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Sarah Pyle
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Using your new Instant Pot can be a little intimidating. These Instant Pot Recipes for Beginners are just the ticket to get your comfortable with your Instant Pot.
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I totally get it. You’ve seen how easy an Instant Pot can be, so you bought one. Now, what do you do? So often I hear from people who purchase an electric pressure cooker, yet it sits in the box for months because they are afraid to use it.
Gone are the days of pressure cookers exploding on the stove. Electric pressure cookers, like the Instant Pot, take all the guesswork out of how much pressure is needed and they have safety features in place so it couldn’t be easier (or safer) to use.
With a couple of tips and some practice, you’ll be a pro in no time.
Where to Start with Your Instant Pot
Well, the first step is to take it out of the box. Read the User Manual and locate all of the important pieces: your inner pot, the silicone seal on the inside of the lid, and the steam release valve on the lid.
Practice removing the silicone seal and putting it back into place. This seal is vital for the lid to seal properly and be able to come to pressure. Over time, the seal will wear out or crack. This is normal and you can purchase replacement seals.
Once you’re feeling familiar with all the pieces, it’s time to do a water test. The instructions for how to do a water test are in the User Manual.
Once you have successfully completed a water test, you’re good to try your first recipe. But where do you start?
What are good Instant Pot Beginner Recipes?
When first starting out, you might not want to jump in to a complicated recipes. I recommend practicing with some simple recipes just to get comfortable with the Instant Pot:
- It should have just a few ingredients.
- It shouldn’t have a lot of steps. Ideally, you can throw everything in and just get it cook.
- It shouldn’t require any special accessories.
Below, I have categorized the recipes from easiest to more involved, but they are all super easy and great to give you a mix of all the different ways you can use your Instant Pot. From meal prep like hard-boiled eggs and side dishes to main dishes, desserts and even drinks, now you have an arsenal of recipes for any meal or occasion while you’re getting comfortable with your electric pressure cooker.
More Instant Pot Recipes
- 25 Insanely Delicious Instant Pot Breakfast Recipes
- 15 Easy Instant Pot Chicken Recipes
Instant Pot Recipes for Beginners
The Instant Pot and other electric pressure cookers can seem intimidating, but they really are safe and so easy to use. Once you get the basics down, you'll find that the Instant Pot helps make cooking any meal that much quicker. I've separated the recipes below by super easy basics that everyone should know how to make, soups, main dishes and desserts.
Getting Started
These recipes are super easy recipes that you can simply dump and go. From meal prep to easy side dishes, these are some of the easiest recipes to get you comfortable with your Instant Pot.
Perfect Instant Pot Hard Boiled Eggs
Get perfect, easy to peel hard boiled eggs every time by cooking them in your Instant Pot. Once you’ve tried these, you’ll never boil on the stove top again!
Perfect Instant Pot Brown Rice
Have perfect brown rice on the table in a fraction of the time by cooking it in the Instant Pot.
Instant Pot Rosemary Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Flavor-packed fluffy mashed potatoes without having to boil potatoes or drain any water, these Rosemary Garlic mashed potatoes will become a family favorite.
Instant Pot Mexican Rice
Instant Pot Mexican Rice (also referred to as Spanish Rice) is a super quick, flavorful side dish perfect for Taco Tuesday. Delicious served alongside chicken, beef, pork or beans, it’s also a really budget-friendly side using white rice and canned tomato sauce.
Instant Pot Hummus
With a handful of cheap ingredients, hummus is so easy to make at home with some help from your Instant Pot. Make the recipe as written for classic hummus, or add any of the recommended mix-ins.
Instant Pot Apple Butter
Apple Butter is delicious spread on toast, used as a filling for pastries or served with Brie cheese and crackers.
Soup's On
Get the flavor of slowly simmered soup in a fraction of the time. Your Instant Pot game will be on point adding these recipes to your arsenal!
Instant Pot Lentil Soup
This hearty lentil soup is ready in minutes in the Instant Pot and it's vegetarian and gluten-free. Whether for dinner or make ahead meal prep, this soup will satisfy!
Instant Pot Potato Soup
The perfect creamy, comforting meal is ready to serve when you have this Instant Pot Potato Soup recipe on hand. Loaded with flavor and easy to prepare, it's the perfect lunch or dinner during a busy, hectic work week!
Instant Pot 15 Bean Soup
Instant Pot 15 Bean Soup is a cost-effective, hassle-free one-pot recipe that's perfect for meal prep, offering a delicious blend of 15 beans cooked to perfection in the Instant Pot and designed to freeze beautifully for convenient and budget-friendly future meals.
Main Dishes
Now you're cooking and ready to make dinner in the Instant Pot!
Instant Pot Sloppy Joes
Instant Pot Sloppy Joes are a super easy dinner that can be served on buns, spooned over baked potatoes or even mixed with pasta for a tasty sloppy joe casserole! An easy one-pot meal that's also great for meal prep!
Instant Pot Corned Beef
Enjoy this easy corned beef and cabbage recipe in a fraction of the time by cooking in your Instant Pot. Stock up on corned beef when it is on sale in March and enjoy as a budget-friendly meal any time of year!
Instant Pot Pork Butt (Pulled Pork)
Enjoy juicy, shredded pork in a fraction of the time with this Instant Pot Pork Butt recipe. Turn it in to BBQ Pulled Pork or serve as a pot roast for a delicious, budget-friendly dinner.
Dessert and Drink Time
Yes, you can even make dessert and drinks in your Instant Pot! Here are a few easy recipes to get you started. At this point, you're officially a pro at using your Instant Pot!
By Sarah Pyle on October 18th, 2020
About Sarah Pyle
Hi, I'm Sarah. The voice behind Feast for a Fraction. I've been a penny-pincher all my life, but still have a taste for nice things. I'm here to show you that you can eat (and live) well on a budget. From recipes and DIY tips to ways to make extra money, we'll be in control of our budgets together!
More posts by this author.
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