Category: Side Dish Recipes

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Instant Pot Twice Baked Potatoes | Food Under Pressure

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Twice Baked Pressure Cooker Potatoes [Instant Pot]

Quick Twice Baked Pressure Cooker Potatoes

There are tons of great ways to use potatoes. Baked, mashed, fried, boiled, as a salad, au gratin’ed, tater totted, hash-browned, home-fried… Yum! —> that kinda reminded me of Forrest Gump when Bubba talks about all the ways you can eat shrimp ?

I love potatoes. But, I don’t always love dealing with cooking them. Why? Because a lot of these methods/recipes take forever. Even the simple baked potato… 45-60 minutes? And the even yummier twice baked version… almost 2 hours between prep and cook, right? Ugh!

I wanted to make twice baked potatoes for Christmas. I did NOT want to deal with 2 hours of attention-seeking cook time.

The solution: my pressure cooker! Personally, I have an 6 qt Instant Pot 7-in-1, and I LOVE it! It made time consuming Twice Baked Potatoes much more manageable on a busy day.

Twice Baked Pressure Cooker Potatoes
 
Ingredients
 
1 1/2 cups water
5-6 Idaho Potatoes, medium to large in size, cleaned
4 T butter
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup sour cream
1/2-1 t salt, depending on your preference
1/2 t seasoned salt
1/4-1/2 t black pepper
1/4 t garlic powder
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 cup chopped bacon, optional
2 T chives, optional
 
Essential Tools
 
Pressure Cooker, I have the 6 qt 7-in-1 Instant Pot
Trivet, like this 6 inch circle baking rack
Directions
 
Pour 1 1/2 cups water in your Pressure Cooker inner pot. Place trivet over water.
Clean potatoes. Poke 3-4 holes in each potato with a fork or knife. Place cleaned potatoes in pot on top of rack. Don’t worry if they are touching or if there is some overlap.
Close pressure cooker lid and close vent knob – for Instant Pot, turn vent knob to “Sealing”.
Cook your potatoes on High Pressure for 25-30 minutes, depending on size (mine were large, so I used 30 minutes). On Instant Pot, press Manual (should default to high pressure), then use “+/-“ buttons to adjust cook time.
Your pressure cooker will take 5-10 minutes to come to pressure, then cook time will begin.
Instant Pot will beep when cook time is complete.
Quickly release pressure (QPR) by opening vent knob.
For the Instant Pot, turn vent knob to “Venting”. I ALWAYS place a towel over the vent knob before releasing pressure.
Allow pressure cooker to remain on a “keep warm” setting.
Open lid, and use Silicone mitts or tongs to remove potatoes and place on cutting board to cool slightly.
While allowing your potatoes to cool, lift inner pot out of pressure cooker using silicone mitts or other heat proof gloves/oven mitts. Carefully remove trivet (it will be HOT), and pour out cooking liquid. Quickly rinse, then place inner pot back in pressure cooker.
With pressure cooker on “keep warm” setting, add butter, milk and seasonings and allow butter to melt and milk to warm. Do NOT let boil. Turn off pressure cooker once butter is melted and milk is warmed.
Meanwhile, cut potatoes in half lengthwise and place on half sheet baking pan. Use grapefruit spoon or other spoon to carefully scoop out the inner potato, leaving skin in tact.
Add scooped potato as well as the sour cream to the milk, butter and seasoning mixture already warmed in your pressure cooker pot.
Lay scooped potatoes skin side down on baking sheet. If you ripped the skin on a couple (like I did!) no worries at all. They will look great once filled…
Once all potatoes are scooped, blend potato with milk and butter mixture, just as you would for mashed potatoes.
I like mine really smooth and almost overtaxed – normally I would never want my mashed potatoes to be “gummy” which is what can happen if you over mix, however for this twice baked potato, it almost helps… up to you! Just make your mixture smooth.
(sorry I forgot a picture of my mashed potato mixture – blaming it on the holiday!)
Fill potato skins with mashed potato mix and top with cheese and bacon.
Melt cheese under broiler for 3-5 minutes – keep an eye out! Don’t let them burn.
Top with chives, if desired.
(Sorry – I forgot to take a picture after melting cheese and topping with chives! Blaming it on the busy holiday day again… Oops)
Twice Baked Pressure Cooker Potatoes
 
From start to finish, eat these in about 35-40 minutes (including prep)!
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Instant Pot Spaghetti Squash (cooked whole) | Food Under Pressure

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Spaghetti Squash


Spaghetti Squash is great! Especially as a low carb alternative to pasta.

However, Spaghetti Squash is normally a pain in the neck to cook.

You have to cut it in half, which in itself is intimidating enough for some – who could blame them? You risk fingers cutting hard, raw gourds like hard squash and pumpkins. Seriously.

It takes forever to cook. In the oven, after cutting in half and cleaning, Spaghetti Squash takes like an hour. Who has that kind of time?

In the microwave, it doesn’t come out very good in my opinion, and it still takes almost half an hour. Plus, do you even have a microwave big enough to fit 2 halves of squash? Not everyone does…

Well – I’ve said it time and time again, I LOVE my INSTANT POT! I love it anyways, but I fall in love even more when it makes things like intimidating Spaghetti Squash a freaking BREEZE to make. And, it comes out PERFECT!

I cook it WHOLE – yep, you read correctly – WHOLE! It takes zero effort. When it’s done, its so simple to peel and clean, you’re ready to eat it in NO TIME!

Spaghetti Squash
Ingredients
1 medium to large Spaghetti Squash, left whole
1 1/2 cups water
Tools
Instant Pot, or other pressure cooker
Cooking Rack
Instant Pot Silicone Mitts
Grapefruit spoon, or other spoon
Sharp Knife
Directions
 
Plug in Instant Pot (IP). Pour water in bottom of IP insert. Place cooking rack over water.
Place spaghetti squash, whole, on rack. Do not pierce or poke holes.
Close lid. Turn Vent Knob to “Sealing”.
Press “Manual” (high pressure on other pressure cookers). Adjust cook time to 18-22 minutes.
*why the cook time range? 18 minutes if you like your spaghetti squash “al dente”. 20 if you like it cooked through. 22 if you like it really soft. I cook mine 18 minutes, because I like that al dente bite!
 
Once IP comes to pressure, cook time countdown will begin. When cook time is complete, IP will beep. Quickly release pressure (QPR) by turning vent knob to “Venting”. I ALWAYS place a towel over vent knob before venting.
 
Open lid. You should be able to easily poke a hole in your spaghetti squash using a fork.
Carefully remove squash. Yesssss… it will be HOT! Try using the Instant Pot Silicone Mitts!
Place on cutting board and carefully cut in half. It will be EASY to cut! Hooray!
Now to get those seeds out… I use a grapefruit spoon. Never heard of ‘em? You need one or 2, trust me! It’s a regular size spoon, but its serrated! Genius, I tell ya! Perfect for grapefruit, and things like this! Get em here.
Discard seeds, no worries if you get a little squash with it.
Turn each half over and easily peel the skin (be careful… its probably still HOT!).
Now, just grab a fork or 2, and pull your squash “spaghetti” apart – its sorta like shredding super tender pork! But obviously way healthier ?
Serve with spaghetti sauce, use it in a casserole or frittata, eat it with salt & pepper, maybe some olive oil or butter. YUM!
 
Spaghetti Squash (cooked whole!)
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Instant Pot Yellow Rice | Food Under Pressure

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Packaged Yellow Rice [Instant Pot Pressure Cooker]

Yellow Rice is the best.

Especially when it comes to serving any kind of tacos, enchiladas, nachos, burritos, etc – ya know, tex-mex food.

I love tex-mex, and I love yellow rice.

What I don’t love is cooking rice – any kid of rice. I suck at cooking rice! I admit this in my recipe blog on Jasmine Rice, too. #stayhumble

No matter what I do, my rice is either soggy, mushy, over cooked, under cooked… something other than good. Edible, perhaps, but not good.

Because the yellow rice is packaged, I wasn’t sure how it would work in the Instant Pot. I am happy to report, it works AMAZING! Seriously guys, it comes out PERFECT. Don’t believe me, just try it.

Have I told you how much I LOVE my Instant Pot?

I am cooking for 3, hubby, me and 7 year old step daughter (who isn’t always agreeable to eating rice). So its pretty much hubby and my currently pregnant self (yay – due March 2017).

For that reason, I make the smallest package of yellow rice I can find at the store (5 ounces), and that is what this recipe is based on. The rice in the package is just under 1 cup, but I used 1 cup water and it turned out perfect! If you want to make a bigger package, I’d say aim to use equal parts rice to liquid. The cook time should not change.

Packaged Yellow Rice [Instant Pot]
 
 
Ingredients
1 package yellow rice, 5 ounces
1 cup water
1/4 t cilantro, dried, optional
1 T butter
Pour water in Instant Pot (IP). Add yellow rice. Add cilantro. Add butter.
Place lid on IP and turn vent knob on lid to “Sealing”
Press “Manual” button and adjust cook time using “+/-“ buttons to 10 minutes. Once IP pressurizes (about 5 minutes), cook time countdown will begin.
When cook time completes, IP will beep and automatically change to “Keep Warm” setting. Allow IP to depressurize naturally (NPR) on Keep Warm for 10 minutes. Release any remaining pressure manually (QPR) by turning vent knob on lid to “Venting”.
Open IP, fluff rice with fork, and ENJOY the perfection!
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Instant Pot Cornbread | Food Under Pressure

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Perfect Semi-homemade Cornbread [Instant Pot Pressure Cooker]

Mmmm… cornbread. I love cornbread. I love cornbread with a lot more than chili – it’s a great bread-side to most any meal. Love it.

What I don’t love though – really crumbly cornbread. Anyone else dislike crumbly cornbread?

So I have to admit, I don’t often truly home-make cornbread. I don’t really feel the need to because I am IN LOVE with Jiffy – Jiffy corn muffin mix is the best. It’s affordable, it’s easy, it only needs a couple ingredients, and its the perfect level of sweetness. It’s just the best, and I don’t feel the need to recreate what is already good. So, hence the semi-homemade title…

I use the ingredients the both calls for, but I also add a pinch of salt, black pepper and my trick is (shhhh) 1/4 t baking soda. What?!? Why you ask? Because I want to make SURE it is light and fluffy and I find that extra kick of baking soda (in addition to whatever Jiffy already puts in it) does the trick!

Another trick! Beat the egg and milk the box calls for thoroughly before adding to dry box ingredients. This will help prevent you from over-mixing the cornbread batter – you really want it to just come together, perhaps even a couple lumps still. Do NOT over-mix!

One more trick – use a springform pan! I use the Nordic Ware 7 inch non-stick springform. This is especially important in the Instant Pot. A round glass Pyrex would work, too. I have my favorite Instant Pot accessories, and this springform pan is high on the list!

Of course, I always cook it in my oven. And, sadly, it’s usually a certain level of crumbly. The habit I was getting into was making corn muffins – I found that at least this allowed a solid serving without crumbs until the person eating it had it on their plate. Better than trying to cut it and serving them crumbs.

Cornbread, in the Instant Pot? I honestly didn’t think would work. When I opened the lid, I thought for sure it would be raw, or overcooked, or rubbery, or something weird.

However… drum roll please…

It was PHENOMENAL – quite honestly, it was thee BEST cornbread I have EVER had.

It was moist, it was fluffy, it was that perfect sweet Jiffy cornbread always is.

Perfect Semi-homemade Cornbread
 
Ingredients/tools:
 
1 box Jiffy corn muffin mix
1 egg
1/3 cup milk
pinch salt
pinch black pepper
1/4 t baking soda
1 T butter cut into 4 pieces, optional
1 cup water
IP Cooking rack
Cooking spray
7 inch springform pan
 
Pour 1 cup water into bottom of Instant Pot (IP). Place rack over water (the rack that comes with the Instant Pot works well).
Lightly spray 7 inch spring form pan with cooking spray (you can also use a pie dish that will fit into IP, or any oven safe bowl).

Crack egg into small mixing bowl, add milk, and beat thoroughly. Add salt, pepper and baking soda. Mix thoroughly. Add Jiffy cornbread mix. Lightly mix until just combined – do not over mix. Pour batter into springform pan. Scatter butter on top of batter.

Cornbread ready to Instant-Pot-bake!

Carefully place on top of rack in IP. (I do not cover, but some prefer to cover with aluminum foil to prevent any liquid from getting in their batter – I honestly prefer it uncovered so it stays moist!)

Close lid, turn vent to “Sealing”. Press “Manual” and adjust time using “+/-“ buttons to 10 minutes.

Instant Pot will take 5-10 minutes to pressurize, then cook time countdown will begin. When cook time is complete, IP will beep and change to Keep Warm setting. Allow IP to naturally release pressure (NPR) for 10 minutes, then release the rest (QPR).

Open your lid, and allow yourself to be amazed by the site of perfectly cooked, perfectly fluffy, perfectly risen…

Perfect Semi-homemade cornbread


Perfect Semi-homemade Cornbread, straight out of the Instant Pot!


Let them eat Cornbread!
And while they do, get another one cooking because you’ll probably need seconds and then some!


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Instant Pot Jasmine Rice | Food Under Pressure

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Instant Pot Jasmine Rice

Jasmine Rice is my FAVE rice!

The fragrance that comes from Jasmine Rice just makes me happy.

Something else that makes me happy – how EASY it is to make perfect Jasmine Rice in the Instant Pot!

Normally, I suck at cooking rice, by the way. Undercooking, overcooked, straight mushy, burnt on the bottom, not enough water… whatever mistake you can make cooking rice, I make it. It’s sad because I consider myself a decent cook. Rice is not my forte.

Knowing the Instant Pot can whip up some perfectly cooked rice is in itself enough reason to buy one, seriously.

Jasmine Rice
2 cups Jasmine Rice
2 cups water
1/2 t garlic salt
1/4 t black pepper
Add water, rice and seasonings to Instant Pot (IP).

Close lid on IP and and turn vent know to “Sealing”. Press “Manual” button and use “+/-“ buttons to adjust cook time to 3-5 minutes. IP will take 5-10 minutes to pressurize then cook time will start.

Why the cook time range? It depends how you like your rice. Less cook time results in a slightly al dente finish. 5 minutes is cooked through.

When complete, IP will beep and automatically change to Keep Warm setting. Press “Keep Warm/Off” to then off. Cover vent with a towel, and Turn vent knob to “Venting” to all remain pressure to quickly release (QPR). Open lid and enjoy the view! Simply use a fork to fluff rice (don’t use a bulky spoon or you’ll smoosh (yes, smoosh) your rice together – avoid that, use a good ole fork.

Serve immediately, or cool and save for later – totally freezable!

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Instant Pot Butternut Squash | Food Under Pressure

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Instant Pot Butternut Squash in 15 minutes!

I love butternut squash, especially when it’s easy. What I don’t love is having to cut it in half while raw (hard as hell, literally) so I can scoop the seeds out, attempt to peel it’s awkward shape, cut it into strips or cubes so I can bake it quicker than the hour it takes whole in an oven that in turn, heats my house!

I digress – I love butternut squash and I love how fast [15 minutes total!] and easy my Instant Pot (IP) makes it to cook!

Easy Butternut Squash

 
1 large or 2 small butternut squash
1 cup liquid, I use water
IP Rack
Set IP rack over liquid in bottom of IP. Carefully poke 3-4 holes in Butternut Squash using fork or tip of knife (key word, carefully), then place on rack. Close IP lid. Turn Vent knob to “Sealing”.
Press “Manual” button, then adjust cook time using “+/-“ button to 15 minutes.
IP will pressurize (about 3-5 minutes), then cook time will begin and countdown will display.
When cook time is complete, IP will beep.
Place a hand towel over vent on lid, and turn to “Venting” to quickly allow remaining pressure to release QPR).
Remove lid, and carefully transfer cooked squash to a plate.
Cut in half lengthwise, and easily scoop out seeds.
Scoop perfectly cooked butternut squash out of ‘shell’, and ENJOY.
butternut squash
Simply ENJOY as is, or use it to make soup, ravioli, in oatmeal [substitute for pumpkin in my Pumpkin Spice Oatmeal], pancakes or even pie! So versatile!
 

Want to learn more about all those buttons on your Instant Pot? Check out our guide: Instant Pot Buttons – Which Button do I use? 

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Instant Pot Farro | Food Under Pressure

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Instant Pot Farro

Ever heard of or tasted Farro before? If not, run to the store and buy some right now – or do what I do and shop online. My favorite brand is Nature’s Earthly Choice Organic Farro, and it’s so delish that I usually get the 6 pack!

It is so, so good. The texture is somewhere between barley and rice. It cooks somewhere in between rice and pasta – it absorbs a lot of water, like rice, but it won’t absorb it all. You just drain the excess cooking water, like pasta. What it DOES absorb is FLAVOR – any flavor you add, it is going to soak it right up.

And, it is SO easy to cook in the Instant Pot!

Perfect Farro
 
1 cup farro, rinsed
2 cups water
1 T extra virgin olive oil
Seasonings of choice
Pour 2 cups water in the bottom of IP inner pot. Measure 1 cup farro, and place in fine sieve. Rinse thoroughly with cold water. Add farro to IP. Add seasonings of choice.
For seasonings, I used a pinch salt, 1/2 t garlic salt, 1/4 t black pepper, and 4-5 sprigs fresh thyme.
Close IP lid, and turn vent knob to “Sealing”. Press “Steam” button, and adjust time using “+/-“ buttons to 6 minutes. IP will pressurize, then cook time will begin countdown. When cook time is complete, IP will beep, and automatically change to “Keep Warm” setting. NPR for 5 minutes, the QPR. Drain any remaining liquid with sieve.
Enjoy Farro as is, or use it to make an absolutely delicious Farro Salad – my favorites are Scarlett Farro Salad and Italian Farro Salad, but the possibilities are ENDLESS!
 
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Instant Pot Steamed Green Beans | Food Under Pressure

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Simply Steamed Green Beans [Instant Pot Pressure Cooker]

I don’t know about you, but I happen to love my veggies – always have!

Oh how I wish I could say the same for my 7 year old (or my 34 year old husband for that matter)…

One day my daughter likes something, the next day she doesn’t. Anyone else face this kid-conundrum?! One day she’s adventurous and willing to try new things, the next day she absolutely refuses. If the veggies have anything but a little salt and butter, forget about it. If they are too hard – nope. Too soft – definitely nope. Simply seasoned and perfectly steamed veggies is the only shot I got.

I was skeptical that the Instant Pot might be a little too pressure-powerful for my skinny, long green beans. But, I found the PERFECT cooking technique to appease my household. Perfectly tender, not too soft, not too hard, simply steamed green beans!

Simply Steamed Green Beans
 
about 30 Green Beans, rinsed
1/4 t garlic salt
pinch black pepper
1 T melted butter, optional
Rinse green beans, cut off ends if desired. Add 1 cup water at bottom of Instant Pot (IP). Place steamer basket at bottom of IP (over water). Add green beans. Sprinkle with seasonings (If you like more flavor (like me!), up the seasoning game – remember, I am dealing with picky 7 year old…).
Close Instant Pot lid, and close vent to “Sealing”. Press “Steam” button on the front of your IP, press “+/-“ buttons to set steam time for 1 minute. It will take about 5-10 minutes for IP to come to pressure, then 1 minute steam time countdown will commence. When Steam cook time is complete, QPR (place towel over vent before turning vent knob to “Venting” to QPR). Remove carefully from IP and transfer to bowl. Add 1 T melted butter, if desired.
Serve immediately! Serves 4.
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