5 Reasons the Instant Pot Is Your New BFF
Hi Hungry Girl,I keep hearing about a new kitchen appliance called the Instant Pot. What's the deal? Is it worth getting?
Instant Pot Ponderer
Hi Instant Pot Ponderer,People have definitely been buzzing about the Instant Pot lately! I've gotten a lot of questions about it, so I decided to get one from Amazon and play around with it. I'm so glad I did! Here's the 411...
5 Reasons the Instant Pot ROCKS
This multi-tasker acts as a slow cooker, a pressure cooker, and SO much more. The Instant Pot we got has these modes: Soup, Poultry, Meat/Stew, Bean/Chili, Sauté, Rice, Multigrain, Porridge, Steam & Slow Cook. WOAH, right?! Heads up: Not every version of the Instant Pot comes with the sauté function. I highly recommend getting one that has it. I love the convenience of browning meat right in there!The pressure cooker function cooks food crazy fast. We had extra-tender chicken in eight minutes flat. And we cooked an entire spaghetti squash in just FIVE minutes! It does take some time to heat up, of course, but it's still super speedy and a major timesaver.
It's IDEAL for healthy cooking. There's no need for tons of oil and butter because both the slow cooker and pressure cooker methods lock in the flavor of meats and more. Veggies can be steamed, sans any caloric add-ins, and retain peak nutritional value. Love it!
The Instant Pot is perfect for make-ahead staples, like shredded chicken and chili. Seriously, it'll be your new BFF if you're into meal prep! Next week, we'll be debuting our very first Instant Pot recipes, and both are perfect if you like to meal plan for the week ahead.
Cleanup is a breeze. Everything cooks in an inner pot, which just so happens to be lightweight, easy to remove, and dishwasher safe. Someone totally knew what they were doing when they designed this thing!
3 Things You Need to Know About the Instant Pot...
1. It's pretty fancy (a.k.a. complex). Read through the user manual before getting started. Don't worry; it's not that long! You can also check out YouTube or the Instant Pot website to see it in action. It's easy once you get the hang of it!2. There will be steam, and it can be a little scary if you're not expecting it! The pressure release button has two options: Quick Release & Natural Release. The Quick Release creates an intense burst of steam that erupts from the top of the pot. Be prepared! FYI: The purpose of the Quick Release is to keep foods like pork from drying out. The Natural Release is for things like chili and soup.
3. That steam is HOT. To release pressure either way, you need to turn the steam release knob. I recommend using a towel and then getting the heck out of the way!
I can't wait to share next week's recipes with you. If you're reading this on the HG website, sign up for the daily emails so you don't miss 'em!
Chew on this:
We're right in the middle of National Fondue Month, a.k.a. February. Celebrate with this slimmed-down swap with a secret ingredient...
Tell everyone about the Instant Pot! They'll thank you when they're enjoying 5-minute spaghetti squash. Click "Send to a Friend" now.
Have a Question for Hungry Girl?
Send it in! She answers new Qs each week (but cannot respond to emails personally).
We may receive affiliate compensation from some of these links. Prices and availability are subject to change.
We may have received free samples of food, which in no way influences whether these products are reviewed favorably, unfavorably, mentioned with indifference, or mentioned at all. Click for more about our editorial and advertising policies.
*The WW Points® values for these products and/or recipes were calculated by Hungry Girl and are not an endorsement or approval of the product, recipe or its manufacturer or developer by WW International, Inc., the owner of the Points® trademark.
Questions on the WW Points® values listed? Click here.
Hungry Girl provides general information about food and lifestyle. This information and any linked materials are not intended and should not be construed as medical advice, nor is the information a substitute for professional medical expertise or treatment. Click here for more information.