56 Easy Pressure-Cooker Recipes Even a Beginner Can Make

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, 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 easy pressure cooker recipes that are perfect for a beginner.

1. Pressure-Cooker Ramekin Eggs: Eggs en cocotte sounds fancy, but the soft-cooked eggs, cooked in ramekins, can be whipped together and pressure-cooked in a matter of minutes. (via Brit + Co)

2. Instant Pot Steamed Cod With Ginger Scallion Sauce: This Chinese dish can be on your table in roughly 30 minutes. From a frozen state, fish only takes 5 minutes to pressure-cook. (via Brit + Co)

3. Fluffy Instant Pot Quinoa: Fun fact — your pressure cooker’s rice setting does a lot more than just cook one type of grain. Try quinoa, then dress it with your fave salad toppings. (via Brit + Co)

4. Instant Pot Creamy Chicken Pasta: You can whip up this creamy chicken pasta with mushrooms and plenty of cheese in less time than it takes to go out or take in. (via Brit + Co)

5. Instant Pot Beef Stew: Beef turns out fork-tender every time in the Instant Pot like magic. (via Brit + Co)

6. Instant Pot Butter Chicken: Spicy butter chicken and basmati rice can be made at the same time in your pressure cooker. Who knew? (via Brit + Co)

7. Instant Pot Pork Sliders: Suddenly making game day bites for a crowd doesn’t seem so difficult. (via Brit + Co)

8. Baked Potato Soup: Pressure cook potato soup, purée it in a blender, then top it with your favorite potato fixings like bacon and green onion. (via Brit + Co)

9. Instant Pot Salmon Dinner: Salmon, sweet potatoes, and broccoli can be steamed up all together in three minutes via the wonders of the Instant Pot. (via Brit + Co)

10. Instant Pot Paleo Orange Chicken: Yes you can make a healthier version of the classic American-Chinese staple, and it can be made even quicker when seared and pressure-cooked in the IP. (via Brit + Co)

11. Instant Pot Vegetarian Frittata: Sneak in a bunch of veggies with this frittata that’s also loaded with plenty of cheese. (via Brit + Co)

12. Basic Pressure-Cooker Chicken Breasts: Yes you can pressure-cook chicken breast in 10 minutes. Brine it overnight for extra flavor oomph. (via Brit + Co)

13. Pressure-Cooked Vegetarian Chili: Quinoa naturally thickens the chili. All you need to worry about is what toppings to choose. (via Brit + Co)

14. Instant Pot Carnitas: Pressure-cooker carnitas start with pork shoulder, aromatic veggies, adobo sauce, and beer, but add your go-to herbs and seasonings to make it yours. (via Brit + Co)

15. Instant Pot French Dip Sandwich: This is Pinterest’s most popular Instant-Pot recipe, and once you see the step-by-step close-ups, you’ll understand why. (via Brit + Co)

16. Instant Pot Tuscan White Bean Soup: Eight different vegetables, sweet Italian sausage, cannellini beans, San Marzano tomatoes, lemon, and fresh parsley make this one IP soup to remember. (via Brit + Co)

17. Instant Pot Hard Boiled Eggs: Pressure cook eggs on a trivet with a bit of water for just a few minutes, and you’ll be amazed how creamy they turn out. (via Brit + Co)

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18. 5-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)

19. 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)

20. Pressure Cooker Pork Ragu With Orecchiette Pasta: This dish gives 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. (via Krumpli)

21. Quick and Easy Tomato Carrot Marinara Sauce: Sneaking veggies into your kiddo’s meals 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)

22. Pressure Cooker Sriracha Chicken Tacos: If you want tender chicken infused with big flavor, look no further than the pressure cooker. Pair it with some fresh veggies and mango for tacos that pop with flavor. (via The Girl on Bloor)

23. 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 before you are. (via Pressure Cooking Today)

24. 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)

25. Pressure Cooker Moroccan Meatballs: Spiced, tender meatballs cook up in less than an hour in your pressure cooker. Serve with bread or rice to soak up all the flavorful sauce. (via Skinnytaste)

26. Pressure Cooker Pork Tenderloin: Cooking pork loin under pressure is one of the best ways to make sure it doesn’t dry out. The pressure cooker keeps all of that juiciness in the meat. (via Savory Tooth)

27. Instant Pot Lima Beans and Ham: Simple and nutritious lima beans and ham is one dish anyone can master with their pressure cooker. The ham infuses each bite with smokey flavor, while the beans become tender and creamy without having to be soaked the night before. (via The Blond Cook)

28. Pressure Cooker Korean Beef: Sweet, tangy, salty, and meaty, this pressure cooker Korean beef comes out meltingly tender every time. Make enough for seconds! (via Damn Delicious)

29. Pressure Cooker Vegetarian Red Beans and Rice: Enjoy this Cajun classic without having to book a plane ticket to Louisiana, thanks to your trusty pressure cooker. (via Kitschen Cat)

30. Pressure Cooker Almond Butter Lava Cakes: Almond butter adds decadent richness to these moist dark chocolate cakes sweetened naturally with honey. (via Kitschen Cat)

31. Pressure Cooker Mongolian Beef: Soy sauce and hoisin do a bang-up job of transforming flank stank in your pressure cooker. It’s a sticky-sweet yet savory dish that you should definitely serve with fluffy white rice. (via The Blond Cook)

32. Pressure Cooker Lo Mein: Our favorite way to eat our veggies? Tossed with long strands of seasoned noodles, of course. (via Kirbie’s Cravings)

33. Pressure Cooker Black Beans: Never underestimate the power of black beans. Make them on the weekend, then use them as a base for lunch and dinner all week long. (via Well Plated)

34. 3-Ingredient Pressure Cooker Mexican Chicken: Spicy, saucy, tender chicken for tacos, burritos, and more is easy to cook up in your pressure cooker. Best of all, the recipe requires just three ingredients, so you don’t have to spend a ton of time rooting through your cabinets before you get cooking. (via Gimme Some Oven)

35. Pressure Cooker Turmeric Lentil Soup: Give your body an anti-inflammatory boost with this golden turmeric and lentil soup. It’s healthy vegan comfort food everyone will love. (via The Girl on Bloor)

36. Pressure Cooker Hamburger Mac and Cheese: Like the boxed meals you grew up with but way healthier, this hamburger mac and cheese is total comfort food. (via Salt and Lavender)

37. Pressure Cooker Stuffed Pepper Soup: Stuffed peppers…without actually having to stuff peppers? Count us in! (via A Fork’s Tale)

38. Pressure Cooker Chicken Butternut Chili: Balance out the spiciness of this chili by adding sweet, tender butternut squash. Along with beans and chicken, it helps make this a hearty and nutritious meal. (via Put on Your Cake Pants)

39. Pressure Cooker French Potato Salad: Potatoes cook up quickly in your pressure cooker. Dress them in a light vinaigrette along with some other veggies for a French-inspired take on this picnic and barbecue classic. (via A Communal Table)

40. 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)

41. Instant Pot Chicken Alfredo Salsa Pasta: Cut through the creamy richness of chicken pasta alfredo with a jar of salsa in this satisfying weeknight recipe. (via 365 Days of Slow Cooking + Pressure Cooking)

42. Pressure Cooker Turkey Verde and Rice: This healthy meal is packed with flavor and will be sure to satisfy those Thanksgiving turkey cravings. Did we mention there are only five ingredients? That’s a dinner *win* at its finest. (via The Creative Bite)

43. 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)

44. 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)

45. Pressure Cooker Ribs: The way you cook ribs will forever be changed after you use a pressure cooker. This simple recipe contains ingredients already found in your cupboard. (via Leite’s Culinaria)

46. Pressure Cooker Pinto Bean And Chard Burritos: The pressure cooker isn’t just for heavy comfort food-style dishes. You can whip up these healthy pinto bean, chard, and brown rice burritos in a flash, so you can eat something nutritious at the end of a long, stressful day. (via Kitschen Cat)

47. Pressure Cooker Blueberry Cornmeal Breakfast Cake: We tend to whip out our pressure cooker at dinner time, but it’s just as effective at churning out hands-off breakfasts, too. Cornmeal cake studded with blueberries stays ultra moist in your cooker, making for an indulgent morning meal. (via Kitschen Kat)

48. Pressure Cooker Split Pea Soup: Don’t be put off by the green color of this hearty soup. It’s full of rich flavor, and split peas are chock-full of protein, too. (via Savory Tooth)

49. Pressure Cooker Coca-Cola Baked Beans: Cooking homemade baked beans from dried legumes normally takes hours to yield a tender result. 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)

50. 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. (via Chattavore)

51. 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)

52. Carrot Cake Steel Cut Oats: 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)

53. 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 of hours if you like it cold. (via Pressure Cooking Today)

54. 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)

55. 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)

56. Frozen Chicken Pasta: Any dish that can go from frozen to tableside in 20 minutes is a winner. (via Live Laugh Rowe)

RELATED: Beginner Instant Pot Recipes for Easy Weeknight Dinners

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Additional reporting by Paige Johnson