4 Recipes You Didn't Know You Could Make in Your Instant Pot

Paired with the right recipes and spices, a pressure cooker can take some of the pressure off busy weeknight dinners and come to the rescue when you inevitably forget to thaw those chicken breasts. Again.

Whether your Instant Pot was gifted to you by your dear, sweet Aunt Meredith or it was more of a self-gift, you might be surprised by all of the different things you can make in it. If you don’t have an Instant Pot yet, just wait. You can’t escape it. They are coming for us all.

Cheesecake

Turns out, a pressure cooker creates the ideal (paradisiacal, even) environment for your baking cheesecake. Skip the splash sesh you were about to have setting up that awkward water bath in your oven (cue infomercial reel of well-intentioned but poorly coordinated people dumping water all over their kitchens) and let the Instant Pot work some moisture magic.

This vanilla-bean-freckled cheesecake recipe marries the simplicity and smooth texture of a no-bake cheesecake with the custardy bounce of a traditional baked cheesecake. It’s also a jiggling canvas of potential for toppings like Raspberry Rose Jam, Chai Caramel Sauce, or your favorite chocolate sauce.

Yogurt

Most Instant Pots have a yogurt button which makes this two-step, mostly hands-off process even easier. Why bother? It’s naturally sweeter without all the added sugar, you can control how tangy it is, and it’s cost-effective.

Step 1: Pasteurize

• Heat 1/2 gallon of milk to 180 degrees using the yogurt or saute functions. Cool to 115 degrees.

• Add 2 Tbsp. plain yogurt with live, active cultures, hit yogurt button again, and let it do its thing for anywhere between 3 and 12 hours (3 hours for mild, 12 for very tart).

Top with Georgia Peach Spice, fresh fruit, and granola.

Applesauce

I’m not saying people that peel their apples are the worst, but if the skin is edible, you best believe I’m not peeling it. We all have much more interesting things to do. Like eating pink applesauce. You don’t have to make your applesauce pink like I did. But if you’re into it, use cranberries and golden raisins for the dried fruit and don’t skip the rose petals in this (basically) 4-ingredient recipe.

Stock

Maybe you’re not surprised you can make stock in an Instant Pot. But you’ll surprise yourself when you actually make it. It’s much less daunting when it takes 1 hour instead of 8 to 12. Not to mention the flavor difference compared to most store-bought stock is unreal. Speaking of time savers, use dried herbs instead of foraging for fresh sprigs of tarragon in the meadow (as one does). The real trick though is to collect your carrot, celery, onion, garlic, and chicken scraps in a zip-top bag in your freezer until you’re ready to do the deed. #zerowaste.

Here are four more Instant Pot recipes. Just ‘cause.

• Refried Beans
• Root Beer Lime Short Ribs
• Roast Chicken
• Cheddar Green Chile Polenta

What do you like to make in your pressure cooker? Tell us in the comments below and tag us on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram.