udon with stir-fried peppers and onions

prep time: 20 minutes
cook time: 15 minutes
makes 4 servings

ingredients
1/3 c soy sauce
2 T sambal oelek (or your choice of chili sauce)
2 T unseasoned rice vinegar
1 T honey
1 T sriracha
1 bunch scallions, thinly sliced
1/4 c vegetable oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 T ginger, minced
1 red bell pepper, cut into strips
1 green bell pepper, cut into strips
1 onion, cut into strips
1 tsp salt
1 lb. fresh or frozen or 12 oz. dried wheat noodles (such as udon, ramen, or bucatini)
sesame seeds, optional

directions

1. whisk soy sauce, sambal oelek (chili sauce), vinegar, honey, and sriracha in a small bowl to combine. set sauce aside.
2. heat oil in a large wok or skillet over medium-high. add scallions, garlic, and ginger and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly softened, about 2 minutes.
3. add both bell peppers, onion, and salt; cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly softened and beginning to brown around the edges, about 4 minutes.
4. meanwhile, cook noodles in a pot of boiling water according to package directions. drain noodles, reserving 1/2 cup cooking liquid.
5. add noodles and reserved sauce to skillet. cook, tossing and adding reserved cooking liquid as needed, until noodles are coated and glossy. toss in 1/2 of the scallions.
6. transfer noodles to a bowl and sprinkle with sesame seeds and remaining scallions.

source – bon appetit magazine, february 2023, page 25

new orleans instant pot gumbo

prep time: 20 minutes
cook time: 55 minutes
total time: 75 minutes
servings: 10

ingredients
1/2 lb. shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 t creole seasoning or cajun seasoning
1/2 c olive oil + 2 T extra for sauteing
2 lb. andouille sausage, cut into 1/4 inch slices
1 lb. boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite size pieces
1/2 c all-purpose flour
1 c onions, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
1 T garlic, minced
5 c chicken broth
2 t black pepper
1 t dried thyme
1 t salt
1 t brown sugar
1 t worcestershire sauce
2 t lemon juice
2 bay leaves
2 c frozen okra
14.5 oz. diced tomatoes
2 T green onions, sliced thinly
chopped parsley to garnish

directions

1. rub shrimp with creole/cajun seasoning and set aside.
2. select saute mode and when instant pot has heated, add 2 T olive oil to the inner pot.
3. add andouille sausage and chicken, and cook until browned, about 8-10 minutes.
4. press “cancel” and transfer chicken and sausage to a plate using a slotted spoon and set aside.
5. to make the roux, select saute and add remaining olive oil and all-purpose flour to the inner pot.
6. cook oil and flour until the mixture resembles a dark peanut butter, stirring frequently and being careful not to burn. this can take about 10-15 minutes.
7. add onions, bell pepper, celery, and garlic. stir until vegetables are slightly soft, about 5 minutes.
8. using a wooden spatula, scrape the bottom of the inner pot to make sure there are no burnt bits stuck to the bottom. deglaze with a couple of tablespoons of broth as needed.
9. stir in broth, black pepper, cayenne pepper, thyme, salt, brown sugar, worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, bay leaves, and frozen okra.
10. stir in reserved chicken and sausage.
11. add tomatoes on top and gently push down with a spatula to submerge. don’t stir.
12. close instant pot and pressure cook on high pressure for 4 minutes.
13. do a quick release of pressure and open the instant pot.
14. immediately stir in the shrimp and close the instant pot for 6-7 minutes. the shrimp will cook in the residual heat.
15. open the instant pot and sprinkle the gumbo with parsley and green onions.
16. stir and serve gumbo over rice of your choice.

source

instapot lasagna soup (for a 6-quart instapot)

prep time: 5 minutes
cook time: 40 minutes
total time: 45 minutes
makes 10-12 servings

ingredients
1 lb. lean ground beef
1/2 large onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 (15 oz.) can diced tomatoes
1 (15 oz.) can tomato sauce
1 (6 oz.) can tomato paste
4 c chicken broth
1 T italian seasoning
1 tsp sea salt
black pepper to taste
8 oz. bowtie pasta or lasagna noodles

lasagna soup toppings
ricotta cheese or cottage cheese
mozzarella cheese, shredded
parmesan cheese, shredded
fresh parsley, chopped

directions

1. select “saute” on the instant pot and when the display read “hot,” add ground beef, onion, and garlic. saute until beef is cooked through, stirring as needed. drain excess fat, if needed.
2. if any browned ingredients are stuck on the pot’s surface, add a splash of broth and scrape them with a flat utensil to release them into the ingredients. this is called deglazing and it’s flavor gold.
3. press “cancel” and stir in diced tomatoes (with juice), tomato sauce, tomato paste, broth, italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and pasta noodles. *if using lasagna noodles, break them into small pieces.
4. secure the lid and turn pressure release valve to “sealing” position. select “manual” or “pressure cook” and set the instant pot on “high” pressure for 1 minute. (yes, only 1 minute… the pasta will be perfectly cooked in the time the pot takes to pressurize (about 22 minutes), pressure cook, and depressurize.)
5. when pressure cook cycle is done, you have 2 release options:
   • for al dente pasta, use quick pressure release (QPR) to release steam. (7 minutes)
   • for softer pasta, use natural pressure release (NPR) for 10 minutes, then release the rest of the pressure.
6. serve with all desired toppings.

source

instant pot cilantro lime rice

prep time: 10 minutes
cook time: 20 minutes
total time: 30 minutes
servings 6

ingredients
2 c basmati
1 tsp vegetable oil
1 tsp salt
2 bay leaves
3 c of water (or enough water to cover the rice by 1/2 inch)
1 c cilantro leaves, chopped
3 T lime juice
1 lime, zested

directions

1. rinse the rice until the water runs clear.
2. add vegetable oil to the bottom of the pot and spread it so it covers the bottom of the pot very well.
3. add the rice, salt, bay leaves, followed by water.
4. cover the pot with the lid and close vent.
5. press “manual” or “pressure cook” on high and set at 4 minutes.
6. allow the instant pot to come to pressure and cook for 4 minutes, then naturally release the steam for 10 minutes. carefully open the lid and fluff the rice with a fork.
7. mix in chopped cilantro, lime juice, and lime zest. mix well and serve.

source

instant pot corned beef and veggies

makes 6-8 servings
prep time: 20 minutes
cook time: 1 hour 55 minutes
total time: about 2.5 hours

ingredients
3-4 lbs corned beef (1.5 inches in thickness)
4 c cold water
1 medium onion, quartered
4 garlic cloves, crushed

pickling spices:
1 t yellow mustard seeds
1 t whole black peppercorns
1 t coriander seeds
1/2 t whole allspice
3 whole cloves
3 bay leaves

vegetables:
6 carrots, peeled and cut in big chunks
6 red potatoes, cut in big chunks
1 cabbage, cut into 8 wedges

directions

1. rinse corned beef under cold water, be sure to rinse well.
2. add rinsed corned beef, onion, garlic cloves, pickling spices seasoning, and 4 cups of water into pot. close the lid, then turn venting knob to sealing position. pressure cook at high pressure for 75 minutes + natural release (~15 minutes). release the remaining pressure if the floating valve doesn’t drop after 15 minutes.
3. take meat out and scoop out broth until there’s about 1.5-2 cups of liquid left in instant pot. add red potatoes, carrots, and cabbage wedges in instant pot.
4. close the lid and then turn venting knob to sealing position. pressure cook at high pressure for 1-2 minutes + quick release.
5. on a chopping board, cut corned beef against the grain and serve with cabbage, red potatoes, and carrots.

*note: if your corned beef is thicker than 1.5 inches or more than 3-4 lbs., adjust the pressure cooking time by adding 5-6 minutes high pressure cooking time for every additional 1/2 inch and for each additional pound. i had 2 pieces of corned beef totaling 6.5 lbs and cooked it for 75-80 min and it was so tender and juicy and moist.

source