It’s no secret that the Instant Pot is probably the most versatile kitchen tool you can invest in. It has so many uses, you could practically sell your oven. OK maybe not, but it is a lot more than a dump recipe machine. From breakfast to dinner and everything in between, your Instant Pot is a boss that can cook up foolproof versions of everyone’s favorite incredible edible, fall-off-the-bone-tender Sunday dinner standards (in about a quarter of the time, no less) and even sweet indulgences (that you’ll instantly wish you didn’t know it made). If you’re still not sold on the power of the world-famous pressure cooker, by the time you’re done checking out these 19 foods you should be making in your Instant Pot, you’ll be ready to move this handy gadget to a permanent place of honor on the kitchen countertop.
Boiled Eggs
Whether you enjoy your yolks oozy or firm, your boiled eggs will come out perfect each and every time in your Instant Pot — in half the time it would take to boil them the old-fashioned way.
Oatmeal
Given how chaotic our mornings are, finding out we could use our Instant Pots to make oatmeal for breakfast in around 10 minutes was a life-changing discovery. This apple pie Instant Pot oatmeal will bring the sweet and warm-spiced flavors of America’s favorite dessert to your breakfast table.
Rotisserie Chicken
Don’t be tempted by those rubbery store-bought rotisserie chickens that have been sitting under those warming lamps for God only knows how long. Your Instant Pot can knock out a juicy, flavorful rotisserie-style chicken in just over an hour.
Broths & Stocks
Homemade broths and stocks are the good-for-you way to get all you can out of the parts of your meats and veggies you usually just compost or throw out. This Instant Pot chicken stock uses the leftover carcass of your Instant Pot rotisserie chicken — more bang for your beak, er, buck.
Yogurt
Homemade yogurt is tastier and creamier than the store-bought stuff, and it’s insanely simple to make using your Instant Pot’s yogurt button.
Cheese
Your Instant Pot’s yogurt button does a whole lot more than just make yogurt. You can make a variety of cheeses with that setting too. You’ll need some specialized ingredients for cheese-making, but there’s nothing in the world like fresh hand-stretched mozzarella.
Baked Potatoes
It only takes about half an hour to put baked potatoes on the table with an Instant Pot. Serve them as a side with all the fixin’s or add your favorite protein for an all-American meat-and-potatoes meal. You can even smash them with a little milk or cream and butter for quick and easy mashed potatoes.
Beans
Dry beans are so much cheaper and healthier than the canned version, and with your Instant Pot, they’re totally hands-off. Try these black beans plain or make them Cuban-style to jazz up any recipe.
Lobster Tails
No need to save your Instant Pot for family meals — it can whip up your date-night dinner in a matter of minutes too. Succulent buttered lobster can be yours in around five minutes, and at a fraction of the cost of eating out.
Rice
You’ll never make rice another way after you experience the glory that is foolproof Instant Pot rice. Try this fluffy and flavorful jasmine rice with a little coconut oil.
Hot Beverages
From comforting hot cocoa to festive apple cider, your Instant Pot has you covered when you need to make batch versions of piping-hot sips for anything from family movie night to holiday festivities.
Ribs
We love a succulent, fall-off-the-bone bite of ribs just as much as the next gal, but we’re not always willing to put in the time and effort it takes in the great outdoors. Enter the Instant Pot, which can have you licking the barbecue sauce off your fingers in under an hour.
Soup
Instant Pots are the newer, better, faster stockpots, as proven by this better-than-Panera broccoli-cheese soup.
Pasta
It takes some practice to get perfectly al dente pasta in an Instant Pot since there are so many shapes, but the short pastas are ideal for pressure cooking. It’s worth the practice, though, when you consider you can have homemade mac and cheese on the table in about the same time as the powdered cheese stuff in the blue box.
Meatballs & Meatloaf
Your Instant Pot will make quick work of Sunday dinner staples like meatballs and meatloaf. Serve these Swedish meatballs as an appetizer or over pasta with a little lingonberry jam.
Pot Roast
Your Instant Pot puts pot roast back on the weekday menu with fall-apart tender meat with the usual-suspect veggies and a savory “pan” gravy in just over an hour.
Sauces & Ragus
You can make a variety of sauces in your Instant Pot, but we’re kind of obsessed with this meaty ragu.
Steamed Veggies
Most veggies take about five minutes to steam in the Instant Pot, which is about half the time of the traditional method. Even these hearty steamed artichokes are ready in only 20 minutes. Too bad the Instant Pot can prep them for you too.
Desserts
If you don’t have dessert, did you even really eat dinner? Your Instant Pot can make all kinds of cakes, puddings and crisps, but we can’t wait to try this luscious pumpkin cheesecake with a spicy gingersnap crust.
Leave a Comment