The Instant Pot is simply a multi-function cooker brand – there are other brands that are just as good, I’m sure. The most used mode in my kitchen is the pressure cooker mode. Whenever one of my recipes suggests using the Instant Pot, you can use any type of pressure cooker. Pressure cookers may not be used as frequently today as in generations past, when our grandmothers and mother’s relied on them, but I find pressure cooking to offer unique benefits. It produced tender meats in no time, even from frozen. Soups in no time with flavor profiles that suggest that you’ve been stirring all afternoon. Tender beans without soaking. Perfectly fluffy rice. I highly recommend pressure cooking.
| Food item | Cook Time | NPR or QR |
| beans | Add the beans and water to the Instant Pot – 1 part dried beans; 3 parts water: Great Northern – 38 minutes Navy – 35 minutes Note: 1 cup of dried beans yields approximately 3 cups of cooked beans. | full NPR |
| chicken breasts (frozen) | 1 cup of water; 15 minutes high pressure | 5 min NPR |
| chicken leg quarters (frozen) | 25 minutes high pressure Note: only 1 cup of water is needed, but you can add 2 or 3 cups of water if you’re planning to use the broth. | 12 min NPR |
| macaroni and cheese | see recipe – Mac and Cheese with Veg | |
| oatmeal (McCann’s steel-cut Irish oatmeal) | 1 cup oats; 2 1/2 cups water 5 minutes | full NPR |
| rice | Add equal parts rice and water to Instant Pot, and pressure cook for the indicated amount of time: Brown rice – 18 minutes White rice – 8 minutes Wild rice – 18 minutes Basmati rice – 8 minutes Jasmine rice – 6 minutes | no less than 15 minutes NPR |