10 Easy Instant Pot Recipes for Brand New Owners have been hand picked by me, This Old Gal, to get you started on your Pressure Cooking journey.
10 Easy Instant Pot Recipes for New Owners
I hope you have been having fun shopping today and that you bought lots of fun things. If you have come to this page, you probably got a brand new Instant Pot Pressure Cooker! Congratulations.
**** Make sure to complete the “water test,” found on the recipe card below (way down below!), before making your first recipe.
For the best cookbook around, grab a copy of This Old Gal’s Pressure Cooker Cookbook. The recipes are upscale delicious recipes perfect for cozy family dinners and entertaining. Whether you are new to cooking or to pressure cooking, you will cook like a pro with my very detailed step by step directions. I am so thrilled to share some wonderful and easy beginner recipes with you, so let’s get started!
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Tips for New Instant Pot and Pressure Cooker Owners
- Instant Pot, Ninja Foodi Power Pressure Cooker, Power Quick Pot are brand names for multi-cookers, which include a pressure cook function. Most users will use their multi-cooker as a pressure cooker, more than any other cooking function.
- All my recipes are delicious and were written with the new pressure cooker users in mind and all these brands have all the safety features as the Instant Pot brand.
- Make sure you consider the time it takes for a pressure cooker to come up to pressure. It can take 5-20 minutes, depending on the recipe. If a recipe has a lot of liquid, like a soup for instance, the time to come up to pressure will be longer. Think of this akin to waiting for your oven to come up to temperature.
- Always check that you have the cooking pot in the housing of the unit before starting. It is a good idea to put a spatula across the top of the pot, while your inner cooking pot is away from the unit you don’t accidentally start throwing things into the pot to cook.
- Cooking smells will transfer onto the silicone gaskets, so it is important to own several. For very fragrant food, like my very popular Pressure Cooker Indian Butter Chicken {Murgh Makhani}, I keep one silicone gasket. Another one for mild recipes, like my Pressure Cooker Balsamic Ginger Chicken and one for side dishes and dessert recipes like my Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes (Pressure Cooker) (which has gone viral several times) and my Instant Pot Bourbon Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake (Pake) recipe. The silicone gaskets should be replaced about every six months. They should be washed after each use.
- Recipes can be cut in half, doubled, tripled, etc., depending on the size of your pot. All recipes can be made in any size pot without any adjustments to cooking directions.
10+ Very Easy Instant Pot Recipes
Instant Pot Greek Yogurt (Regular Yogurt too)
Instant Pot Yogurt
Thick Instant Pot Greek Yogurt is so simple to make. My very long tutorial, will have you making perfect thick and creamy Greek yogurt on your first try. Not only will you learn about making yogurt with your Instant Pot, you will also find recipes to use with the whey which you will get from straining the yogurt to make it become Greek yogurt. There are also many suggestions and recipes for sweetening the yogurt, such as Lemon Curd, Berry Compote and more.
1. Pressure Cooker Easy Hard Boiled Eggs
Pressure Cooker Easy Hard Boiled Eggs
My Pressure Cooker Easy Hard Boiled Eggs recipe is called “Easy,” for a reason. Forget the numbers game and learn the easy method.
1a. Instant Pot Egg Bites (Feta Cheese & Red Pepper)
Instant Pot Feta Cheese & Red Pepper Egg Bites
Instant Pot Egg Bites are velvety smooth, light and creamy. Feta cheese, oregano and red pepper give these Starbucks inspired Egg Bites a Greek flair. Pressure Cooker Egg Bites are keto and low carb.
1b. Instant Pot Tomato Tortellini Soup
Instant Pot Tomato Tortellini Soup is the perfect cool weather comfort food. A dump and push recipe, it’s full of flavor and deliciously creamy. The most versatile soup you will ever make!
2. Pressure Cooker Italian Drip Beef French Dip
Pressure Cooker Italian Drip Beef French Dip
Pressure Cooker Italian Drip Beef French Dip is wonderful for large parties, as the meat can be made in advance.
3. Pressure Cooker Summer Picnic Potato Salad
Pressure Cooker Summer Picnic Potato Salad
Pressure Cooker Summer Picnic Potato Salad is quick, easy and ready in less than 30 minutes. My secret ingredient makes this the best Potato Salad around
4. Pressure Cooker Russian Chicken with Rice
Pressure Cooker Russian Chicken with Rice
Pressure Cooker Russian Chicken is a sweet and tangy, juicy chicken dish that is ready in less than 30 minutes. It is a great freezer meal.
5. Pressure Cooker Salsa Lime Chicken with Cilantro Lime Rice
Pressure Cooker Salsa Lime Chicken with Cilantro Lime Rice
Pressure Cooker Salsa Lime Chicken with Cilantro Lime Rice is a one pot recipe for making great tacos, burritos, salads and more.
5a. Drive Thru Tacos & Burritos
Pressure Cooker Drive Thru Tacos
Make your own Pressure Cooker Drive Thru Tacos & Burritos and enjoy them fresh and hot right in your own home, without wondering what lurks in the meat.
6. Instant Pot Zesty BBQ Chicken
Instant Pot BBQ Chicken
Instant Pot BBQ Chicken is zesty and sweet, easily and quickly made in a pressure cooker. Pressure Cooker Zesty BBQ Chicken is perfect for weeknight meals.
6a. Instant Pot BBQ Ribs Sloppy Joes (Pressure Cooker)
Instant Pot Pressure Cooker BBQ Ribs Sloppy Joes
Instant Pot BBQ Ribs Sloppy Joes combine my Carolina Baby Back Ribs and the fan favorite Instant Pot Sloppy Joes for a Memphis barbecue treat.
This Old Gal’s Pressure Cooker Cookbook
My This Old Gal Pressure Cooker Cookbook is available on Amazon!!! Grab a copy for some incredible homemade recipes.
7. Pressure Cooker Macaroni and Cheese with Crispy Bacon Topping
Pressure Cooker Macaroni and Cheese with Crispy Bacon Topping
This Creamy Pressure Cooker Macaroni and Cheese is fully loaded with a Crispy Bacon Garlic Breadcrumb Topping, is comfort food at its best.
8. Pressure Cooker Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana (Italian Soup)
Instant Pot Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana Italian Soup
Pressure Cooker Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana (Italian Soup) tastes just like the famous soup you get at the restaurant, but is on your table in less than 30 minutes.
9. Pressure Cooker Super Simple BBQ Pork Spare Ribs
Pressure Cooker Super Simple BBQ Pork Spare Ribs
Pressure Cooker Super Simple BBQ Pork Spare Ribs can be on your table in less than one hour!
10. Pressure Cooker New York Cheesecake
Pressure Cooker Lindy’s New York Cheesecake
Simply the BEST New York Cheesecake around. Instant Pot New York Cheesecake is inspired by Lindy’s Restaurant in New York, known for their famous Cheesecake. This will blow your mind. Really it will!
I guarantee this will be the best cheesecake you have every had in your whole life. 🙂 Many folks in the Instant Pot Community have compared this recipe to other Instant Pot recipes and this version always wins! It’s probably the incredible top layer and the two ingredients used to brighten up the flavor that makes a huge difference.
There are hundreds of more recipes on my site, so take a look around.
Now that your mouth is watering, take a breath, relax and unpack your Instant Pot. Don’t forget to scroll down to see the “Water Test” and more goodies, which will make pressure cooking easy and fun.
Favorite Pressure Cooker Accessories
You will need a few accessories to go with your new Instant Pot. Check out my page of Recommended Accessories. The Cheesecake Pan, Steamer Basket and stainless steel flat bottomed insert pans, are must haves!
Here is what comes with your new Instant Pot:
Instant Pot – What comes in the box
In your box, you will find a stainless steel cooking pot, a trivet for cooking food above the water, a “rice” cup for measuring rice, two utensils (rice paddle and ladle) and a condensation collector.
Your Stainless Steel Cooking Pot must always be inside your Instant Pot casing. Do not pour anything into your Instant Pot, without the Stainless Steel Cooking Pot in place. The condensation collector gets attached to the upper back side of your Instant Pot. It snaps into place.
The first thing to do is a “Water Test.” Scroll down for the instructions. Basically, this Water Test is just to show you how your Instant Pot works, so that you feel confident in making your first recipe.
Have fun! I would love to know all about your first meal. Leave a comment in the box below and let me know what you cooked!
Caring is sharing! If you would like to support This Old Gal, please share this recipe on Social Media, so that I can continue to bring you more wonderful recipes!
If you share a picture of something you make from our blog, tag it with #thisoldgalcooks so we can see it. We might feature it on Instagram! It makes my day when I see you’ve made one of our recipes!
Here is your handy printable recipe:
Instructions
- Add two cups of water to your Instant Pot cooking pot. Check your lid to make sure your Silicone Sealing Ring (Gasket) is in place. That is the clear round ring that fits snugly inside your lid.
- Place the lid on your Instant Pot and line up the arrows. Turn the lid to the right, until it locks in place. Close the Pressure Valve on the lid. It toggles back and forth and is supposed to be loose.
- Press the" Manual" or "Pressure Cook" Button on the front of your Instant pot and then push the "-" Button until the timer says 5 minutes. That's it. In a few minutes, the silver pin will rise, letting you know that your Instant Pot is up to pressure. Your Instant Pot will go from "On," to 5 and count down.
- Once the time has reached 0, you will hear a Beep. Do nothing. The pressure will start to release on its own. This is called Natural Pressure Release ("NPR"). When the silver pin on the lid drops, it means that all the pressure has been released. Turn your Pressure Valve to Open and then open the lid on your Instant Pot.
- That's it. Push the "Off" button. You are ready to cook your first meal.
Nutrition
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10 Easy Instant Pot Recipes for Brand New Owners
