9 Surprising Things You Can Make In Your Instant Pot

Surprising Things You Can Make in the Instant Pot

If you’ve been following my posts for the past few weeks, then it probably isn’t news to you that I’ve been using my Instant Pot quite a bit lately. I’ve gotten pretty familiar with using it for dinners, but I’ve only just recently begun dabbling in using it to make desserts.

Related: How To Make 5 Everyday Foods In Your Instant Pot

Yesterday I made a Key Lime Pie that was delicious! But one of my favorite desserts I’ve made with the Instant Pot has been Creme Brûlée. It’s such a simple dessert, but it’s so good when it’s done right…and it’s naturally gluten free…bonus! I’ve used the same method half a dozen times now, and I haven’t had any trouble with it. Plus it’s always a hit with my family!

So today I’m sharing my Instant Pot Creme Brûlée recipe with you and a few other surprising things you can make in an Instant Pot, just to add some additional inspiration. (And that reminds me—if you’re interested in learning more about the Instant Pot, be sure to check out my eBook Everything Instant Pot! You can buy it in my shop, or download it for free if you’re an OGT Plus member!) So let’s get started, shall we? :-)

Surprising Things You Can Make in the Instant Pot

Instant Pot Creme Brûlée

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups heavy cream
  • 6 egg yolks
  • 5 Tbsp sugar
  • 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
  • 4 Tbsp sugar (for topping)

Supplies:

  • 6 ramekins
  • 1 cup water for bottom of Instant Pot
  • Culinary torch
  • Instant Pot with trivet

Surprising Things You Can Make in the Instant Pot

Directions:

Add the egg yolks and 5 tablespoons of sugar to a mixing bowl, and whisk until the sugar dissolves. Then add the cream and vanilla, and whisk just until everything is incorporated.

Surprising Things You Can Make in the Instant Pot

Pour the mixture into your ramekins, and cover each tightly with a small piece of tin foil.

Surprising Things You Can Make in the Instant Pot

Place the metal trivet in the bottom of your Instant Pot and add 1 cup of water to the bottom. Carefully arrange the ramekins in the pot so that they are evenly spaced and sturdy.

Surprising Things You Can Make in the Instant Pot

Put the lid on the pot and select the “Manual” option, then set the timer for 9 minutes. When the time is up, let the pressure release naturally from the pot for another 15 minutes then quick release any remaining pressure.

Surprising Things You Can Make in the Instant Pot

Uncover the ramekins and let them cool off for about 45 minutes. Then cover each ramekin in plastic wrap, and refrigerate them for at least 4 hours to continue setting. When you’re ready to serve, remove the plastic wrap and sprinkle the 4 tablespoons of sugar evenly over the tops of each one.

Surprising Things You Can Make in the Instant Pot

Use your culinary torch to lightly caramelize the sugar (I bought mine for less than $15 on Amazon) and serve. Yum!

Surprising Things You Can Make in the Instant Pot

Surprising Things You Can Make in the Instant Pot

Instant Pot Creme Brûlée

Jill Nystul
This Creme Brûlée is one of my favorite desserts that I’ve made with the Instant Pot. It’s such a simple dessert, but it’s so good when it’s done right...and as a bonus it's naturally gluten free!
3.74 from 112 votes
Prep Time 4 hours 45 minutes
Cook Time 9 minutes
Slow Release: 15 minutes
Total Time 4 hours 54 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine French
Servings 6
Calories 407 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 2 cups heavy cream
  • 6 egg yolks
  • 5 Tbsp sugar
  • 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
  • 4 Tbsp sugar for topping

Instructions
 

  • Add the egg yolks and 5 tablespoons of sugar to a mixing bowl, and whisk until the sugar dissolves. Then add the cream and vanilla, and whisk just until everything is incorporated.
  • Pour the mixture into your ramekins, and cover each tightly with a small piece of tin foil.
  • Place the metal trivet in the bottom of your Instant Pot and add 1 cup of water to the bottom. Carefully arrange the ramekins in the pot so that they are evenly spaced and sturdy.
  • Put the lid on the pot and select the "Manual" option, then set the timer for 9 minutes. When the time is up, let the pressure release naturally from the pot for another 15 minutes then quick release any remaining pressure.
  • Uncover the ramekins and let them cool off for about 45 minutes. Then cover each ramekin in plastic wrap, and refrigerate them for at least 4 hours to continue setting. When you’re ready to serve, remove the plastic wrap and sprinkle the 4 tablespoons of sugar evenly over the tops of each one.
  • Use your culinary torch to lightly caramelize the sugar (I bought mine for less than $15 on Amazon) and serve. Yum!

Nutrition

Calories: 407kcalCarbohydrates: 21gProtein: 4gFat: 34gSaturated Fat: 19gCholesterol: 303mgSodium: 39mgPotassium: 79mgSugar: 18gVitamin A: 1425IUVitamin C: 0.5mgCalcium: 75mgIron: 0.5mg

9 More Surprising Things You Can Make In Your Instant Pot

Surprising Things You Can Make in the Instant Pot

Salted Caramel Cheesecake

from Cookies & Cups

Shelley from Cookies & Cups shared this recipe on her site for Salted Caramel Cheesecake that you can make right in your Instant Pot. My mouth starts watering every time I look at this photo, and I don’t think I’ve ever been able to resist the words “salted caramel!” I’ll definitely be making this one sometime very soon. (Use the link above to view Shelley’s original post with full instructions and more gorgeous cheesecake photos.)

Surprising Things You Can Make in the Instant Pot

Natural Cough Syrup

from Awe Filled Homemaker

Laura from Awe Filled Homemaker shared a brilliant idea for making an all-natural “cough syrup” in her Instant Pot. This cough syrup combines natural ingredients that can help soothe a sore throat, like honey, ginger, lemon, and more. Get the full instructions using the link above.

Surprising Things You Can Make in the Instant Pot

Dog Food

from Tales From The Back Road

Mary from Tales From The Back Road is an A+ dog mom, because she whipped up a gourmet meal in her Instant Pot just for her pups! She shared her simple dog-friendly recipe, along with helpful references to help you determine what your dog’s nutritional needs are. Click the link above to get all the details!

Surprising Things You Can Make in the Instant Pot

Chicken Pho

from The Sophisticated Caveman

Brian from The Sophisticated Caveman used his pressure cooker to whip up a batch of pho, a deliciously savory Vietnamese noodle soup. While pho traditionally simmers for hours to develop the right flavor, you can do it in a fraction of the time using your Instant Pot. Follow the link above to see Brian’s recipe for chicken pho, and give it a try for yourself!

Surprising Things You Can Make in the Instant Pot

Beef Gyros

from My Crazy Good Life

Becca from My Crazy Good Life shared a great tutorial on how to make Beef Gyros in an Instant Pot. I’ve never made gyros at home before, but Becca makes it looks so easy (and so delicious) that I’m definitely going to have to give it a try!

Surprising Things You Can Make in the Instant Pot

Vanilla Extract

from TIDBITS

Cami from TIDBITS shared how to make your own homemade vanilla extract right in your pressure cooker. Her post has tons of great information, including what kind of alcohol to use, where to get vanilla beans, and she even includes an alcohol-free version of her recipe as well. This post is well worth perusing – just think of all the gifting potential of a bottle of homemade vanilla extract!

Surprising Things You Can Make in the Instant Pot

Canned Goods

from Hip Pressure Cooking

Laura from Hip Pressure Cooking is without a doubt the Queen of Pressure Cookers. She knows everything, and the best part is that she’s willing to share all of her amazing knowledge with us! She has a great page on her site all about canning foods using your Instant Pot, and I’ve really learned a lot from reading it. I’m planning to use the methods I learned to can some peaches and tomatoes later this summer!

Read This Next


Jill Nystul Photo

Jill Nystul (aka Jillee)

Jill Nystul is an accomplished writer and author who founded the blog One Good Thing by Jillee in 2011. With over 30 years of experience in homemaking, she has become a trusted resource for contemporary homemakers by offering practical solutions to everyday household challenges.I share creative homemaking and lifestyle solutions that make your life easier and more enjoyable!

About Jillee

Jill Nystul

Jill’s 30 years of homemaking experience, make her the trusted source for practical household solutions.

About Jillee

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3.74 from 112 votes (112 ratings without comment)

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14 Comments

  1. You might wanna consider changing the prep time on your recipe. It certainly doesn’t take 4 hrs 45 mins to do this. :)

    Please log in or create a free account to comment.
    • Thank you Patricia! I’ve updated the link :-)

      Please log in or create a free account to comment.
  2. Im been vacillating on buying an electric pressure canner. I make a lot of vegetarian soups and my own marinara tomato sauce. I love my IP but will probably buy a real canner at some point. I have the old fashioned bath kind and should probably be frugal and start with that. The good thing about canning is that when the power fails for any length of time, frozen foods can spoil. Everyone needs to have emergency preparations especially in these times. 20 years ago upstate NY lost power due to a fluke ice storm in early Oct. We were out for almost 2 weeks!!

    Please log in or create a free account to comment.
  3. Hello everyone. I do not have an “Instant Pot”, however, I do have a large “Crock Pot”. Can I use the Crock Pot to make these?

    Please log in or create a free account to comment.
    • Unfortunately, no. A crock pot is a slow cooker, whereas an Instant Pot is a pressure cooker that cooks FAST! The recipes would work in a slow cooker, but the times would be much longer.

      Please log in or create a free account to comment.
    • Si puedes hacer todo esto, pero logicamente tendras que medir el tiempo y debes de considerar que en la olla expres se cocina aproximadamente 4 veces mas rapido que cualquier medio tradicional. Sinceramente te recomiendo que compres esta olla, no son caras unos 40 dolares y la puedes programar hasta por casi 3 horas.

      Please log in or create a free account to comment.
  4. I kept wondering what an Instant Pot was and low & behold it is really a Pressure Cooker with a different life – LOL.
    Thanks for all of your wonderful tips.

    Please log in or create a free account to comment.
  5. Jillee, I just want to give you a hug for this post. I have been using my Instant Pot for about a year now–in fact, I bought a second one as I am so nuts about it. I thought I was using them to their full capacity, but your great post today with the dog food, cough syrup and caramelized onions is the bomb! Thank you so much–you rock, sista!

    Please log in or create a free account to comment.
  6. Regarding doing canning in the instant pot. My manual says very emphatically not to can in it. So, if you guys are going to, can you please post the results from doing it, please. I’d try it but not until I have some concrete proof that it will work and there won’t be any bacteria in the canned product to make one sick. Thanks guys!

    Please log in or create a free account to comment.
    • She said peaches and tomatoes, so I am assuming it is like water bath canning. I belong to a couple of groups on facebook for canning and they say DO NOT pressure can in one of these. So no beans, veggies or meat, but jam is probably fine as long as you process for the same time and can cover with an inch of boiling water. Not something I am willing to try. I am sure one or 2 jars would fit but I wouldn’t want to try large batches of anything. As it is when my dwarf peach tree is ready it will be at least 2 batches in the huge water bath canner.

      Please log in or create a free account to comment.
    • I just heard a canning seminar from Melissa Norris and she was very emphatic that the Instant Pot does not reach a high enough temperature to can food in it.

      Please log in or create a free account to comment.
  7. I first put a few bits of cooked rhubarb on the bottom of the ramekins first, then add the egg mixture and follow the recipe. In the depths of our now winter I grab a pot of preserved peaches, put some in the bottom, sprinkle a tiny bit of brown sugar over the peaches, add the mixture. Either way it is the most delicious dessert, can eat it every day, yum!

    Please log in or create a free account to comment.
3.74 from 112 votes (112 ratings without comment)

Leave a Comment

14 Comments

  1. You might wanna consider changing the prep time on your recipe. It certainly doesn’t take 4 hrs 45 mins to do this. :)

    Please log in or create a free account to comment.
    • Thank you Patricia! I’ve updated the link :-)

      Please log in or create a free account to comment.
  2. Im been vacillating on buying an electric pressure canner. I make a lot of vegetarian soups and my own marinara tomato sauce. I love my IP but will probably buy a real canner at some point. I have the old fashioned bath kind and should probably be frugal and start with that. The good thing about canning is that when the power fails for any length of time, frozen foods can spoil. Everyone needs to have emergency preparations especially in these times. 20 years ago upstate NY lost power due to a fluke ice storm in early Oct. We were out for almost 2 weeks!!

    Please log in or create a free account to comment.
  3. Hello everyone. I do not have an “Instant Pot”, however, I do have a large “Crock Pot”. Can I use the Crock Pot to make these?

    Please log in or create a free account to comment.
    • Unfortunately, no. A crock pot is a slow cooker, whereas an Instant Pot is a pressure cooker that cooks FAST! The recipes would work in a slow cooker, but the times would be much longer.

      Please log in or create a free account to comment.
    • Si puedes hacer todo esto, pero logicamente tendras que medir el tiempo y debes de considerar que en la olla expres se cocina aproximadamente 4 veces mas rapido que cualquier medio tradicional. Sinceramente te recomiendo que compres esta olla, no son caras unos 40 dolares y la puedes programar hasta por casi 3 horas.

      Please log in or create a free account to comment.
  4. I kept wondering what an Instant Pot was and low & behold it is really a Pressure Cooker with a different life – LOL.
    Thanks for all of your wonderful tips.

    Please log in or create a free account to comment.
  5. Jillee, I just want to give you a hug for this post. I have been using my Instant Pot for about a year now–in fact, I bought a second one as I am so nuts about it. I thought I was using them to their full capacity, but your great post today with the dog food, cough syrup and caramelized onions is the bomb! Thank you so much–you rock, sista!

    Please log in or create a free account to comment.
  6. Regarding doing canning in the instant pot. My manual says very emphatically not to can in it. So, if you guys are going to, can you please post the results from doing it, please. I’d try it but not until I have some concrete proof that it will work and there won’t be any bacteria in the canned product to make one sick. Thanks guys!

    Please log in or create a free account to comment.
    • She said peaches and tomatoes, so I am assuming it is like water bath canning. I belong to a couple of groups on facebook for canning and they say DO NOT pressure can in one of these. So no beans, veggies or meat, but jam is probably fine as long as you process for the same time and can cover with an inch of boiling water. Not something I am willing to try. I am sure one or 2 jars would fit but I wouldn’t want to try large batches of anything. As it is when my dwarf peach tree is ready it will be at least 2 batches in the huge water bath canner.

      Please log in or create a free account to comment.
    • I just heard a canning seminar from Melissa Norris and she was very emphatic that the Instant Pot does not reach a high enough temperature to can food in it.

      Please log in or create a free account to comment.
  7. I first put a few bits of cooked rhubarb on the bottom of the ramekins first, then add the egg mixture and follow the recipe. In the depths of our now winter I grab a pot of preserved peaches, put some in the bottom, sprinkle a tiny bit of brown sugar over the peaches, add the mixture. Either way it is the most delicious dessert, can eat it every day, yum!

    Please log in or create a free account to comment.