14 Vegan Instant Pot Recipes That Make Weeknight Cooking a Breeze (2024)

FAQs

Which instant pot is best for vegans? ›

The Instant Pot Duo is a fantastic choice that's packed with every conceivable feature. Go with a the three quart unit if you're just cooking for one or two people. If you have a larger family, buy either the six or eight quart model.

In general, Instant Pots do so much more than just pressure cooking and can be used as a rice cooker, slow cooker, steamer yogurt maker, sauté pan, and a meal warmer.

But this helpful appliance is hardly just for stocking up on wholesome staples — it's also what we turn to when we want to get easy meat-free meals on the table. It's time to take advantage of your Instant Pot's ability to fill your meal plan with veggie-packed pastas, creamy soups, loaded potatoes, and more.

Greger of NutritionFacts notes, “Without presoaking, it takes 45 minutes in a pressure cooker to get rid of all lectins, but an hour to make kidney beans edible. So basically… cooking beans to the point where they are considered edible is more than sufficient to destroy virtually all lectin activity.”

Not good for cooking everything: Just like no one method is great for cooking everything, the Instant Pot isn't build to do it all. If you are not a fan of like stews and saucy things then pressure cooking might not be for you.

Foods containing dairy, like milk, cream, or yogurt, should not be pressure-cooked. The high heat and pressure can cause dairy products to curdle or separate, ruining the texture, taste and flavour of the dish. Cooking fried foods is a strict no no, when it comes to pressure cookers.

Cooking in an “instant pot” or pressure cooker is a great method for preparing your food on many levels — including the nutritional level, according to registered dietitian Beth Czerwony, RD. “Instant pot recipes are absolutely healthy as long as what you put in the recipe is healthy,” she says.

When it comes to breaking your Instant Pot in, it's a good idea to start with some basic foods and simple meals you're already familiar with, then slowly expand your Instant Pot repertoire from there. Try making staples like eggs, sweet potatoes, rice, or lentils using just the pressure cooker function.

The pressure cookers used can inactivate up to 10¹⁰ CFU/mL bacteria and 10⁷ CFU/mL fungi. The ultimate test for a sterilization device uses the most heat-resistant organisms, commonly Geobacillus stearothermophilus endospores. If the hardiest of microorganisms is killed, than all other microbes should die as well.

Why I don't use an Instant Pot? ›

1. The Instant Pot doesn't cook things as quickly as it seems. While you can supposedly cook recipes such as potatoes, soup, stews, rice, and more in a shorter amount of time, there's a major catch: For most recipes, you have to wait for the machine to properly release the pressure slowly.

They are most commonly used in industrial settings to quickly prepare meat or stocks. However, in most scenarios, Elite Chefs avoid using pressure cookers because they provide less control over the final dish. Chefs often prefer slow cooking techniques that accentuate and pull out the flavors of the food.

Vegetarians and vegans are less likely to suffer from high blood pressure. According to several studies, people who follow vegetarian diets have lower blood pressure levels compared to people who eat meat.

An Instant Pot CAN be used as an air fryer, but not without an additional attachment, such as an air fryer lid or crisping lid.

The Viva has all the same functions as the Duo, minus the Steam function, plus a few extra such as Cake, Egg, Sous Vide, and Sterilize. The Viva has a new EasySeal Lid that automatically sets to seal for pressure cooking, whereas the Duo lid is set manually. Both models come with the same accessories.

For those who are on the lookout for a cooker that is easy to use and quick to prepare food, an aluminium pressure cooker would be the best option. However, if you prefer getting healthier and heavy-duty kitchenware, there is no doubt that a stainless steel cooker will be the apt choice for you.

Although both can take the fuss out of cooking some meals, these two appliances have many differences. Air fryers help crisp up food that you may otherwise cook in a deep fryer, while Instant Pots cook meals that need a liquid element like stews, soups and rice.

Vegetarians or vegans will want to keep their side of the bowl meat-free, and non-spicy broth can become spicy very quickly if other ingredients added. Use chopsticks or a ladle to get food in and out - remember that this broth is continuously boiling and will be very hot!