in a pinch, using the InstantPot is fantastic, fast and still prevents me from having to stand over a stove or watch a pot.
Method:
Why: We LOVE a breakfast porridge made in the Instant Pot. This one is a super favorite through cold winter months, but you could also make oatmeal or any other breakfast porridge you can dream up. Note that if you’re trying to make a recipe from the Recipe Library that was designed for the rice cooker, you’ll want to reduce the liquid quantity by a good margin. The reason being, the rice cooker vents steam – the pressure cooker does now.
Method (for oatmeal)
Why: I don’t make hard boiled eggs very often, but it is mighty convenient because (again) I don’t have to watch or attend a pot on the stove.
Method:
Why: I don’t ever make beans on the stovetop. I also never buy canned beans. But I do make several pots of beans in the InstantPot each week, so we can do with them whatever we please. Depending on your bean variety, you might want to adjust the cook time/water quantity, but for the sake of giving you a place to start, the recipe below is for my favorite lentils. These are a great protein source tossed into grain bowls, soups, or even winter salads in a pinch.
Method:
Why: There are so many times when I look up from my computer, notice that it’s well past 5:30pm, and that I need to have dinner ready in mere moments. This is where pressure cooking veggies and adding a sauce or side is SO helpful. You can do it with any veggies you wish – this is particularly fun with whole cauliflower, broccoli, etc.
Method:
There are SO MANY RECIPES in the Recipe Library that utilize an InstantPot. Here are a few favorites: