If you’ve just purchased an Instant Pot Pro model, this beginner’s manual will help you get started.  This Pro user manual tells you about all the parts, the most important buttons, and functions, and gives you instructions on how to use the Instant Pot PRO model for the first time by doing the water test or initial test run.

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

Introduction with Video

The Instant Pot Pro is one of the latest models that have been introduced. It’s an upgrade to my favorite model, the Instant Pot Duo Evo Plus, which was recently discontinued. I was sad to hear it was discontinued, but upon trying this new model, I got over it pretty quickly!

The Instant Pot Pro has all the features that I love about the Duo Evo Plus and improves on them even further.

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What is an Instant Pot?

The Instant Pot has become so popular in recent years that Instant Pot is being used by some as a generic name for pressure cookers of any brand.

In reality, Instant Pot is the brand name of a multicooker that serves as a pressure cooker, slow cooker, rice cooker, yogurt maker, sauté/searing pan, steamer and warming pot all in one convenient appliance.

Some people use the name Instapot, but the correct name is Instant Pot.

The Instant Pot Company (Instant Brands) started out with one product – the Instant Pot – and now makes a wide range of kitchen appliances including air fryers, blenders, and toaster ovens.

Although the Instant Pot pressure multicooker has many different functions, the most commonly used is the Pressure Cook function. Pressure cooking allows you to cook foods at a fraction of the time it would take on the stovetop.

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PURCHASE THE INSTANT POT PRO ON AMAZON!

First Thing You Need to Do: Open the Box!

I often hear from readers that they’re so intimidated by the Instant Pot that they’re scared to take it out of its box. If this is you, rest assured that there’s nothing to worry about. The Instant Pot has many layers of built-in safety features!

Besides, if you don’t get it out of the box and try it out, in the event you have a defective unit you might miss the warranty period and be stuck with a bulky paperweight!

In this guide, I’m going to (virtually) hold your hand and help you get going to the point where you’ll pressure cook something simple – water!

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Is the Instant Pot Pro Safe to Use?

This is very different from your grandmother’s pressure cooker! If you’ve experienced stovetop pressure cooker mishaps in the past, you have nothing to worry about. The Instant Pot eliminates most of those pressure cooker issues.

According to Instant Pot, in the past, most pressure cooker disasters could usually be attributed to user error. Instant Pot pressure multicookers are carefully designed to eliminate and avoid most of the potential problems. 

There are many safety features help reduce common errors. These include pressure sensor technology, lid close detection, lid lock technology, overheat protection, and automatic temperature and pressure controls.

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Safety Precautions

Although there are many built-in safety features as explained above, as a user you need to follow common-sense precautions:

1. Don’t touch the hot surfaces, particularly the stainless steel parts. Use the handles to move the Instant Pot or the inner pot.
2. Don’t place the Instant Pot on or close to an electric or gas burner.
3. Don’t move the Instant Pot when it’s under pressure.
4. Don’t fill over ⅔ full.
5. When cooking foods that expand e.g. rice, beans, pasta don’t fill over ½ full.
6. Ensure anti-block shield, float valve, and steam release pipe are clean and not clogged.
7. Don’t open the lid until the float valve is down i.e. the Instant Pot is depressurized.
8. Keep hands and face away from the steam release mechanism.
9. Don’t obstruct the steam release assembly when pressure is being released.
10. When quick-releasing frothy foods such as applesauce, oatmeal, pasta, etc. take extra care. It’s best to release pressure is short bursts for these types of foods.
11. Don’t use another Instant Pot model’s lid on the Pro model.

For more information about safety precautions, please read the Instant Pot Pro user manual.

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Instant Pot Pro vs Duo Evo Plus

The Instant Pot Pro is an updated version of the Instant Pot Duo Evo Plus. Here are the main differences between the two models:

1. The Instant Pot Pro allows you to save up to 5 favorite programs.
2. The Instant Pot Pro allows you to set a reminder for 5-minute natural release or 10-minute natural release.
3. Some people had issues with using the Saute feature on the Duo Evo Plus. When the temperature is set to the highest level, they get the C8 error code. This issue doesn’t seem to be happening with the Pro.

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Parts

The Instant Pot Pro comes with the following main parts:

• Base unit/Outer Pot – stainless steel exterior that houses the heating element, control panel, and attached power cord
• Inner pot – removable stainless steel pot with easy-grip silicone handles. The inner pot is stove-friendly, so you can use it on your stovetop as you would a regular pot.
• Lid – closes the Instant Pot and seals it under pressure.

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Accessories

The Instant Pot Pro comes with the following manuals and accessories:

• Getting Started guide – setup, overview, and instructions
• Extra Sealing Ring – great for sweet recipes or desserts
• Trivet – the trivet is useful for elevating food above the liquid and for Pot in Pot cooking
• Condensation Collector – catches drips from condensation on the lid; attaches onto the back of the base unit

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Instant Pot Pro Lid

Instant Pot Pro Lid Exterior Parts

• Lid Handle – used to put on and take off the lid
• Lid Fin – placed in the lid fin slot of the base unit to prop the lid open
• Steam Release Assembly – consists of steam release cover, steam release valve, and steam release pipe
• Float Valve – seals in the steam, allowing the Instant Pot to be pressurized
• Quick Release Switch – used to do a Quick Release (QR) of pressure
• QuickCool Cover – removable cover that allows the Instant Pot to cool down faster when doing a natural pressure release (NPR or NR)

Steam Release Assembly – Parts

The steam release assembly consists of:

• Steam release cover – diffuses the steam when pressure is released
• Steam release valve – regulates the internal temperature. It is supposed to be wobbly, but should be pushed in all the way
• Steam release pipe – steam travels from the inner pot through the pipe during steam release

Instant Pot Pro Lid Interior Parts

The inside of the Instant Pot Pro lid consists of the following parts:

• Silicone Cap for Float Valve – covers the float valve and keeps it in place
• Lid Locking Pin – safety mechanism that prevents the lid from opening under pressure
• Anti-Block Shield – prevents food from coming out of the inner pot through the steam release pipe
• Sealing Ring Rack – holds the sealing ring in place
• Sealing Ring – silicone sealing ring that allows the Instant Pot to seal

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Sealing Ring

How to Remove the Sealing Ring

• Pull gently on the silicone ring until it detaches from the sealing ring rack.
• Continue to pull the silicone sealing ring out until it is completely separated.

How to Replace the Sealing Ring

• Place the silicone sealing ring on the sealing ring rack.
• Working your way all around, push the sealing ring until it’s firmly seated in the sealing ring rack.
• Make sure no part of the sealing ring is sticking out, or you may have sealing issues and get the Burn Message.
• The first few times, you may find it difficult to remove the sealing ring but after a few uses, it should stretch out a bit.

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Float Valve

The float valve needs be cleaned periodically, especially after cooking frothy or starchy foods.

How to Remove the Float Valve

• While holding the float valve in place on the outside of the lid, remove the float valve’s silicone cap.
• Allow the float valve to fall out from the bottom.
• Be careful not to misplace the silicone cap.

How to Replace the Float Valve

• Thread the float valve through the float valve hole.
• While holding it in place on the exterior of the lid, replace the silicone cover by pushing it onto the float valve on the interior of the lid.

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Anti-Block Shield

The anti-block shield should be cleaned periodically, especially after cooking frothy or starchy foods.

How to Remove and Replace the Anti-block Shield

• The anti-block shield can be hard to remove with your bare hands.
• Use a silicone trivet or a dish towel to push the anti-block shield in an upwards motion.
• Try it from the front or from behind (as shown above in the first image)
• To replace the anti-block shield, push it in until it clicks into place.

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Instant Pot Pro Assembly

• Place the inner pot in the Instant Pot base unit with the handles resting in the handle notches.

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Condensation Collector

The condensation collector catches any moisture that builds up on the rim. This usually comes from moisture dripping from inside the lid into the rim of the Instant Pot base, when the lid is propped open. Here’s how to attach the condensation collector:

• Line up the condensation collector with the edges aligned with the notches on the back of the Instant Pot base unit.
• Slide in the condensation collector until it’s pushed in all the way.

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Open and Close the Lid

How to Close the Lid

• Place the lid onto the Instant Pot base unit with the arrow mark on the lid lined up with the small bar that is above the right corner of the control panel.
• You will hear a chime (if the volume is turned on).
• Turn the lid clockwise until you hear another chime.
• The lid will be closed.

How to Open the Lid

• Turn the lid counterclockwise until you hear a chime.
• The arrow on the lid will be lined up with the bar on the base unit.
• Lift the lid to remove it.
• If you feel a slight resistance, wiggle the lid back and forth and the suction should release.

How to Prop Open the Lid

Propping open the lid keeps it out of the way and allows you to use the Instant Pot hands-free.

• Locate the lid fin slots in the rim of the base unit.
• Insert the left lid fin into the left slot or the right lid fin into the right slot.

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Release Pressure

There are a few different ways to release pressure from the Instant Pot Pro:

1. Natural Pressure Release/Natural Release
2. Quick Release
3. 10-minute or 15-minute Natural Pressure Release
4. Quick Release in Short Bursts

[Find out more about the pressure release methods.]

How to do a Faster Natural Pressure Release with QuickCool

There is one additional pressure release method available with the Instant Pot Pro.

Back in the days of stovetop pressure cookers, you were able to cool the pressure cooker down faster by running cold water over the closed lid. This allowed the pressure to drop faster. This isn’t possible with an electric pressure cooker.

To speed up the cooling process, remove the QuickCool cover on the Instant Pot Pro and place the quick cool tray accessory filled with ice on the metal surface. This allows the pressure to be naturally released faster (up to 50% faster).

Here’s how you remove the cover and add the ice.

• Push the tab inwards and pull up.
• Lift the cover upward and towards you to remove it.
• Add ice to the QuickCool tray and place the tray on the metal part of the lid.
• The float valve will drop and you will be able to open the lid.

USES: tender-crisp vegetables, delicate fish

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Commonly Used Functions of the Instant Pot Pro

The Instant Pot Pro has many buttons that may appear confusing and complicated. But they really aren’t. Just think of them as presets or shortcuts.

For the purposes of just getting you going, in this guide I’ll show you the most commonly used Instant Pot Pro buttons and functions:

• Pressure Cook | Custom option
• Saute
• Favorites
• Reminder
• Keep Warm
• Start
• Cancel

Pressure Cook | Custom

• Press the Pressure Cook button.
• Custom will be blinking. If it isn’t blinking, turn the knob until it’s blinking.
• Press the knob to confirm Custom.

• High pressure should be blinking. If it isn’t blinking, turn the knob until it’s blinking.
• Press the knob to confirm High.
• The time will be blinking. This is usually what you last set the custom pressure cook time to.
• Turn the knob until you see 00:05 (5 minutes) or your desired pressure cooking time.
• Press Start.

Saute

• Press Saute.
• The temperature setting will be blinking e.g. Low, High or Custom.
• Turn the knob to toggle between Low, High and Custom saute temperatures.
• Press the knob to confirm your selection. In this example, I’ve selected Custom.

• You can adjust the temperature level for Custom.
• The bar graph for temperature level will be blinking. Turn the knob to change the temperature level.
• Level 1 is the same as Low and is the lowest setting and Level 5 is the same as High and is the hottest.
• Press the knob to confirm the temperature level. I’ve chosen the highest.
• The time will be blinking – this is the duration of the Saute function. Turn the knob to set the saute time to anywhere between one minute and one hour. In this example, I set it to one hour (01:00).

• Press the knob to confirm the Saute duration setting.
• Press the Start button to begin the Saute function.

Favorites

• Program the Instant Pot as desired. In this example Custom, High Pressure, 5 minutes.
• Press and hold a favorite button. In this example Fav 1.
• There will be a beep and a message showing the favorite has been set e.g. Set 1, Set 2, etc.
• The next time you want to pressure cook something for 5 minutes at high pressure, press Fav 1 and Start.

Reminder

The Instant Pot Pro has a feature that allows you to set a reminder for a 5-minute or 10-minute natural pressure release. Find out more about natural vs quick release and the 5 and 10-minute pressure release methods.

• While programming any pressure cooking function, select the pressure cooking time and press the knob. You’ll see Reminder blinking.
• Turn the knob to toggle between Off, 5min, and 10min.
• Press the knob to select your option.
• Press Start to begin pressure cooking.

Keep Warm, Start and Cancel

• Press the Keep Warm button to turn the Keep Warm function on and off. Turn it on when you want your food to stay warm after being pressure cooked.
• Press the Start button to initiate the selected function or preset. e.g. press Saute and press Start. The Instant Pot Display will say On.
• Press Cancel to end the selected function. Instant Pot display will say Off.

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Instant Pot Pro Initial Test Run / Water Test

What is the Water Test?

A water test is done by pressure cooking water for a few minutes. According to the Instant Pot manual you need to use 3 cups of water but I’ve found that using 2 cups of water is adequate. The advantage of using 2 cups is that it takes less time for the Instant Pot to come to pressure.

Why You Should do the Water Test

The initial test run or water test serves two purposes: it familiarizes you with using your new Instant Pot Pro and it allows you to establish that your Instant Pot is working properly. If you have a defective unit, the water test will identify that and you can get a replacement unit.

You should do a water test before the first use but you can also do it when you’re having problems with the Instant Pot pressurizing. Doing the water test will pinpoint whether there’s something about the recipe that’s causing your sealing issues.

How to do the Initial Test Run / Water Test

This section tells you how to use the Instant Pot Pro for the first time, right out of the box. You will do a water test i.e. pressure cook water.

• Make sure the sealing ring is properly seated.
• Place the inner pot into the base unit.
• Plug power cord into an outlet.

• Pour 2 cups of water into the inner pot.
• Close the lid.
• Make sure the steam release switch is in the Seal position.

• Press the Pressure Cook button.
• Select Custom, High pressure and set the pressure cooking time to 00:05 (5 minutes). See the instructions for commonly used functions above for how to set the Pressure Cook function.
• Press Start to begin pressure cooking.
• The display will change to On.

• You’ll hear and see small amounts of steam coming from the top of the lid. This is normal and safe! Just keep your hands and face away from the steam.
• Once pressure has built up, the float valve will come up.
• After the float valve comes up, the display will change from On to 00 05. This can take a few minutes.

• The display will count down from 00 05 to 00 00.
• When the pressure cooking is complete, you’ll hear a series of beeps.
• Press Cancel.
• Do a quick release: move the steam release switch from Seal to Vent.
• Steam will gush out of the steam release cover. Keep your hands and face away from the steam.

• Once all the steam has been released, the float valve will go down.
• This can take a few minutes.

• Open the lid and prop the lid open.
• That’s it! You’ve completed the water test.

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Pros and Cons of the Pro

As I’ve mentioned before, I really love this model of the Instant Pot and it’s now my favorite model. But there are a couple of things that I don’t like.

Pros

• Pressure release is diffused
• Pressure release switch is easy to use and self sealing
• Bake function allows for dry baking
• Sous vide function
• Convenient access to functions through buttons and less reliance on the knob.
• Inner pot has handles

Cons

• Handles don’t allow the inner pot to be rotated while sauteing.
  (Some find the rotating inner pot annoying, but I love being able to rotate the inner pot in place while sauteing.)
• The minimum cook time is 00:01 instead of 00:00 as in some models.
  (Sometimes I like to pressure cook for 00:00 minutes e.g. for quick-cooking vegetables.)
  [UPDATE: I’ve had questions from readers about a workaround for this. Here’s what I do: I program the Instant Pot to pressure cook for 1 minute, and the moment it switches from On to 00:01, I press cancel and release pressure.]

First Recipes to Try

You should be all set to try out your first recipe! Here are some of my favorite easy recipes:

• Instant Pot Chipotle Shrimp Soup
• Instant Pot Thai Red Curry
• Instant Pot Chicken Tikka Masala
• Instant Pot Cream of Chicken Soup
• Instant Pot Vegetarian Moroccan Stew
• Instant Pot Chicken Curry Soup

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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.

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

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.

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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

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.

Vegetable	Cooking Time	Steam Release Method
Artichoke (whole) – small	11 minutes	Quick or Natural
Artichoke (whole) – large	15 minutes	Quick or Natural
Asparagus (thick)	1 minute	Quick
Asparagus (thin)	0 minute *	Quick
Beet (small)	12 minutes	Quick
Beet (large)	15 minutes	Quick
Broccoli rabe	2 minutes	Quick
Broccoli (florets)	0 minutes *	Quick
Brussels sprouts (whole)	3 minutes	Quick
Butternut squash (whole)	25 minutes	Quick or Natural
Butternut squash (halved)	9 minutes	Quick or Natural
Butternut squash (1 inch)	3 minutes	Quick
Cabbage (chopped 1 ½ inch)	5 minutes	Quick
Cauliflower (whole)	2 minutes	Quick
Cauliflower (florets)	1 minute	Quick
Carrots (baby)	2 minutes	Quick
Carrots (½ inch)	2 minutes	Quick
Chard	2 minutes	Quick
Collard greens	4 minutes	Quick
Corn on the cob	2 minutes	Quick
Eggplant (1 ½ inch)	3 minutes	Quick
Green beans	2 minutes	Quick
Kale	3 minutes	Quick
Parsnips (1 inch)	2 minutes	Quick
Potatoes (small whole)	12 minutes	Quick
Potatoes (medium whole)	15 minutes	Quick
Potatoes (large whole)	20 minutes	10-minute Natural Release
Potatoes (sliced ¼ inch)	2 minutes	Quick
Potatoes (1 ½ inch)	3 minutes	Quick
Pumpkin (1 ½ inch)	3 minutes	Quick
Rutabaga (1 ½ inch)	4 minutes	5-minute Natural Release
Sweet potatoes (medium whole)	35 minutes	10-minute Natural Release
Sweet potatoes (small whole)	15 minutes	10-minute Natural Release
Sweet potatoes (1 ½ inch)	3 minutes	Quick

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Fruit Cooking Times Chart

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?]

Fruit	Cooking Time	Steam Release Method
Apple (1 ½ inch)	1 minute	Quick
Apricot (halved)	2 minutes	Quick
Blackberries	2 minutes	Quick
Blueberries	3 minutes	10-minute Natural Release
Cherries	1 minute	Quick
Cranberries	2 minutes	10-minute Natural Release
Peach (halved)	3 minutes	10-minute Natural Release
Pear (halved)	1 minute	Quick
Pear (whole)	2 minutes	Quick
Plum (halved)	2 minutes	Quick
Strawberries	1 minute	10-minute Natural Release

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Beans Cooking Times Chart

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.

Bean	Dried Cooking Time	Soaked Cooking Time
Adzuki beans	22 minutes	8 minutes
Anasazi beans	35 minutes	15 minutes
Black beans	30 minutes	10 minutes
Black-eyed peas	17 minutes	6 minutes
Cannellini beans (White beans)	30 minutes	12 minutes
Chickpeas	50 minutes	20 minutes
Cranberry beans (Borlotti)	40 minutes	20 minutes
Fava beans (dried)	28 minutes	20 minutes
Great northern beans	35 minutes	22 minutes
Kidney beans	25 minutes	12 minutes
Lentils (Black Beluga)	10 minutes	n/a
Lentils (Brown)	10 minutes	n/a
Lentils (Green)	10 minutes	n/a
Lentils (Red, whole) Masoor dal (whole)	15 minutes	n/a
Lentils (Red, split) Masoor dal (split)	4 minutes	n/a
Lentils (Yellow, split – moong)	5 minutes	n/a
Lima beans Butter beans	25 minutes	7 minutes
Moong dal (whole, green)	20 minutes	15 minutes (4 hour soak)
Navy beans	30 minutes
Pigeon peas (split) Toor dal	6 minutes	n/a
Pinto beans	40 minutes	20 minutes
Red beans (small)	35 minutes	25 minutes
Soybeans	45 minutes	30 minutes
Split peas	16 minutes	n/a

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Rice Cooking Times

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.

Rice	Rice:Water Ratio	Pressure Cooking Time
Arborio (risotto rice)	1 : 2	5 minutes
Basmati (white)	1 : 1	6 minutes
Basmati (brown)	1 : 1.25	22 minutes
Black rice	1 : 1	22 minutes
Brown (long grain)	1 : 1.25	22 minutes
Brown (short grain)	1 : 1.25	20 minutes
Calrose rice	1 : 1.25	6 minutes
Jasmine	1 : 1.25	4 minutes
Parboiled brown rice	1 : 1	8 minutes
Parboiled white rice	1 : 1	6 minutes
Sticky rice (glutinous rice)	1 : ⅔	12 minutes
Sushi rice	1 : 1.25	10 minutes
White (long grain)	1 : 1	6 minutes
White (medium grain)	1 : 1	6 minutes
Wild rice	1 : 1.5	28 minutes
Wild rice blend	1 : 1	26 minutes

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Grain Cooking Times

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.

Grain	Grain : Water	Pressure Cooking Time
Barley	1 : 2	20 minutes
Bulgur	1 : 1.5	5 minutes
Couscous (Morrocan)	1 : 1.5	1 minute
Couscous (Israeli)	1 : 1.25	5 minutes
Farro	1 : 2	10 minutes
Millet	1 : 1.75	10 minutes
Oatmeal (rolled, old-fashioned)	1 : 1.5	3 minutes
Oatmeal (steel-cut)	1 : 2.5	5 minutes
Polenta	1 : 4	9 minutes
Quinoa	1 : 1	1 minute
Wheat berries	1 : 4	30 minutes

Pasta Cooking Times

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

Pasta	Pressure Cooking Time
Angel hair	3 minutes
Ditalini	6 minutes
Elbow macaroni	4 minutes
Farfalle	6 minutes
Fettuccini	7 minutes
Linguini	5 minutes
Mostaccioli	6 minutes
Orechiette	7 minutes
Orzo	5 minutes
Pastina	4 minutes
Penne	6 minutes
Rigatoni	7 minutes
Rotini	4 minutes
Shells (Medium)	5 minutes
Spaghetti (No. 5)	5 minutes
Spaghetti (Thick)	6 minutes
Spaghetti (Thin)	4 minutes
Ziti	6 minutes

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Poultry/Chicken Cooking Times

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.

Chicken	Cooking Time	Frozen Cooking Time
Chicken breast (bone-in)	12 minutes	25 minutes
Chicken breast (boneless)	7 minutes	12 minutes
Chicken thigh (bone-in)	9 minutes	14 minutes
Chicken thigh (boneless)	7 minutes	10 minutes
Chicken (1 ½ inch cubes)	4 minutes	5 minutes
Chicken (in a frozen block)	n/a	20 minutes
Chicken bone broth	2 hours	n/a
Cornish game hen (2 lbs)	15 minutes	45 minutes
Chicken (whole 3 lbs)	20 minutes	40 minutes
Turkey breast (boneless 4 lbs)	25 minutes	50 minutes
Turkey breast (bone in 7 lbs)	30 minutes	80 minutes
Turkey leg (2 count)	20 minutes	30 minutes

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Seafood Cooking Times

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.

Seafood	Fresh/Thawed	Frozen	Steam Release
Clams	1 minute	2 minutes	Quick
Cod (1 inch thick)	2 minutes	3 minutes	Quick
Crab legs	2 minutes	5 minutes	Quick
Halibut (1 inch)	2 minutes	4 minutes	Quick
Mussels	3 minutes	5 minutes	Quick
Salmon (1 inch)	3 minutes	5 minutes	Quick
Sea bass (1 inch)	3 minutes	5 minutes	Quick
Seafood stock	30 minutes	n/a	Natural Release
Shrimp (large)	1 minute	2 minutes	Quick
Swordfish (1 inch)	3 minutes	4 minutes	Quick
Tuna steaks (1 inch)	3 minutes	4 minutes	Quick

Lamb Cooking Times

Meat	Cooking Time
Ground lamb	8 minutes
Ground lamb (meatballs)	3 minutes
Lamb shanks (4 count)	45 minutes
Lamb stew meat	30 minutes
Leg of lamb (boneless 3 lbs)	45 minutes

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Beef and Veal Cooking Times

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.

Meat	Cooking Time	Frozen
Beef (stew meat)	18 minutes	28 minutes
Beef ribs	30 minutes	40 minutes
Brisket (2 lbs)	75 minutes	90 minutes
Chuck roast (3 lbs)	45 minutes	60 minutes
Chuck roast (cubed)	15 minutes	17 minutes
Corned beef (2 lbs)	75 minutes	90 minutes
Flank steak (2 lbs)	50 minutes	65 minutes
Flank steak (strips)	12 minutes	15 minutes
Meatballs	7 minutes	9 minutes
Meat loaf	25 minutes	40 minutes
Round roast (2 inches thick) – Medium rare	3 minutes	4 minutes
Rump roast (3 lbs)	90 minutes	110 minutes
Short ribs (3 lbs)	45 minutes	60 minutes
Sirloin roast (3 lbs)	25 minutes	40 minutes
Sirloin tips	15 minutes	17 minutes
Veal shanks	30 minutes	40 minutes
Veal stew meat	25 minutes	27 minutes

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Pork Cooking Times

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.

Meat	Cooking Time	Frozen
Baby back ribs (1 rack)	25 minutes	35 minutes
Country-style ribs (bone-in, 3 lbs)	25 minutes	35 minutes
Country-style ribs (boneless, 3 lbs)	20 minutes	30 minutes
Pork chops (boneless 1 ½ inch thick)	1 minute	2 minutes
Pork chops (bone-in 1 ½ inch)	2 minutes	3 minutes
Pork loin roast (2 lb) Center cut	15 minutes	22 minutes
Pork shoulder (boneless 3 lbs) (Pork butt)	60 minutes	80 minutes
Pork shoulder (bone-in 4 lbs)	70 minutes	90 minutes
Pork tenderloin (1.5 lbs)	3 minutes	5 minutes
Ham (bone-in, cooked, uncut, 6 lb)	15 minutes	30 minutes
Honey baked ham Spiral-cut ham)	2 minutes per pound	n/a
Ham slices (2 lbs)	4 minutes	n/a

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