40 Whole30 Instant Pot Recipes: Healthy Recipes Made Easy - Whole Kitchen Sink (2024)

FAQs

What can't you make in an instant pot? ›

Among them are dairy and fried foods, as well as burgers and steaks. These foods are not Instant-Pot-friendly for a multitude of reasons. And while Instant Pots are a useful tool when baking cheesecake, custard, or mousse, it's definitely not the best method for other types of desserts.

Check your recipe, and set the device to the correct pressure level (high or low), then add the amount of time you'd like things to cook. High pressure is used for most recipes, with low used more often for quicker cooking and more delicate ingredients, like seafood, custards, some rice dishes and eggs.

Does The Instant Pot Really Save Time? According to my research, pressure cooking can cook most foods in 1/3 less time than other cooking methods and even up to 10 times faster! The steam pressure inside the pressure cooker cooks food much, much more rapidly than just boiling or baking food.

Cooking in an “instant pot” or pressure cooker is a great method for preparing your food on many levels — including the nutritional level, according to registered dietitian Beth Czerwony, RD. “Instant pot recipes are absolutely healthy as long as what you put in the recipe is healthy,” she says.

Even though some studies suggest that pressure cooking isn't the best way to preserve nutrients in food, no research exists to suggest that pressure cookers of any model or brand pose health risks. If you're a fan of your Instant Pot, don't worry: You can continue to safely use your appliance without worry.

The short answer is good news. It is generally safe to use aluminum foil in an Instant Pot, but it is important to use it properly to avoid damaging the appliance or creating a potential safety hazard.

You can still pressure cook leaner pieces – like eye of round and top sirloin – but these work best if they've been stuffed, shredded or rolled (with other ingredients). Best cuts of beef to use: Chuck steak, Round Roast, Shoulder, Pot roast, Ribs, Brisket, Oxtail.

It's incredibly user-friendly and acts as a slow cooker, rice cooker, steamer, sauté pan, and the coveted pressure cooker. Aside from an oven, it might be the only real cooking gadget you need.

Unfortunately, once you overcook a piece of meat in the pressure cooker, there's no going back. You'll be left with a pile of dry, crunchy, tasteless fibers and no amount of additional pressure cooking is going to put that moisture back into the meat.

What happens if you put too much in an Instant Pot? ›

Overfilling your Instant Pot can affect the pressure that builds up inside, so you might end up with a mushy meal, or one that doesn't cook properly. Also, an overly-full Instant Pot can lead to a clogged pressure release knob, because food and liquid can get sucked up inside.

Cooking time: When cooking a pot roast in an Instant Pot, allow 20 minutes for every pound of meat. For example, cook a 2-pound pot roast at high pressure for 40 minutes and a 3-pound pot roast for 60 minutes.

Avoid cooking deep-fried foods, cream-based soups, cakes, fruit desserts, and spinach in a pressure cooker. Deep-fried foods won't be crispy, cream-based soups may curdle, cakes may lose texture, fruit desserts can become mushy, and spinach can turn mushy too quickly.

Mostly we boil potatoes in a pressure cooker, but like rice, potatoes also contain a lot of starch. This is the reason why boiling or cooking in this pressure cooker is not considered good for health. If you still plan to use cooker for the same, add a lot of water and wash them thoroughly post cooking.

If higher temperatures are necessary, preheat the pan on medium for a few minutes. Nylon, plastic, wooden or rubber utensils are preferred. Metal utensils may be used with care, but don't cut in the pan.