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Why Every Home Cook Needs an Instant Pot + 10 Instant Pot Recipes

The Instant Pot sparked on the scene in 2010 without the normal requirements of a successful tool. There were no advertisements on television or in newspapers so if you haven't heard of its success story yet, that might be why. Slowly but surely, the Instant Pot electric pressure cooker has become a home cook and food blogger sensation. Now, Instant Pot recipes are some of the most-searched terms out there, and you can make everything from hard boiled eggs with the pressure-cooker function to a classic beef stew with the slow cooker function. We're featuring our 10 favorite Instant Pot comfort food recipes.

In 2008, following the recession, Robert Wang of Ottawa, Canada, and two friends decided to channel their ambitions into a household product that is showing up in more and more North American kitchens. The Instant Pot is an electric pressure cooker that took 18 months to design, per The Globe and Mail.

The company's strategy from the beginning was to release a good product and slowly let its reputation speak for itself through customers. Social media and the internet is highly responsible for the success of the Instant Pot, but it wouldn't have been possible without the strong reputation and reliability of the product itself.

So why is the Instant Pot so spectacular? Just the simple and no-nonsense appearance of the Instant Pot IP-DUO60 7-in-1 Multi-Functional Pressure Cooker, 6Qt/100W speaks for itself.

Yes, there are a bunch of pressure cooker and multi-cooker models on the market today, but the ease of the Instant Pot is what reigns supreme and makes it deserving of the rave reviews it receives.

It comes in three sizes: the 5-quart model, the 6-quart model, and the 8-quart model. The Instant Pot is a 7-in-1 multi-functional cooker. It is a pressure cooker, a slow cooker, a rice cooker, and a yogurt maker. It also features a saute/browning function, along with steamer and warming functions.

For only $99.00 for the 6-quart model with free shipping for Amazon Prime members, the programmable pressure cooker has 14 control programs. It offers an automatic keep-warm function and features three temperatures for the sauté and slow cooking features. The ease of the Instant Pot is what has brought its success - the pressure cooking function is easy to use whereas on other high pressure cooking devices, it's a dangerous feat to undertake.

The Instant Pot is designed for both left-handed and right-handed cooks, which is a rarity in the kitchen appliance world. The stainless steel inner pot and the lid are both dishwasher safe, while the cooker base can be wiped down easily with a cloth. The steam release handle is also a fantastic safety feature, making sure consumers can't easily burn themselves.

While the cooker is in use, the microprocessor inside "monitors the pressure and temperature, adjusts heating intensity and duration, keeps time, and even adjusts cooking time based on the volume of food in the cooker." This means that all you have to do, literally, is press the correct series of buttons on the control panel.

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This smart electric pressure cooker has altered the trajectory of kitchen appliances based on its built-in smart programs. It's the perfect appliance for everyone from beginner home cooks because it teaches basic skills on a quick learning curve to more advanced home cooks who are looking to expand onto more complex recipes.

The 7-in-1 programmable cooker has dual pressure settings for flexible cooking. Using the high pressure cooking function cuts down on cooking time by 70 percent and the low pressure option is perfect for cooking delicate foods, such as fish.

The Instant Pot is designed for those who are looking to foray into a green-conscious life style and also those who struggle to get nutritious healthy food on the table night after night due to busy work schedules. It goes way beyond the functionality of your Crock Pot or slow cooker because it features up to 24 hours of delayed cooking time and will automatically keep food warm for up to 10 hours.

If you're not totally convinced of the benefits, here are 10 instant post recipes that'll convince you to get rid of that unsafe stovetop pressure cooker in favor of one of the Instant Pot models.

1. Instant Pot Beef Stew

Instant Pot meals don't have to be complicated or smothered in cheddar cheese. This recipe is not only paleo-friendly and gluten-free, it packs a punch in the vegetable servings department. You brown the beef and the herbs on the sauté function, and let the rest simmer for about 30 minutes.

An incredible weeknight meal with fork-tender beef is only a quick release of steam away. Feel free to switch it up and add sweet potatoes, corn, or black beans to this recipe. Find the recipe here.

2. Pressure Cooker Blueberries and Cream Steel Cut Oats

Sometimes breakfast for dinner is just what you need. Other times, this nutritional breakfast comes together with a total cook time of 13 minutes, making it perfect for busy mornings.

This quick breakfast recipe is a life-saver when you're in a rush and still want a wholesome meal. Find the recipe here.

3. Instant Pot BBQ Pork Chops

This is a 5-ingredient recipe that seamlessly comes to fruition in your Instant Pot - there's no magic or tricks here. Just real ingredients in real time.

While the Instant Pot makes great chicken recipes, we like to switch up our meats through the week! Find the recipe here.

4. Pressure Cooker Summer Italian Chicken

This recipe from Nom Nom Paleo not only features a great photo set of the Instant Pot in action, but it also shows just how easily the stainless steel cooking pot takes chicken thighs from raw to perfection in such little time.

Find this great Instant Pot chicken recipe here.

5. Instant Pot Rice Pilaf

The Instant Pot isn't just great for cooking meat - it's the omnivore's best friend. This perfect rice pilaf recipe shows the success of the rice cooker/porridge maker feature. Not to mention, it's absolutely delicious.

Feel free to sub in brown rice for white rice! Find the recipe here.

6. Instant Pot Jalapeño Popper Chicken Chili

This chicken chili will blow your mind with deliciousness. It's perfect for football Sundays and even better in the heart of winter when the temperatures drop quickly.

You can even make your own bone broth in your Instant Pot to use in this recipe. Find the recipe here.

7. Pressure Cooker Spaghetti Squash

This recipe uses the steamer function of the Instant Pot to its fullest advantage. Why turn on the oven in the middle of summer and heat up the kitchen when you can just lower the spaghetti squash right into the stainless steel pot?

Find the recipe here.

8. Cream of Butternut Squash & Ginger Soup

This soup effortlessly comes together in the Instant Pot in basically record time. No more roasting that butternut squash down is required - simply pop in the Instant Pot, set it, and forget it.

Find the recipe here.

9. Instant Pot Coconut Yogurt

Remember when I mentioned that the Instant Pot IP-DUO features a yogurt maker? This is the best and easiest recipe to put it to use.

Find the delicious pressure cooker recipe here.

10. Instant Pot Oreo Cheesecake

This will be a family favorite once you make it, requested at every event. Luckily you can use your Instant Pot for the easiest cheesecake cooking experience ever.

Find the recipe for Instant Pot Oreo Cheesecake here.

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