vegetable soup in instant pot

Instant Pot

Weeknights can be busy as it is…add in what to make for dinner and it something as special as family dinner can be downright overwhelming. There is a “newer” kitchen appliance that is changing the way people make dinner. It’s the Instant Pot!

What is an Instant Pot?

The instant pot is a one stop dinner cooking machine. It’s a pressure cooker, which are actually not a new way to cook dinner. The difference between the Instant Pot and other older pressure cookers is that it is electric. It plugs into the wall and heats by electricity rather than sitting on your stove top. It generally cooks food faster because it is under pressure.

Other benefits is that it is small, can comes in several different sizes and has other cooking styles included in the pot (such as a slow cooker!). This means you can potentially get rid of several appliances in the place of this one.

**Pro Tip: Instant Pot is a brand. There are other brands of electric pressure cookers that work just as well!**

How to Use an Instant Pot

It’s very, very important to read the instructions that come with your Instant Pot. Because the pot is under pressure, you want to allow it to pressurize and depressurize as your instructions suggest.

Here are a few key tips:

  • Make sure you set the pot to seal.
  • Don’t try to open the pot after it has started cooking.
  • Make sure you release the pressure (naturally or quick release) before opening the pot.
  • Don’t overfill the pressure cooker.
  • Be careful of the steam. The steam is very hot and can burn you!

Newest Instant Pot