Why I Love My Instant Pot

Though I feel most people either know about or have an Instant Pot at this point, I would like to state the reasons I love mine so much:

1. I can get the lid off easily (yay!)

2. It has a timer to turn itself on and off rather than me monitoring cooking time (yay!)

3. Brown rice cooks perfectly in the Instant Pot!

Getting the lid off my Instant Pot is soooo easy, especially compared to a traditional pressure cooker. You can either open the little vent to release the pressure or let it cool down, even on the Keep Warm function, and the lid just twists off with a small flick of the wrist as easily as a jar someone else has already pre-opened for you. It is a dream come true.

There are lots of types of cookers with timers, I know, but I went from a traditional pressure cooker straight to an Instant Pot, and it was like being released from detention to never have to monitor the cooking time and turn off the stove.

Then there is brown rice. I have never really liked brown rice, even though it is so healthy. It always seemed to have some tough grains hiding in it that were such a put-off when I discovered them after I had taken a bite. Even if no such strays were discovered, no matter how I cooked it, it just never seemed pleasing to me - too tough, or too dry, or too heavy, or too something. Then I tried cooking a batch in my Instant Pot, having seen the cooking time listed in the pamphlet that came with the device. Wow - what a difference! It was fluffy, light, flavorful - totally delicious. If that was the best thing that ever came out of my Instant Pot, I would be completely satisfied with my purchase.

Of course, that is definitely not the only triumph to be had with an Instant Pot. Cooking any staple in it makes basic meal prep faster and easier. You can cook grains and beans, make soups and chili, and even bake potatoes in much shorter time than a traditional cooking method. The instructions that come with the Instant Pot list cooking times and instructions for all the basics.

One of my favorites (outside of my new favorite, brown rice) is quinoa. When cooked in the Instant Pot, you don’t risk ending up with either mushy or dried out quinoa, both of which are easily attained outcomes if you miss the proper cooking time on the stove top for this quite delicate grain. Just stick it in the Instant Pot and it will cook perfectly every single time.

There are so many cookbooks to choose from now providing recipes for dishes to support every taste and diet preference. Of course, I look at the vegan cookbooks, and I am amazed at the terrific plant-based recipes one can create with the Instant Pot. Two of my favorites are below:

Have fun trying some new dishes using this almost magical kitchen appliance. If you don’t yet have an Instant Pot, of course I recommend you obtain one as soon as reasonably possible. It makes life in the kitchen so much easier, especially when you are working on adding more plants to your diet. Simply put, some of those plants can be tricky to cook without the Instant Pot (think brown rice and beans, people).