Paint The Kitchen Red

  • HOME
  • RECIPES AND GUIDES
  • ABOUT
menu icon
go to homepage
  • HOME
  • RECIPES AND GUIDES
  • ABOUT
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • HOME
  • RECIPES AND GUIDES
  • ABOUT
×
Home » Tips and Guides

Instant Pot Cooking Times – A Complete Guide

Published: Jul 7, 2021 | Updated: Jan 13, 2022 | Author: Neena Panicker

Instant Pot Cooking Times - a detailed guide with images of different foods e.g. eggplant, chicken leg, ham shank, corn.

This is your comprehensive guide to Instant Pot cooking times. This Instant Pot quick reference guide gives you all the information you need to cook a variety of foods. The Instant Pot cooking time charts are organized by type of food and how long to cook each type of food e.g. pork, chicken, vegetables, beef, seafood, rice, grains.

Instant Pot Cooking Times - a detailed guide with images of different foods e.g. eggplant, chicken leg, ham shank, corn.

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Please read the disclosure.

Table of Contents


  1. Introduction
  2. Pressure Cooking Tips
  3. Vegetable Cooking Times
  4. Fruit Cooking Times
  5. Bean Cooking Times
  6. Rice Cooking Times
  7. Grain Cooking Times
  8. Pasta Cooking Times
  9. Poultry/Chicken Cooking Times
  10. Seafood Cooking Times
  11. Lamb Cooking Times
  12. Beef Cooking Times
  13. Pork Cooking Times

If you’re new to the Instant Pot and aren’t familiar with how to use it, here are my guides on how to use some popular Instant Pot models:

  • Instant Pot Directions for Beginners
  • Instant Pot ULTRA Beginner’s Manual
  • Instant Pot DUO EVO PLUS Beginner’s Manual
  • Instant Pot DUO NOVA Beginner’s Manual
  • Instant Pot DUO GOURMET Beginner’s Manual
  • Instant Pot PRO Beginner’s Manual
  • Instant Pot DUO CRISP Beginner’s Manual
  • Instant Pot PRO CRISP Beginner’s Manual
  • Instant Pot PRO CRISP vs DUO CRISP

Introduction

The Instant Pot has changed the way I cook. It’s amazing to me that I use it to cook as many recipes as I do every week. It’s gotten to point that I sometimes forget how to use my stove!

All this has allowed me to become very familiar with the Instant Pot cooking times of all kinds of foods. If you’re new to the Instant Pot, don’t worry – the more you cook in the Instant Pot, the more familiar you’ll become with determining how long to cook foods.

In this guide, I’ll give you general Instant Pot cook times and tips for different types of foods.

If there’s anything missing or inaccurate, feel free to comment and let me know.

I have many guides and tips for the Instant Pot that might be helpful to you especially if you’re new to the Instant Pot. Reading these tips could help prevent some common issues.

  • Instant Pot Tips and FAQs
  • Instant Pot Common Problems
  • Instant Pot Burn Error
  • Reasons Why Your Instant Pot is not Sealing
  • Instant Pot Natural Release vs Quick Release
  • What Do the Instant Pot Symbols and Icons Mean?
  • How to Use the Instant Pot Delay Start Feature

Pressure Cooking Tips

The Instant Pot is different from traditional cooking methods in a few ways. There are some general tips that I like to share with new Instant Pot users when they first begin to cook in the Instant Pot.

Here are a few things you need to know about pressure cooking in the Instant Pot.

Cook Times

One of the misperceptions new Instant Pot users have is that a recipe with a 5 minute pressure cooking time will take a total of 5 minutes to cook. In fact, the total time to pressure cook food is made up of the following three times:

  • Time it takes to come to pressure
  • Time to pressure cook
  • Time it takes to release pressure naturally (releasing pressure using the quick release method takes very little time – at the most, a couple of minutes)

So if a recipe tells you to cook food for 5 minutes under high pressure, it will take longer than 5 minutes.

How much longer depends on the quantity and temperature of the food. The more liquid there is, the longer it takes to come to pressure and release pressure. The colder the contents of the Instant Pot, the longer it takes to come to pressure.

So a 5-minute pressure cooking recipe could take:

  • 10 minutes to come to pressure + 5 minutes to pressure cook + 10 to 30 minutes to release pressure = total time of 25 to 45 minutes.

Cooking times can also vary based on the Instant Pot model and size. Please adjust the cook times based on your individual experience with the Instant Pot.

If you find that food is overcooked with the provided timings, decrease the pressure cooking time by a few minutes the next time you make the recipe. If food is undercooked, you can go ahead and close the lid again and pressure cook for an additional few minutes.

0 (Zero) Minute Pressure Cooking

Some foods are so delicate that even one minute of pressure cooking will overcook them. For this reason, these foods need to be cooked for zero minutes. Some Instant Pot models allow you to program a 0-minute pressure cook.

If your Instant Pot does not have the option to set zero minute pressure cooking time i.e. it only goes as low as one minute, program it for 1 minute but as soon as the float valve goes up and the time changes from On to 00:01, press Cancel and do a quick release of pressure.

Releasing Pressure

There are a few different ways of releasing pressure, the most common being natural release and quick release. Pressure release methods can vary from recipe to recipe. Some foods benefit from a quick release because they are fast-cooking.

Other foods taste best when you do a natural release. In the cooking time charts below, I give you general guidelines on what pressure release method is best for each type of food.

[Read More: Different pressure release methods and when and why you would use each one.]

Low Pressure vs. High Pressure

Food can be cooked under low or high pressure. Some Instant Pots don’t have a low pressure setting and so in order to accommodate all Instant Pots users, the timings I’ve specified in the charts below are for high pressure.

Feel free to use low pressure. You may or may not need to increase the pressure cooking time by a couple of minutes.

Quick-cooking foods (e.g. vegetables, seafood, fruit) can get overcooked in the pressure cooker. These types of foods may benefit from low pressure (if you have it available on your Instant Pot.) If you find that a certain food is getting overcooked even if you reduce the pressure cooking time, use low pressure the next time.

Most recipes you find online or in cookbooks use high pressure to cook foods. If a recipe doesn’t indicate whether to use high or low pressure, you can assume it’s high pressure.

6 Quart vs 8 Quart vs 3 Quart

This guide is written with the 6 quart Instant Pot in mind. You may find that the 8 quart Instant Pot takes longer to come to pressure due to the increased quantity of liquid required.

Generally, I don’t need to change the Instant Pot cook times when using an 8 quart. However, one instance where I find my 8 quart requires more pressure cooking time than the 6 quart is when I use the Pot-in-Pot method (PIP). I usually add a couple of minutes to the pressure cooking time. You might need to experiment when doing PIP cooking in the 8 quart.

If you find that your 8 quart is consistently undercooking foods, you can add a minute or more to recipes.

Some of my readers who use the 3 quart say that they need to add a couple of extra minutes for vegetables and meats and about 25% more time for beans.

The 3 quart is half the size of the 6 quart, and therefore takes less time to come to pressure. While the Instant Pot is coming up to pressure, food begins to cook.

One theory is that the reduced time to come to pressure causes the food to be undercooked in some cases, especially dense foods like beans.

If you find that your 3 quart is consistently undercooking foods, you can add a minute or two to recipes.

Fill Level

The Instant Pot inner pot has markings to guide you on how much food you can put in the inner pot. You should keep most foods at the ⅔ full mark or lower.

However, if you’re cooking rice, grains, beans, or dehydrated foods, you need to keep to the ½ full mark.

And whatever you do, never fill the Instant Pot to the top!

Frozen Foods

Some frozen foods can cook inconsistently and unevenly. This is particularly true of large or unevenly sized foods. You may find that the food is overcooked on the outside and undercooked or possibly frozen on the inside.

I avoid cooking frozen foods if possible. I prefer to thaw the food before pressure cooking.

The one exception to this is if I’m pressure cooking small (1 to 1 ½ inch) pieces of meat in a soup or stew. In those cases, using frozen meat has no noticeable negative impact.

Understandably, there are times when you might forget to thaw! I’ve tried to provide frozen cooking times for many foods.

Doubling a Recipe

In general, when you double a recipe you don’t need to modify the pressure cooking time. The only exception to this is if you’re cooking a large piece of food or a thicker piece of food than the recipe calls for.

For example, if the cooking time says 5 minutes for 1-inch thickness, and your food is 2 inches thick, you would probably need to increase the cooking time.

If you’re halving a recipe you don’t need to change the pressure cooking time.

High Altitude

If you live at a high altitude and you find that the cooking times you’re using aren’t thoroughly cooking the food, add 5% to the cooking time for every 1000 feet above 2000 feet altitude. e.g. if you live at 4000 feet, add 10% to the pressure cooking time.

Keep a Journal

One of the things I started doing when I first started cooking with the Instant Pot was to start recording the cooking times that worked for me when I made different types of foods. This has been so invaluable to me.

I encourage you to do the same. Whether it’s a physical notebook or a digital file, you’ll be glad you started keeping track.

Vegetable Cooking Time Chart

cabbage, peppers, carrots, tomatoes, eggplant, beans and other vegetables
  1. Vegetables can be cooked in the Instant Pot with quick and consistent results. Because of the nature of pressure cooking, vegetables retain more nutrients when pressure cooked than when cooked traditionally.
  2. Most vegetables require a quick release of pressure, otherwise they will overcook.
    [Read More: Natural Release vs. Quick Release and Other Steam Release Methods]
  3. Vegetables are best when steamed rather than boiled because steaming helps retain the nutrients. Add 2 cups of water or broth to the inner pot and place a trivet or steam rack in the water. The water level should be slightly lower than the rack. Place the vegetables on the trivet or steam rack. You can add any flavorings or spices to the steaming liquid to impart more flavor to the vegetables.
    [Read More: What is a Trivet and How Do You Use it?]
  4. The liquid used to steam the vegetables can be used for cooking other foods in place of water or broth.
  5. If you’re cutting the vegetable into larger pieces than indicated below, you may need to increase pressure cooking time by 1 minute.
  6. If the vegetable is thinner or smaller than usual, decrease the pressure cookng time by a minute or use the Low Pressure setting.
  7. If the vegetable gets overcooked with high pressure, decrease the cooking time by a few minutes or use low pressure next time.
  8. If your recipe calls for al dente vegetables, immerse them in an ice bath immediately after pressure cooking. Because food can continue cooking even after pressure is released, the ice bath immediately stops the cooking process.

Instant Pot Vegetable Recipes

  • Instant Pot Cauliflower and Potatoes
  • Instant Pot Ratatouille
  • Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes

VegetableCooking TimeSteam Release Method
Artichoke (whole) – small11 minutesQuick or Natural
Artichoke (whole) – large15 minutesQuick or Natural
Asparagus (thick)1 minuteQuick
Asparagus (thin)0 minute *Quick
Beet (small)12 minutesQuick
Beet (large)15 minutesQuick
Broccoli rabe2 minutesQuick
Broccoli (florets)0 minutes *Quick
Brussels sprouts (whole)3 minutesQuick
Butternut squash (whole)25 minutesQuick or Natural
Butternut squash (halved)9 minutesQuick or Natural
Butternut squash (1 inch)3 minutesQuick
Cabbage (chopped 1 ½ inch)5 minutesQuick
Cauliflower (whole)2 minutesQuick
Cauliflower (florets)1 minuteQuick
Carrots (baby)2 minutesQuick
Carrots (½ inch)2 minutesQuick
Chard2 minutesQuick
Collard greens4 minutesQuick
Corn on the cob2 minutesQuick
Eggplant (1 ½ inch)3 minutesQuick
Green beans2 minutesQuick
Kale 3 minutesQuick
Parsnips (1 inch)2 minutesQuick
Potatoes (small whole)12 minutesQuick
Potatoes (medium whole)15 minutesQuick
Potatoes (large whole)20 minutes10-minute Natural Release
Potatoes (sliced ¼ inch)2 minutesQuick
Potatoes (1 ½ inch)3 minutesQuick
Pumpkin (1 ½ inch)3 minutesQuick
Rutabaga (1 ½ inch)4 minutes5-minute Natural Release
Sweet potatoes (medium whole)35 minutes10-minute Natural Release
Sweet potatoes (small whole)15 minutes10-minute Natural Release
Sweet potatoes (1 ½ inch)3 minutesQuick
* Find out more about 0 minutes cook time.

Fruit Cooking Times Chart

assorted fruits gathered together
  1. Generally fruits are pressure cooked to make jams, jellies, chutneys and desserts. Check out my delicious and easy Instant Pot Peach Crisp.
  2. Pressure cooking fruits requires very little pressure cooking time for soft results. If you want the fruit to be more firm, pressure cook on Low Pressure for the same amount of time, if that option is available on your Instant Pot model.
  3. Since fruits cook quickly, it’s helpful to do a quick release of pressure. However, some fruits (e.g. strawberries) foam a lot so if you find that there’s a lot of mess when you do a quick release, go ahead and do a 10-minute natural release.
    [Read More: Natural Release vs. Quick Release and Other Steam Release Methods]
  4. Turn off the Keep Warm setting when cooking fruits. This prevents the fruit from overcooking.
  5. Fruits can be cooked directly in the liquid or placed on a steam rack or trivet.
    [Read More: What is a Trivet and How Do You Use it?]
FruitCooking TimeSteam Release Method
Apple (1 ½ inch)1 minuteQuick
Apricot (halved)2 minutesQuick
Blackberries2 minutesQuick
Blueberries3 minutes10-minute Natural Release
Cherries1 minuteQuick
Cranberries2 minutes10-minute Natural Release
Peach (halved)3 minutes10-minute Natural Release
Pear (halved)1 minuteQuick
Pear (whole)2 minutesQuick
Plum (halved)2 minutesQuick
Strawberries1 minute10-minute Natural Release

Beans Cooking Times Chart

different types beans in 6 brown bowls
  1. Pressure cooking beans/legumes is a great alternative to buying canned beans. Homemade beans have more flavor and better texture than canned beans.
  2. Sort through the beans and remove any debris such as small stones.
  3. Rinse the beans thoroughly before cooking them.
  4. Soaking the beans reduces the cooking time. Beans can be cooked straight from dried or you can soak them for 6 to 8 hours.
  5. To soak beans the traditional way, place beans in a bowl and fill with enough water to cover by 1 inch.
  6. If you need a shortcut for soaking beans, find out more on my method for how to quick-soak dried beans.
  7. If you open the Instant Pot and the beans aren’t cooked enough, just pressure cook them for 10 more minutes. If necessary, add some more water.
  8. The cooking time of beans can vary based on the age of the beans. The longer the beans have been sitting on a shelf or in your pantry, the longer they take to cook. Buying beans from health food stores or groceries where you can buy the beans in bulk might offer a fresher stash of beans. If you’re cooking a pot of beans and they don’t cook properly, no matter how long you cook them for, you might want to try a fresher bag.
  9. Cook beans at high pressure.
  10. The steam release method for beans is a full natural release.
  11. The ratio of beans to liquid is 1 : 1.5. That means that for every cup of beans, use 1 ½ cups of liquid. The beans should be submerged fully to prevent uneven cooking.
  12. Don’t fill the Instant Pot past the ½-full mark. The beans need room to expand.

Instant Pot Bean Recipes

  • Instant Pot Red Beans and Rice
  • Ethiopian Lentils
  • Instant Pot Chickpeas
BeanDried Cooking TimeSoaked Cooking Time
Adzuki beans22 minutes8 minutes
Anasazi beans35 minutes15 minutes
Black beans30 minutes10 minutes
Black-eyed peas17 minutes6 minutes
Cannellini beans (White beans)30 minutes12 minutes
Chickpeas50 minutes20 minutes
Cranberry beans (Borlotti)40 minutes20 minutes
Fava beans (dried) 28 minutes20 minutes
Great northern beans35 minutes22 minutes
Kidney beans25 minutes12 minutes
Lentils (Black Beluga)10 minutesn/a
Lentils (Brown)10 minutesn/a
Lentils (Green)10 minutesn/a
Lentils (Red, whole)
Masoor dal (whole)
15 minutesn/a
Lentils (Red, split)
Masoor dal (split)
4 minutesn/a
Lentils (Yellow, split – moong)5 minutesn/a
Lima beans
Butter beans
25 minutes7 minutes
Moong dal (whole, green)20 minutes15 minutes (4 hour soak)
Navy beans30 minutes
Pigeon peas (split)
Toor dal
6 minutesn/a
Pinto beans40 minutes20 minutes
Red beans (small)35 minutes25 minutes
Soybeans45 minutes30 minutes
Split peas16 minutesn/a

Rice Cooking Times

white, brown and black rice on a gray background
  1. Once I got my Instant Pot, I’ve never had to bring out my rice cooker. The Instant Pot cooks rice so consistently!
  2. In general, you can start out by using the 1:1 ratio for rice to water. However, there are some types of rice for which adding some extra water makes the rice softer.
  3. Rinse the rice before pressure cooking. Rinsing rice is a key to making rice successfully in the Instant Pot.
  4. There’s no need to soak the rice.
  5. Don’t fill the Instant Pot past the ½ mark when cooking rice.
  6. Do a full natural release or 15-minute natural release.
    [Read more: Different Pressure Release Methods]
  7. Coat the inner pot with a bit of cooking oil spray because this helps prevent the rice from sticking to the inner pot.
  8. If your rice turns out too sticky, reduce the liquid by a tablespoon or two next time.
  9. Turn the Keep Warm mode off if you’re going to let the rice sit in the Instant Pot for longer than 30 minutes.
  10. Feel free to substitute broth for water and add butter and salt to the rice before pressure cooking.
  11. If the rice is undercooked, next time increase the cooking time by a couple of minutes and/or add another tablespoon of water.
  12. Rice can be cooked using the Pot-in-Pot method. You can increase the pressure cooking time by a couple of minutes if the rice isn’t getting completely cooked with this method.
  13. After the pressure releases, fluff up the rice by stirring the rice.
  14. The rice paddle that comes with many Instant Pot models is very helpful for stirring up the rice.

Instant Pot Rice Recipes

  • Instant Pot Risotto
  • Instant Pot Arroz Con Pollo
  • Instant Pot Fried Rice
  • Instant Pot Brown Rice with Vegetables
  • Instant Pot Jambalaya
  • Instant Pot Lamb Biryani
  • Instant Pot Parboiled Rice
  • Instant Pot Wild Rice Pilaf
  • Instant Pot Jasmine Rice
  • Pot in Pot Basmati Rice
  • Pot in Pot Brown Rice
RiceRice:Water RatioPressure Cooking Time
Arborio (risotto rice)1 : 25 minutes
Basmati (white)1 : 16 minutes
Basmati (brown)1 : 1.2522 minutes
Black rice1 : 122 minutes
Brown (long grain)1 : 1.2522 minutes
Brown (short grain)1 : 1.2520 minutes
Calrose rice1 : 1.256 minutes
Jasmine1 : 1.254 minutes
Parboiled brown rice1 : 18 minutes
Parboiled white rice1 : 16 minutes
Sticky rice (glutinous rice)1 : ⅔12 minutes
Sushi rice1 : 1.2510 minutes
White (long grain)1 : 16 minutes
White (medium grain)1 : 16 minutes
Wild rice1 : 1.528 minutes
Wild rice blend1 : 126 minutes

Grain Cooking Times

three wooden bowls on sack cloth with grains including oats
  1. I love pressure cooking grains in the Instant Pot because they cook so much faster than on the stovetop. I also love the fact that I don’t need to watch the stove.
  2. The biggest issue that people face when cooking grains in the Instant Pot is the possibility of the Burn Message. To avoid this, you can try to use the pot-in-pot method to cook the grains. I use pot-in-pot for oatmeal, polenta, and grits. In general, I use the same pressure cooking time for both methods: direct and pot-in-pot. However, some foods don’t cook as quickly with Pot-in-Pot compared to the direct method. You might need to add 30% more time. The nice thing is that it’s easy to check for doneness and if it needs to cook some more, just program the Instant Pot to pressure cook for a few minutes.
  3. Don’t fill the Instant Pot past the ½ mark when cooking grains.
GrainGrain : WaterPressure Cooking Time
Barley1 : 220 minutes
Bulgur1 : 1.55 minutes
Couscous (Morrocan)1 : 1.51 minute
Couscous (Israeli)1 : 1.255 minutes
Farro1 : 210 minutes
Millet1 : 1.7510 minutes
Oatmeal (rolled, old-fashioned)1 : 1.53 minutes
Oatmeal (steel-cut)1 : 2.55 minutes
Polenta1 : 49 minutes
Quinoa1 : 11 minute
Wheat berries1 : 4 30 minutes

Pasta Cooking Times

Assorted pastas in bowls including rotini, farfalle, penne, rigatoni
  1. I love pressure cooking pasta in the Instant Pot because of the convenience of a one-pot meal.
  2. Unlike cooking pasta on the stovetop, you don’t need to worry about watching it. You can let it cook without worrying about overflowing or foaming.
  3. The biggest issue that people face when cooking pasta in the Instant Pot is the possibility of the Burn Message. To avoid this, you want the pasta to be the last ingredient you put in before pressure cooking and don’t stir it in. Push the pasta gently with a spatula to allow it to submerge in the liquid.
  4. Don’t fill the Instant Pot past the ½ full mark when cooking pasta.
  5. The pressure cooking time for pasta is generally computed with this formula:
    (Stovetop cooking time on the box / 2) + 1. If the answer is a fraction, round down.
    So if the box tells you to cook the pasta for 11 minutes: 11 / 2 = 5.5 + 1 = 6.5 minutes (round down to 6 minutes).
  6. Use 2 cups liquid per 8 ounces of pasta.
  7. The times below are for Barilla brand of pasta. If you’re using another brand, check the box and use the above formula to compute the pressure cooking time.
  8. Release pressure using the intermittent quick release method. This means you release pressure for a second and stop, repeat until the pressure starts to come out with less force, at which point you can release all the remaining pressure.
  9. When pasta is done cooking and pressure has been released, you might see some liquid. If you stir up the pasta and let it rest for 7 to 8 minutes, the liquid should get absorbed.

Instant Pot Pasta Recipes

  • Instant Pot Penne with Sausage
  • Instant Pot Spaghetti with Meat Sauce
  • Instant Pot Vegetarian Rigatoni Bolognese
  • Instant Pot Pasta with Garlic Shrimp
  • Instant Pot Thai Peanut Noodles
  • Instant Pot Burmese Noodle Soup
  • Instant Pot Italian Wedding Soup
PastaPressure Cooking Time
Angel hair 3 minutes
Ditalini6 minutes
Elbow macaroni4 minutes
Farfalle6 minutes
Fettuccini7 minutes
Linguini5 minutes
Mostaccioli6 minutes
Orechiette7 minutes
Orzo5 minutes
Pastina4 minutes
Penne6 minutes
Rigatoni7 minutes
Rotini4 minutes
Shells (Medium)5 minutes
Spaghetti (No. 5)5 minutes
Spaghetti (Thick)6 minutes
Spaghetti (Thin)4 minutes
Ziti6 minutes

Poultry/Chicken Cooking Times

whole chicken on a cutting board surrounded by greens and tomatoes in a bowl
  1. If the size of your chicken is different from the chart, add or subtract a minute or two from the stated times.
  2. Chicken breasts can easily get overcooked. If you’re cooking small boneless chicken breasts, pressure cook them for 6 minutes. Large breasts may need another couple of minutes.
  3. I generally don’t like to cook with frozen chicken. I find that frozen meat tends to cook too unevenly and the frozen food releases a lot of liquid into an already liquidy recipe. The only time I use frozen chicken is if the recipe calls for small pieces of chicken submerged in liquid, e.g. soups and stews.
  4. If you choose to use frozen poultry, a general rule of thumb is to add 50% to the cooking time. For larger chunks of frozen food, add even more time.
  5. When freezing chicken that you plan to use in the Instant Pot at a future time, it’s best to freeze the pieces separately so they’re not in a big chunk when you need to cook them from frozen.
  6. Use a trivet to place the frozen chicken on, with water or broth below the trivet.
    [Read More: What is a Trivet and How Do You Use it?]
  7. I like to apply a dry rub on (thawed) chicken before pressure cooking it on a trivet.
  8. It’s best to use at least a 10-minute natural pressure release, if not a full natural pressure release when cooking chicken. The only time I break this rule is when the chicken is fully submerged in liquid, in which case I will sometimes to a 10 or 15 minutes natural pressure release.
    [Read more: Different Pressure Release Methods]
  9. Chicken that’s been pressure cooked can often benefit from a quick searing after pressure cooking, whether on the stovetop, oven, broiler or grill.
  10. The times I’ve listed below are approximate. Please measure the temperature of the thickest part of the meat before eating. Refer to the FDA safe temperature chart.

Instant Pot Chicken Recipes

  • Instant Pot Chicken Curry Soup
  • Instant Pot Cashew Butter Chicken
  • Instant Pot Thai Grilled Chicken Thighs
  • Instant Pot Korean Chicken
  • Instant Pot Chicken Shawarma
  • Instant Pot Jamaican Jerk Chicken
  • Instant Pot Thai Panang Curry
  • Easy Instant Pot Chicken Stew

Chicken Cooking TimeFrozen Cooking Time
Chicken breast (bone-in)12 minutes25 minutes
Chicken breast (boneless)7 minutes12 minutes
Chicken thigh (bone-in)9 minutes14 minutes
Chicken thigh (boneless)7 minutes10 minutes
Chicken (1 ½ inch cubes)4 minutes5 minutes
Chicken (in a frozen block)n/a20 minutes
Chicken bone broth2 hoursn/a
Cornish game hen (2 lbs)15 minutes45 minutes
Chicken (whole 3 lbs)20 minutes40 minutes
Turkey breast (boneless 4 lbs)25 minutes50 minutes
Turkey breast (bone in 7 lbs)30 minutes80 minutes
Turkey leg (2 count)20 minutes30 minutes

Seafood Cooking Times

filet of salmon on a white plate garnished with herbs and asparagus in the background
  1. The charts below provide times for cooking seafood under high pressure. However, low pressure cooking is a great option for seafood. It allows the seafood to cook evenly without becoming rubbery. If you try the timings and find that the fish is overcooked or tough, try using Low Pressure next time, if that’s an option on your Instant Pot. Add an extra minute of cook time.
  2. Add another minute of pressure cooking time for each extra inch of thickness.
  3. Make sure frozen fish pieces are separated from each other and not frozen in one big chunk.
  4. Pressure cooking large pieces of frozen fish will result in uneven results i.e. the outside of the fish will cook more than the inside. It’s better to cut the frozen fish into smaller pieces.

Instant Pot Seafood Recipes

  • Instant Pot Shrimp and Grits
  • Instant Pot Shrimp Etouffee
  • Instant Pot Indian Fish Curry
  • Instant Pot Thai Fish Curry

SeafoodFresh/ThawedFrozenSteam Release
Clams 1 minute2 minutesQuick
Cod (1 inch thick)2 minutes3 minutesQuick
Crab legs2 minutes5 minutesQuick
Halibut (1 inch)2 minutes4 minutesQuick
Mussels3 minutes5 minutesQuick
Salmon (1 inch)3 minutes5 minutesQuick
Sea bass (1 inch)3 minutes5 minutesQuick
Seafood stock30 minutesn/aNatural Release
Shrimp (large)1 minute2 minutesQuick
Swordfish (1 inch)3 minutes4 minutesQuick
Tuna steaks (1 inch)3 minutes4 minutesQuick

Lamb Cooking Times

lamb chops on a white plate garnished with thyme
  1. It’s best to use a full natural pressure release when cooking lamb. The only time I break this rule is when the lamb is fully submerged in liquid, in which case I will sometimes to a 10 or 15 minutes natural pressure release.
    [Read more: Different Pressure Release Methods]
  2. When using a trivet or steam rack, I like to rub a dry rub on meats.
  3. Pressure cooking large pieces of frozen meat will result in uneven results i.e. the outside of the meat will cook more than the inside. It’s better to cut the frozen meat into smaller pieces.
  4. Add 10 minutes per extra pound of meat.
  5. The times I’ve listed below are approximate. Please measure the temperature of the thickest part of the meat before eating. Refer to the FDA safe temperature chart.

Instant Pot Lamb Recipes

  • Instant Pot Lamb Curry
  • Instant Pot Lamb Biryani
MeatCooking Time
Ground lamb8 minutes
Ground lamb (meatballs)3 minutes
Lamb shanks (4 count)45 minutes
Lamb stew meat30 minutes
Leg of lamb (boneless 3 lbs)45 minutes

Beef and Veal Cooking Times

beef steak cut into slices with potaotes on a wooden board
  1. In general, add 15 minutes per extra pound of meat.
  2. Make sure the pieces are separated if frozen. They shouldn’t be clumped together in one big chunk.
  3. Pressure cooking large pieces of frozen meat will result in uneven results i.e. the outside of the meat will cook more than the inside. It’s better to cut the frozen meat into smaller pieces.
  4. I like to rub a dry rub on meats before pressure cooking them on a trivet or rack.
  5. Lean cuts of beef don’t fare that well in the Instant Pot (round roast, sirloin roast). You’re better off using sous vide, or cooking directly on the stove or grill. However, since some readers prefer to cook leaner meats, I’ve provided some general times.
    [Read More: How to use the Instant Pot Sous Vide Function]
  6. Beef that’s been pressure cooked can often benefit from a quick searing after pressure cooking, whether on the stovetop, oven, broiler or grill.
  7. The Instant Pot meat cooking times I’ve listed below are approximate. Please measure the temperature of the thickest part of the meat before eating. Refer to the FDA safe temperature chart.

Instant Pot Beef Recipes

  • Instant Pot Beef Curry
  • Instant Pot Beef Bulgogi (Korean beef)
  • Instant Pot Carne Asada
  • Instant Pot Thai Massaman Curry

MeatCooking TimeFrozen
Beef (stew meat)18 minutes28 minutes
Beef ribs30 minutes40 minutes
Brisket (2 lbs)75 minutes90 minutes
Chuck roast (3 lbs)45 minutes60 minutes
Chuck roast (cubed)15 minutes17 minutes
Corned beef (2 lbs)75 minutes90 minutes
Flank steak (2 lbs)50 minutes65 minutes
Flank steak (strips)12 minutes15 minutes
Meatballs7 minutes9 minutes
Meat loaf25 minutes40 minutes
Round roast (2 inches thick)
– Medium rare
3 minutes4 minutes
Rump roast (3 lbs)90 minutes110 minutes
Short ribs (3 lbs)45 minutes60 minutes
Sirloin roast (3 lbs)25 minutes40 minutes
Sirloin tips15 minutes17 minutes
Veal shanks30 minutes40 minutes
Veal stew meat25 minutes27 minutes

Pork Cooking Times

pork ribs on a wooden board
  1. When using frozen pork, make sure meat pieces are separated and not frozen in one big chunk.
  2. Pressure cooking large pieces of frozen meat will result in uneven results i.e. the outside of the meat will cook more than the inside. It’s better to cut the frozen meat into smaller pieces.
  3. Add 10 minutes per extra pound of meat.
  4. I like to rub a dry rub on meats before pressure cooking them on a trivet or steam rack.
  5. In general, lean cuts of meat don’t fare that well in the Instant Pot (pork chops, loin, tenderloin). You’re better off using sous vide, or cooking directly on the stove or grill. However, since some readers prefer to cook leaner meats, I’ve provided some general times.
    [Read More: How to use the Instant Pot Sous Vide Function]
  6. Pork that’s been pressure cooked can often benefit from a quick searing after pressure cooking, whether on the stovetop, oven, broiler or grill.
  7. The times I’ve listed below are approximate. Please measure the temperature of the thickest part of the meat before eating. Refer to the FDA safe temperature chart.

Instant Pot Pork Recipes

  • Instant Pot Pork Tacos/Carnitas
  • Instant Pot Banh Mi Vietnamese Sandwich
  • Instant Pot Chorizo and Potato
  • Instant Pot Char Siu

MeatCooking TimeFrozen
Baby back ribs (1 rack)25 minutes35 minutes
Country-style ribs (bone-in, 3 lbs)25 minutes35 minutes
Country-style ribs (boneless, 3 lbs)20 minutes30 minutes
Pork chops (boneless 1 ½ inch thick)1 minute2 minutes
Pork chops (bone-in 1 ½ inch)2 minutes3 minutes
Pork loin roast (2 lb)
Center cut
15 minutes22 minutes
Pork shoulder (boneless 3 lbs)
(Pork butt)
60 minutes80 minutes
Pork shoulder (bone-in 4 lbs)70 minutes90 minutes
Pork tenderloin (1.5 lbs)3 minutes5 minutes
Ham (bone-in, cooked, uncut, 6 lb)15 minutes30 minutes
Honey baked ham
Spiral-cut ham)
2 minutes per poundn/a
Ham slices (2 lbs)4 minutesn/a

If you found this article to be helpful, please share it on social media using the social media share buttons at the top and bottom of this post. Thank you so much!

BACK TO TOP

More Tips and Guides

  • Instant Pot Error Codes A Complete Guide with image of Instant Pot display panel.
    Instant Pot Error Codes Complete Guide
  • butter chicken and tikka masala in bowls with rice and text "butter chicken vs tikka masala".
    Butter Chicken vs. Tikka Masala
  • chicken korma and butter chicken in bowls with rice and text "chicken korma vs butter chicken".
    Chicken Korma vs Butter Chicken – What’s the Difference?
  • Instant Pot Tamarind Paste L2 - Paint the Kitchen Red
    The Best Tamarind Paste Substitute

Comments

  1. Lisa says

    March 04, 2024 at 5:24 pm

    Two round roast, 13.5#
    How lonw to pressure high cook?
    Thx Lisa

    Reply
    • Neena Panicker says

      March 13, 2024 at 6:11 pm

      You’ll probably need to cut the roast into smaller pieces and cook in batches. I’m not sure about the timings since I’ve never pressure cooked a roast.

      Reply
  2. Christine says

    February 28, 2024 at 9:10 pm

    Sorry. I see it now. Scrolled too fast on my phone.

    Reply
    • Neena Panicker says

      February 29, 2024 at 11:00 am

      Christine, no worries. I’ll put an asterisk on that cook to lead to the appropriate paragraph. Thanks for pointing it out!

      Reply
  3. Christine says

    February 28, 2024 at 9:08 pm

    How do you cook vegetables for 0 minutes? I don’t get it and you don’t explain.

    Reply
  4. Wai Kwong Sito says

    October 11, 2023 at 2:48 am

    Hi ! May I know can I pressure cook without adding water? If minimum amount? I am referring to the Instant Pot Duo Crisp

    Reply
    • Paint the Kitchen Red says

      October 12, 2023 at 2:08 pm

      Hi there, you need a minimum amount of water to pressure cook and the quantity depends on the capacity. For a 6 quart I can get away with a cup, for an 8 quart about 1.5 cups. Also keep in mind that vegetables release liquid and that helps towards to minimum water requirement. The same for sauces like soy sauce etc. However, if you’re using the air fryer option you don’t add water.

      Reply
  5. Mansi says

    May 04, 2022 at 6:28 am

    This manual is extremely helpful! I don’t have social media to share it with others, but I will recommend it to all my friends. Thank you for your hard work in putting this together! It is better than the manufacturer’s site! 🙂

    Reply
    • Paint the Kitchen Red says

      May 04, 2022 at 12:24 pm

      Thank you so much, Mansi!

      Reply
  6. Tiffany says

    April 11, 2022 at 5:28 pm

    Hi, Is this guide available in a binded paperback version for sale? I’d love to have a print out!

    Reply
    • Paint the Kitchen Red says

      April 12, 2022 at 4:57 am

      Hi Tiffany, I’m so sorry to say that it isn’t available in print form.

      Reply
  7. KELLI says

    February 08, 2022 at 5:01 pm

    I have used this website many times! I had some problems with my instapot and they HELPED OUT SO MUCH.. BUT NOW I CAN’T SEEM THE BASIC RECIPES ,AND COOKING DIRECTIONS FOR ALL KINDS OF BEEF ROAST.

    Reply
    • Paint the Kitchen Red says

      February 08, 2022 at 5:49 pm

      Kelli, I don’t have any beef roast recipes on the site, and I haven’t removed any recipes. Is there a particular basic recipe you’re referring to? I can try and find it for you.

      Reply
  8. Gary Lazarus says

    January 10, 2022 at 8:40 am

    Hi Neena, I’m looking for an opinion on searing and cooking double cut pork chops in my insta pot. Two chops with bone weigh 2 1/4 lbs. Thank you

    Reply
    • Paint the Kitchen Red says

      January 10, 2022 at 1:09 pm

      Gary, do you have the sous vide button, by chance? That would be your best bet for pork chops, since pressure cooking works great on fattier cuts. I have a post that will show you exactly how to sous vide. If you still wish to pressure cook them, I would use 1 to 2 minutes still.

      Reply
  9. Nancy Rhodes says

    October 09, 2021 at 8:15 pm

    Thank you so much for the great charts. The information was exactly what I was looking for.

    Reply
    • Paint the Kitchen Red says

      October 12, 2021 at 12:54 pm

      Nancy, I’m happy to help. Thank you for your feedback!

      Reply
  10. Sharon says

    September 11, 2021 at 6:59 am

    Thank you so much! I have the IP cooking chart, but your charts are way more extensive.

    Reply
    • Paint the Kitchen Red says

      September 13, 2021 at 12:30 pm

      Sharon, that’s great – I’m glad you find them helpful!

      Reply

Questions, Comments? I love hearing from my readers and I reply to all comments! Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Rate This Recipe!




Neena in red sweater head tilted

Hi, I'm Neena Panicker, and welcome! I am the creator, photographer, and author of recipes and tips at Paint the Kitchen Red. I live in the glorious west in Salt Lake City, Utah with my family.

More about me →

Popular

  • Reasons Why Instant Pot is Not Sealing or Pressurizing
    Reasons For Your Instant Pot Not Sealing
  • Instant Pot Thai Red Curry with colorful vegetables in white bowl with spoon on rich red napkin.
    Instant Pot Thai Red Curry with Chicken
  • 4 Instant pots - 3, 6, 8 and 10 quart - what size instant pot should i buy?!
    Sizes of Instant Pot – What Size do you Need?
  • Instant Pot Chili in white bowl on green cloth with cornbread; topped with cheese, sour cream and green onions - Paint the Kitchen Red
    Homemade Instant Pot Chili (using Dried Beans)
  • Natural Release vs Quick Release
    How To Natural Release Instant Pot vs Quick Release
  • Instant Pot Panang Curry with chicken, green beans, red and green peppers, Thai basil in a white bowl on a light wood background
    Thai Instant Pot Panang Curry with Chicken
  • Beginner's Manual and User's Guide Instant Pot Duo Crisp Air Fryer
    How to Use the Instant Pot Duo Crisp + Air Fryer | Beginner’s Manual

Seasonal

  • 4 ears of corn sitting on husks on a white plate
    Instant Pot Corn on the Cob
  • Wasabi Instant Pot Deviled Eggs with wasabi and pickled ginger on colorful blue plate - Paint the Kitchen Red
    Wasabi Deviled Eggs Recipe – Delicious Appetizer
  • Instant Pot Korean Chicken two thighs and four drumsticks on a dark background, garnished with sesame seeds
    Instant Pot Korean Chicken with Gochujang
  • Instant Pot Thai Grilled Chicken Thighs on dark background with sprinkled cilantro and green onions
    Thai BBQ Chicken
  • Instant Pot Banh Mi sandwich on black background, with meat, daikon, carrots and cilantro; cilantro and green onions sprinkled on surface - Paint the Kitchen Red
    Instant Pot Banh Mi | Vietnamese Sandwich
  • Instant Pot Jamaican Jerk Chicken L1 - Paint the Kitchen Red
    Grilled Instant Pot Jamaican Jerk Chicken
  • Instant Pot beet, arugula, candied walnut salad on white plate with fork or dark background
    Arugula Goat Cheese Beet Salad
  • Instant Pot Ratatouille - round wooden board with cheeses, basil, olives, crostini, cherries, nuts, crackers
    Instant Pot Ratatouille | Braised Summer Vegetables with Fresh Herbs

Featured In

Media that have featured Paintthekitchenred.com including cnet, nbc news, cnbc, instant pot, the huffington post.

Social Media

Footer

↑ back to top

About

  • About Me
  • Contact

Disclosures

  • Privacy Policy
  • Accessibility Statement

Web Stories

  • Google Web Stories

Shop

  • Amazon

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Copyright © 2016 - 2025 Paint the Kitchen Red