Are you a new to the Instant Pot? A little nervous and unsure of where to start? Look no further. I have 10 recipes to share with you today that will give you the confidence you need to use your Instant Pot!
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I’ve been using my Instant Pot* for the past year (almost every single day!). Whether I’m just making hard boiled eggs or some brown rice to go with dinner, it’s just a handy tool that has found a permanent spot on my countertop.
When I first started using my Instant Pot I had a LOT of FAILURES! I was so used to using the slow cooker that I didn’t really know the “rules” of the Instant Pot. The slow cooker and Instant Pot are similar in some ways but there are some definite guidelines that need to be followed when using an electric pressure cooker that are different from how you use a slow cooker. My main takeaways have been:
1.You have to have liquid in the Instant Pot for it to come to pressure. When using a slow cooker you don’t need liquid. You can stick a piece of meat in the pot and turn it on and it works just fine (although most recipes DO have liquid). Check your owners manual to see the exact amount of liquid that it needs. My Instant Pot requires 1/2 cup liquid. For example in my Instant Pot Honey Bourbon Chicken I used half a cup of low sodium soy sauce. In my Instant Pot Sweet and Sour Ribs I used apple cider vinegar. But what if I want to make a recipe that doesn’t have liquid in it? There are many recipes that I’ve made that don’t have liquid in the recipe ingredients. One is my Instant Pot Lasagna.
I used the pot in pot method to cook lasagna in my Instant Pot.
In these cases you use the Pot in Pot Method. This just means that you’ll have liquid in the bottom of your pot. Then you’ll place a trivet* in the pot. And then an oven safe dish on top of the trivet with the ingredients inside. This allows the pot to build pressure and then cook the food that’s inside the dish. It takes a little longer than if the food was just in the bottom of the pot but it works really well.
2. You can’t add thickeners at the beginning. When using the slow cooker I often use thickeners like flour and tapioca to thicken the sauce or soup. I add these thickeners in with everything else at the beginning of the cooking time. However when using the Instant Pot you can’t do that. They stick to the bottom of the pot and burn. Sometimes you’ll get a message on your display that will say BURN. You’ll need to add thickeners at the end. A lot of times I’ll make a cornstarch slurry (a mixture of cornstarch and water) and add it in after the food has cooked. This works beautifully and thickens up the sauce in no time. I used this method when I made Instant Pot Butter Chicken.
3. Use trusted resources and recipes until you get the hang of it. Although I’m a good crockpot cook, who likes to “wing it” when cooking, I found that pressure cooking is a whole different thing. Entirely. I met many failures and frustrations, until I realized I needed to pretend like I knew nothing about cooking, and go into it with that mindset, so I could learn afresh. I followed recipes, from trusted resources, because winging it didn’t work until I learned this new method of cooking. Once I came into it with that mindset, it all became a LOT easier.
Instant Pot Recipes for Beginners
Here are some EASY recipes that you can make in the Instant Pot. These recipes will give you confidence that you can succeed at using your electric pressure cooker!
Hard Boiled Eggs. One of my very favorite things to make in the Instant Pot is hard boiled eggs. We love to eat them for a quick on the go snack. There are so many methods of making them. Here is the method I use for making Instant Pot hard boiled eggs.
Brown Rice. I could never get brown rice perfect when I tried to make it on the stove. Now it’s a cinch! I use this method of making Instant Pot brown rice and I love it. Works every time!!
Seasoned Shredded Chicken. Sometimes it’s just nice to have some flavorful shredded chicken on hand. It goes well in other recipes (like chicken salad or chicken tetrazzini) or served by itself. This is my favorite recipes for basic shredded chicken. You can even cook the chicken from frozen.
Mashed Potatoes. I love mashed potatoes. YUM! We don’t make them very often but they are so easy to make in the Instant Pot. You may never use your stove again.
Chicken Gyros. Our whole family loves these Instant Pot Chicken Gyros. They are very flavorful! This recipe has a video to go with it of my daughter demonstrating the recipe.
Spaghetti Squash. I will never use another method again to make spaghetti squash. This is hands down the easiest and fastest way to cook it.
Mississippi Roast. This roast is super flavorful and fall apart tender. We like to serve it on toasted buns.
Chicken Enchilada Soup. I love making soups in my Instant Pot. Especially one’s like this where you just dump everything in the pot and walk away.
Beef and Cheddar Sandwiches. This recipe has 5 ingredients total and tastes amazing. Perfect for serving a crowd of hungry people.
Honey Bourbon Chicken. We liked to serve this chicken over rice or noodles. We even throw stir fry veggies in to round out the meal.
Honorable Mention: Instant Pot Cheeseburger Soup (another family favorite!)
Instant Pot E-Book
Check out my FIRST 30 days of Instant Pot recipes. You can download a PDF version of all the recipes to print off or to view on your tablet or computer. Click here to download the book now!
I hope this was helpful for you! Sign up to receive all my new INSTANT POT recipes by email below.
*Karen Petersen is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.
Made Chicken Taco Lettuce with Lentil and Brown Rice for dinner yesterday on my Instant Pot and it turned out to be fantastic…the whole family loved it….prepared them on 8 qt stackable pans….made a few adjustments from the original recipe.., I used fresh tomatoes instead of the canned ones….no cheese ….no wrap..also used organic chicken.
Here it is. Would love to know your feedback Karen. 🙂
https://instantpoteasyrecipes.com/instant-pot-recipes/chicken_taco_lettuce_wrap_and_cheesy_lentils_and_brown_rice
sounds and looks so tasty!
Is there anything I need to change as to time or when to add non-dairy substitutes?
I am so unfamiliar with non dairy substitutes. I would assume you would follow the recipe as is. Usually dairy is added after the food has pressure cooked.
Karen no disrespect but you push the Insta Pot on everything……I see no difference from my power cooker XL. Now please tell me how yours differ from mine ????? I really would like to know this..by the way, I love your site…….But for the life of me, I cannot see any difference at all……
This is the only pressure cooker I own. So I speak to it directly in my recipes. Other pressure cookers will most likely work with all my recipes but I just want people to know that I use the IP so that if something turns out different or if there is a different name for a button they’ll know. Most people also google “instant pot recipes” instead of “electric pressure cooker recipes.” So just trying to get as much traffic as possible on google too 🙂
Hi Karen. My name is Kathy Schuette and I received my Instant Pot as a Mothers Day gift from my daughter Melissa. I used it the first time on Tuesday. I am a 75 year old great grandmother and all of the new appliances are a bit intimidating. I loved using it and made salmon from frozen with lime that I got off the internet. I just stumbled onto your website and downloaded the cookbook and read some of the recipes. Can’t wait to try them. Thanks for making it look so easy.
Glad you are here Kathleen! You can do this! You’ll love it once you get the hang of it.
Hi Karen – I’m so happy that I found your website! I appreciate all of the information and recipes, I’m looking forward to experimenting! I was wondering if I can use the green silicone vegetable steamer with handles (from costco) to make the shreddable chicken from frozen? Thanks again
sure thing. that works!
Am so thankful for your tips! Is there a quick way to wash the top and the seal? My husband washed the dishes and it takes him so long to wash the top and seal, I am hesitant to use the Instant Pot as much as I would like to!!
Have you seen my video on how to clean the instant pot? https://youtu.be/spI9UPvz0Xg
Hi Karen,
Saw you & your husband on Dave Ramsey’s show–impressive! Congratulations!
I no longer have a crockpot & am new to Instant Pot. Do you ever use your Instant Pot in Crock pot mode?
Thanks so much for all your wonderful recipes. I have picked out a couple of the easier ones to try out.
I don’t do Facebook, so can’t join your group.
Hi Sharon, I’m glad you found us! I haven’t used that function much at all. However I have heard from several people that you should use the highest setting for it because the lowest setting it almost just like a keep warm setting.
Looking forward for recipes.
My mom made a believer out of me with a pressure cooker and how easily they could explode as a child. Now I am a 75 yrs.old grandmother and uncomfortable to try my instant pot for fear it might do the same. I would appreciate recipes with complete directions on not only the ingredients needed, but the directions on how to set the instant pot. Thank you. Bonnie O
Hi Bonnie, perhaps the best thing would be for you to watch this video where I teach my 65 year old mother in law how to use hers: https://youtu.be/RdEy30K8Nzw
Karen. HELP!! I bought a 3 qt. instant pot and am finding it so hard to find recipes for it!! Any suggestions for an 81 year old??
MANY thanks.
Hi Ann, read this article! It is so helpful: https://www.hippressurecooking.com/mini-mania-shrink-pressure-cooker-recipes-for-the-instant-pots-mini/
Thank you for sharing! Newbie here 🙂 will definitely be trying some of these out.
Good luck!
Thank you Karen, for these great recipes! I am new to Instant Pot & look forward to trying them.
Sharon
You’re welcome, Sharon!
I love pot in pot cooking looking for some new ideas.
So excited to try these Instant Pot recipes. Thank you!
Hi Deb, I hope you enjoy them! We sure have.
Thanks for the recipe book. I already receive your recipes by email and I love your them all!
You’re so welcome Frances 🙂
Thank you so much. I just bought a small 3 qt IP for myself and one for my son as he babysat our dog for a month. I am starting to have a few recipes but was scared to try them out. There are a few videos on utube which I liked. I am a great grandmother and this was a leap as I normally use a slow cooker. May i share these with my son. He is a teacher who ar4ives home shortly before dinner and he makes a lot of food on the weekend. If you send recipes, would you include the size of the pot you used. Many people have an 8 qt but I have a 3 qt. I may upgrade later
Anita, good for you! You will love the instant pot the more you use it. Good luck and God bless.