It’s easy to believe the Instant Pot is all hype – if you have a slow cooker, why bother? But what if you could make your favorite slow cooker recipes in the Instant Pot in 45 minutes and it wouldn’t be all mushy/dull? That’s one of the reasons I love my Instant Pot!
It’s actually really easy to take your old Crock Pot meals and make them in your new “electric pressure cooker” – almost all of them work!
You just need at least a cup of liquids, don’t overfill the pot, and figure out your best guess at timing. 😉
I have more extensive instructions for converting slow cooker meals to the Instant Pot, but for today, let’s just have fun with delicious, easy recipes!
My First 5 Slow Cooker Recipes in the Instant Pot
As pictured above, some of the early recipes that I knew worked in a slow cooker and hoped would work in my new and scary Instant Pot were:
- BBQ Chicken Thighs – so frugal!
- Instant Pot Country Style Ribs (from slow cooker recipes)
- Instant Pot BBQ Beef
- Any homemade chili – my recipe is in Better Than a Box
- Basic Beef Roast – something I’ve always done in my Crock Pot without a recipe. We demonstrate how in our Instant Pot & Slow Cooker Meals Kids Can Make videos!
Eventually we got a second Instant Pot, both to make bigger batches and because I kept wanting to make a main dish in one and also easy rice or a side dish in another! Did you know you can even quickly steam vegetables in the Instant Pot? I literally set it for zero minutes. 😉
You’re Just *7 Days* Away From Easier Meals with Your Instant Pot
Whether you have a few fav meals in your Instant Pot or still aren’t using it regularly yet, I can show you the secrets to SAVE time (and money) with my favorite appliance!
May I send you my best hacks to maximize my fav appliance so you can spend more time with your family AND nourish them well?
Get IP hacks in short emails and transform the way you serve dinner:
If you’re new to the IP, you can do this. Make it easy on yourself – I have an Instant Pot video of my kids unboxing the thing, it’s that easy!
Where to Buy an Instant Pot
This is the 6-quart Instant Pot I started out with. After a few years, we added an 8-quart partly because I knew I would use two at the same time often enough, partly because it was the Prime Day sale, and also because I wanted more space for certain recipes. Both are a pretty basic model and you don’t need more bells and whistles than that!
If you’re deciding on size, most people say it’s better to get a deal on the 6-quart and just have 2 rather than go big, BUT if your family has 5 or more people or you really like to batch cook or do more than a pound of beans, the 8-quart may be the best choice. My full Instant Pot review and buying guide for features, size, and model.
If you’d like to shop directly at Instant Pot’s website instead of Amazon (or just compare prices), check them out here.
You can even get a carrying case to travel with it! See my review of the Instant Pot carrying case we have.
If you’re still on the fence about adding an Instant Pot to your kitchen appliance arsenal here are my Instant Pot pros and cons.
Slow Cooker Recipes That are Easy to do in the Instant Pot
I asked other colleagues around the web to share their favorite Instant Pot recipes that came from a slow cooker, and they didn’t disappoint. Some of the recipes here are the slow cooker version, but remember to just use the adaptation instructions and you’ll easily be able to make them quickly in a pressure cooker.
- Beef Stroganoff (above)
- Chicken Taco Bowls
- Shredded Chicken Breast
- Beef Curry
- Spaghetti Squash
- Chicken Wings
- Beef Stew (Paleo)
My dear friend Wardee at Traditional Cooking School can do just about anything with her Instant Pot – cakes, bread, main dishes, veggies, even “stacking” multiple kinds of food at once!
She’s offering a free sourdough cornbread Instant Pot recipe!
This cornbread is delicious, nutritious, super easy to make, and it only needs 12 minutes of cook time.
Recipes Made In the Slow Cooker but Could EASILY be Instant Pot
Just remember to add a cup of liquid if it’s not already in the recipe!
- Slow Cooker Irish Stew
- Slow Cooker Potato Cheddar Soup
- Slow Cooker Chicken Soup
- Red Curry Chicken Wings (gluten-free)
- Paleo Vegan Enchiladas
- Slow Cooker Chicken Soup – (Find the Spirializer here and here is the mini version)
- Corned Beef and Cabbage
- Vegetable Minestrone – (Shan Yao – an ingredient in the recipe)
- Sweet Sticky Paleo Ribs
- Paleo Beef Pumpkin Stew
- White Bean Chili (GAPS and gluten-free)
- BBQ Pulled Chicken
- Slow Cooker Pork Loin to make in the Instant Pot
- Sweet and Sour Chicken
- Hamburger Soup (helpful link to Kitchenstewardship’s ranch mix)
- Chicken and Cheese
- Pork Chops with Sweet Potatoes (Here is my friend’s amazing cranberry sauce recipe that will go perfect with this.)
Instant Pot Tutorials:
How to Use the Instant Pot in a Hotel Room (save $$$ on dinner out!)
These recipes are perfect for my newly bought instant pot! I can’t wait to try these. Thanks a lot for sharing!