Instant Pot one-pot recipes are the perfect solution to busy weekday dinners. Quick and easy one pot meals that include protein, vegetables and a starch will keep you going for a while, and who can complain about a one pot cleanup… But tasty one pot meals are also the perfect answer for stress free entertaining. Upgrade a few ingredients (such as replace green beans with artichokes in our one pot chicken dinner recipe below), add a little wine to the mix, and your guests will be singing your praise and looking forward to your next invitation.
Traditional Pot Roast
This chuck roast recipe is likely to become a regular on the menu. Add a side of crostini topped with garlic butter or parmesan, and it is elegant enough for casual dining with friends and family. Prep your veggies once you have started cooking the pot roast to save time.
Prep time: 15 minutes
Sauté time: approximately 15 minutes
Active cook time: 63 minutes combined + time to come to pressure
Natural release: 10 minutes + 5 minutes for vegetables
Serves: 4-6
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3-4-pound chuck roast, trimmed
Sea salt & black pepper
4 cups beef broth, preferably organic, divided
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
1 tablespoon cocoa powder, unsweetened
1½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ small red onion, diced
3 large carrots, diced
1 pound multi-colored fingerling potatoes, halved
1 pound green beans, trimmed
3 tablespoons fresh parsley leaves, chopped (optional)
1. Add the olive oil to the Instant Pot® inner cooking pot and select the Sauté function. Use the Adjust button to select the More (high) setting.
2. Once hot, add the roast and season with salt and black pepper to taste. Sear the roast on all sides, approximately 3-4 minutes per side. Remove roast from Instant Pot® and transfer to a platter. Set aside.
3. Deglaze Instant Pot® inner pot by adding the beef broth and gently scraping the bottom with a rubber spatula to release the brown bits. Add the tomato paste, Italian seasoning, cocoa powder and garlic powder; stir to combine. Push the Keep Warm/Cancel button to turn off the Sauté function.
4. Return the roast to the Instant Pot® and add the lid. Lock lid into place and set vent to Sealing. Select the Manual button and adjust to the High setting if necessary. Set cook time to 60 minutes.
5. When cook time is over, allow pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes before doing a Quick Release on any remaining pressure. Add onion, carrots, potatoes and green beans on top of the roast.
6. Cover and lock the lid into place. Set the vent to Sealing and push the Manual button (should still be on High). Adjust cook time to 3 minutes.
7. When cook time is complete, allow pressure to release naturally for 5 minutes before doing a Quick Release on any remaining pressure.
8. Carefully remove lid and transfer roast and vegetables to a serving platter. Serve immediately garnished with fresh parsley leaves.
Corned Beef & Cabbage
This traditional Irish dish is perfect for St Patrick’s Day or anytime you feel like a hearty beef meal really. Cooking corned beef in the Instant Pot allows it to remain moist and flavorful even though this gluten-free version relies on chicken or beef broth instead of dark beer as the cooking liquid. Save time by getting your beef started first, then prep your veggies while it cooks!
Prep time: 15 minutes
Active cook time: 88 minutes combined + time to come to pressure
Natural release: 10 minutes + 5 minutes for vegetables
Serves: 4-6
6 large cloves garlic, peeled and minced
2 small (or 1 medium) yellow onions, chopped
2 bay leaves
2 cup chicken or beef broth, preferably organic
1 cup water
2½-4-pound corned beef brisket with spice pack
Sea salt and black pepper
5 large carrots, cut into strips
1 pound red potatoes, quartered
½ large cabbage head, sliced
1. Add garlic, onions and bay leaves to Instant Pot® container; pour broth and water on top. Insert the Instant Pot® trivet with handles up for easy removal.
2. Place brisket fat-side down on the trivet and season with salt and black pepper to taste. Sprinkle the packet of corned beef spices included with the brisket on top.
3. Add lid and lock into place. Set vent to Sealing and select the Manual button. Adjust to High setting and set cook time to 85 minutes.
4. When cook time is complete, allow pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes before doing a Quick Release on any remaining pressure. Remove brisket by carefully lifting trivet out by the handles using potholders and transfer to a platter. Set aside and keep warm.
5. Return trivet to the Instant Pot®; add carrots, potatoes and cabbage on top. Cover and lock lid into place. Set vent to Sealing and select Manual button. Adjust cook time to 3 minutes.
6. Once cook time is over, allow pressure to release naturally for 5 minutes before doing a Quick Release on the remaining pressure.
7. Transfer cooked vegetables to serving platter with the corned beef. Slice beef against the grain and serve immediately along with the vegetables.
Stuffed Peppers
Serves 4-6
4 large peppers (green, red and/or yellow), cut and seeds removed
1 lb. ground lean beef or turkey
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp black pepper
1 medium onion (diced)
1 can french onion soup
2 x ¼ cup water
1 ½ cups uncooked rice
1 tbsp. coconut oil (or any cooking oil)
1. Set your pressure cooker to Sauté mode.
2. When cooker is hot, add oil to pot, then add diced onions. Sauté onions until brown and caramelized.
3. Add ground meat, salt and pepper. Brown meat, breaking it into small pieces.
4. Add a french onion soup, rice and water. Mix. There will already be some liquid from the meat, so be careful not to add too much water to the mixture so the rice won’t get too wet.
5. Cancel Sauté mode. Cover cooker, making sure to lock the lid. Set steam release to seal.
6. Set cooker to high pressure for 8 minutes.
7. Quick Release after cooking is done. Stir rice & meat mixture.
8. Stuff green peppers with mixture.
9. Remove extra mixture from cooker. Add about ¼ cup water to cooker.
10. Return stuffed peppers to cooker, set cooker to steam or 4 minutes on high pressure.
11. Quick or Natural Release after cooking time.
12. Serve hot.
One Pot Creamy Chicken & Rice
Serves 4-6
1 tbsp cooking oil
2 piece chicken breast, cut into bite-sized chunks
1 tsp chopped garlic
1 tsp salt
¼ tsp black pepper
1 cup uncooked rice (washed)
1 cup chicken broth (or 1 tsp chicken base + 1 cup water)
½ cup heavy cream
2 cups green beans
1. Set pressure cooker to Sauté mode. Once hot, heat cooking oil. Add garlic, salt, pepper and cut chicken. Stir until chicken is about half cooked.
2. Add uncooked rice and chicken broth. Mix well. Cover and set pressure cooker to cook on high pressure for 8-10 minutes. Allow longer if using brown rice.
3. Quick Release. Add cream and stir.
4. Add green beans; cover and cook on high pressure for another 2 minutes.
5. Quick Release and serve hot.
Jambalaya
Serves 4-6
1 case sausage
½ lb raw large shrimp
1 lb chicken cut into bite sized chunks
1 medium onion finely diced
3 medium bell peppers, finely diced
1 tbsp creole seasoning
½ tsp salt
1 can crushed tomatoes
2½ cups chicken broth
1½ cup rice
1 tbsp oil
1. Set pot to Sauté mode to heat oil.
2. Add chicken, creole seasoning and salt to heated oil; brown chicken, remove and set aside.
3. Place onions and bell peppers in pot and cook until translucent.
4. Return chicken to pot. Add rice, crushed tomatoes and chicken broth, and mix well.
5. Cover and set pot to rice (high pressure at 12 minutes).
6. Quick Release. Add sausage in a layer on top of rice; then place shrimp in a layer on top of sausage.
7. Set pot to cook on Manual mode for 2 minutes.
8. Once cooking is done, Natural or Quick Release. Fluff rice, mixing sausage and shrimp well with rice.
Carnitas Meat
Carnitas meat can be used as a base for a multitude of quickly assembled dishes, such as these Mexican favorites:
. tamale pie with a corn topping – just as good as pork tamales without the fuss;
. tacos de carnitas or tacos filled with carnitas meat;
. carnitas burritos, tortilla-wrapped and filled with your choice of rice, refried beans, cheese, tomato slices, lettuce, guacamole, sour cream, salsa or pico de gallo – or even eggs, bacon or sausage and hash browns for a special breakfast;
. carnitas tortas, brioche or other bun sandwich stuffed with avocado, cheeses, refried beans, tomato, onion and chili pepper.
Serves 4-6
2 lbs pork shoulder
2 tbsp finely chopped garlic
1 medium onion finely chopped
1 tsp pepper
2 tsp salt
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp chipotle powder
1 tsp cumin
2 bay leaves
1 cup orange juice
1 lime
1 small can green chiles
2 tbsp oil
1. Set pot to Sauté mode. Heat oil.
2. Mix pepper, salt, chili powder, cumin, chipotle powder. Sprinkle liberally over pork.
3. Brown pork on all sides in hot oil.
4. Remove pork and set aside.
5. In hot pot, add garlic, onion, green chiles and broth; deglaze pot.
6. Place pork back into pot. Cover, lock and set to cook on high pressure for 30 minutes. Natural Release.
7. Shred pork; squeeze lime over shredded pork.
Baked Brie & Apple Appetizer
This super easy and delicious appetizer is perfect for holiday and other gatherings when your oven is already in use for other items. TIP: Serve with crackers, crostini or perhaps sliced apples tossed in lemon juice to prevent browning.
Prep time: 10 minutes
Sauté time: 2-3 minutes
Active cook time: 5 minutes
Natural release: 10 minutes
Serves: 4-6
1 8-oz round of Brie
2 large baking apples, cored and chopped
½ medium orange peeled and chopped, with juice
2 tablespoons red onion, chopped
2 teaspoons fresh ginger, finely minced
¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground cloves
½ teaspoon dried rosemary
3 tablespoons honey, preferably local
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ cup apple cider
¼ cup pecans, roughly chopped
Fresh thyme or rosemary sprigs for garnish
1. Carefully cut top off the round of Brie and place inside a round heat-proof bowl just large enough to hold it. Place the rind back on top of the Brie and cover tightly with aluminum foil. Set aside.
2. Add chopped apples, orange, onion, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, rosemary, honey, salt and apple cider to the Instant Pot®; stir to combine.
3. Place the prepared round of Brie on the trivet that comes with the Instant Pot® and carefully lower into the unit with the trivet arms up for easy removal.
4. Lock lid into place and flip the pressure valve to Sealing; set the Manual setting to High for 5 minutes.
5. When cook time is complete, allow pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes, then do a Quick Release for any remaining pressure. Once the pin drops and no additional steam comes out, carefully remove the lid before lifting out the trivet and Brie with potholders. Set aside.
6. Select the Sauté function on the highest setting. Bring the fruit mixture to a low boil while stirring frequently. Heat until the mixture thickens, approximately 2-3 minutes. Turn unit off.
7. Remove foil and the top piece of rind from the warm Brie. To serve, transfer to a platter and spoon some of the fruit mixture on top. Sprinkle with the chopped pecans and garnish with small sprigs of fresh rosemary and/or thyme.
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