Instant cooker vs. slow cooker?

[David Baxter PhD]

I see people talking about various new kinds of cookers. I had a slow cooker years ago and wasn't really crazy about many of the results — I found it homogenized all the flavors together too much for my tastes, which really only works for certain types of meals, plus it takes a long time.

I've never used an instant cooker though (not sure that's even the right name for it) but I've seen people talking about them in various places. What are the advantages over regular stove/oven and microwave? If you were going to recommend a brand or model (for 1-2 persons: I have a small kitchen with limited counter space), what would that be?

What sorts of meals are they good for and not so good for based on your experience?

 

[Daniel E.]

I have the Instant Pot Duo Plus (6 quart size), though now I would get a newer version called Duo Crisp, which includes an air fryer lid, roasting mode, and dehydrate mode. The main advantages of Instant Pot over a slow cooker are speed and versality. It is an electronic pressure cooker (without being scary to me like the old-fashioned pressure cookers). To me, it is the perfect appliance for cooking rice or dry beans. But it has other modes as well, including slow cooker mode, steam, saute, sous vide, etc:

Instant Pot Settings & Buttons Explained (Not Just For Beginners!)

Confused by Instant Pot settings and buttons? We explain the most common smart programss across models, how they work and when to use them.

instantpoteats.com

https://health.usnews.com/wellness/food/articles/instant-pot-vs-slow-cooker-which-is-better

The versatility of the Instant Pot wins out over the other factors if you don’t have the space for both machines...“The Instant Pot is truly a multi-purpose wonder, taking up less valuable space and dirtying fewer dishes.”

Honestly, I still use it mostly for cooking rice, including brown rice. But I am planning on using it more, like for making yogurt and refried beans from scratch. My husband is not a big fan of the Instant Pot for cooking a meal since he likes to check and season his food as he cooks. But he is looking forward to us trying the spaghetti with sauce recipe.

For recipes and ideas:

official curated Instant Pot recipes

Canadian recipes [includes Roast mode recipes, which only work with certain models including the Duo Crisp model]

The 6 quart is the perfect size for me, and I believe it is the most popular size. I can't imagine needing anything larger than that, but the 3 quart size may be too small for making a lot of leftovers.

 

[David Baxter PhD]

Thanks. I think I'll look into this.

 

[gooblax]

I find slow cookers annoying because they don't cook slow enough for me to start it on the morning of a workday and come home to the finished meal - by then it's overcooked. So I have to do it on the weekend, when I would've had time to do a casserole dish in the oven anyway. Although the one bonus is that the slow cooker doesn't heat the room up as much as having the oven on for a long time, which is important in summer. I still need to get a decent sized stove-oven casserole dish / Dutch oven though.

I don't have experience with instant pots but Daniel has covered that.

 

[Daniel E.]

Instant Pot test: Gimmick or great cooker?

The Instant Pot is red hot, but is it worth buying? We put it to the test.

www.nbc26.com

Unlike many other kitchen gadgets, people like the Instant Pot so much that shortly after buying their first one, they buy a second one.

 

[Daniel E.]

The 30 Best Things to Cook with an Instant Pot or Multicooker | Gear Patrol

Just get an Instant Pot? Here are 30 of the absolute best things to make in it.

www.gearpatrol.com

 

[Daniel E.]

Instant Pot recipes at AllRecipes.com:

Instant Pot® Recipes

Find new recipes for quickly cooking your family's favorites, including Instant Pot butter chicken and Instant Pot mac and cheese.

www.allrecipes.com

22 Best Healthy Instant Pot Recipes

Here are some of our favorite healthy Instant Pot recipes, from simple soups, savory stews, and hearty salads to salmon and chicken dinners, all ready on the quick.

www.allrecipes.com

14 Mediterranean Diet Recipes to Make in Your Instant Pot

Here's how you can easily combine the healthful eating guidelines of the Mediterranean diet with the time-saving convenience of a multi-cooker.

www.allrecipes.com

25 Great Comfort Food Dinners From Your Instant Pot

Put hearty dinners on the table in a fraction of the time. Get recipes your family will love, plus prep tips.

www.allrecipes.com

13 Classic Italian Recipes Made Easy in the Instant Pot

Check out these top-rated recipes for classic Italian dinners, like lasagna, Marsala, saltimbocca, chicken cacciatore, puttanesca, and much more, all made in the Instant Pot.

www.allrecipes.com

 

[Daniel E.]

Is The Instant Pot Worth The Hype? We Tested It 8 Different Ways - Chatelaine

The Chatelaine Kitchen put it to the test—from slow cooker to sauté—to find out if it's worth buying.

www.chatelaine.com

So, is the Instant Pot worth the hype?

You may not want to toss away your old slow-cooker, but if you’re in the market for a new one or a pressure cooker, the Instant Pot does both well (even if you don’t find yourself using the bevy of alternate options that often). We wouldn’t reach for it to replace our sauté pans, though.

 

[David Baxter PhD]

Daniel, do you have a good Instapot "starter" cookbook you would recommend (preferably from Amazon)? I know there are a lot of recipe sites available online but when I cook I like an actual book, softcover or hardcover, that I can look things up quickly and mark up substitutions, etc.

 

[Daniel E.]

This is the one I have, which I bought a few years ago. I bought the paperback (rather the Kindle version) since it's a cookbook. Amazon sells the paperback in Canada but not in the US (except used copies).

Since the book is from 2017, the used copies are much cheaper:

Instant Pot Miracle: From Gourmet to Everyday, 175 Must-Have Recipes : The Editors at Houghton Mifflin Har: Amazon.ca: Books

Instant Pot Miracle: From Gourmet to Everyday, 175 Must-Have Recipes : The Editors at Houghton Mifflin Har: Amazon.ca: Books

www.amazon.ca

Amazon.com: Instant Pot Miracle: From Gourmet to Everyday, 175 Must-Have Recipes eBook : Harcourt, Houghton Mifflin : Kindle Store

Amazon.com: Instant Pot Miracle: From Gourmet to Everyday, 175 Must-Have Recipes eBook : Harcourt, Houghton Mifflin : Kindle Store

www.amazon.com

 

[Daniel E.]

A related Kindle book is free for Prime members in the US:

Amazon.com: Instant Pot Miracle 6 Ingredients Or Less: 100 No-Fuss Recipes for Easy Meals Every Day eBook : Manning, Ivy: Kindle Store

Amazon.com: Instant Pot Miracle 6 Ingredients Or Less: 100 No-Fuss Recipes for Easy Meals Every Day eBook : Manning, Ivy: Kindle Store

www.amazon.com

Other books in the "Instant Pot miracle" series:

Instant Pot Miracle Healthy Cookbook: More than 100 Easy Healthy Meals for Your Favorite Kitchen Device - Kindle edition by Pitre, Urvashi. Cookbooks, Food & Wine Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.

Instant Pot Miracle Healthy Cookbook: More than 100 Easy Healthy Meals for Your Favorite Kitchen Device - Kindle edition by Pitre, Urvashi. Download it once and read it on your Kindle device, PC, phones or tablets. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading Instant...

www.amazon.com

Amazon.com: Instant Pot Miracle Vegetarian Cookbook: More than 100 Easy Meatless Meals for Your Favorite Kitchen Device eBook : Pitre, Urvashi: Kindle Store

Amazon.com: Instant Pot Miracle Vegetarian Cookbook: More than 100 Easy Meatless Meals for Your Favorite Kitchen Device eBook : Pitre, Urvashi: Kindle Store

www.amazon.com

Some Instant Pot cookbooks that are no-cost with Kindle Unlimited:

Amazon.com: Instant Pot Electric Pressure Cooker Cookbook: Easy Recipes for Fast & Healthy Meals eBook : Randolph, Laurel: Books

Amazon.com: Instant Pot Electric Pressure Cooker Cookbook: Easy Recipes for Fast & Healthy Meals eBook : Randolph, Laurel: Books

www.amazon.com

The Complete Instant Pot Cookbook For Beginners: 600 Everyday Pressure Cooker Recipes For Affordable Homemade Meals: Armstrong, Matilda: 9798561262593: Amazon.com: Books

The Complete Instant Pot Cookbook For Beginners: 600 Everyday Pressure Cooker Recipes For Affordable Homemade Meals [Armstrong, Matilda] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. The Complete Instant Pot Cookbook For Beginners: 600 Everyday Pressure Cooker Recipes For Affordable...

www.amazon.com

Amazon.com: Instant Pot Cookbook for Beginners: The Essential Guide to Your Electric Pressure Cooker eBook : Keating, Lauren : Kindle Store

Amazon.com: Instant Pot Cookbook for Beginners: The Essential Guide to Your Electric Pressure Cooker eBook : Keating, Lauren : Kindle Store

www.amazon.com

 

[Daniel E.]

Instant Pot Tuna Casserole - Simply Happy Foodie

Instant Pot Tuna Casserole is creamy delicious comfort food. Pressure cooker tuna casserole recipe is easy & fast to make in the Instant Pot!

www.simplyhappyfoodie.com

What makes Instant Pot Tuna Casserole better than oven baked?​

I didn’t expect it to be better, but to my surprise it is!

Here’s why I think it’s better:

• It cooks much faster than in the oven. Minutes vs an hour!
• No pot of boiling water to deal with. Noodles cook with the sauce.
• One pot! I love a one-pot meal!
• The tuna casserole comes out more saucy and creamy.
• The flavors seems more pronounced.

 

[Daniel E.]

Instant Pot: What's the Big Deal? - Cancer Dietitian

I have heard about the Instant Pot from a few people. It seems like it’s there’s a cult of people who love their Instant Pots. I mean, I love a crock pot but when I found out that you could cook frozen food into a meal in an hour, I became curious! And then my […]

cancerdietitian.com

Here are a few of my favorite Instant Pot recipes:

Spaghetti Squash and Meat Sauce:

I love spaghetti squash and this is a great pasta swap! The squash provides phytochemicals that the pasta does not. Prepare this with a side salad and you are likely very close to reaching your goal of 4-5 cups of fruits and veggies per day!

Instant Pot Faux-Tisserie Chicken:

Make your own rotisserie chicken at home? Yes, please! See ya on the flipside Sam’s Club!

If you don’t want any of the fuss, but want a ton of flavor, buy chicken leg quarters instead and throw them in the instant pot with some barbecue sauce. 45 minutes – Boom, done!

Turkey Lentil Chili:

In an attempt to reduce my family’s consumption of red meats, I typically substitute lean ground turkey for recipes that call for ground beef (this recipe for chili calls for turkey – which is perfect!). When ground turkey is flavored well, my family can’t tell the difference.

 

[Daniel E.]

Instant Pot Salmon with Garlic Potatoes and Greens

Get Instant Pot Salmon with Garlic Potatoes and Greens Recipe from Food Network

www.foodnetwork.com

20-Minute Instant Pot Salmon and Rice Bowl

Get 20-Minute Instant Pot Salmon and Rice Bowl Recipe from Food Network

www.foodnetwork.com

20-Minute Instant Pot Mediterranean Quinoa Bowl with Frozen Spinach and Tzatziki

Get 20-Minute Instant Pot Mediterranean Quinoa Bowl with Frozen Spinach and Tzatziki Recipe from Food Network

www.foodnetwork.com

 

[Daniel E.]

Chinese food:​

Instant Pot Vegetable Lo Mein

Instant Pot Vegetable Lo Mein is a quick and easy meal packed with healthy vegetables and cooked in a flavorful sauce. Make at home in only 20 minutes.

pipingpotcurry.com

Instant Pot Hot & Sour Soup

Hot & Sour Soup is the Chinese version of vegetable soup with a major kick of some, well, hot & sour. This one is a true "dump & go" made with all accessbile ingredients, yet with full-on authentic flavor. Get ready to have your sinuses cleared!

pressureluckcooking.com

Hot & Sour Soup is the Chinese version of vegetable soup with a major kick of some, well, hot & sour. This one is a true "dump & go" made with all accessbile ingredients, yet with full-on authentic flavor. Get ready to have your sinuses cleared!

Instant Pot Egg Drop Soup

Egg Drop Soup is tastes as wonderful as it is simple to make. Ribbons of egg swim in this gorgeous Chinese classic and it will be as flavorful and authentic-tasting as the best of take-out joints. Add some corn kernels at the end for some sweetness.

pressureluckcooking.com

Ingredients​

• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon white pepper (if you don’t want a little zest to it, leave it out)
• 1 teaspoon seasoned salt
• 1/2 – 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 3 strands of scallions, divided (2 for the soup, 1 for garnish) and chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon turmeric (this really just enhances the color)
• 2 tablespoons of cornstarch + 2 tablespoons water, mixed together to form a slurry
• 2 large eggs + 2 egg whites, beaten
• Chinese noodles, for topping (optional)

 

[Daniel E.]

I'm a vegetarian/pescatarian, but this pot roast recipe brings back memories of Sunday dinners:

Best Ever Instant Pot Roast

Behold: My most popular recipe! It's so sought after, in fact, that it's one of the highest viewed Pot Roast recipes on YouTube. The most tender beef, potatoers, carrots and mushrooms in an unforgettable gravy. Try it for yourself and let me know your thoughts.

pressureluckcooking.com

Vegetarian versions with mushrooms:

Instant Pot:

Instant Pot Portobello Pot Roast

Instant Pot Portobello Pot Roast is the ultimate one-pot family meal! We're talking meaty portobello mushrooms, meltingly tender vegetables, and a thick, rich, flavorful gravy.

avirtualvegan.com

Slow cooker Vegan Portobello "Pot Roast"

 

[Daniel E.]

Mediterranean recipes:

23 Instant Pot Mediterranean Diet Recipes

With a focus on vegetables, olive oil, whole grains, legumes and fish, these Instant Pot mediterranean diet recipes are healthy and full of flavor.

instantpoteats.com

Instant Pot Broccoli Soup With Gremolata (Vegan, Gluten-Free)

This quick and easy Instant Pot broccoli soup is served with aromatic parsle gremolata. It’s low-calorie, vegan, gluten-free and Whole30 recipe.

instantpoteats.com

One Pot Greek Black Eyed Peas Olive Tomato

A Greek staple, rich and hearty stewed one pot black eyed peas with onion, tomato and herbs.

www.olivetomato.com

Instant Pot Greek Yogurt Recipe

Instant Pot Greek Yogurt, a simple method for making Greek style yogurt in your Instant Pot, with milk and live yogurt cultures.

www.eazypeazymealz.com

 

[Daniel E.]

How to cook veggies and beans:

The Instant Pot® Liquid Myth - How much liquid do I need?

Debunking the Instant Pot® Liquid Myth is just the kind of useful information you need to understand the concept of cooking vegetables you will love.

www.theveggiequeen.com

 

[Daniel E.]

Instant Pot Sizes

Most people use the 6 quart size -- and for good reason. The mini 3-quart size is often used for side dishes, but the 3-quart models can take much longer to preheat than newer 6-quart models with more advanced options and 500 watts of more power. The optional air fryer lid is not available for the mini 3 quart size.

The 3 quart size is less bulky but requires you to modify most/many Instant Pot recipes. Most Instant Pot recipes are designed for the 6 quart size (4-6 servings).

Similarly:




------
Tips for using the smallest ("mini") 3-quart Instant Pot:

1. Since most Instant Pot recipes are intended for at least the 6-quart size (or a family of four), sometimes people will only use half the amount of ingredients for the mini (3 quart) size. But for the mini Instant Pot, one needs to have at least 1/2 cup of liquid ingredients before pressure cooking. The maximum fill level is not more than 8 cups -- which is two-thirds of a 3-quart (12-cup) container:



2. You can keep the cook time the same.

Alternatively, you can find recipe books or blogs just for the mini 3-quart size.

Blog posts for mini Instant Pot recipes:

Instant Pot 3 Qt Mini Recipes

Here we've put together our tried and tested Instant Pot 3 Qt Mini Recipes, which are perfectly suited for most 3-quart pressure cookers. These quick and easy recipes work great for the 3QT Instant pot DUO, ULTRA or LUX models. This collection includes popular weeknight meals like Mexican...

spicecravings.com

Instant Pot Mini - Tortellini Soup - Simply Happy Foodie

Instant Pot Mini - Tortellini Soup is flavorful, with rosemary, thyme, & mushrooms. Easy to make in the 3 quart electric pressure cooker. Makes 5 cups.

www.simplyhappyfoodie.com

Must-Have Instant Pot Mini Recipes (3-Quart)

Cooking for one or for two? We've put together our favourite Instant Pot mini recipes, perfectly suited to a smaller-batch, 3-quart pressure cooker.

instantpoteats.com

Free Kindle Unlimited books with 3-quart recipes:

Amazon productAmazon productAmazon productAmazon product

 

[Daniel E.]

Almost 2,000 positive reviews for this recipe, intended for a manual pressure cooker (but a commenter recommends an extra 2 minutes for cooking in the Instant Pot):

Pressure Cooker Mushroom and Wild Rice Soup Recipe

This comforting soup tastes long-simmered, but it’s cooked in a pressure cooker, which makes it a weeknight possibility (though you could also make this recipe in a slow cooker) Use any variety of mushrooms you like: Cremini (also called baby bella) are affordable and easy to find and work well...

cooking.nytimes.com

From a comment: "This was amazing. So tasty and simple to prepare. Made in the Instant Pot -- I did need the two extra minutes after 12 minutes of high pressure for rice to be fully cooked."