Cooking in the summer is a double-edged sword. On the one hand, there is an abundance of seasonal ingredients available to you. From corn on the cob and sugar peas to peaches and new potatoes, summer cooking is delicious. However, when the weather is hot, most of us want to spend as little time as possible in our kitchen. Instead, we tend to reach for lighter bites and whatever is easiest (read: take away or toss a few hot dogs on the grill). Enter: the instant pot.
If you’re trying to curb your food delivery habit or can’t access an outdoor cooking space, this workhorse of kitchen gadget is your best friend. Whether you fancy BBQ ribs, peach cobblers or the perfect homemade taco, this ubiquitous pressure cooker is the place for you. These Instant Pot favorites are the perfect summer dish.
Bring the flavor of your favorite gyro rack to the dining table with this ultra-easy instant pot chicken gyro recipe. Remember: tender, juicy, seasoned chicken and onions heaped on soft flatbread and topped with a creamy cucumber and yogurt sauce, tomatoes and lettuce. Pro tip: For extra tenderness and flavor, marinate the chicken in the lemon and spice combination for a few hours before adding it to your Instant Pot. Get the Chicken Gyros Recipe.
Your usual chicken tacos get a tropical touch with a zesty and sweet pineapple coleslaw. Kitschen Cat’s Jessie Van Slyke says she modeled this recipe on her partner’s favorite pizza – BBQ chicken with red onions, jalapeños, and pineapple – and the result is delicious. Another reason we’re fans of this recipe: it’s incredibly versatile. The barbecue chicken also tastes tender and spicy in a pulled chicken sandwich or as a high-protein salad topping. Get the Instant Pot BBQ Chicken Tacos Recipe.
What is summer without corn on the cob? Step up your cob game with your Instant Pot and this droolable recipe that uses Cajun butter and lime. Preparing corn on the cob in a pressure cooker is an incredibly quick and easy way to avoid fogging up your kitchen in the summer. Even better: The Cajun butter can be prepared directly in the pot. Get the Instant Pot Corn On The Cob Recipe.
Looking for the perfect low-carb summer meal? Get to know your new favorite food: these orange chicken salad wraps. These tangy, hearty wraps are hailed as “even better than PF Chang’s” and combine orange chicken with cucumber, red peppers, spring onions, carrots, cabbage, chopped water chestnuts and radish with all herbs (mint, basil, coriander, and even watercress ). Optionally, add a spoonful of rice (or cauliflower rice), flip it over, and dip it in a delicious sauce. As the author notes, you can use any type of flavor for the chicken (or selected protein – tofu and other meats are great) if you want to make other versions of this simple summer meal. Get the Instant Pot Orange Chicken Salad Wraps Recipe.
We love a good one-bowl meal. If you’re trying to cut down on your take-away consumption, this easy-to-prepare Instant Pot Korean Beef Bowl (a variant of bibimbap) is the perfect match. Hearty beef flavored with sugar, ginger, and soy sauce is paired with crisp peppers and rice. All you have to do is rub your beef dry, sear it in the Instant Pot, and then let the quick cook work its magic. Do you want to mix things up? Use the beef in a salad wrap, as in the recipe above, and add a dash of your favorite hot sauce. Get the Instant Pot Korean Beef Bowl Recipe.
If you grew up and spent the summer in the south, there is a good chance you consider ham a year-round food. If you’re craving for grandma’s ham off the bone but don’t want to overheat your kitchen, try this instant pot cooked ham recipe. Eat it alone with some corn on the cob, bring it to your next family gathering to place next to the potato salad, or pile it high in a sandwich with lots of pickles, mustard, and relish. Get the Instant Pot Ham Recipe.
Another food that is in season: peaches! This sweet and spicy salsa made from fresh peaches and tomatoes is child’s play to prepare. Use it as a side dish with your favorite meat, add sandwiches and tacos, or just spoon it up with a tortilla chip. Get the Instant Pot Peach Salsa Recipe.
A nice piece of salmon is the perfect light summer meal. However, if you’re bored with your usual lemon, dill, or maple toppings, check out this Vietnamese-inspired salmon recipe that uses a mixture of sugar and fish sauce to flavor the fillets. While you won’t save time by pressure cooking salmon, you can get perfect, flaky, moist fish without that unsavory white stuff that is often produced when baking salmon. Get the Vietnamese Instant Pot Salmon Recipe.
An amazing shrimp cook ready in six minutes? Yes, please. This super easy Instant Pot recipe combines more seasonal produce – corn and potatoes – with andouille sausage and a butter sauce to die for. Get the Instant Pot Shrimp Boil Recipe.
BBQ ribs are synonymous with summer barbecues. However, if you live in a confined space and don’t have access to a BBQ (let alone a balcony), recreating your summer favorite can be a challenge at best. Enter this Instant Pot Recipe for Memphis Style Dry Friction Ribs. Smoked paprika in the rub mimics the taste the ribs get when grilled over hot coals. The result is a delicious dish that brings out all the flavor without the flames. Get the Recipe for Instant Pot Memphis-Style Ribs.
If you’re like us and can’t get enough tacos in summer (or any time of the year, really) then you’ll love this pork carnitas recipe to make in your Instant Pot. The juicy and tender pork with crispy edges is perfect for use in tacos, burritos, tamales, rice bowls or salads. Serve with a dollop of salsa and a refreshing dash of lime. Get the Instant Pot Pork Carnitas Recipe.
Nothing says summer like peach cobbler. Scroll the internet and you will find plenty of peach cobbler recipes using cake mix. This simple recipe shows you how to make it from scratch with canned or fresh peaches in your Instant Pot. Combine, cook and garnish with a scoop of vanilla ice cream if you like. Get the Instant Pot Peach Cobbler Recipe.
