Life
I don't know about you, but when the weather is warm I want my family meals to be quick, easy, and relatively painless. In other words, I want to put my Instant Pot to work. This magical electric pressure cooker has pretty much replaced most of the other cooking devices in my kitchen. And, thankfully, there are more than a few summer instant pot recipes using eight ingredients or less that make summertime meal prep a breeze, giving me more time to sip iced tea (or mojitos) on my patio.
Need something to use up all of the tomatoes and zucchini people are giving away? Try Instant Pot Ratatouille. Forgot to pick something up for a summer picnic? You can make homemade potato salad in your Instant Pot in about 10 minutes. Looking for a healthy way to use that bag of beans that's been sitting in your cabinet forever? Why not try burrito bowls with Chipotle Black Beans and Cilantro Lime Rice? The rice will come out perfect every time, and the beans cook in less time than it takes for you take a shower or watch an episode of Grey's Anatomy. And if you are craving something sweet, you can make this peach cobbler with only three ingredients — all in your Instant Pot and without turning on the oven.
If you don't already have an Instant Pot, well, you probably should get one. And if you already do, be sure to check out these summer-inspired recipes that you might even get your kids to eat:
1
Hard-Cooked Eggs
Summer salads are pretty much a way of life in my house, and they're always made better when I had a hard-cooked egg.
Did you know you can make hard-cooked eggs in the Instant Pot? As Cooking Lessons From The Kitchn explains, it's as easy as adding eggs and water and pressing a button. They are easier to peel than their stove-top cooked cousins, and turn out perfect every time.
2
Chipotle Black Beans
Eating vegan or vegetarian is easy (and cheap!) when you have an Instant Pot. For example, try these amazing Chipotle black beans from the Veggie Chick for your next potluck or taco night. The Instant Pot cuts down on cooking time and they make the best leftovers for nachos, salads, and enchilada filling.
3
Ratatouille
Each summer I always have hundreds more zucchini and tomatoes than I know what to do with. Then discovered Instant Pot Ratatouille. This recipe from Cooking Onions will make you look like a Master Chef, and is as easy as chopping up some vegetables. You can pretty much throw in what produce you happen to have in the fridge and call it a day.
4
Potato Salad
Everyone loves potato salad, and there's a reason why it's a staple at summer barbecues and picnics. Turns out, you can make Instant Pot Potato Salad in 10 minutes and with fewer than eight ingredients. #Blessed.
5
Corn On The Cob
One of the best ways to add joy to any summer meal is indulging in a little sweet, buttery corn on the cob. And yes, you can totally make corn on the cob in your Instant Pot with these easy instructions from Hip Pressure Cooking. While you wait the mere 11 minutes it takes to cook, you can do other important things... like read a book or paint your toenails. It's that easy.
6
Baked Potatoes
In my experience one of the easiest ways to get my kids to try new foods is to set up a buffet and let them explore. And, in my experience, there's no better vehicle than Instant Pot Baked Potatoes. Not only do they cook in way less time than it normally takes in the oven, but you don't have to heat up the house to make your baked potato bar.
7
Cilantro Lime Rice
Nothing says summer like fresh citrus and herbs. Combine the two with perfectly cooked rice in this Instant Pot Cilantro Lime Rice from food bloggers Two Peas and Their Pod, and you might just have the perfect side dish for Taco Tuesday.
8
Peach Cobbler
What's dinner without dessert, right? The summer season is full of seasonal fruits, like lovely berries and lush peaches, just begging to be baked into a pie or cobbler. Try your hand at this three-ingredient Instant Pot Peach Cobbler from 365 Days of Crockpot. All you need is fruit, a cake mix, and butter to make an amazing fruit cobbler in your Instant Pot. The hardest part will be sharing.
