6 Surprising Recipes You Can Make in Your Instant Pot

You know it can make dreamy beef stews and cook beans in no time, but what else can the Instant Pot do? You might be surprised by some of the answers, many of which we gleaned from our Test Kitchen Cooks as they were working on their cookbook.

1. Risotto

Those of us who love to cook risotto are also familiar with its challenges. There’s a lot of standing and stirring, a lot of hawk-eyed watching of the broth to make sure it’s absorbing at the right rate. That’s why the Instant Pot is such a game-changer. In this mushroom risotto recipe, one can sauté the base aromatics right in the multi-cooker, then add rice to cook for just 10 minutes before folding in crispy pancetta and silky mushrooms.

2. Mussels

Speaking of surprises, mussels cook up in just one minute of low pressure in an Instant Pot. It’s true that cooking them on the stovetop doesn’t require a ton of time, either. But the charms of the pressure cooker lie in its ability to cook everything evenly. This is crucial when it comes to mussels; when you have only a little bit of liquid and are half-steaming, half-simmering them, they can cook to different textures. So give it a whirl. We suggest sautéing shallots over low heat, adding broth and bringing it to a simmer before sealing the pot. And don’t forget to release pressure manually; you don’t want these beauties to overcook. Serve with crusty bread and voila!

3. Cheesecake

Sweet tooths who haven’t yet bought an Instant Pot: Did you know you can make cheesecake in it, and in half the time? That got some of us licking our chops. So did the sight of this blueberry-pecan number. The trick here is lowering an 8-inch cake pan right into the Instant Pot, where the cheesecake pressure-cooks in just 25 minutes. Dessert for dinner parties just got much easier.

4. Cheesy Artichoke-Kale Dip

Artichokes, Parmesan, mozzarella, kale and all sorts of other goodies mingle in this dreamboat of a dip recipe. The all-star ingredients cook together in the pot, and then are poured into a baking dish for a brief spin under the broiler. It’s a blissfully low-fuss recipe, ready in less than half an hour. And look at that presentation; this is the sort of treat no guest walks by without trying.

5. Tamales

If you’ve ever made your own tamales, you know just how delightful they can be when they’re freshly steamed and there’s plenty of salsa to drizzle on them. In this remarkable recipe, using an Instant Pot cuts the fussing and cooking times in half. How amazing is that? It’s almost as amazing as how tasty these pork and green-chile tamales are.

6. Carnitas

It’s sort of mind-blowing that you can make carnitas, the famously long-cooking pork dish, in an Instant Pot in about an hour. This recipe lets you do just that. It’s true that, if you have a skin-on roast, you’ll have to pop that under the broiler separately for crispy bits, but the joy of breaking the pork down this way—in a bath of orange and lime juices, beer, onion, and oregano—is that the flavors truly come together beautifully. The herb and citrus notes infuse the whole meat, the fat renders, and the end result is as tasty a treat as any you’ll pop on a corn tortilla this year.