Before you start rocking back and forth singing “Under Pressure,” chill. You’re not Queen or David Bowie, and you have no reason to stress out about a pressure cooker. Instant pot recipes are all the rage, so it’s only natural that we take a step back from our beloved crock pots to revisit the classic cooking method that is pressure cooking. You’re probably picturing the terrifying pot of years past that was known for leaving remnants of green beans on the ceiling. Well, it’s 2016, and times have definitely changed. Electric pressure cookers of today are more like a fast version of a slow cooker and have little-to-no risk of taking your eyebrows off. Whether you’re looking to invest or you were gifted one and have no idea what to do with it, keep reading to discover 25 easy pressure cooker recipes that are perfect for a beginner.
1. Pressure Cooker Zucchini Basil Soup: When you think of pressure cooker meals, you probably picture a giant roast or a heavy meat-laden stew. This veggie soup is just the opposite, and is perfect as a light starter for any weeknight meal. (via My Food Story)
2. Under Pressure French Dip Sandwich: The great thing about pressure cookers is that you can throw in frozen meats and have a beautiful and juicy meal in just over an hour. This French dip sandwich is perfect for nights when you forgot to prep before work but still want an impressive meal. (via Confectionalism)
3. Pressure Cooker Pulled Pork: Sure, slow cookers are great for making pulled pork, but they’re, well, slow. You can get the same results (maybe better) in just one hour with a pressure cooker, which is great for last-minute tailgating. (via Chili Pepper Madness)
4. Pressure Cooker Turkey Verde and Rice: This healthy meal is packed with flavor and will be sure to satisfy those pre-Thanksgiving turkey cravings. Did we mention there are only five ingredients? That’s a dinner *win* at its finest. (via The Creative Bite)
5. Pressure Cooker Green Chile Pork Carnitas: Taco Tuesday is a weekly *must* in many households. Simplify the process by making your pork carnitas in the pressure cooker and garnish with a little bit of fresh onion, cilantro, and cheese. (via Pressure Cooking Today)
6. Pressure Cooker Honey Sesame Chicken: Why order takeout when you can make it better and faster at home? Before everyone decides what they want, you could already have this honey sesame chicken finished and plated. (via Pressure Cooking Today)
7. Pressure Cooker Ribs: The way you cook ribs will forever be changed after you use a pressure cooker. You’ll never break a sweat when making this simple recipe that contains mostly ingredients already found in your cupboard. (via Leite’s Culinaria)
8. Pressure Cooker Enchilada Pasta: For most, easy cleanup is an important criterion for dinner recipes. Thankfully, it doesn’t get much easier than a one-pot pressure cooker pasta dish the whole family will adore. (via The Homemade Cook)
9. Pressure Cooker Sausage and Mash: No need to travel across the pond to sample this traditional British dish. Just don’t forget to save some of that red wine to share with bae when you serve this meaty dish. (via Every Nook and Cranny)
10. Pressure Cooker Chicken Noodle Soup: You’re always looking for new ways to reinvent your family’s favorite dishes. This pressure cooker chicken noodle soup extracts maximum flavor for that slow-cooked taste in minimal time. (via Chef de Home)
11. Pressure Cooker Coca-Cola Baked Beans: Cooking homemade baked beans from dried legumes normally takes hours to yield a tender product. With the pressure cooker, all that flavorful sauce is imparted into the beans in a fraction of the time for one tasty side dish. (via Kitschen Cat)
12. Cheesy Chili Mac: There’s no need to make a questionable dinner from a box when you can make the same thing from scratch and feel good about it. You can’t use the time excuse, because by now we know that a pressure cooker is faster than just about anything. (via Chattavore)
13. Pressure Cooker Faux Chicken Pho: The beauty of cooking is that you can take one of your favorite dishes and make it your own. This soup is inspired by traditional pho but uses spiralized daikon radish instead of rice noodles for a healthy twist. (via The Sophisticated Caveman)
14. Carrot Cake Steel Cut Oats: Don’t go thinking dinner is the only meal you can make in your pressure cooker. Steel cut oats usually take more time than you have for breakfast in the morning, but with a pressure cooker, you can have them ready before you perfect your mascara. (via Kitschen Cat)
15. Pressure Cooker Rice Pudding: This rice pudding is a versatile dish that you can have for breakfast, dessert or a quick snack. Serve warm straight from the pressure cooker, or chill for a couple hours if you like it cold. (via Pressure Cooking Today)
16. How to Cook Artichokes in a Pressure Cooker: Homemade whole artichokes are a delicious and impressive appetizer for a fancy dinner party. Make a huge batch of these for your next girls’ night in, and the ladies will thank you almost as quickly as they’ll dip these in melted garlic butter or lemon aioli. (via Kalyn’s Kitchen)
17. Pressure Cooker Summer Italian Chicken: One trick to producing a fantastic meal when using a pressure cooker is to finish your dish with fresh ingredients to balance the taste of the cooked food. This Italian chicken stew is full of marinated flavor and topped with lots of fresh herbs. (via Nom Nom Paleo)
18. Frozen Chicken Pasta: Any dish that can go from frozen to tableside in 20 minutes is a winner in everyone’s book. Trust us when we say that this simple meal will be your new go-to. (via Live Laugh Rowe)
19. Five Ingredient Pressure Cooker Cheesy Egg Bake: Pressure cooking may seem like it’s too intense for the likes of delicate eggs. Quite the contrary, the moist heat does wonders for keeping them fluffy and the result is perfect every time. (via Kitschen Cat)
20. Instant Pot Salmon With Chili-Lime Sauce: When was the last time you cooked flaky and flavorful salmon in just five minutes? If your answer is never, then you obviously haven’t tried it in the pressure cooker. (via Savory Tooth)
21. Pressure Cooker Pork Ragu With Orecchiette Pasta: This dish gives totally new meaning to one-pot pasta. Pork shoulder usually has to be cooked for many hours to yield a tender result, but now, you’re looking at one hour — tops! (via Krumpli)
22. Quick and Easy Tomato Carrot Marinara Sauce: Sneaking veggies into your kiddo isn’t an easy feat. Use your pressure cooker to make quick work of a versatile marinara sauce that conceals a ton of carrots. (via Letty’s Kitchen)
23. Pressure Cooker Chicken, Black Bean, and Rice Burrito Bowls: Sorry, Chipotle. Until you can get us our food in 10 minutes flat, this pressure cooker burrito bowl will forever reign supreme. (via Cook Fast, Eat Well)
24. Pressure Cooker Cinnamon Roll Steel Cut Oats: You know that steel cut oats are a more nutritious way to have breakfast, but they also take forever to cook. If you start this cinnamon roll flavored recipe in the pressure cooker as soon as you wake up, your breakfast will be ready to go before you are. (via Pressure Cooking Today)
25. Pressure Cooker Yellow Cake With Raspberry Buttercream: This cake is full of surprises. You wouldn’t know by looking at or tasting it that it’s grain-free, gluten-free, Paleo, and cooked in the pressure cooker. The possibilities really are endless. (via Health Starts in the Kitchen)
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