How to Make Your Life Easier with an Instant Pot

Pot roast in about 45 minutes. Kale. Hard-boiled eggs. Ribs. Quiche. Chicken wings. Cheesecake with no cracks in it. Steel-cut oatmeal. With an Instant Pot, these dishes are possible with less time, mess, skill, and fuss. We hear no mention of this seemingly miracle device among many of the mainstream-media chefs, but there’s a growing (not-so) underground movement bolstering this special multi-cooker.

Able to slash cooking time by 70 percent, the Instant Pot is the unexpected champion of kitchen appliances that has birthed its own genre of cookbooks, fan groups, and blogs. It does the job of seven kitchen appliances in one countertop device: pressure cooker, slow cooker, rice cooker, sauté pot, steamer, warmer, and yogurt maker. And it’s an Amazon best seller, with an average 4.7/5 rating out of almost 12,000 reviews. It’s like that old Crock-Pot craze, but multiplied by seven.

A hit for its efficiency and follow-through on all its promises, it’s especially won over busy full-time workers who have to come home and throw together meals without a plan. Besides decluttering your countertop and cooking super-fast (which is more than enough as it is!), the Instant Pot can relieve your pressure-cooker phobia with sensors to tell you when the lid is safely locked. The food world’s diverse special interest groups like the Paleo community, gluten-free eaters, and vegans are standing together behind the Instant Pot. (Why can’t it just be called the Instapot, and be done with it? Off topic…)

So check out the Instapot, ahem, Instant Pot options, and then a few of our hand-picked recipes that use them.

Top-Rated Instant Pot | Buy Now

Amazon

This is the one that earned almost 12,000 reviews averaging such a high rating. It’s officially called the Instant Pot IP-DUO60 7-in-1 Multi-Functional Pressure Cooker, 6Qt/1000W 7-in-1 Multi-Functional Cooker. Phew! That’s a mouthful.  The large control panel has14 programs, including dual pressure (high pressure cooks it fast, low pressure avoids overcooking delicate food), automatic keep-warm, and three temperatures for sautéing and slow cooking. There are 10 proven safety mechanisms. It has a three-ply bottom stainless steel cooking pot, stainless steel steam rack with handle, a manual, and recipes in English, Spanish, Chinese, and French. Buy it here.

Least Expensive | Buy Now

Amazon

There are 10 programs instead of 14 in this device that costs about $25 less than the most popular one. Called the Instant Pot IP-LUX60 6-in-1 Programmable Pressure Cooker, 6-Quart 1000-Watt 6-in-1 Multi-Functional Cooker, it includes a pressure cooker, sauté/browning, slow cooker, rice cooker, steamer, and warmer. It basically just doesn’t have the yogurt maker, which in many reviews, people didn’t use anyway. Buy it here.

High End | Buy Now

Amazon

For about $60 more than the popular one, this second-most popular version has bluetooth so you can program it with your phone. Called the Instant Pot IP-Smart Bluetooth-Enabled Multifunctional Pressure Cooker, Stainless Steel, you can program and monitor cooking with a free app from an Android, iPhone, or iPad. It has the same 14 built-in smart programs, dual pressure, automatic keep-warm and three temperatures for sauté, slow cook, and keep-warm. Besides the stainless steel steam rack with handle, manual, and recipes, it also comes with silicone mini mitts. Buy it here.

Cookbook| Buy Now

Amazon

You might want some recipes besides the few that come with the manual and whatever you find online. The Instant Pot Electric Pressure Cooker Cookbook: Easy Recipes for Fast & Healthy Meals is an Amazon shopper favorite. You’ll explore a variety of healthy, easy-to-make pressure cooker recipes ― from savory breakfasts to hearty stews to decadent desserts. And there are vegetarian, gluten-free, and Paleo-friendly options so it can be your go-to guide for fuss-free, all-in-one cooking. You’ll get 100 low-maintenance recipes that can take 20 to 45 minutes. Buy it here.

Also, check out these recipe ideas:

Lemongrass Coconut Chicken

Nomnompaleo

This weeknight recipe converts a NomnomPaleo blog fave from a slow cooker recipe into an easy 30-minute meal. It’s a Thai-inspired chicken stew packed with the cook’s favorite flavors, and it pairs perfectly with cauliflower rice and stir-fried bok choy. Get the recipe.

Butternut Squash Risotto

makerealfood

This is a vegan and gluten-free dinner idea that takes a wonderful dish (risotto) that usually takes a lot of time and stirring. This one can be done in 15 minutes and mostly hands-off. There’s also greens, red bell pepper, garlic, mushrooms, and spices inside this creamy dish. Get the recipe.

Garlic Herb Pot Roast

Wellness Mama

Pot Roast is a go-to recipe for slow cookers, and so it is with this new tool. But an eight-hour recipe takes about 45 minutes with an Instant Pot. Somehow with the Instant Pot, the flavors intensify and the meat gets more tender, so less seasoning is needed. Get the recipe.

Lentil Spinach Dal

flavorrd

Straightforward, inexpensive, this is a great recipe that you can remember without the recipe in no time and make whenever. Besides being packed with flavor, those spices — turmeric, cumin, coriander, cayenne, and garlic — all offer functional health benefits to reduce inflammation in the body. Get the recipe.

Pressure Cooker Meat Lovers Crustless Quiche

Pressure Cooking Today

OK, in a way, this is more like a frittata. It’s a crustless quiche loaded with ham, bacon, sausage, and cheese that “bakes” up light and fluffy in the Instant Pot. Of course, you can easily adjust the recipe to what you have on hand, one of the beauties of quiche (or frittatas). Get the recipe.

Instant Pot Oreo Cheesecake

My Baking Addiction

We promised cheesecake, and we deliver. This one is creamy, dense, and yep, no cracks at the cook’s first try. You’ll still need a springform pan. And yeah, Oreos. Get the recipe.

Related Video: How to Make Instant Pot Baby Back Ribs

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7 Things to Know About Making Cold Brew Coffee at Home (+ a Recipe!)

Have questions about making cold brew coffee at home? You've come to the right place! From what's the best kind of coffee to buy to ways to flavor your cold brew, we have answers for your most burning questions.

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Chicken Larb Lettuce Wraps (Larb Gai)

Ever had chicken larb?! If you're looking for a quick, super flavorful, and spicy meal, look no further than this spin on Laotian chicken larb. Use either ground chicken or turkey and serve it in sweet, buttery lettuce wraps.

Continue reading "Chicken Larb Lettuce Wraps (Larb Gai)" »

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Brew Up a Pot of Beer Chili Based on Your Favorite Style of Ale or Lager

International Cold Soups to Enjoy Before Cooler Fall Temperatures

On the one hand, summer is over. On the other hand, the peak summer temperature in Krakow, Poland is only in the 60s! One region’s autumn weather is another’s summer, so rein in those pumpkin spice cravings and keep the good times going with a few more weeks of refreshing, summery dishes—specifically, chilled soups!

Borscht

Kate Battistelli

Let’s get this cold soup train rolling with an Eastern European favorite: borscht! While there are many varieties of borscht, we are talking about the particularly creamy and cool summer version with beets and dill. This borscht recipe includes lemon juice, scallions, and yogurt or sour cream, as well, creating a bright, veggie-forward soup to enjoy as a lighter main dish served with crusty bread, or as a side.

Polish Chlodnik is similar, but tangier with the addition of radishes, kefir, and sauerkraut or pickle juice. Both the Polish recipe and this Lithuanian Šaltibarščiai recipe include cucumbers and should be served with dill and halved hard-boiled eggs. If you have an affinity for a particular Eastern European country, you can likely find another regional version of this cold beet soup to try out!

Gazpacho

Wholesomelicious

Though Lisa Simpson “made enough gazpacho for all,” it didn’t go over too well at her family barbecue. Don’t get hung up on how the citizens of Springfield perceive this chilled, tomato soup; give it a try yourself with this recipe for Real Spanish Gazpacho. Ripe tomatoes, cucumbers, garlic, onion, and green pepper are blended with oil, vinegar, spices, and also bread, to create a tangy and slightly acidic flavor.

For a fresh and summery, albeit not-so-authentic twist, try our recipe for Watermelon Gazpacho. And, if you’d like to stray even farther from the classic, you can try our recipe for Cucumber and Green Grape Gazpacho, which ditches the tomatoes entirely.

Okroshka

Natasha’s Kitchen

Let’s head back east for a different type of Russian soup, with this recipe for Okroshka. With ham, potatoes, and hard-boiled eggs, this is a hearty soup that requires no added butter or oil. Like the borscht recipes, this soup uses dill and tangy ingredients—specifically vinegar and sour cream. And, as with most recipes, you can substitute Greek yogurt for the sour cream for a bit less fat and a little more protein.

Vichyssoise

Noshing with the Noland’s

Conversely, you can embrace fat, calories, and everything creamy and wonderful with a French style of cold soup, using this recipe for Julia Child’s Vichyssoise. Potatoes and leeks are made more delectable with chives and heavy cream, all blended smooth and served chilled or at room temperature. Remember to use caution when blending hot liquids; if using a standing blender, add a little soup at a time and hold a towel over the top!

Hiyashijiru

No Recipes

From the Miyazaki region of Japan, you can try this next cold soup which is served over hot rice, highlighting a mixture of temperatures and textures. This recipe for Hiyashijiru (Chilled Cucumber Sesame Soup) uses some ingredients you might be a little unfamiliar with, including dashi, shiso, and shichimi. Dashi is a Japanese stock, which can be made using this recipe or purchased in powder form at Asian grocery stores or online. Shiso is spicy, cinnamon-y plant used in Asian cooking, also more likely found at an Asian grocery store. As for the shichimi, you can make this blend of spices yourself using our recipe for Shichimi Togarashi.

Brazilian Black Bean Soup

The Kitchy Kitchen

Finally, we will head to South America for a soup which can be served hot or cold. Coconut milk makes this recipe for Brazilian Black Bean Soup creamy and delicious when blended with the onion, garlic, jalapeño, and black bean base. Garnish with cotija cheese, green onion, and cilantro, and you have a soup that works well all year long!

Indian Summer, global warming, or just a hot fall day—whatever you call it, it goes well with a chilled soup. And, if you’re still stuck on summer being over, just remember that for Icelanders, summertime means swimming in 50-degree weather. A little outside perspective, and you might just keep the chilled soups going through November!

Related Video: How to Make Chilled Avocado Soup

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8 Easy Slow Cooker Pasta Sauces to Last You All Week

Header image: Slow Cooker Beef Goulash from Chowhound

Generally speaking, pasta isn’t the sort of dish you turn to when you’re looking for a big, complicated cooking project. There are some exceptions, like lasagna. But for the most part, it’s a go-to when you want a quick dinner on the table with minimal effort. And ideally, it should require only three steps: boil water + cook pasta + add sauce.

Okay, water and pasta are simple enough, but what about the sauce? If you’re thinking about that store bought stuff from a jar, fuggedaboutit. You can do so much better than that. Instead, let’s turn to the crock pot: think of it as a sauce-making machine that will turn out homemade, slow cooked bologneses and marinaras that will make that plate of spaghetti all the more amazing to behold.

There’s a little more to it than just throwing some tomatoes all willy nilly into the crock, though. Here are seven recipes that will show you how to make slow cooker pasta sauces that come together at the push of a button.

1. Slow Cooker Spaghetti Bolognese

Chowhound

There’s no way around it: real deal bolognese is a slow simmering affair. Your nonna might have made it by spending hours at the stove, stirring away. We like to throw it in the slow cooker and consider our work done. Get our Slow Cooker Spaghetti Bolognese recipe.

2. Slow Cooker Beef Goulash

Chowhound

Egg noodles love a hearty and rich sauce, the kind that sticks to and coats each piece in a thick, glossy sheen. Our slow cooker beef goulash brings all the beefy, lip-sticking goodness that those twirls demand. Get our Slow Cooker Beef Goulash recipe.

3. Slow Cooker Marinara

Budget Bytes

It’s always a good idea to have some marinara stored away to use on pastas, pizzas, and more. You can easily make a large batch of this one in the slow cooker and freeze up any extras for another day. Get the recipe here.

4. Crock Pot Cheesy Chicken Spaghetti

Lauren\’s Latest

There’s nothing like a good cream sauce to satisfy any comfort food cravings. With diced peppers, a healthy dash of spice, and fork-shredded chicken, this recipe takes that hankering to the max, giving classic alfredo something of a Tex-Mex makeover. Get the recipe here.

5. Slow Cooker Beef and Cheese Pasta

The Cooking Jar

Italian-American cuisine has a few signature ingredients: red sauce, herb-based seasonings, and lots of melty mozzarella cheese. Here, they all come together in a sauce that would have its place in Little Italy. Get the recipe here.

6. Slow-Cooker Pork Shoulder With Tomatoes, Fennel, and Pasta

Serious Eats

Just because slow cooker sauces are easy doesn’t mean that they can’t be sophisticated, too. This hearty concoction with chunks of tender pork is definitely worthy of a classy dinner party or special meal with family or friends. Get the recipe here.

7. Crockpot Enchilada Pasta

Crockpot Gourmet

Although it’s got tomatoes at its heart, the beans, corn, and spices in this enchilada-inspired sauce take things in a totally unexpected direction. Break out the hot sauce for this one. Get the recipe here.

8. Spicy Turkey Lasagna

Better Homes & Gardens

Let your slow cooker do the heavy lifting while you relax with a glass of wine. Get the recipe here.

Related video: How to Hack Your Slow Cooker

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13 Appetizers You Won’t Believe Came Out of the Slow Cooker

When you have a holiday party or dinner, you can’t give every dish equal attention. Appetizers can keep your guests sated while you focus on the main course, so you don’t want to spend too much time on them. For appetizer-only parties, well, some of those hors d’oeuvres will still need to sit on the back burner while you focus on others. Enter the Crock-Pot (or other slow cooker). Typically tasked with breaking down tough cuts of meat, a slow cooker can also be your secret weapon in the appetizer realm. And we’re not talking just meatballs or chili. We mean to make something fancy-schmancy or unexpected. Next time it’s your turn to host cocktails at home, bust out the recipe for one of these appetizers.

1.French Onion Dip

Chowhound

Caramelized onions are so sweet and succulent, and you get them that way like nothing else when you put them in a Crock-Pot for seven hours. This is a crazy good dip. Get our Slow-Cooker French Onion Dip recipe.

2. Duck Confit

Chowhound

Making duck confit legs in a slow cooker is as easy as combining the melted fat and cured duck legs and walking away, only to return a few hours later to meltingly tender, flavorful meat. When it’s done, shred the meat, season it, and pile it on toasts with goat cheese and a bit of cranberry preserves for a great holiday app. Get our Slow Cooker Duck Confit recipe.

3. Slow Cooker Bacon Compote

Chowhound

A spoonful of rich, sweet, and smoky bacon compote spooned onto crostini or mini biscuits spread with goat cheese is one of our all-time favorite appetite stokers. Nothing could be simpler—you start by frying lots of bacon and draining, then cooking onions with vinegar, garlic, molasses, and coffee for 3 ½ or 4 hours, till everything is luscious and dark. Get our Slow Cooker Bacon Compote recipe.

4. Slow Cooker Bourbon Ribs

Chowhound

Small, succulent baby back ribs are fantastic appetizers, especially when there’s a couple of hours of football to watch before Thanksgiving dinner starts. Here, you start by making a barbecue sauce flavored with bacon. Add the ribs (previously dry-rubbed with an herb, salt, and sugar mix) and simmer up to 5 hours, till the meat is falling off the bones. Get our Slow Cooker Bourbon Ribs recipe.

5. Hot Wings

Chowhound

The secret to these wings—which can skew Buffalo-style, Asian, or Latin, depending on your choice of hot sauce—is crisping them in a preheated oven at the very end for a browned color, flavor, and texture. Get our Slow Cooker Hot Wings recipe.

6. Steamed Artichokes

The Kitchn

For a healthy snack or starter, try steaming whole globe artichokes in your crock pot. Serve them with red wine vinegar and olive oil for dipping. Get The Kitchn’s Slow Cooker Artichoke recipe.

7. Cocktail Meatballs

Every Little Thing Blog

Cocktail meatballs feel appropriate for any occasion, whether you’re throwing a tailgate or a highbrow holiday fete. Bonus idea: Prep and freeze, then defrost and pop ’em into the cooker when it’s go time. Get Every Little Thing Blog’s Slow Cooker Cocktail Meatballs recipe.

8. Party Mix

Chowhound

The best party mixes are evenly seasoned, and leave your fingers a little sticky with spice. Achieve this by combining a medley of bite-sized crackers with butter, spices, and liquid smoke, then heating the party mix in the crock pot until dry and warm. Get our Slow Cooker Party Mix recipe.

9. Boiled Peanuts

Add a Pinch

Boiled peanuts, a Low Country favorite, are simple to make but require a watchful eye. Eliminate the caveat here by cooking peanuts in the slow cooker instead. Get Add a Pinch’s Slow Cooker Boiled Peanuts recipe.

10. Cheese Fondue

Chowhound

Here’s a dirty secret that specialty kitchen stores don’t want you to know: You don’t need a fondue pot to make great fondue. Use a crock pot for our Alpine-inspired version; just make sure to stir the dip often. Get our Cheese Fondue recipe.

11. Cocktail Sausages

Damn Delicious

Use your slow cooker to warm toothpick-friendly cocktail sausages, and infuse them with a sweet-tangy-spicy mix of brown sugar, Dijon mustard, and Sriracha sauce. Get Damn Delicious’s Slow Cooker Cocktail Sausages recipe.

12. Roasted Garlic

Shockingly Delicious

There’s hardly a more gratifying pleasure than the simple act of smoothing a clove of roast garlic on toast; step away from the oven in favor of the lower-maintenance slow cooker instead. Get Shockingly Delicious’s Slow Cooker Roasted Garlic recipe.

13. Marinated Artichoke Hearts

Pop Sugar/America’s Test Kitchen

Marinated artichoke hearts is a classic antipasto, but with a slow cooker, the artichokes develop a deep, complex flavor that you don’t normally enjoy. Get the recipe.

Related video: How to Make a Beautiful Hummus Appetizer

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