If you received an Instant Pot this Christmas, here are two easy recipes to try that busy families love. (Jennifer Bardsley)

If you received an Instant Pot this Christmas, here are two easy recipes to try that busy families love. (Jennifer Bardsley)

This mom’s favorite family meals to cook in the Instant Pot

Did you get a pressure cooker for Christmas? Here are two recipes to try that busy families love.

When I bought an Instant Pot last year, I spent my first week of ownership afraid that it would explode.

Then I tied my apron tighter, adjusted my reading glasses and studied the owner’s manual cover to cover. Once I understood how to safely monitor the float valve and steam release knob, I gained confidence. The most important thing is to never open the Instant Pot when the float valve is up.

Now, almost a year later, I view my Instant Pot as a trusty cooking aide instead of a potential explosive device. I’ve even perfected a two-night meal plan that my family loves. If you own an Instant Pot or other type of pressure cooker, give these budget-friendly recipes a try.

Night 1: Pot roast and oven fries

My kids hate the way potatoes and vegetables come out mushy from a pot roast cooked in a slow cooker. When I prepare the same ingredients using an Instant Pot and a traditional oven, everyone approves.

Note: I cook with an Instant Pot Duo 3 quart model. If you have a larger model, consult your owner’s manual and adjust the liquid ratio for the pot roast accordingly.

2 pounds chuck roast

1 yellow onion

⅓ cup red or white wine

⅔ cup water or beef broth

1 pound potatoes

1 pound carrots, parsnips or turnips

2 teaspoons salt

2 tablespoons olive oil

Hit the “Saute” button on the Instant Pot and brown the roast for 10 minutes, starting with the fattiest side so it doesn’t stick. Use that time to cut the onion in half. Add the onion, wine and water to the pot. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of salt. Hit the “Pressure Cook” button and set the Instant Pot for 60 minutes.

While the Instant Pot is coming to pressure, slice the potatoes and root vegetables like matchsticks. Toss with the olive oil and remaining salt. Spread the potatoes and vegetables onto a parchment lined baking sheet and put into the oven — but don’t turn the oven on yet.

When the Instant Pot display says that there are 20 minutes left to finish cooking the roast, set the oven to 425 degrees. Cook the carrots and potatoes for 40 minutes in the oven, stirring halfway through so nothing burns. They should be ready right around the same time that Instant Pot has finished the natural release method, which makes the pot roast juicy. Makes 4-6 servings.

Save the drippings at the bottom of the Instant Pot for tomorrow’s dinner.

Night 2: French onion soup

This meal is cheap because all you need is a bag of onions, a few slices of cheese, some French bread and maybe a tossed salad.

Pot roast drippings

2 pounds yellow onions

1 teaspoon salt

1 loaf French bread

8 ounces Swiss cheese, grated or sliced

Thinly slice the onions. Take the congealed layer of fat from the pot roast drippings from last night’s dinner and add it to the Instant Pot. Hit the “Saute” button and cook the onions in the fat for 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the rest of the beef drippings and the salt. Cover the onions with water up to the ⅔ line on the Instant Pot. Hit the “Pressure Cook” button and set the Instant Pot for 8 minutes.

When the soup is done cooking, you can either use the quick release or the natural release method. Serve with sliced bread and cheese. Makes 4-6 servings.

Jennifer Bardsley publishes books under her own name and the pseudonym Louise Cypress. Find her online on Instagram @the_ya_gal, on Twitter @jennbardsley or on Facebook as The YA Gal.

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Life

Brandon Hailey of Cytrus, center, plays the saxophone during a headlining show at Madam Lou’s on Friday, Dec. 29, 2023 in Seattle, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Lynnwood-based funk octet Cytrus has the juice

Resilience and brotherhood take center stage with ‘friends-first’ band.

FILE - In this April 11, 2014 file photo, Neko Case performs at the Coachella Music and Arts Festival in Indio, Calif. Fire investigators are looking for the cause of a fire on Monday, Sept. 18, 2017, that heavily damaged Case’s 225-year-old Vermont home. There were no injuries, though a barn was destroyed. It took firefighters two hours to extinguish the blaze. (Photo by Scott Roth/Invision/AP, File)
Music, theater and more: What’s happening in Snohomish County

Singer-songwriter Neko Case, an indie music icon from Tacoma, performs Sunday in Edmonds.

The Moonlight Swing Orchestra will play classic sounds of the Big Band Era on April 21 in Everett. (submitted photo)
Music, theater and more: What’s happening in Snohomish County

Relive the Big Band Era at the Port Gardner Music Society’s final concert of the season in Everett.

2024 Honda Ridgeline TrailSport AWD (Honda)
2024 Honda Ridgeline TrailSport AWD

Honda cedes big boy pickup trucks to the likes of Ford, Dodge… Continue reading

Would you want to give something as elaborate as this a name as mundane as “bread box”? A French Provincial piece practically demands the French name panetiere.
A panetiere isn’t your modern bread box. It’s a treasure of French culture

This elaborately carved French antique may be old, but it’s still capable of keeping its leavened contents perfectly fresh.

(Judy Newton / Great Plant Picks)
Great Plant Pick: Mouse plant

What: Arisarum proboscideum, also known as mouse plant, is an herbaceous woodland… Continue reading

Bright green Japanese maple leaves are illuminated by spring sunlight. (Getty Images)
Confessions of a ‘plantophile’: I’m a bit of a junky for Japanese maples

In fact, my addiction to these glorious, all-season specimens seems to be contagious. Fortunately, there’s no known cure.

2024 Hyundai IONIQ 6 Limited (Hyundai)
2024 Hyundai IONIQ 6 Limited

The 2024 Hyundai IONIQ 6 Limited is a sporty, all-electric, all-wheel drive sedan that will quickly win your heart.

The 2024 Dodge Hornet R/T hybrid’s face has the twin red lines signifying the brand’s focus on performance. (Dodge)
2024 Hornet R/T is first electrified performance vehicle from Dodge

The all-new compact SUV travels 32 miles on pure electric power, and up to 360 miles in hybrid mode.

chris elliott.
Vrbo promised to cover her rental bill in Hawaii, so why won’t it?

When Cheryl Mander’s Vrbo rental in Hawaii is uninhabitable, the rental platform agrees to cover her new accommodations. But then it backs out. What happened?

Dominic Arizona Bonuccelli
Tangier’s market boasts piles of fruits, veggies, and olives, countless varieties of bread, and nonperishables, like clothing and electronics.
Rick Steves on the cultural kaleidoscope of Tangier in Morocco

Walking through the city, I think to myself, “How could anyone be in southern Spain — so close — and not hop over to experience this wonderland?”

Don’t blow a bundle on glass supposedly made by the Henry William Stiegel

Why? Faked signatures, reused molds and imitated styles can make it unclear who actually made any given piece of glass.

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.