75+ Best Instant Pot Recipes for Dinner, Dessert & More (2024)

FAQs

What size Instant Pot is best for meal prep? ›

Generally, a meal cooked in a 6-quart model feeds three to six people. Benefits of an 8-quart Instant Pot: The 8-quart models, on the other hand, are ideal when you're feeding a large family, cooking for a party, or cooking in batches for your weekly meal prep.

The Instant Pot can gently steam and bake with ease — and keep you from heating up the oven when you want a sweet treat. Instant Pot desserts are their own particular brand of delicious — so you don't want to try taking your favorite cheesecake recipe and throwing it on high pressure for 20 minutes.

Cooking in an “instant pot” or pressure cooker is a great method for preparing your food on many levels — including the nutritional level, according to registered dietitian Beth Czerwony, RD. “Instant pot recipes are absolutely healthy as long as what you put in the recipe is healthy,” she says.

The 6-quart Instant Pot (in any series) is the most popular size by far, and it's the one we recommend for most folks. It offers plenty of capacity for weeknight dinners, soups and stews, a pot of beans, or even a whole chicken, yet it doesn't take up a crazy amount of counter or shelf space.

The vast majority of cake recipes for the Instant Pot calls for the High Pressure setting, allowing users to shave time off a traditional baked cake recipe while still resulting in a moist cake. “Baking” in the Instant Pot will generally need only half the cook time listed in a traditional oven-baked recipe.

The short answer is good news. It is generally safe to use aluminum foil in an Instant Pot, but it is important to use it properly to avoid damaging the appliance or creating a potential safety hazard.

Yes, it is safe to cook frozen food in a pressure cooker or an electric pressure cooker like an Instant Pot.

The most useful function of an Instant Pot is its ability to pressure cook, so you want to get a model that quickly comes to pressure. Since many pressure cooker recipes start with a searing or sautéing step, it can help to have an Instant Pot with inner pot stability, so the pot doesn't spin while you're cooking.

What are the disadvantages of an Instant Pot? ›

Con– The Instant Pot uses steam under pressure to cook food and not everything is meant to be cooked in the Instant Pot. I attempted a crustless quiche which turned out well but it was too wet and moist to my liking and I prefer to cook it in the oven with dry heat.

Instant Pot also switches to a “warm” setting when it's done cooking, keeping food at a safe temperature for up to 10 hours.

Such risks include obesity, insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, and various cardiovascular conditions. This is because most fast food is high in sugar, salt, saturated fat, trans fats, processed ingredients, and calories. It is also generally low in antioxidants, fiber, and many other nutrients.

I love the Instant Pot for its ability to quickly cook weeknight dinners and because it's great for batch cooking. This Power Hour takes advantage of both by using the Instant Pot to prep breakfast and lunch options while you prep dinners that will be cooked in the Instant Pot later in the week.

I find success with a 29oz (3-cup) size container for most meals. I also really enjoy big salads for lunch, so my container of choice is usually a 7-cup circular container, so there's room for salad and toppings and room to shake with dressing.

Instant Pots come in 3-, 6-, 8-, and 10-quart sizes. 3-quart Instant Pots work best for singles or couples, the 5-quart serves three to five people, and the 8-quart will easily cook for six or more.

The mini Instant Pot, with a capacity of 3 quarts, is perfect for individuals, couples or those with limited kitchen space. Despite its smaller size, it packs a punch in terms of versatility.