What should I make first in my Instant Pot?

Did you just order an Instant Pot? You’re probably wondering “what should I make first in my Instant Pot?” You may have seen lots of recipes floating around the internet and aren’t sure where to start. I’ll give you some ideas and get you feeling comfortable in no time!

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What should I make first in my Instant Pot?

On the 365 Days of Instant Pot Recipes Facebook Group I saw a post by a new member named Helen. She asked, “I ordered an Instant Pot and it should be here on Monday. What do you suggest I make first? I want to have ingredients on hand to cook the day it arrives!”

First off, I love that she asked that question. Second it was so fun for me to read the responses of the group members. Here are some of their responses:

Kathy said, “My first dish was kalua pork! Yum!”

Debbie said, “Pot roast, my favorite dish”

Sherry said, “I agree, pot roast with the best mashed potatoes ever. Boiled eggs are so easy and peel better than ever. Taco soup. Meatballs and sauce. Endless possibilities.”

Jack said, “First of all, I recommend you read the manual TWICE, and do the water test so you will understand how the beast works. Then, from all the suggestions pick something you will enjoy eating. The first thing I made was BBQ Baby Back Ribs.”

Judy said, “If you are a first time user, go easy. Also, if you have a friend who is a pothead, call her and get a quick tutorial. It will save so much time. My daughter taught me in minutes. The book can be intimidating.”

I love all of those answers! Plus I have a few suggestions of my own…

I would suggest printing off my Printable Instant Pot Guide for Beginners. It is a great resource to help you feel confident and get you started with your Instant Pot.

If you’re a visual learner you may want to watch this video where I teach my mother-in-law how to use her new Instant Pot.

Some other resources I have that might interest you are:

10 Instant Pot Recipes for Beginners

5 Ingredient Instant Pot Recipes

9 Things You Didn’t Know About the Instant Pot

How to do the Instant Pot Water Test

3 Suggestions to Enhance your Instant Pot Experience

Best Instant Pot Recipes for Beginners

Try some of these Instant Pot recipes and you’ll be quickly hooked to your new kitchen appliance. It may find a permanent spot on the counter, like mine has.

• Hard Boiled Eggs–these are the EASIEST boiled eggs to peel. You’ll need a trivet or a steamer basket of sorts to make hard boiled eggs in your Instant Pot. My Instant Pot came with a trivet. If yours didn’t then I would suggest ordering one. I like this trivet/sling from the OXO brand*.
• Chicken Bacon Chowder–-I love making soups, chili and chowders in my Instant Pot. The soup tastes like it has been simmering all day but it only takes a few minutes. This is an easy and flavorful recipe that I love!
• Instant Pot Mississippi Roast–-Roasts can turn out wonderfully in the Instant Pot. Make sure to use natural pressure release on roasts for best results. This means that when the time is up you don’t move the valve to venting. You just let the pressure slowly release by itself. This will keep your roast from becoming a door stop.
• Instant Pot Cheater Lasagna–if you love the flavors of lasagna but don’t like the effort it takes this recipe is for you! You can make this Instant Pot lasagna pasta recipe with 6 ingredients and in just a few minutes. Pasta dishes have become one of my absolute favorite things to make in the Instant Pot. Check out all of my Instant Pot Pasta Recipes here.

You many also want to watch this quick video where I show you how to find the Instant Pot recipes that will most appeal to you and your family.

What Pressure Cooker Do You Use?

I use a 6 quart Instant Pot Duo 60 7 in 1*. I love this Instant Pot because it has the yogurt making function which I use almost weekly.  It has two pressure settings (high and low), and there are also little slots in the handles so that you can rest the lid there instead of putting it down on your counter-top.

*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.