• START HERE
    • FAQS
  • The Team
  • Blog
    • Grocery Shopping
    • Extra Skin
    • Instant Pot Stuff
    • Monthly Member Spotlight
    • MTHFR
    • Weight Loss Tips
    • Rebecca and Dan’s Weight Loss Journey
    • Weight Loss Stories
  • Cookbooks
    • Instant Loss On A Budget
    • Instant Loss Eat Real, Lose Weight
    • Instant Loss Cookbook
  • Recipes
    • Instant Pot Recipes
    • Breakfast
    • Dinner
    • Sweets
    • Condiments & Sauces
  • Shop
    • Instant Loss Cookbooks
    • Instant Pot Favorites
    • Kitchen Appliances
    • Drinkware
    • Cookware
    • Linens and Miscellaneous
    • Bowls and Storage
    • Kitchen Utensils
    • Supplements
    • Pantry
    • Clothing
    • Skin and Scar Care
  • Contact
  • Media
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube

Instant Loss - Conveniently Cook Your Way To Weight Loss

Encouragement. Motivation. Delicious Recipes.

in Diary· Instant Pot Stuff· Tips

The Ultimate Instant Pot Guide For Beginners

The Instant Pot is an amazing device, but at first glance it’s pretty overwhelming. There are just so many buttons! How can you possibly choose the right ones for your dish? Luckily the Instant Pot isn’t actually that complex. You just need to know a bit about how it works and what the various functions do before you get started. To help you out, here is The Ultimate Instant Pot Guide for Beginners!

{this post contains affiliate links to amazon}

The Ultimate Instant Pot Guide for Beginners

Basic Instant Pot Tips

First of all, make sure to read through the manual that came with your Instant Pot. Each model is different and some have more function buttons than others. For this guide, we’ll be using the 7 in 1 IP-DUO (6qt). The manual also includes some handy tips and suggestions about the various features. And it goes into detail on how important things, like the steam release handle, work.

Now before we get into my Instant Pot guide for beginners, the first thing you need to remember is that an Instant Pot is not just a pressure cooker. It can also sauté (like a frying pan) and cook things slowly (like a slow cooker). Getting additional accessories like a steam basket or small springform cake pan makes it even more versatile (because yes, you can even make cake in the Instant Pot!).

Also remember that an Instant Pot isn’t exactly instant. While the cook times for most foods in the Instant Pot are amazingly short, your Instant Pot will also need time to get up to pressure and time to release that pressure. So something with a 10 minute cook time could actually take 25 minutes from start to finish. But still, most of that time passes without you having to actively interact with the Instant Pot, so compared to cooking on a stove top, you’re still saving a lot of time!

One last thing before I start this Instant Pot guide for beginners- be aware that many foods are best cooked with additional liquid (water or broth) added. The Instant Pot needs this to create the appropriate steam to cook your food fully. Thick liquids (like cream of soups) don’t count. Dairy also doesn’t pressure cook well.

The Instant Pot‘s Basic Controls

This wouldn’t be a good Instant Pot guide for beginners if we didn’t discuss the basic controls! Below is a picture of the control panel for the IP we’re using for this guide:

Underneath your Instant Pot‘s LED display is a section that says “Low Pressure” and “High Pressure.” The pressure button changes these when you’re doing a manual program.

Under the pressure indicators is an area that says “Less | Normal | More.” These are called the mode indicators. The “Adjust” button changes these. This will affect the cook time. You can’t use the Adjust button for the Rice or Manual functions.

Under the mode indicators are a minus symbol and a plus symbol. You can push the minus or plus to manually adjust the cook time. You can change the cook time for all the function buttons except for the “Rice” function. This is important, because different foods of the same category (like different beans) take a different amount of time to cook.

Below that are the “Adjust,” “Timer,” “Manual,” and “Keep Warm/Cancel” buttons (the exact location of these buttons may vary a little across different Instant Pot models). I already covered the “Adjust” button and will discuss “Manual” in a bit.

The Timer button is used to delay when the Instant Pot starts heating up and working. So if you set a timer for 1 hour, it’ll start warming up in 1 hour, then go through the cook time you specified. Don’t use it for perishable foods that can go bad if left out at room temperature (like raw meat) or foods with a porridge-type consistency (they could mess up the float valve and overflow if left alone).

The Keep Warm/Cancel button can do either of the two things in its name. If your Instant Pot is running a cook program, pushing this button cancels it and puts the machine on standby. If the Instant Pot is on standby, pushing this turns on the keep warm program to keep your food warm until you’re ready to eat it. The Instant Pot will automatically go into keep warm mode after it finishes cooking.

Now let’s get down to the meat of this Instant Pot guide for beginners… the function buttons!

The Instant Pot‘s Function Buttons

Manual

 

I’m going to start this section of my Instant Pot how-to guide off with the manual button. It’s not technically classified as a function button, but I think it should be. I like it because it’s the one that gives you the most control. With this button you get to choose whether you cook your food at high or low pressure, and you can set your own cook time. If any of the preset buttons don’t work as you’d like, just go with the manual button! Once you become more used to working with your Instant Pot, you may decide to use this button most of the time.

 

Sauté

The sauté button is another button you’ll probably wind up using a lot. It saves you from dirtying a frying pan just to brown foods first (like you would have to do with a slow cooker). For best flavor, it’s usually a good idea to sauté your meats a bit first. You could also use this setting to sauté additional ingredients, like onions and bell peppers.

Soup

The soup button is for cooking liquids like soup (obviously) and also broth. What’s great about this function is that it makes the Instant Pot hot enough to get your liquid simmering, but not scalding hot. This way your soup ingredients don’t get too broken down.

Meat/Stew

This preset meat button is for non-poultry meats like beef and pork. It’s also for cooking thick stew-type meals. Use the Adjust button to change the final texture of the meat. Set your Instant Pot to the More setting if you want the meat to be very tender and more broken down.

Bean/Chili

Did you know that you can cook dry beans in your Instant Pot? It’s a great way to save money, compared with buying canned beans (especially if you eat organic). You can use this setting to cook your raw beans, or you could use it to cook bean-based dishes (like chili). I’d suggest using the Adjust button to set your Instant Pot to the More setting for thoroughly cooked, tender beans.

Poultry

This handy button will quickly become your favorite if you love chicken! You can even use it to cook frozen chicken if you forgot to defrost it. Use the Adjust button to change the final texture of the chicken, or to adjust the cook time for more or less chicken in the pot.

Rice

The rice button essentially gives your Instant Pot the ability to also be a rice cooker. As mentioned earlier, you can’t change the cook time for this function. Your Instant Pot will set its own time based on how heavy your rice is. The rice can be raw or parboiled.

Multigrain

This Instant Pot function is one of the more complex ones. It’s designed, as it says, for multigrains. So if you’re cooking wild rice, brown rice, quinoa, lentils, and other hardy grains (or mixtures of several of those grains), then you’ll want to use this function. If you press the “More” button, the Instant Pot will include soak time, which is handy if your grain requires it. This setting does take some time, though. “Normal” is 40 minutes of active cooking time, “Less” is 20 minutes, and “More” is 45 minutes of soaking + 1 hour of cooking.

Porridge

I’ve seen this button have different names for different models, but it’s the same idea. It will make porridge out of grains like oats or rice. Use the “Normal” mode for rice porridge and the “More” mode for porridge made of other types of grain or beans. With this setting you have to use the natural release or else your porridge could splatter out of the steam release.

Steam

This function is the best for cooking crisp veggies! It’s also great for seafood. You’ll want to use this one with plenty of additional liquid, and put your food in the steam rack or buy a steam basket to use. And at the end, use the quick release. The natural release will take too long and the food will wind up overcooked.

Slow Cook

We’re nearing the end of my Instant Pot Guide for beginners, but I don’t want you to go without knowing about this handy feature. It essentially allows you to use your Instant Pot like your slow cooker! Use the plus and minus buttons to change the time and use the Adjust button to change the heat level. Not every slow cooker recipe can convert to an Instant Pot set to “Slow Cook,” but it’s definitely worth a try!

Yogurt

If your Instant Pot has this feature, you can use it as a yogurt maker! You can either make it straight in the Instant Pot’s inner pot or you can make your yogurt in glass jars. There are several steps to this process, so if you’re interested in this, you’ll want to consult your model’s manual.

And there you have it- the ultimate Instant Pot guide for beginners! Now you’re ready to go try your first Instant Pot recipe. Have fun!

What function button do you think you’ll be using the most?

To figure out which Instant Pot you should purchase, click here!

Share this:

  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
  • More

Related

Filed Under: Diary, Instant Pot Stuff, Tips

« Rebecca’s Healthy Coffee Creamer
The Evolution of My Kitchen »

Comments

  1. Brenda S. says

    February 9, 2018 at 7:18 pm

    Great info-you should have done the manual with the instapot! I have a question on the saute mode. Is it possible to adjust the saute temp to less or normal? When I make meatballs in there it always is on the highest “more” automatically & I would like to lower the temp so they don’t get dark so fast.
    Thanks!

    Reply
    • Brittany says

      February 9, 2018 at 10:05 pm

      Yes, that’s a great question! Just press the SAUTE button a second time and you’ll see the screen switch to LESS pressure. 🙂

      Reply
  2. Sherry says

    February 21, 2018 at 7:47 am

    I’ve just received my Instant Pot. Super excited. Any tips on cooking a whole turkey breast without drying it out? Or should I just trust the pot? Add water or broth?

    Reply
  3. Debbie Britland says

    March 13, 2018 at 1:48 pm

    My Instant Pot does not have the same buttons as yours. Above my Manual button is the adjust button. To the right of the Manual button is the Keep Warm button.Above this button is the Delay Start button. How do I change the temperature settings for low, normal or high?

    Thanks

    Reply
    • Brittany says

      March 15, 2018 at 12:30 am

      There are several different version of the Instant Pot. This is the 7in1 6qt.

      Reply
  4. Millie Hilts says

    December 30, 2018 at 9:08 am

    Thank you so much for this information. The cookbook that came with mine said to use the “more”button if I wanted lighter, fluffier rice. But it wouldn’t work so I thought the pot was defective until I read this post. Thank you, thank you, thank you. (And yes, you should have written the manual)

    Reply
  5. Amy Hawk says

    January 8, 2019 at 10:52 am

    In the book some of your recipes call for a 6 cup baking dish to go in the instant pot. Which do you use? Loving the instant pot and your recipes!

    Reply
    • Ally Jones says

      January 11, 2019 at 12:32 am

      Hi Amy! You can use any oven safe dish in the Instant Pot.

      Ally
      Instant Loss Team

      Reply
  6. Nora says

    July 25, 2019 at 2:05 pm

    Just bought your book. It’s excellent!

    Reply
    • Brittany says

      July 29, 2019 at 1:08 pm

      Thank you so much for the support Nora!

      Reply
  7. Laurabeth Rodgers says

    February 5, 2021 at 8:30 am

    Hello Brittany,
    I just wanted to tell you that my instant pot, which I have had for a year or possibly 2, finally earned its place on my kitchen counter. I’ve pulled it out a few times in the past, tried 20 or so books, and finally got your book from the library. It is a g-send. I just want to buy it for myself and all of my friends and relatives.

    Not to bore you, but I have picky 13 year olds. This morning, I made the vegtable rice, and the chicken piccata. It was so easy, and most of all delicious. I can’t wait to give it to the kids for lunch. I happen to have all the ingredients required on hand, which also made it so easy.

    I follow weight watchers. I’m down to the weight I want. I’m so excited to eat healthy, real food. I haven’t even read your whole book yet, but I must say, what I have read has been to unbelievably helpful.
    Congratulations to you and your wonderful books. Does your family know just how lucky they are to eat great and healthy delicious food that will help them to maintain a good weight and not think about calories too much.
    Fantastic work.
    All the best to you and yours.
    Laurabeth

    Reply
  8. Julie says

    March 4, 2021 at 12:59 am

    When I cook sou do I I turn the pot off and let it naturally vent or does it naturally vent without me having to turn it completely off?

    Reply
    • Admin Instant Loss says

      March 11, 2021 at 1:52 pm

      Hi Julie,
      The Instant Pot will naturally vent without you turning it off. When the pot stops cooking it switches to a keep warm mode and it starts to naturally vent. Most people just generally leave the pot on as it switches automatically to the keep warm function and begins to naturally release since many recipes call for a natural pressure release for a certain amount of time and the clock on the Instant Pot will automatically take care of tracking that time for you.

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




looking for something?

Testimonials

Your group has come at such a good time for me. I just want to say thanks! I might not have lost any weight (yet) but you ‘live’ in our house. Mini muffins, lentil chili, those almond strawberry cookies… When my husband tells me how delicious these new recipes are the response is always, “Britt’s recipe!” I talk about you like we just went out for coffee Hahaha. I appreciate all the work you’re putting into your website and the fb group. I feel better about myself just being a part of it.

… Read more

Your story and success is very motivational and inspiring. I am looking forward to following your motivation.

I have literally been praying for someone to come into my life that could teach me or just help! I truly believe that you’re that person.


Your story and success is very motivational and inspiring. I am looking forward to following your motivation. -Christie
You’re giving some of us out here hope that change is possible. -Mary
First of all, wow, you are such an inspiration! Since following your journey; I have lost 10 pounds in two weeks. Thanks for opening up your life and inspiring so many. -Megan


 

Privacy Policy  Copyright © 2017 Instant Loss. All rights reserved. Contact Me

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Disclosure

This site is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates. I label affiliate links within the content of this site. Not everything I link to uses an affiliate link, however many of my links are affiliate links. If there is a link which is attached to a resource outside this website, it should be assumed that it is likely to be an affiliate link.

instantloss

I haven’t had a lot of words lately. My creativi I haven’t had a lot of words lately. My creativity is being used in other areas right now, I’m sure the words will find me again soon.⁣
⁣
In the meantime, for #transformationtuesday I want to honor the woman on the left who  took risks, followed her gut, and evolved through trial and fire into the woman on the right. ⁣
⁣
We are the same. ⁣
⁣
We are so very different.⁣
⁣
And I look forward to the day where the photo on the right becomes the photo on the left and I can step back and say, “look at all that we’ve become and have yet to become.”
My sister got married last weekend and I was final My sister got married last weekend and I was finally able to wear the dress I bought on clearance right before quarantine. 

It felt nice to get dressed up again. 💗
I posted this in stories last night but felt like I posted this in stories last night but felt like it should probably live on the feed too. ⁣
Growing up I thought the only reason someone would eat “healthy” was to lose weight. The way I thought about food evolved as an adult as I began to learn more about how important nutrition is.⁣
⁣
Eating well isn’t exclusive for weight loss. @syattfitness did a YouTube series where he ate a Big Mac every day for a month and lost 7 pounds because he stayed in a calorie deficit. You can literally eat anything and lose weight if the amount you’re eating keeps you in a deficit. But you cannot eat anything and be well.⁣
⁣
When I was a kid I would get these bumpy red spots on my upper arms, my doctor said it was keratosis pilaris, a common kid thing and that I would grow out of it. She wrote a prescription for a steroid cream and that was it.⁣
⁣
The steroid cream ran out but the bumps stayed. After my first pregnancy they began to spread, little bumps began to show up on my forearms, my upper thighs, then my bottom, and eventually my shins. I was super self conscious about it, I always wore sleeves and pants. Shorts were a major no-go, I don’t think I owned a single pair.⁣
⁣
Eventually I stopped hopping from fad diet to fad diet and I started to listen to my body and how it felt after I consumed certain foods. I began to experiment with food elimination and go-figure, not only did my over all health improve but things like those pesky bumps began to fade.⁣
⁣
My KP was a direct result of dietary choices I’d been making for years. These photos were captured only 30 days apart. As you can see my KP was aggravated after several months of indulgent eating. ⁣The photo on the right was taken after 30 days of eating mindfully and eliminating dairy and gluten again. 
⁣
Food matters. ⁣
⁣
I don’t care if you’re 500 pounds or 100– Our entire bodies are literally made up of and exist off what we consume, to think that the only thing food would affect is our weight is crazy. These bumps were a signal that my body was sending me to let me know that something wasn’t right, I spent 27 years of my life ignoring her. ⁣
⁣
It’s high time I choose to listen.
#fashun ⁣ ⁣ —> I finally created a LikeToKno #fashun ⁣
⁣
—> I finally created a LikeToKnowIt account. It’s an app where you can find clothes and products that people online wear. I’m always getting asked, about sunglasses, clothing, and products— I figured this might be easier. 🙂 You can find me over there @instantloss ⁣
⁣
I don’t know how I’d describe my fashion choices. Must be: comfortable, breathable, and cute. Probably a little boho, little surfer, little California girl. I like to show a little skin, so if my arms and legs are covered you’ll see a little tummy because I’m 31, not dead, and I told Brady that when I do die, he better bury me in a crop top. 💛✌️☀️⁣
⁣
ISO a tailor because GF is way too short for 99% of the things she buys. Rocks it anyway. Like mini trains everywhere I go.
WEEK 4 UPDATE!⁣ ⁣ Start measurements: ⁣ Uppe WEEK 4 UPDATE!⁣
⁣
Start measurements: ⁣
Upper right thigh: 25⁣
Upper left thigh: 24 1/4⁣
Hips: 41 1/2 inches⁣
Bust: 36 1/2 inches⁣
Waist: 31 3/4 plus a little⁣
Left arm: 11 1/4⁣
Right arm: 11 3/4⁣
Neck: between 12 1/4 and 1/2⁣
Above Left knee: 18 1/2⁣
Above Right knee: 19 1/2⁣
⁣
End measurements: ⁣
Upper right thigh: 23 1/2⁣
Upper left thigh: 22 3/4⁣
Hips: 38⁣
Bust: 34 1/2⁣
Waist: 29⁣
Left arm: 11 ⁣
Right arm: 11 1/4⁣
Neck: between 12 ⁣
Above Left knee: 16 1/2⁣
Above Right knee: 18⁣
⁣
Start weight: 151.8⁣
⁣
End weight: 140.6⁣
⁣
Result: I lost almost 16 inches overall and 11.2 pounds. ⁣
⁣
What did I do?⁣
⁣
I ate real, whole, minimally or non-processed food. I drank 80 ounces of water a day. I tried to get 7k to 10k steps a day. I implemented an earlier bedtime so I could begin getting 8 hours of sleep every night. ⁣
⁣
No magic pill.⁣
No detox tea.⁣
No BS.⁣
⁣
For recipes visit InstantLoss.com/Recipes
I have tried a lot of gluten-free cookies recipes I have tried a lot of gluten-free cookies recipes over the years. I’ve developed them, tried ones written by other bloggers— but this recipe. This one takes the cookie cake as hands down the best gluten-free chocolate chip cookie I’ve ever had! 

Click the link in my bio for the recipe! 😋😘
Our monthly challenge is coming to a close today s Our monthly challenge is coming to a close today so make sure you submit your final weigh-in by midnight on the 29th! ⁣
⁣
Don’t mind the toothpaste splatter on my full length mirror, this is where my kids brush and floss 🤣. I lost 10.2 pounds during this months challenge. The scale doesn’t reflect one of those pounds because the day after my first weigh-in was the day that Brady and I decided to have our pizza veg day. 🎉 ⁣
⁣
Better than losing 10 pounds is the way I feel. I feel energized, excited to take on the day, less bloated and inflamed, slower to frustration, and I haven’t had an anxiety attack in 26 days! I am also much stronger! A hike that took Brady and I over an hour on day 1 took us 48 minutes yesterday and we still had energy for more!⁣
⁣
The benefits of a whole food diet extend far beyond weight loss. 💪 Join us for our next accountability challenge, it begins today, you can read more on DietBet.com/instantloss
We bought a farmhouse! 💗⁣ ⁣ Brady and I hav We bought a farmhouse! 💗⁣
⁣
Brady and I have talked about buying a house in another state for years. Before Instant Loss we were landlords and we’ve always been fixers. ⁣
⁣
This farmhouse was built in the 1970’s. It had some major reno work done in 2010 but unfortunately is going to need some foundation help. We’ll need to move a few walls, remodel the bathrooms and kitchen, add a master bedroom (because it doesn’t have one)— it’s going to be a whole house makeover. We’re on the job, and we’ll be hanging out in Texas this Summer as we get it all started!⁣
⁣
I’ll post photos of the house soon. Should I post here or start a new Instagram for our projects?
The new recipe of the week is up on the blog! Clic The new recipe of the week is up on the blog! Click the link in my bio for written instructions and make this super quick and easy salmon and potatoes for lunch today!
Follow on Instagram
1 Corinthians 6:19-20

COPYRIGHT © 2017 · MARKET THEME BY RESTORED 316