Different Instapot Options and the Perfect Beginer Recipe

The Instapot has taken over American kitchens by storm!  What used to be a kitchen appliance to fear in your grandmother’s kitchen has reemerged as one of the most useful ones in today’s kitchens.  They work by reaching temperatures that are even hotter than boiling water, building up heat and pressure under a sealed and locked lid. There are dozens of pressure cookers out on the market and they have been linked to injury because of explosions.  Visualize a high-pressure explosion of boiling contents, electricity and stainless steel shrapnel. Very dangerous, especially when those surrounding pressure cookers are typically families.

Thankfully, many of today’s pressure cookers come with tons of safety features including locks, seals and gaskets but even the safest of pressure cookers should require every safety precaution.  Make sure before each use that there are no missing or damaged parts or accessories. Ensure that you have thoroughly read all directions and are a competent user. Don’t overfill the pot with contents as this mistake has been linked to explosions.  Double check that the pot is properly sealed and locked before it builds up to pressure. Check the cord and make sure it is not broken or frayed and that the electricity source is not wet or near water.

As long as you are using your pressure cooker safely, you will find that it quickly becomes a staple for dozens of recipes, even sometimes earning a permanent spot on the counter top.  Most have several different functions including saute, warm, slow cook, steam, and even a yogurt-making function.

Here is our favorite beginner pressure cooker recipe taken from a BritCo article recently published but before we get to those, we want to suggest our very favorite pressure cookers to remove some of the guesswork for you.

1.    Instapot Duo

The Instapot Duo has a cult following who even have named themselves “Potheads”.  There are hundreds of Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest platforms just for Instapot recipes and they frequently go on sale.  They are easy to use and have several useful functions as well as lots of safety features making it one of the top ranking pots in the category of safety of use.

2.    Farberware Digital Pressure Cooker

This pot is programmable and affordable.  It offers lots of flexibility as far as functions go and can make some melt-in-your-mouth meats with its high powered pressure.

3.    Instapot Ultra

This Instapot is perfect for the more advanced and complex user.  IT includes all the bells and whistles that a more basic user would find confusing but would be completely thrilling for the more ambitious user.  It even has an LED screen.

Now for the recipes!  Let us say you’re welcome in advance for these super quick and easy weeknight staples that your family will love!

1.    INSTANT POT TUSCAN WHITE BEAN SOUP RECIPE

Instapot white bean soup

Chop it all up and throw it all in!  That’s basically what this recipe is all about.  Considering that it is healthy and will leave you with lots of leftovers, it’s a WIN/WIN!

Ingredients:

1 cup diced celery

1 1/2 cups diced onion (about 1 medium onion)

2 cups chopped leek, white and light green parts only

2 cups diced carrot

1 1/2 cups diced zucchini (about 1 medium zucchini)

8 ounces cremini mushrooms, sliced

4 garlic cloves, minced

3 (15-ounce) cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed well

1 (28-ounce) can diced San Marzano tomatoes

4 cups of vegetable or chicken stock

1 Tablespoon dried Italian seasoning herb mix

1 pound Italian sausage links, left whole (optional)

1 bunch Lacinato kale, shredded

1/2 bunch fresh Italian parsley, chopped

thinly sliced rounds of lemon, chopped

salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions:

Combine all of the ingredients!  The celery, onion, leek, carrot, zucchini, mushrooms, garlic, beans, tomatoes, stock, dried Italian herbs, and whole Italian sausage links.

Close the Instant Pot, set for five minutes on high of the “Manual” setting.

Let pressure release naturally. Remove sausage links, and slice. Replace pieces into the soup.

Stir the shredded kale, parsley, and chopped lemon into the soup. Season to taste and serve hot.

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