THE Instant Pot Best Ideas for Busy/Sick-of-it Parents thread!!!

[Ginevra]

Please help a girl out, especially if you have been using the Instant Pot a while and have several (even just a few) go-to IP fail-safe recipes that you love and your family will all or mostly all eat. I am new to the IP and I really want to come up with a decent repertoire of at least 7 great go-to recipes that I can probably make on hand and in not much more than 30 minutes.

 

I'm hoping we can just keep adding to this thread so it stays bumped for several weeks. THANKS SO MUCH!

[AMJ]

How about lasagna?  I have a slow cooker cookbook that has a recipe for slow cooker lasagna, and my kids quite like it.  The basic gist of the recipe is to layer uncooked noodles (broken up a bit to cover the non-rectangular shape of the slow cooker), browned meat or other filling, ricotta cheese, and sauce, and top with parmesan -- I'll let you play around with seasonings and proportions (don't want to plagiarize the parts of the recipe that make it unique).  If you sauce isn't very wet you can add 1/4 water to the pot to provide enough wet for the noodles to soften, but in my slow cooker I have found I don't need the water.  I cook mine on low for under 4 hours; the recipe calls for 5 hours, but I have found the noodles to be too soft for my taste.

[Laura Corin]

Everyone in my family really liked lentil risotto.  I made it with home-made chicken stock.

 

http://www.hippressurecooking.com/lentil-risotto-peasant-cooking-under-pressure/

[jen3kids]

I have made these in the last couple of weeks, since I got my IP...

 

http://predominantlypaleo.com/instant-pot-lemon-garlic-chicken/

• I used 12 bone-in thighs and cooked for 15 minutes, NPR 
• I recommend browning the chicken first

 

http://thisoldgal.com/pressure-cooker-pork-chops-in-homemade-mushroom-gravy/

• I put potatoes on top and they cooked at the same time - very convenient

 

I made a beef stew as well that was super easy and very similar to the pork chop recipe

 

 

I've made jasmine rice and steel cut oats too - both recipes from the IP recipe booklet.

 

 

 

 

[Guest]

I have made these in the last couple of weeks, since I got my IP...

 

http://predominantlypaleo.com/instant-pot-lemon-garlic-chicken/

• I used 12 bone-in thighs and cooked for 15 minutes, NPR
• I recommend browning the chicken first

http://thisoldgal.com/pressure-cooker-pork-chops-in-homemade-mushroom-gravy/

• I put potatoes on top and they cooked at the same time - very convenient

I made a beef stew as well that was super easy and very similar to the pork chop recipe

 

 

I've made jasmine rice and steel cut oats too - both recipes from the IP recipe booklet.

My family will almost surely love that pork chop recipe. To put the potatoes on top, did you put them directly on the chops? Or did you use the little pop-up grill trivet that came with the pot (wrll, one came with MY pot...)?

[zoobie]

Dead easy:

 

Pasta and sauce

1/2 jar pasta sauce (1.5 cups)

1/2 jar water (1.5 cups)

1/2 box smaller shaped pasta

 

4-5 minutes high pressure, QR

You can add frozen meatballs if you're feeling sparky. Brown ground beef or sausage for super fancy. I've thrown in cannellini beans for extra protein without meat.

 

Chicken and salsa

1 lb frozen chicken breasts and 1 jar salsa (we like TJs Salsa Verde)

If your salsa is thick, add 1/2 cup water and rinse out the jar. That particular salsa verde is liquidy enough to come to pressure just fine IME.

 

15 minutes high pressure, 10 min natural release. Shred chicken, serve as filling for burritos, tacos, quesadillas or as a topping for nachos or salad. 

Fancy it up: add a can of black or pinto beans (drained) and a can of corn. If you want to turn this into soup, add those plus chicken broth. 

 

French Dip 
3 lbs beef roast. cut in ~3 pieces
1 small onion, thinly sliced
1/3 cup soy sauce (I use Tamari because I like it strong)
1 heaping teaspoon beef base + 1 cup water

or 1 cup beef stock/consomme

 

High 35-45 minutes, 10 min NPR

You can add garlic, rosemary, even a nice beer to this to vary the taste.

 

http://dadcooksdinner.com/2013/04/pressure-cooker-macaroni-and-cheese.html/

This recipe halves nicely if you don't need a ton. I halve the cheese and use Costco Mexican Blend most times. 

 

http://www.pressurecookingtoday.com/pressure-cooker-mongolian-beef/

Many kinds of sliced beef work for this. Sirloin, flank, London broil. I reduce the sugar to 1/4 cup because we don't like sweet main dishes, and I add 1 TB rice vinegar. 

 

http://www.pressurecookingtoday.com/pressure-cooker-beef-and-broccoli/

I used another type of beef, reduced the sugar again. I also don't always brown the beef. It looks better and maybe tastes a bit better, but when you're in a desperate hurry...

 

http://nomnompaleo.com/post/111934821818/pressure-cooker-kalua-pig

This has the time and release info for pork shoulder. You can do it that way for kalua pig or sprinkle with bbq rub and add a splash of apple cider vinegar for pulled pork. For carnitas, this cooking liquid is delicious: http://damndelicious.net/2014/10/10/slow-cooker-pork-carnitas/ (then I crisp it up in a hot cast iron skillet). 

 

http://www.thekitchn.com/recipe-to-feed-a-crowd-slow-cooker-barbacoa-beef-165301

I make roughly double the sauce base (keeping it to one bunch of cilantro and one large red onion and one head of garlic) and then split it in 4. Freeze 3 baggies of it. The roasts at my stores are usually 3ish lbs. Throw in a roast and brown it on both sides, then add the frozen bag of sauce and about a cup and a half of beef broth or water. High pressure for 65-75 minutes, depending on how big/tough looking ;) your roast is. NPR. If you want to hurry it a bit, cut the roast in chunks. The sauce trouble is so worth it with this one.

Looks like Gina of SkinnyTaste made a variation: http://www.skinnytaste.com/barbacoa-beef/  

 

I've gotten several ideas from the Instant Pot Community group on FB lately. It's an easy resource for searching times too. 

[Guest]

Zoobie, I made one like that Beef and Broccoli linked last week. It was great! I immediately thought that one was a keeper!

[jen3kids]

My family will almost surely love that pork chop recipe. To put the potatoes on top, did you put them directly on the chops? Or did you use the little pop-up grill trivet that came with the pot (wrll, one came with MY pot...)?

 

 

The first time I used the trivet, but the 2nd time I cooked 8 chops and just placed the potatoes on top - no trivet.   I didn't make any extra gravy or add any extra liquid because the original recipe makes loads of gravy.

[Forget-Me-Not]

We've made the mac and cheese recipe linked above a couple of times and it's a hit.

 

I've also done Kalua pork. It takes 90 minutes, BUT I like to make it the day before and reheat (bonus--you can get rid of a lot of fat from the broth too). In fact I have some going tonight for a dinner party tomorrow night.

 

This is a slow cooker recipe but I add about a cup of water, hit manual and do 90 minutes on high pressure and NPR:

http://ourbestbites.com/2013/08/kalua-pork/

Edited August 27, 2016 by Forget-me-not

[eternalsummer]

How about lasagna?  I have a slow cooker cookbook that has a recipe for slow cooker lasagna, and my kids quite like it.  The basic gist of the recipe is to layer uncooked noodles (broken up a bit to cover the non-rectangular shape of the slow cooker), browned meat or other filling, ricotta cheese, and sauce, and top with parmesan -- I'll let you play around with seasonings and proportions (don't want to plagiarize the parts of the recipe that make it unique).  If you sauce isn't very wet you can add 1/4 water to the pot to provide enough wet for the noodles to soften, but in my slow cooker I have found I don't need the water.  I cook mine on low for under 4 hours; the recipe calls for 5 hours, but I have found the noodles to be too soft for my taste.

 

side note: you can't copyright a recipe, I think

[Lang Syne Boardie]

side note: you can't copyright a recipe, I think

 

A mere list of ingredients cannot be copyrighted, but instructions, directions, explanations, and illustrations can be copyrighted. That's why we can tell a person what's in someone else's recipe, or paraphrase how to assemble and cook it, but we wouldn't publish it in our own cookbook unless it was our own recipe (or published with permission and attribution).

 

http://www.copyright.gov/fls/fl122.html

 

https://www.plagiarismtoday.com/2015/03/24/recipes-copyright-and-plagiarism/

[SemiSweet]

We absolutely adore the Mongolian beef that Zoobie posted. We also do a simple beef stew, and this http://nomnompaleo.com/post/137755902728/pressure-cooker-lemongrass-coconut-chicken, but I prefer boneless, skinless thighs with it.

[StaceyinLA]

Zoobie posted my absolute favorite, which is the chicken and salsa. I do mine a little differently though, so here it is:

 

4 chicken breasts (I use frozen so if they aren't, adjust cooking time accordingly)

 

Season breasts with salt, pepper, garlic and some cumin. Add jar of TJs salsa (we use the salsa autentica OR the verde), cut up at least a half bunch of cilantro directly into pot (optional). Cook 30-35 min at high pressure. Shreds perfectly for tacos, burritos, etc.

[Guest]

Bumping this. :)

[Laura Corin]

Tonight's dish. I did soak the pinto beans overnight. Otherwise it took minutes to prepare.

 

Saute a chopped onion, three smashed cloves of garlic, four sausage links (chopped) one stick of celery and a couple of carrots (both chopped). Add 500 grams - a bit less than a pound dry weight - of pinto beans, soaked overnight, about a cup of passata or tinned tomatoes, a couple of teaspoons of paprika and two cloves. Add stock/broth to amply cover. Pressure cook on manual for 30 minutes. Serve with steamed brown rice and a stir-fried green veg. Some people added cheese and Tabasco. Everyone liked it and it was cheap. Served five with leftovers.

Edited August 28, 2016 by Laura Corin

[SproutMamaK]

Loving this thread! Bought an Instant Pot on amazon the other week and I'm hoping it arrives this week. I can't wait to try out these recipes!

[SemiSweet]

We just made this tonight and it was a HUGE hit. I served it over rice.

 

http://www.skinnytaste.com/pressure-cooker-stewed-chicken-with-corn-pollo-guisado-con-maiz/

[Tree Frog]

Well, I don't have an IP yet, but a girl can dream, right? 

 

 

[kitten18]

I know I replied to your thread a couple weeks ago but I was in a hurry and didn't give very much info.

 

This is the carnitas recipe I use. I don't always have all the ingredients but I go ahead and make it with just the green chile enchilada sauce, cumin, and oregano.

She has a YouTube video that is very funny but everything you need to know is on this recipe page.

http://www.noreenskitchen.com/pressure-cooker-carnitas.html

[prairiewindmomma]

My fastest is chicken breasts + jarred sauce----bbq, korma, masala, marinara, whatever.

 

My favorite is beef stroganoff.  If you cube the beef into 1" cubes, the cook time is 15-20 minutes + natural release.  The prep time to cut the beef, onions, mushrooms, etc. is about 15 minutes.  We often put rice into the rice cooker so that both devices end their cooking at the same time.  It's also good by itself, especially if served paired with a green salad.

 

ETA: I just remembered from another thread that you are LF.  I think leaving out the sour cream and making it more beef bourbignon (however that is spelled) would still taste amazing.

Edited August 29, 2016 by kbeal

[kitten18]

I made this shredded beef taco meat and dh really liked it (I tend to prefer pork).

 

http://www.paleonewbie.com/slow-cooked-spicy-shredded-beef-tacos/

 

 

 

I also really like the pinto bean recipe that is in the little cookbook that come with the instant pot.

[wathe]

My fastest is chicken breasts + jarred sauce----bbq, korma, masala, marinara, whatever.

 

 

Did this tonight: jar of butter chicken sauce, 3 frozen chicken breast, 15 minutes under pressure.  Delicious.

[DawnM]

I made the mac and cheese this week.

 

DH used it to make shredded chicken with his own BBQ sauce mix.  I don't think he used a recipe and it wasn't that great (shhhh, don't tell him) but people ate it anyway.

 

I prefer either a bottle of BBQ sauce from the store (any kind you like) or I make one with brown sugar, worsteshire sauce, ketchup, mustard, powdered chili, garlic, onion, and salt and pepper.

 

This week I hope to try meatloaf.

[NoPlaceLikeHome]

Dead easy:

 

Pasta and sauce

1/2 jar pasta sauce (1.5 cups)

1/2 jar water (1.5 cups)

1/2 box smaller shaped pasta

 

4-5 minutes high pressure, QR

You can add frozen meatballs if you're feeling sparky. Brown ground beef or sausage for super fancy. I've thrown in cannellini beans for extra protein without meat.

 

 

Question about pasta dish.  Why not use the whole jar of pasta sauce? Does adding the water make the sauce taste watery or bland? Do you need extra liquid if you add frozen meatballs? Can you use penne or does the pasta need to be smaller? How many servings?

[zoobie]

Question about pasta dish.  Why not use the whole jar of pasta sauce? Does adding the water make the sauce taste watery or bland? Do you need extra liquid if you add frozen meatballs? Can you use penne or does the pasta need to be smaller? How many servings?

 

I was only making a half box of pasta, so half a jar was plenty. :) No, the water gets absorbed by the pasta just as it does when you boil pasta separately. I didn't need extra liquid for the meatballs, but maybe double check other people's reviews on the Instant Pot Community page? They don't absorb water. You need the 1 cup minimum liquid for the pot to come up to pressure with any recipe, but pasta needs more to cook because it's dehydrated. I have some fresh tortellini to try this week but haven't researched times/liquid yet.

 

I somehow wound up with 2 cases of campanelle pasta from a subscribe & save amazon snafu, so I haven't tried penne. I can't imagine why it wouldn't work. I've also used Barilla's macaroni noodles that are sort of corkscrew-y. I have read that long pasta such as spaghetti or linguine tends to clump up. 

 

Number of servings depends on how much your people eat. I make 1/2 box because it was only for the kids. Make however much you would make if you were cooking it on the stove. :)

Edited August 29, 2016 by zoobie

[Guest]

I made the pork chops with mushroom gravy recipe from post #4 tonight. I added the small potatoes on top as well. It was pretty good. I think the pork could have been more tender but I am not sure whether that means they were under pressure too long or not long enough. I used boneless chops because that's what I had. That may also have been a factor.

 

I disagreed with the way the blogger thickened it at the end; I have a different way that never ends up lumpy, so I did it that way. I used a little of the cold broth that I reserved. I add the potato starch into a small Tupperware, put the lid on, then shake the devil out of it. Voila. Smooth thickening.

[kitten18]

I made the pork chops with mushroom gravy recipe from post #4 tonight. I added the small potatoes on top as well. It was pretty good. I think the pork could have been more tender but I am not sure whether that means they were under pressure too long or not long enough. I used boneless chops because that's what I had. That may also have been a factor.

 

I disagreed with the way the blogger thickened it at the end; I have a different way that never ends up lumpy, so I did it that way. I used a little of the cold broth that I reserved. I add the potato starch into a small Tupperware, put the lid on, then shake the devil out of it. Voila. Smooth thickening.

I have read some comments on that recipe in the IP Facebook group. Most people say that boneless chops are usually too lean.

[Guest]

I have read some comments on that recipe in the IP Facebook group. Most people say that boneless chops are usually too lean.

I thought this might be the case. Oh well. Something to do differently next time.

[happypamama]

Haven't read the whole thread, but my easy go to meal is about like this. Put chicken breasts (thawed or not) in IP with some water. Cook on manual for 30 minutes. Release pressure. Add a couple of cups of rice, and several jars of Aldi's simmer sauces. Last night it was the Korma sauce, so we also added a bag of frozen peas. Cook on manual for ten minutes more. Stir well and chop up the chicken a bit. So easy! I started the chicken last night and then left to take the kids to class. I texted my dh the directions to finish it and came home to find dinner all made. I think one more jar (I used three) of sauce would have been better, but it was delicious. DH and I liked it, as did three of the children. One child doesn't eat meat and wouldn't touch it, and one child tried it and didn't like it. 3/5 is pretty good! It made enough for four leftover lunch portions, even after we had multiple helpings last night. (I used five chicken breasts.)

 

I've done ground meat, browned in the IP, then with pasta and a tomato based sauce in the IP too, and that works well also.

 

We love the Mac and cheese recipe from Dad Cooks Dinner too.

[NoPlaceLikeHome]

Haven't read the whole thread, but my easy go to meal is about like this. Put chicken breasts (thawed or not) in IP with some water. Cook on manual for 30 minutes. Release pressure. Add a couple of cups of rice, and several jars of Aldi's simmer sauces. Last night it was the Korma sauce, so we also added a bag of frozen peas. Cook on manual for ten minutes more. Stir well and chop up the chicken a bit. So easy! I started the chicken last night and then left to take the kids to class. I texted my dh the directions to finish it and came home to find dinner all made. I think one more jar (I used three) of sauce would have been better, but it was delicious. DH and I liked it, as did three of the children. One child doesn't eat meat and wouldn't touch it, and one child tried it and didn't like it. 3/5 is pretty good! It made enough for four leftover lunch portions, even after we had multiple helpings last night. (I used five chicken breasts.)

 

I've done ground meat, browned in the IP, then with pasta and a tomato based sauce in the IP too, and that works well also.

 

We love the Mac and cheese recipe from Dad Cooks Dinner too.

Does the chicken turn out all shredded or in small chunks? 

 

Also, any links or info on where to find exact recipes?

[NoPlaceLikeHome]

Just read post on making sure to only fill pot 1/2 full (both food item and liquid) when cooking beans, rice, and grains or soups or chili with beans,etc. And also it said to only fill to 2/3 max with other items to prevent an explosion. Apparently some instant pot liners are incorrectly marked for pressure cooking:

 

http://www.hippressurecooking.com/consumer-alert-max-fill-lines-too-high-for-pressure-programs/comment-page-1/#comment-30403

[zoobie]

Italian Sausage and Tortellini

 

With pot on Saute, brown sausage 2 mins or so per side. Add 1 jar of pasta sauce and 1/2 to 3/4 jar of water (depends on how thick your sauce is, but I'd err on the side of more). Manual high pressure 10 minutes. QR. Stir. Add fresh tortellini and manual high pressure for 3 minutes. QR. 

 

If you wanted to use dry pasta, add a full jar of water and cook for 5-6 minutes.

[happypamama]

Does the chicken turn out all shredded or in small chunks?

 

Also, any links or info on where to find exact recipes?

DH made the chicken more shredded than chunks. It just kind of falls apart. I normally would have cut it into two or three pieces per breast before cooking, but I didn't have time. So we cooked the chicken whole, and it turned mostly shreddy when he stirred it all up. It was good that way, I thought!