Get more intense flavour with less work: Here’s how to use your Instant Pot (or pressure cooker of choice) like a pro

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A few years ago, when pressure cookers became trendy again, Toronto-based food stylist and recipe developer Annabelle Waugh remained skeptical. Still, she picked one up to test for work, used it a few times, then sort of forgot about it — she didn’t dislike it, but she wasn’t blown away either.

All that changed when, one day, she realized she forgot to soak some beans she needed for a recipe and popped the dry ingredient and some water into her Instant Pot 9-in-1 Duo Plus 8-quart pressure cooker. About 35 minutes later, she was eating “the best beans” she’d ever had.

Waugh has been using the kitchen appliance avidly ever since, on dishes like flavourful curries and a vegan spin on Bolognese using lentils. “When something is pressure cooked, everything is all sealed in there,” she says. “The flavour intensification is pretty remarkable.”

And, of course, there’s the convenience factor. The Instant Pot and similar devices aren’t necessarily the fastest way to cook a meal, even for shorter recipes, Waugh says: it can take a while for the required amount of pressure to build up, and also for the steam to release at the end. That said, they do eliminate the need to stand over your stovetop with a watchful eye on dinner.

Whether you want to multi-task in the kitchen or just want to make more cosy stews and soups this winter, Waugh says an Instant Pot is the way to go. Here, she shares her tips for using the device like a pro, plus an easy recipe idea you can try tonight.

Remember less is more. No matter what you’re making, you never want to overstuff your pressure cooker. The sweet spot, according to Waugh, is between halfway to two-thirds full. This leaves enough room for the steam to build up and actually create pressure, and allows, say, grains of rice to expand as they cook. If you’re trying to figure out which model will be big enough for your needs, the six-quart Instant Pot option will suit dinner for the average family of four, with a small amount of leftovers.

Manage your expectations. Many pressure cookers come with an array of functions, like air frying, for example. The Duo Plus has a yogurt-making option, which Waugh says works really well. It can also double as a slow cooker — to less impressive outcomes. “I can’t stand my pressure cooker as a slow cooker. It doesn’t come up to temperature well enough,” she says. “A lot of people want a gadget that does everything, but generally companies specialize in one thing they’re really good at. You have to choose if you want the best pressure cooker, or something else. When you try to combine everything in one, you get a diluted result.”

Layer wisely. Pay attention to the way a recipe’s ingredients are listed in, says Waugh — often, that’s the order you’ll want to add them to your pressure cooker. Generally, start with thinner liquids first, then add thicker foods, such as crushed tomatoes, closer to the top. “Putting liquidy stuff at the bottom keeps things from burning,” she says. No need to stir either; everything will mix together naturally as it cooks. You can also add ingredients in steps if, say, potatoes in a roti recipe require a longer cook time. Once your Instant Pot is heated up, it will come up to pressure again quickly even if you release the steam. Or if you’re adding something that will cook fast, like leafy greens, let the dish finish on a simmer using the sauté function, with lid open.

Think ahead. While Waugh does like the sauté option at the end of a recipe, she doesn’t recommend using it otherwise. There isn’t a lot of surface area inside a pressure cooker, especially if you size down, and it’s also deep and lacks air circulation, which makes it difficult to get a good browning on chunks of meat, for instance. If a recipe calls for caramelizing an ingredient, do that on your stovetop before transferring it into your pressure cooker.

Annabelle Waugh’s Weeknight-Easy Lentil ‘Bolognese’

Prep time: 10 minutes

Total time: About 50 minutes

“Enjoy this hearty, easy, pressure-cooked sauce over pasta, polenta, mashed potatoes or your favourite whole grain. Or eat it, as is, as a stew with a side of your favourite sautéed or steamed vegetables. This spin on Bolognese is naturally vegan, but is also excellent served with freshly grated Parmesan cheese. If you’d like to keep it plant-based, try it topped with a little nutritional yeast, which has a Parmesan-like flavour.”

2 1/2 cups (625 mL) water

1 1/2 cups (375 mL) dry lentils

1 red pepper, chopped

1 package (227 g) cremini or white mushrooms, sliced