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Instant Pot Marinara Sauce

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This Instant Pot Marinara Sauce cooks in about 30 minutes but has the flavor of a sauce that has been simmered for hours.

Marinara sauce tastes best when it’s been simmered for hours thanks to the maillard reaction, which is a chemical reaction that your food undergoes when it’s browned – it gives food a much more complex flavor. By putting this marinara sauce in the instant pot, we speed up this process and get a much more flavorful sauce. To deepen the sauce, I also added shredded carrots for a pop of sweetness and nutrition as well as red wine, which also makes the flavor more complex.  

bowl of instant pot marinara sauce with fresh basil and red pepper flake on the side on a white background.

Ingredients for Instant Pot Marinara Sauce

Olive oil: We need just a bit of oil to saute the veggies in the sauce. I have also used butter, which tastes great too.

Onion: If you plan on keeping your sauce chunky, I would chop the onion fairly finely. If you like a smooth, pureed sauce as I do, you can keep the chunks fairly big and rough since it’ll all get blended up in the end.

Carrots: You can shred your own if you want, but I prefer just to buy pre-shredded carrots. Plus, I always have some on hand to throw in stir-fries and salads.

Garlic: I’m crazy about some garlic, so I like at least four cloves of garlic but feel free to adjust it as needed.

Herbs: I used dried oregano and red pepper flake but used fresh basil because I love the fresh basil’s flavor so much more than the dried. You can sub in some dried basil if that’s what you have – I think 2 tsp. would be enough.

Red wine: I used a merlot that I got from Winc, and it was perfect. Wine Folly also has a great article about pairing wine with pasta sauces.

Crushed tomatoes: There are lots of crushed canned tomatoes out there, but I recommend San Marzano canned tomatoes – they have the best flavor.

a bowl of pasta and bread with a ladle of instant pot marinara sauce going on top.

How to Make Marinara Sauce in the Instant Pot

To make this marinara sauce, you’ll need first to saute the onion and shredded carrots with olive oil in the Instant Pot using the sauté function. You’ll then add the garlic, herbs, red pepper flake (if using), and basil, followed by the red wine. Let the red wine reduce for a few minutes to let some of the alcohol burn off. After, you’ll add the crushed tomatoes and season generously with salt and pepper. Put the lid on and make sure that the steam valve is in the closed position. You can then switch the function from saute to manual high pressure and set the timer for 25 minutes. You can use a manual steam release. If you want a smooth sauce, puree the sauce with a blender. Otherwise, you can leave it chunky.

How Long Does Marinara Sauce Last? Can Marinara Sauce Be Frozen?

You can keep the marinara sauce in the fridge for 3-4 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

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Instant Pot Marinara Sauce

a pot of instant pot marinara sauce with fresh basil and red pepper flake on the side on a white background.
  • Author: Melissa
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 25 minutes
  • Total Time: 30 minutes
  • Yield: 6–8 servings 1x
  • Category: Italian, pasta
  • Method: Instant Pot

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 tbsp. olive oil
  • 1 medium onion, chopped roughly
  • 1 cup of shredded carrots
  • 3–4 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp. dried oregano
  • 1/8 tsp. of red pepper flake (optional)
  • 3–4 large fresh basil leaves, plus extra for garnish
  • ½ cup of red wine
  • 28 oz. of crushed canned San Marzano tomatoes
  • Salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

  1. Put Instant Pot on the saute feature and add olive oil to the pot. Add onion and shredded carrots and saute for about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add garlic, oregano, red pepper flake (if using), and fresh basil leaves and saute for about 30 seconds to 1 minute or until fragrant.
  2. Add red wine and simmer for about 2-3 minutes. Add crushed tomatoes, season with salt and pepper, and stir to incorporate ingredients fully.
  3. Put on the Instant Pot lid and make sure that the steam valve is in the closed position. Switch the function to manual high pressure and cook for 25 minutes. Manually release steam. If you prefer a smooth sauce, blend using a blender or you can leave it chunky.

Notes

You can keep the marinara sauce in the fridge for 3-4 days or freeze for up to 3 months.  

Keywords: instant pot marinara sauce, Italian, pasta sauce

Instant Pot Shredded Chicken

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This instant pot shredded chicken is an easy way to meal prep a source of protein for the week and can be used in countless recipes.

I got my Instant Pot about five years ago. I didn’t even know what it was – my brother-in-law got me one for Christmas. I definitely thought I wouldn’t use it. Boy, I was wrong – I use it all the time and will never give it up. This recipe is the one that I probably make the most. Before I got my Instant Pot, I was terrible at remembering to pull out chicken from the freezer a day or two ahead of time then cooking it. With this recipe, you don’t even have to thaw the chicken. It makes a last-minute meal come together in no time.

View of two raw chicken breasts in chicken broth with seasonings in an instant pot to make instant pot shredded chicken

Ingredients:

Chicken: I like skinless, boneless chicken breast the best. You can use bone-in chicken, but I would advise against skin-on as it will probably not be so good. You could sub in skinless chicken thighs if you like dark meat. Sometimes, I’ll use a combination of breasts and thighs. You can use fresh or frozen chicken breast; it just takes a little longer for the instant pot to pressurize with the frozen chicken.

Chicken broth or stock: My favorite is Kitchen Basics Unsalted – it has such a deep flavor for store-bought. I choose the unsalted so I can better control the salt in my food.

Seasonings: If you’re planning on using the shredded chicken in other recipes, you can opt for basic seasonings like salt, pepper, garlic or onion powder, paprika, etc.

You can add other seasonings to the instant pot if you’d like to jazz it up a bit.

For an Italian spin: Add 1 tbsp. of Italian seasoning before cooking. After cooking, squeeze the juice of half of a lemon on top.

For a Cajun spin: Add 1 tbsp. of Cajun seasoning.

For a Latin/Mexican spin: Add 1 tbsp. taco seasoning before cooking. After cooking, squeeze the juice of half of a lime on top.

For an Indian spin: Add 1 tbsp. of garam masala and 1 tsp. of ground ginger.

A glass dish filled with instant pot shredded chicken on a white background with two forks on the side.

How to Make Shredded Chicken in the Instant Pot

First, you add the chicken to the instant pot, followed by the broth and your desired seasonings. You’ll put the lid on and make sure the steam valve is sealed. You’ll cook on high pressure for 15 minutes and allow a natural release for about 5-10 minutes. After you pull the chicken out, shred the chicken into bite-size pieces using two forks. You can season the chicken with additional seasonings or citrus juice, as detailed above.

The chicken will keep in the fridge for about 3-4 days or up to 6 months in the freezer.

How to Use Instant Pot Shredded Chicken

Many recipes, especially soups, casseroles, and meal prep bowls, call for simple shredded chicken breast. Having some of this instant pot shredded chicken on hand makes all of these recipes that much easier. A couple of recipes of mine that work well include:

A glass dish filled with instant pot shredded chicken on a white background.
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Instant Pot Shredded Chicken

Overview of instant pot shredded chicken in the instant pot bowl.
  • Author: Melissa
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 25-35 minutes
  • Total Time: 30-40 minutes
  • Yield: 6–8 servings 1x
  • Category: meal prep
  • Method: instant pot

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2–3 lbs. of skinless, boneless chicken (breast and/or thighs)
  • 1 cup of chicken broth or stock
  • Salt and pepper, to taste and/or other seasonings as desired (see notes)

Instructions

  1. Add the chicken to the instant pot, followed by the broth/stock and your desired seasonings.
  2. Put on the lid and make sure the steam valve is sealed. Cook on manual high pressure for 15 minutes and allow a natural release for about 5-10 minutes.
  3. Remove chicken and shred into bite-size pieces using two forks. Season chicken with additional seasonings and/or citrus juice if desired.

 

Notes

The chicken will keep in the fridge for about 3-4 days or up to 6 months in the freezer.

Seasoning suggestions:

  • For an Italian spin: Add 1 tbsp. of Italian seasoning before cooking. After cooking, squeeze the juice of half of a lemon on top.
  • For a Cajun spin: Add 1 tbsp. of Cajun seasoning.
  • For a Latin/Mexican spin: Add 1 tbsp. taco seasoning before cooking. After cooking, squeeze the juice of half of a lime on top.

  • For an Indian spin: Add 1 tbsp. of garam masala and 1 tsp. of ground ginger.

Keywords: shredded chicken, chicken, instant pot, meal prep

Ground Turkey Slow Cooker Recipes [Crockpot or Instant Pot]

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These recipes are the best ground turkey slow cooker recipes for using up any ground turkey meat you may have hanging around your fridge.

 Who doesn’t love a good slow cooker recipe? It’s basically set it and forget it. I thought I would highlight a few recipes, so I’ve rounded up a few easy and delicious ground turkey slow cooker recipes all in one spot.  

The Best Ground Turkey Slow Cooker Recipes Round-up

Taco Soup: This recipe doesn’t call for ground turkey specifically, but it is recommended in the recipe. You can use any type of ground meat – and that’s generally true of most of these recipes, but this recipe uses simple pantry recipes to bring together a cozy, one-pot, slow cooker meal! Bonus – this recipe also tells you all the details on how to freeze the soup properly if you want to have leftovers that you can pull from the freezer when you’re short on time.

Ground turkey slow cooker recipe with a taco soup with avocado and tortillas on top on a white background with spoons and a blue towel on the side.

Pumpkin Chipotle Chili: Um, hello, yes, please. It’s no secret around here that I’m a huge fan of pumpkin and chipotle peppers. Chipotle peppers are smoked jalapenos in a smokey, adobo sauce. Putting those together with pumpkin and ground turkey sounds like a perfect chili to me.

Ground turkey slow cooker recipe with chipotle pumpkin turkey chili on a gray background with a white napkin and gold spoon

Turkey Green Chili: Chilis are usually made with crushed tomatoes, but this chili has no tomatoes. Instead, it relies on jalapenos, chicken broth, spices, ground turkey, and hominy. Hominy is coarsely ground corn that is used to make grits. It gives this chili a unique texture and flavor.  I also love the idea of topping it with pepitas (roasted pumpkin seeds).

picture of ground turkey slow cooker recipe with a green turkey chili on a dark background

Slow Cooker Turkey, Lentil, and White Bean Chili: This chili is similar to classic chilis, but I don’t usually see lentils and white beans together in chili. I love them both, so it’s nice to see them packed in along with the ground turkey as an additional source of protein.

Ground turkey slow cooker recipe with a turkey, lentil, and white bean chili on a burlap background with an orange napkin and spoon.

Why should I choose ground turkey over any other meat? Is turkey “healthier” than other ground meats?

Ground turkey is milder in flavor than ground beef or pork. It’s very similar in taste to ground chicken, but a little more game-like. If you’re making something with a lot of lighter flavors that you don’t want to conflict with by using beef, turkey may be the way to go (like in the green chili above).

As far as nutrition goes, it depends on your goals and what kind of turkey you choose. People often choose chicken or turkey, thinking it has less saturated fat (saturated fat is linked to high cholesterol). However, if you’re comparing lean turkey (93% lean, 7% fat – labeled on the package) to lean beef (93% lean or higher and 7% or less fat), that might not be the case. There isn’t any reason to avoid one or the other if you’re choosing lean ground meat and want to watch your cholesterol, so personally, I choose a lean cut either way and go with the one that would compliment the flavor profile in the recipe the best.

Instant Pot Apple Butter

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This Instant Pot Apple Butter has all the tastes and smells of fall. And with just five ingredients and 20 minutes, it couldn’t be any simpler or quicker.  

Who doesn’t love apples in fall? This is the time of year I usually bring my favorite two apples, McIntosh and Honeycrisp, home with me after visiting my family in Western Pennsylvania. When I get home, the apples that survived the car ride home, I’ll make into festive apple desserts. I could not make the trip this year thanks to corona, but I wanted to make something with spiced apple. Apple butter is probably one of the easiest things to make with apples, and it’s also great to use up bruised or damaged apples that you don’t want to eat raw.

Jar of instant pot apple butter with a spoon resting in the jar with toast and whole apples on the side on a white background.

 What is Apple Butter?

Apple butter is simply cooked, spiced, and pureed apples. Contrary to its name, it doesn’t contain any butter or oil. It is very spreadable and works perfectly in place of jams or jellies. My favorite ways to enjoy apple butter are on my morning toast or swirled into some plain yogurt for a fall twist.   

Apple butter vs. applesauce

You might be asking, so what’s the difference between apple butter and applesauce? Not much. It comes down to how much water is in the puree and how long you cook the apples. Apple butter is a more concentrated version of apple sauce. Since applesauce tends to be more watery, apple butter is cooked longer and has that spreadable consistency I mentioned above. If your apple butter comes out more like applesauce, you can switch the instant pot setting to the sauté feature and let it comes to a boil to evaporate off more of the water. Be careful, though – it will burn quickly on the bottom, so make sure you stir it frequently to prevent scorching.

Apple butter on a spoon above a jar of the instant pot apple butter

Ingredients for Instant Pot Apple Butter

Apples: That’s an easy one.  According to several articles, the best apples to use are softer varieties, such as one of my favorites, McIntosh. However, since you’re using an Instant Pot, which uses heat and pressure to break down the apples, it’s pretty safe to use whatever apple you enjoy.

Water or apple cider: To prevent scorching in the Instant Pot, it is a good idea to add just a little bit of liquid so it doesn’t burn before the apples have a chance to release their juices.  For the best flavor, I prefer to use apple cider or apple juice as the liquid.

Spices: I used a combination of ground cinnamon, ginger, and cloves. If you want to make it super easy, use pumpkin pie spice, which contains all of those fall-like, warming spices.

Overview from above of a jar of instant pot apple butter with whole apples and toast on the side on a white-gray background.

How to Make Apple Butter in the Instant Pot

This recipe is a set it and forget it type of recipe with very little hands-on time. You start by slicing and coring the apples. You keep the peel on the apples. Keep the slices about the same size – about a half-inch across. You’ll then cook the apples on high pressure for 18 minutes in the Instant Pot. Once complete, you release the steam and cool a bit before transferring the apples into a blender or using a stick blender to puree the apples until smooth.

Like I mentioned above, if the apple butter is a little too watery for your liking, you can return the apple butter to the Instant Pot and cook on the saute feature, continually stirring until more water is removed (about 5-10 minutes depending on how much water your apples contained). You can also use a large soup pot on the stove to cook the water out of the apples some.

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Instant Pot Apple Butter

Overview from above of a jar of instant pot apple butter with whole apples and toast on the side on a white-gray background.
  • Author: Melissa
  • Prep Time: 5-10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 18 minutes
  • Total Time: 22-28 minutes
  • Yield: 1 large container 1x
  • Category: instant pot
  • Method: instant pot
  • Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Scale
  • 3 lbs. of apples, cored and cut in large chunks (keep the skin on) – about 10 small apples
  • ¼ cup water or apple cider
  • 1 tsp. cinnamon
  • 1 tsp. ground ginger
  • ¼ tsp. cloves

Instructions

  1. Put all of the ingredients into the instant pot. Cook on high pressure for 18 minutes using the manual feature. Quick-release steam valve. Let cool for about 10 minutes with the lid off.
  2. Blend apples with a stick blender or transfer to a regular blender to blend. Serve immediately or keep in a container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks or 1 year in the freezer.

Keywords: instant pot, apples, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, fall

Instant Pot Swiss Steak

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This Instant Pot Swiss Steak is an old-school classic using a modern method, the Instant Pot. It’s chock full of veggies like tomato sauce and onions with tenderized steak.

Swiss steak is one of those old-school recipes. I remember my parents making it for an easy weeknight meal. Swiss steak doesn’t have origins in Switzerland – it is made from a tougher cut of meat, but is “swissed” or tenderized through pounding or rolling the steak. I didn’t bother with either of these techniques to tenderize the steak. Instead, I used my Instant Pot to help tenderize the steak with a high-pressure setting. After the steak is tenderized, it’s typically braised in a tomato and onion sauce. 

A plate of instant pot swiss steak with green beans and rice on a countertop.

Ingredients

Steak: You can use either bottom round, top round, or round steak. These steaks are typically quite lean, which is why they’re on the tougher side if you were to try to straight-up grill them. Instead, these types of steaks benefit the most from braising or tenderizing the steak, which is precisely what this recipe does.  

Flour: I used all-purpose, but you could use whatever type of flour you like. I dredged the steak through the flour for two reasons. One is that the four creates a dry surface for the steak that will sear better, locking in the juices. And two, because a light flour crust will help soak up more of the tomato sauce and provide more flavor. 

Onions and garlic: This duo is a classic base to just about anything, especially when it comes to a tomato sauce. 

Crushed canned tomatoes: My absolute favorite crushed canned tomatoes are San Marzano, but use what you like of course. 

Smoked paprika: Adding smoked paprika makes this dish next level. Of course, you can use sweet paprika, but the smoked variety gives a lot of extra flavor. 

Worcestershire sauce: This sauce gives a nice meaty, umami flavor to the tomato sauce. 

Sage: Fresh is always best, but you can use dried. If you use dried, you’ll need to decrease the amount from 1 tbsp. to 1 tsp.  

How to Make Instant Pot Swiss Steak 

This method uses two Instant Pot functions – the sauté function and the manual pressure function. After the steak has been seasoned and dredged in flour, you’ll sear it in the Instant Pot with oil. If your Instant Pot is small, you may have to work in batches. After the steak is seared, you’ll sauté the onions and garlic in the oil until soft and fragrant. 

Then you’ll add the rest of the ingredients and add the steak back to the Instant Pot. Using the high-pressure setting and cooking for about 12-15 minutes will tenderize the steak and marry all of the flavors together in the tomato sauce, making the perfect Instant Pot Swiss Steak. 

A plate of instant pot swiss steak with green beans and rice.

How to Serve Instant Pot Swiss Steak

Swiss steak is great paired with all sorts of side dishes. Here are few that go well:

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Instant Pot Swiss Steak

A plate of instant pot swiss steak with green beans and rice on a countertop.
  • Author: Melissa
  • Cook Time: 30 minutes
  • Total Time: 30 minutes
  • Yield: 4 servings 1x
  • Category: Instant Pot, Dinner, Steak
  • Method: Instant Pot, Pressure cooker
  • Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 lbs of bottom round, top round, or round steak, cut into 4 equal pieces, trimmed of excess fat
  • 2 tbsp. all-purpose flour
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • 2 tbsp. oil, divided
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 cups of crushed canned tomatoes
  • 1 ½ tsp. smoked paprika
  • 1 ½ tbsp. Worcestershire sauce  
  • 1 tbsp. fresh sage, chopped finely

Instructions

  1. Season flour with salt and pepper in a shallow dish. Dredge steak through the flour. Heat 1 tbsp. of oil in the pot of the Instant Pot using the sauté function and sear the steak just until it’s browned on each side (it does not have to be cooked through at this point). Put the steak on a separate plate and set aside.
  2. Add an additional 1 tbsp. oil to Instant Pot. Sauté onion for 4-5 minutes, then add garlic, tomatoes, paprika, Worcestershire sauce, and sage. Turn off the sauté function.
  3. Change function to manual on high pressure. Add steak back to the pot and cook on high pressure for 12-15 minutes (depending on thickness, use 15 minutes for thicker steaks). Use the quick-release valve to allow to depressurize. Serve with your favorite sides.

How to Make Instant Pot Basmati Rice

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This post contains links that pay me a small commission at no extra cost to you.

This blog post covers how to make Instant Pot Basmati Rice. It doesn’t matter whether you prefer brown or white rice, this recipe works for both!

Truth is, as much as I love to cook and feel that I’m a pretty decent cook, I am terrible at making rice – or at least I used to be. I especially struggled with brown rice – it just never turned out right until I started using my Instant Pot. I think one of the reasons I used to be bad at making rice is that I used to peek and lift the lid of the pot, which you are never supposed to do. What can I say? I’m impatient. 

One of the first things that I made in my Instant Pot, when I got it years ago, was rice. I was initially skeptical about having an Instant Pot in the first place, but how easy and foolproof rice was to make in the Instant Pot sold me. (Don’t worry, I have since discovered the many more benefits of owning an Instant Pot.) I love that I can set it and forget it. Whole grain rice doesn’t take forever as it does on the stove thanks to the pressurization. Plus, there is the fact that I can’t mess it up by “peeking” on the rice. 

So, I thought I’d put together a tutorial on making one of my favorite rice varieties, basmati. It’s fragrant, nutty, and goes perfectly with my Vegan Tikka Masala with Chickpeas. 

Brown and white instant pot basmati rice on a white background.

What you’ll need:

  • Basmati rice: You can use white or brown basmati rice. Did you know that white rice is just merely the inner carbohydrate part of brown rice? Brown rice has retained its outer layer and thus has B-vitamins and more fiber than it’s white counterpart. There is nothing wrong with preferring one or the other. Both are a good source of carbohydrates and energy. One just happens to retain extra vitamins and fiber.  
  • Liquid: Clearly, you could just water for the liquid portion of cooking the rice, but if you want to add more flavor switching to a broth or stock like chicken, beef, or vegetable will add more flavor to otherwise bland food. Basmati rice does have some fragrance to it and more flavorful than you’re typical rice. 
  • Seasonings: You could certainly spice up the rice any way you’d like, but adding at least a pinch of salt adds some flavor. 
  • Oil: Adds some flavor and a more creamy mouthfeel to the rice. Olive oil or butter are my usual choices. 

How to Make Instant Pot Basmati Rice

When it comes to the Instant Pot, the high-pressure setting is your friend. It gets the job done SO much faster! It might seem a little scary, but the Instant Pot makes it perfectly safe compared to the old pressure cookers of yesteryear. Simply dump all of your ingredients in the Instant Pot, make sure the pressure release knob is sealed, and that’s it. Because brown rice retains more fiber, it takes longer to cook, even with the high-pressure setting. Here is a breakdown of the cooking settings that I use: 

  • Brown rice: use the manual setting on high pressure to cook for 25 minutes. The rice button on the Instant Pot is typically used for white rice. 
Bowl of brown instant pot basmati rice with a cilantro garnish.
  • White rice: use the manual setting on high pressure for 12 minutes, or use the default rice setting (on my model it’s 12 minutes on high pressure). 
Bowl of white instant pot basmati rice with a cilantro garnish.

Also, you can use the quick release on this Instant Pot Basmati Rice if you’re in a hurry, but the texture will be best if you let it naturally release for at least 10-15 minutes. 

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Instant Pot Basmati Rice

Brown and white instant pot basmati rice on a white background with an instant pot next to it.
  • Author: Melissa
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 25 minutes for brown rice; 12 minutes for white rice
  • Total Time: 17-30 minutes
  • Yield: 4 servings 1x
  • Category: side dish
  • Method: Instant Pot

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 cups of basmati rice (brown or white)
  • 3 ½ cups of liquid (water or broth)
  • ½ tsp. salt (plus other seasonings, if desired)
  • 1 tablespoon of olive oil or butter

Instructions

  1. Put all of the ingredients in the Instant Pot. Cover with lid and seal the pressure release knob.
  2. Cook on high pressure for 25 minutes for brown rice and high pressure for 12 minutes for white rice.
  3. Allow the pressure to release naturally (ideally 10-15 minutes) before serving.

Keywords: side dish, instant pot