Five Instant Pot Recipes That Are Surprisingly Healthy

No matter how long you have had your Instant Pot, it is enjoyable to find new ways to use it. Here are five instant pot recipes that are surprisingly healthy and that taste so indulgent, you may forget that they are healthy.

Instant Pot Pork Carnitas

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 pounds boneless pork shoulder roast trimmed and cut into four pieces
• Spritz of oil for the Instant Pot
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 6 garlic cloves sliced into thin slivers
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon sazon (Badia® or Goya® are leading national brands)
• 1/4 teaspoon dry oregano
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon dry adobo seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
• 1 bay leaf

Directions:

1. Set Instant Pot to sauté and spray with oil.
2. Season pork with salt and pepper; brown in Instant Pot 5 minutes each side, once browned, remove from heat and cool
3. Make 1-inch deep slits on all sides of pork and insert garlic slivers
4. Combine cumin, sazon, oregano, adobo, and garlic powder then sprinkle on pork
5. In the Instant Pot, mix chicken broth, chipotle peppers, and bay leaf
6. Add the pork to the pot, cover
7. Cook using the pressure cooker set at high pressure for 80 minutes
8. After pressure releases, remove bay leaf and shred the pork using two forks
9. Mix pork with juices in the pot and serve

Nutrition :

Calories: 160 Fat: 7g Carbohydrates: 1g Protein: 20g

Raspberry Chipotle Chicken Wings

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup water
• 1/4 cup seedless raspberry preserves
• 3 tablespoons lime juice
• 1 1/2 tablespoons canned chipotle chilies in adobo(minced)
• 1 minced garlic clove
• 1 teaspoon brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 pounds chicken wings
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon cold water

Directions:

1. Whisk water, jam, lime juice, chipotles, garlic, sugar, salt, and pepper in a 6-quart or larger Instant Pot.
2. Add wings; toss to coat.
3. Close and lock lid of cooker; set pressure release valve to sealing. Program on manual setting on high for 20 minutes.
4. Preheat oven broiler on HIGH with rack 6 inches from heat.
5. After 20 minutes, turn the valve to venting and quickly release pressure.
6. Open pot and transfer drumettes to a large bowl.
7. Program cooker to sauté on normal heat. Simmer sauce in cooker adding in cornstarch whisked with cold water.
8. Whisk until sauce is thick, about 1 to 2 minutes.
9. Toss to coat 1/3 cup raspberry sauce and chicken.
10. Place chicken on a broiler pan lined with foil.
11. Broil wings for 3- 4 minutes.
12. Serve chicken wings with raspberry sauce for dipping.

Nutrition:

Calories: 94 Fat: 1g Protein: 8g Carbohydrates: 12g

Instant Pot One-Pot Spaghetti with Meat Sauce

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. 93% ground turkey
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 cup diced onion
• 1 clove minced garlic
• 1 jar (25.25 ounces) Tomato Basil Pomodoro Sauce
• 2 cups water
• 8 ounces whole wheat or gluten-free spaghetti
• Grated parmesan cheese, optional for serving

Directions:

1. Set the Instant Pot to sauté and heat.
2. Add the turkey and salt and cook 3-4 minutes and crumble
3. Add the onions, and garlic and cook 3 to 4 minutes or until soft
4. Add the water and sauce
5. Break spaghetti in half and add to Instant Pot. Be sure liquid covers the pasta.
6. Cook on high pressure 9 minutes.
7. Quick release and serve with grated cheese.

Nutrition:

Calories: 390, Protein: 23.5g, Fat: 14g, Carbohydrates: 44g

Shredded Korean Beef Bowls

Ingredients:

Dry Rub:

• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Korean Beef:

• 2 lb. beef chuck roast
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 Medium onion sliced
• 5 cloves garlic minced or smashed

Sauce:

• 1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon fresh ginger grated
• 1 tablespoon sriracha
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch

Peppers:

• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 red bell peppers seeded and sliced
• salt to taste

Instructions:

1. Blend spices and cover roast making sure all of the meat has spice rub.
2. Set Instant Pot to the sauté setting and add oil. Heat up oil for 2 minutes, brown both sides of the roast in the oil for several minutes.
3. Remove browned roast and put onions, garlic, and all sauce ingredients except cornstarch in the Instant Pot. Stir sauce ingredients then place chuck roast on top.
4. Close pot, set pressure gauge to seal, set to manual, low pressure, and cook for 2 hours.
5. After 2 hours, use quick release pressure, remove roast and whisk the cornstarch into the sauce in the Instant Pot.
6. Return cooked roast to the Instant Pot and pull apart and set Instant Pot to warm.
7. Heat olive oil in a large skillet. Sprinkle salt on the peppers then sauté in hot oil for 4-5 minutes.
8. After peppers are tender, place beef in a serving bowl then top with peppers.

Optional Additions for Serving:

• Steamed brown rice
• Kim Chi
• sesame seeds
• sriracha

*Optional ingredients are not included in the nutritional information.*

Nutrition:

Calories: 288 Fat: 14g Carbohydrates: 14g Protein: 24g

Instant Pot Whole Rotisserie Style Chicken

Ingredients:

• 1 4-5-pound whole chicken cleaned and patted dry
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 2 tablespoons avocado oil or coconut oil
• 1 cup low-sodium chicken stock

Directions:

1. Stir together all spices in a small bowl
2. Add oil to spice mixture and combine well
3. Set Instant Pot to sauté
4. Rub half of the oil/spice mixture on the breast side of the chicken
5. Place chicken breast side down in Instant Pot and rub the oil/spice mix on the rest of the chicken
6. Brown the chicken skin for 4 minutes or until sufficiently crisp
7. Flip chicken and brown the other side for 4 minutes
8. Add chicken stock
9. Set to manual high pressure and cook for 25 minutes
10. Let the Instant Pot to depressurize on its own
11. Remove chicken, let chicken rest 5 minutes and serve

Nutrition:

Calories: 288 Protein: 24g Fat: 19g Carbohydrates: 4g

*You can try serving with cornbread for an even better meal!