Choosing Your Instant Pot...

Most modern Instant Pots have these modes (if not more): Soup, Poultry, Meat/Stew, Bean/Chili, Sauté, Rice, Multigrain, Porridge, Steam, and Slow Cook. We highly recommend getting one that can sauté: perfect for browning meat! Different models have different features, so read the details before you order, or just select one of our Amazon picks…

• Instant Pot Duo 7-in-1 Pressure Cooker, 6 Qt.
• Instant Pot Duo Crisp 11-in-1 Pressure Cooker, 8 Qt.
• More Instant Pot Options

The Basics...

With so many features, it can be a bit intimidating, but don't worry... Just take a peek through the instruction manual before you get started, and you'll be fine. You can also check out the Instant Pot website's how-to videos to see it in action.

Brace yourself: There will be steam! There are two ways to release the pressure: Quick Release & Natural Release. Quick Release is meant to keep certain foods (like meat) from drying out, while Natural Release works for dishes like chili and soup. Quick Release creates an intense burst of hot steam that erupts from the top of the pot. Be prepared! We recommend using a towel and then getting the heck out of the way.

Factor in preheat time. Instant Pots cook food fast BUT they do require time to heat up. So even if you set the cook time for 6 minutes, it's going to take a bit longer. However, it does preheat faster than a traditional oven. To help you plan, we include these times in our prep and cook info at the top of each Instant Pot recipe.

HELLO, easy cleanup! Everything cooks in the inner pot, which is easy to remove, lightweight, and dishwasher safe. If you use your Instant Pot fairly frequently, you’ll want to keep the ring around the lid clean. Soak it in a mix of baking soda and hot water to freshen up.

A Few Extra Tips...

For converting a slow-cooker recipe to a speedy pressure-cooker setting... Most slow-cooker recipes cook for 7 to 8 hours on low or 3 to 4 hours on high. Those will take around 30 minutes (including preheat time) using the pressure-cooker setting on your Instant Pot. Use the Meat/Stew setting for red meat and the Poultry setting for chicken or turkey.

For ensuring your food doesn't dry out... The pressure-cooker function is dependent on steam. If there's not enough liquid, the pot will rob your food of moisture. Add some broth or water to the pot before you cook, and drain off the excess after.

For cooking with dairy... When working with cheese, layer it on top of the other ingredients so that it doesn’t sink to the bottom and burn. And when it comes to creamy dairy ingredients (like milk), add those after the cooking is completed to prevent any icky results. Or choose unsweetened almond milk — no milk proteins mean no curdling.

Meal-Prep Recipe Essentials

• Instant Pot Chicken from Frozen
  167 calories
• Instant Pot Basic Oatmeal
  185 calories
• Instant Pot Hard-Boiled Eggs
  72 calories
• Instant Pot Spaghetti Squash
  42 calories

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