This Instant Pot cheat sheet is here to help when life gets busy and dinner needs to happen fast. It summarizes essential cook times and practical tips so you can prepare a satisfying family meal without stress. The Instant Pot speeds up cooking and often preserves more nutrients than traditional boiling, making it a smart tool for everyday meals.
Why the Instant Pot Saves Time—and Preserves Nutrients
Pressure cooking drastically reduces cook time, and once it’s running you can step away and let it do the work. Studies show that pressure cooking tends to retain more vitamins and minerals than prolonged boiling, so you get meals on the table faster without sacrificing nutrition.
This cheat sheet is particularly useful when converting slow cooker, stovetop, or oven recipes for the Instant Pot. Whether you’re just learning to cook or you’re an experienced home cook, these guidelines will make Instant Pot cooking simpler and more reliable.
Your Instant Pot Lifesaver Cheat Sheet
Times are for the manual high-pressure setting unless noted otherwise.
White Rice – 4 minutes
Wild Rice – 15 minutes
Brown Rice – 20 minutes
Hard-Boiled Eggs – 4 minutes
Fresh Corn on the Cob – 4 minutes
Gluten-Free Pasta – 4 minutes
Whole Potato – 13 minutes
Roughly Chopped Vegetables – 3 minutes
Steel-Cut Oats – 10 minutes
Quick Oats – 1 minute
Meatballs – 7 minutes
Chicken Breast – 10 minutes
Chicken Thighs – 10 minutes
Whole Chicken – 6 minutes per pound
Frozen Chicken Pieces – add 3 minutes per pound
Beef Pot Roast – 15 minutes per pound
Beef Stew Meat – 40 minutes, then naturally release for 10 minutes
Pork Chops – 5 minutes
Pork Roast – 15 minutes per pound
Pork Ribs (rack) – 20 minutes
Brown and Green Lentils – 10 minutes
Kidney Beans – 40 minutes, then naturally release for 10 minutes
Chickpeas – 50 minutes, then naturally release for 10 minutes
Foods to Avoid Cooking in an Instant Pot
The Instant Pot is versatile but not ideal for every ingredient. Most dairy—milk, cream, and sour cream—can separate or curdle under high heat, so add these after cooking. Yogurt and cheesecake are exceptions when using specific Instant Pot settings.
If you want crispy or crunchy textures (fried chicken, crisped coatings), the Instant Pot alone won’t produce them. You can finish dishes that need a crunchy top—like scalloped potatoes—by transferring them to a hot oven or broiler for a few minutes after pressure cooking.
Recommended Instant Pot Gluten-Free Recipes
Instant Pot Beef and Vegetable Soup with Gluten-Free Mini Dumplings
Instant Pot Borscht – Ukrainian Recipe
Instant Pot Thai Chicken Vegetable Soup
Instant Pot Barbacoa Beef
Instant Pot Spiced Beef Stew with Mung Beans
Instant Pot White Bean Minestrone
Instant Pot Mediterranean Lentil & Collard Soup
Instant Pot Creamy Mushroom & Asparagus Risotto
Gluten-Free Instant Pot Spaghetti Bolognese
Explore our full collection of gluten-free Instant Pot recipes for more ideas and meal inspiration.
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