How I use my Instant Pot (almost) daily!
My cooking style is basic, and I don’t really use recipes. If you’re looking for fancy recipes, this isn’t your place. I also won’t write out stories about my grandmother with nostalgic pictures. But if you want to know the gist of how I use my Instant Pot almost on a daily basis, then keep reading. I’m providing the basic instructions. You can adjust the quantity and seasoning.
Overall, I feel like the Instant Pot is a lot like my Crock Pot, only I can decide on dinner at 4:00 PM instead of 10 AM, and I can cook frozen meat.
Dinnertime at our house, as you can see, is simple. Chili, chicken, tacos, burrito bowls, pasta, potatoes, basic soups. I just adjust the seasonings and flavors. These are my go-to meals.
Frozen Chicken Breasts
- Frozen Chicken Breasts (I use 6 for my family)
- Topping/Seasoning (Season Salt, Mrs. Dash, Cajun, Honey, Salsa, Soy Sauce, whatever)
- 1 Cup Liquid. Water, or broth for more flavor.
Place liquid in pot. Add trivet and place breasts on top. Coat with seasoning. Cook 12 minutes and natural release for 5 minutes.
To make a complete meal, use a steamer for a “divider” and add sweet potatoes, carrots, or potatoes.
Frozen Chicken and Brown Rice (Burrito Bowls)
- 1 cup brown rice
- 2 cups chicken broth
- Frozen chicken breasts (I use 5-6 for our family)
- Seasoning (I use Taco Seasoning packet. Could use any flavor.)
(For burrito bowls, I also add a can of black beans.)
Cook 15 minutes, natural release 20 minutes
I shredded the chicken and topped it with cheese, avocado, and salsa. For the boys, they ate the chicken breasts whole with rice on the side. If using frozen breasts, you need to use brown rice for the timing to be right. If you use fresh breasts, you can try white rice, but I haven’t done it.
Chili/Taco Soup
- Ground Beef
- Diced Onion
- Chili Ingredients of your choice (For chili, I use seasoning, canned tomatoes, canned chili beans, and tomato paste. For taco soup, I add black beans, corn, tomatoes, and peppers)
- 1 Cup Water
Sauté the beef and onions in the IP. Add seasonings and other ingredients.
Cook 25 minutes. Natural release 20 minutes or set to slow cook and keep warm all day.
Pasta
(This is thicker than traditional pasta because the sauce literally gets infused and pushed into the pasta. It’s delicious, but more like a baked pasta, without the crunchy pieces.)
- Ground Beef or Italian Sausage (whatever you like)
- Sauce
- Water (enough to cover pasta)
- Pasta (shapes work better than long spaghetti noodles)
Sauté the beef in the IP. Add the sauce. Add Pasta. Cover pasta with water.
Cook 5 minutes. Natural Release 5 minutes, then quick release. Stir it up!
Baked Potatoes/Sweet Potatoes
Scrub potatoes well and poke holes in them with a fork. Place them in the instant pot, preferably on a trivet or steamer.
Add 1 cup of water
Cook 10-18 minutes, depending on the size of the potatoes. Natural Pressure Release.
Broccoli & Potato Soup
- Broccoli
- Potatoes, cut into cubes
- 1 Cup Broth
- Garlic
- Milk
- Toppings: Salt, Pepper, Cheese, Bacon Bits, Sour Cream
Place Potatoes, Broccoli, and garlic in the instant pot. Add 1 Cup Liquid.
Cook 10 minutes. Use quick release. (Natural release is fine too.)
Mash the potatoes and broccoli. (I use a plastic mashing tool.) Add milk until it’s the consistency you like. You can turn on the “sauté” function if you want. Add salt and pepper. Top with toppings.
Easy Potato Soup
- Potatoes
- Diced Onion
- Salt & Pepper
- Butter
- Milk
- 2 Cups Chicken Broth
- Toppings: Sour Cream, Chives, Bacon Bits, Cheddar Cheese
Saute Onions. Wash potatoes well. Place whole in pot with broth. Cook 15 minutes or until potatoes are cooked all the way, depending on the size of the potatoes. When finished, quick release and mash with a masher. Add butter and salt and pepper. Add milk until it’s the soup consistency you want. (Can add more broth too.) Add toppings and enjoy!
Roast with Carrots & Potatoes
(Cut your roast into 3-4” pieces. I do this when I buy it before I freeze it.)
- Roast, cut into 2-4 inch chunks
- Diced Onion
- Potatoes – medium or cut up
- Carrots
- 2 Cups broth
- Salt/Pepper
- Other seasonings you like. Worcestershire sauce, steak seasoning, can of creamed soup, etc.
Sauté Onion. Add roast, broth, and seasonings. Using divider, place potatoes above the roast. Then, using steamer, add carrots. Cook for 35 minutes and use the natural release for at least 15-20 minutes or until released. (Quick release seizes the meat)
Sweet Ham, Potatoes & Carrots
- Large, Pre-Sliced Ham – lightly separated
- 1 Cup Broth
- 1 Can pineapples
- Brown Sugar
- Baby Carrots
- Small potatoes or cut up potatoes. (Small sweet potatoes work really well too!)
Add broth and pineapples to pot. Place Ham on top, and then cover with some brown sugar. Using a divider, place potatoes above the ham. Finally, using the steamer basket, top with carrots. Cook for 15 minutes with at least a 10 minute natural pressure release.
Hard Cooked Eggs
Place in pot and add 1 cup of water. Cook for 8 minutes, quick release, and transfer to cold ice water.
Steamed Veggies
Just add a cup of water and steam in a steamer basket for a minute or two
Ham & Potato Soup – Online Version
Meatloaf
Corned Beef & Cabbage
Black Beans – No Soak!
Boxed Macaroni and Cheese (Auntie Anne’s)
https://cookpad.com/us/recipes/2289707-annies-instant-pot-mac-n-cheese
