We have crock pots, aka slow cookers, so what’s all the buzz about an Instant Pot? Pull up a chair and we’ll tell you! An Instant Pot isn’t just a slow cooker or a pressure cooker. This amazing creation is a true multi-cooker! It sears, browns, and sautes food like a skillet on the stove. It steams delicate items like fish, eggs, and vegetables. It doubles as a standalone electric rice cooker. It bakes bread, cakes, and other desserts such as custards, flan, and the ever-popular cheesecake! Some even come with special yogurt modes. And yes, of course, they work as a slow cooker, too! This near magic kitchen genie in a cooker pretty much does it all. Now all you need to complete the happily ever after story of an Instant Pot is some fabulous recipes and here they are!
Butternut Squash Soup
This is the spot-on, creamy dish with just a touch of fall spices to create the perfect meal for a chilly night!
Ingredients
1 large butternut squash, approximately 3 cups, peeled, seeded, cubed, and divided
1 medium yellow onion, chopped and divided
4 tablespoons butter
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons sea salt, or to taste
3 cups coconut water
½ cup unsweetened coconut milk
3 tablespoons maple syrup
Instructions
-Turn the Instant Pot on ‘Sauté’ and using the ‘Adjust’ button, adjust the pot to ‘Normal’ and allow it to warm up for a few minutes or until the pot reads ‘Hot’.
-Add four tablespoons of butter and allow it to melt.
-Sauté the butter, continually stirring and scraping the bottom with a spoon or spatula until the butter begins to brown evenly, about 2-3 minutes.
-When the butter is a light golden brown, add 3 cups of the butternut squash and 1 cup of the onions to the pot and stir until fully coated.
-Allow them to sit untouched for 4-5 minutes to begin to brown and caramelize on the bottom.
-Toss the squash and onion, let them cook for another few minutes, then toss again.
-Repeat until the squash and onion have begun to brown and caramelize on all sides, approximately 12-14 minutes.
-Add the garlic and spices and sautée for an additional 2-3 minutes.
-Turn off the ‘Sauté’ feature and add the remaining butternut squash and onion.
-Add the salt and coconut water, mixing well, scraping the bottom as you mix.
-Close the Instant Pot and set the pressure release valve to ‘Sealing’ and set the pot to cook at ‘High Pressure’ for 30 minutes using the ‘Soup’ function.
-When the cooking time has completed, allow a 10-minute natural pressure release.
-When completed, release any remaining pressure and open the pot.
-Using an immersion blender, puree all of the ingredients in the pot.
-Blend coconut milk and maple syrup into the soup.
-It’s now ready to serve!
Instant Pot Taco Soup
This quick and easy soup is loaded with a little bit of Tex mixed with some Mex for a fiesta-filled bowl of taco flavor! Best of all, it’s ready in only 30 minutes!
Ingredients
2 pounds of lean ground beef
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cups yellow onion, diced
2 envelopes of McCormick Taco Seasoning
2 cans 14 ½ ounce cans of fire roasted tomatoes, undrained
1 15 ounce can of red kidney beans, undrained
1 15 ounce can of black beans, undrained
1 15 ounce can of pinto beans, undrained
1 15 ¼ ounce can of whole kernel corn, drained
2 4 ½ cans diced green chiles
4 cups organic, unsalted chicken broth
Instructions
-Turn the Instant Pot on ‘Sauté’ and using the ‘Adjust’ button, adjust the temperature setting to ‘More’ and allow the pot to heat up until the digital display reads ‘Hot’.
-Add the oil to the pot and allow it to heat up for about 30 seconds.
-Add the diced onion and saute continually tossing until soft and slightly brown on the edges, 4 to 5 minutes.
-Add the ground beef to the pot and using a large wooden or silicone spoon, break the meat into small pieces as it cooks.
-Continue cooking until browned, 5 to 7 minutes.
-Add the taco seasoning to the beef, and continue cooking for another 1 to 2 minutes
-Turn the ‘Sauté’ feature off and add the diced tomatoes, beans, corn, green chiles, and chicken stock to the pot, mixing well.
-Close the pot and set it to ‘Sealing’.
-Select the ‘Soup’ function and set the cook time to 10 minutes.
-When the cook time has completed, allow a 10-minute natural pressure release (NPR).
-When the 10-minute NPR has finished, release any remaining pressure from the pot before opening.
Buffalo Chicken Chowder
Buffalo sauces and flavors have taken the country by stampede and this tasty pot full won’t let you down! Instant Pots have several steps so we will leave you with the easiest one which is only 30 minutes in the instant pot or you can load it and leave it in a slow cooker!
Ingredients
2-3 pounds of boneless chicken breast
Olive oil to coat the pot
1 white onion chopped
1 cup diced celery
1 cup diced carrots
1 ½ cups diced potatoes
5 cups organic chicken broth
¾ cup Franks buffalo hot sauce
⅔ cup half and half
Instructions
For the Instant Pot:
-Set your Instant Pot to saute.
-Coat the bottom of the pot with oil.
-Add in onion and sauté for 2-3 minutes.
-Select cancel.
-Place chicken, celery, carrots, potatoes, chicken broth, and buffalo sauce on top of the chicken.
-Add chicken broth.
-Secure the lid.
-Select the manual function on your IP and cook on high pressure for 12 minutes.
-Use a quick release to release steam.
-When steam is completely released, remove lid.
-Add half and half.
Slow Cooker Option:
-Place chicken breast at the bottom of the slow cooker.
-Top with onion, celery, carrots, potatoes, chicken broth, and buffalo sauce.
-Cook on low for 4 hours or until potatoes are done.
-Remove lid and stir in half and half.