If you’re new to the Instant Pot pressure cooker and find yourself confused by all the buttons on the front control panel, this article is for you. It’s also for more experienced Instant Pot cooks who perhaps never use the smart programs because they don’t know how or why. In this detailed post, we will look at the most common Instant Pot settings and buttons across models, explain how they work and the best ways to use them (as well as when it’s better to use the manual settings). Show
You might be wondering, does anyone actually use all those Instant Pot buttons? Some people find them to be a guiding light and others are put off by just how many there are. It also doesn’t help that many recipes designed for the Instant Pot tend to use manual settings rather the pre-programmed options. We’ve decided to dive deep into the world of Instant Pot buttons to bring you this definitive guide. This is probably the most in-depth, detailed article on Instant Pot settings on the Internet so we’ve got some quick links for you to navigate to the button you’re most interested in learning about. You might also want to check out our guide on How To Use The Instant Pot For Beginners here.
So, how do Instant Pot SETTINGS work?Each Instant Pot setting button is essentially a SMART PROGRAM option. Most smart programs, or buttons, simply set the pot to HIGH or LOW pressure for a specific period of time most closely aligned with the food it is meant to cook. For example, the default SOUP button sets the pressure cooker for 30 minutes at HIGH pressure, which you could use to cook any food that requires that much time and pressure. If you press each SMART setting button more than once, it will toggle between Normal, Less or More options, which gives you more control of time, temperature or default pressure. For example, the RICE button can be set to Less or More depending on how soft or firm you like your rice or the type of rice you might be cooking. Some buttons don’t use the pressurizing function of the Instant Pot. For example, Slow Cook and Sauté settings use the heating element that sits underneath the inner pot. They are programmed for heat level and time. To keep it super simple, it is possible to use the Instant Pot for all recipes using just a few important buttons. With the Pressure Cook or Manual (on older models) buttons in addition to the Pressure Level and [-] and [+] buttons, you can control the time and pressure level which are otherwise preset for the rest of the buttons. This will work for any recipe that requires pressure. For non-pressure cooking, the Sauté, Slow Cook and Yogurt buttons help you accomplish a similarly custom cooking setting. Instant Pot Duo CLASSIC, NoVA & other basic modelsLet’s do a quick rundown of all the Instant Pot settings, also known as “one-touch” or “smart” program buttons, on the control panel of Instant Pot Duo Nova & Duo Classic models. The Duo Nova is the recommended Instant Pot for beginners and that’s what we used to put together this guide. Instant Pot MANUAL SETTING (Pressure Cook Button)Depending on the model, the Instant Pot manual setting button will either say Pressure Cook or Manual. This is the setting you’re likely to use the most. The temperature, pressure level and cooking times can be adjusted on the control panel.
See our step-by-step post for how to use the Instant Pot with manual settings here. Instant Pot SOUP Setting (SOUP/BROTH BUTTON)The default Instant Pot soup setting is pre-programmed to set the pot to cook at HIGH pressure for 30 minutes. The soup program brings the contents of the pot to a slow simmer and results in a clear broth due to lack of boiling motion. Below is how to use the Soup/Broth setting on Instant Pot. Check out our 35+ Best Instant Pot Soup Recipes here.
Use the − / + buttons to further customize the time. The cooking time may be adjusted at any time during pressure cooking. INSTANT POT SOUP COOKING TIPSWe find that most vegetables, including potatoes, don’t need the full 20 minutes at High pressure and will often overcook and get too soft, so for most vegetable-based soups, 5 to 10 minutes at High pressure is usually enough. If you’re cooking something like a beef and vegetable soup, you may choose to pressure cook in two stages: set to cook the meat in a broth with some onions, carrots and celery on Soup/Less mode, then release the pressure and add the rest of the vegetables. Secure the lid again and set on Pressure Cook/Manual or Soup/Less mode and adjust the time to 5 minutes. Most soups use a lot of liquid, so it is recommended that you release pressure naturally once the cooking timer is done. Simply leave the Instant Pot undisturbed. However, the foods inside keep cooking at a slower rate while the pressure is released. You can always release pressure naturally for 5-10 minutes and then use the quick release method. Should you sauté first? In some cases, you may want to saute foods like onions, garlic, carrots and celery or to brown the meat first, which can add more flavor to the soup. In this case, press the Sauté setting first and cook off the vegetables in a little oil or fat for 3-4 minutes uncovered. Then add the rest of the ingredients and liquid, secure the lid and choose the Soup setting in whatever mode you like. INSTANT POT Meat/Stew SETTINGThe meat and stew setting is best for cooking large or tough cuts of meat at high pressure. This button can be used for cooking meat pieces in a little broth or stews that contain meat in them. Below is how to use the Meat/Stew setting on Instant Pot.
If desired, use the − / + buttons to further customize the time. The cooking time may be adjusted at any time during pressure cooking. INSTANT POT MEAT COOKING TIPSAllow meat to “rest” for 5-30 minutes, depending on size. It will reabsorb cooking juices for tender, succulent meat. Essentially, what this means is that you should allow the Instant Pot to release pressure naturally when possible. Should you sauté first? In some cases, you may want to brown off the meat first or sauté foods like onions, garlic, carrots and celery, which can add more flavor to the dish In this case, press the Sauté setting first and sear the meat on both sides in a little oil or fat for 1-2 minutes uncovered. Then add the rest of the ingredients and liquid, secure the lid and choose the Meat/Stew setting. INSTANT POT Bean/chili SETTINGThe Bean/Chili setting button can be used to cook larger dry legumes such as beans and chickpeas in liquid or to cook chili or another type of stew that uses dry beans. The program settings (Less, Normal & More) use High pressure and result in different doneness of beans. When cooking beans, always use NR (natural release) to release pressure after cooking is done. Below is how to use the Bean/Chili setting on Instant Pot.
COOKING TIPS
Note: You can also use the Multigrain setting to cook most beans. Check out these Mouthwatering Instant Pot Chili Recipes With A Twist. INSTANT POT Poultry SETTINGThe poultry Instant Pot setting is best for cooking…you guessed it…chicken! The mode you choose depends on the size of the chicken pieces and the cut as chicken breast needs less cooking time and is easily overcooked compared to chicken thighs. You can use this setting to cook chicken meat or a dish that contains poultry in it such as chicken and potatoes or chicken and rice (see more notes on this below). Poultry setting is only available on 6-quart and 8-quart models, not on the mini! Below is how to use the Poultry setting on Instant Pot. Check out our 45+ Best Instant Pot Chicken Recipes here.
If desired, use the − / + buttons to further customize the time. The cooking time may be adjusted at any time during pressure cooking. COOKING TIPSAllow poultry to “rest” for 5-10 minutes, depending on size. It will reabsorb cooking juices for tender, succulent meat. Essentially, what this means is that you should allow the Instant Pot to release pressure naturally when possible. Should you sauté first? In some cases, you may want to brown off the meat first or sauté foods like onions, garlic, carrots and celery, which can add more flavor to the dish In this case, press the Sauté setting first and sear the meat on both sides in a little oil or fat for 1-2 minutes uncovered. Then add the rest of the ingredients and liquid, secure the lid and choose the Poultry setting. INSTANT POT Rice SETTINGThis button is made for cooking medium and long-grain white rice. The Rice setting uses low pressure and a 10-minute natural release is recommended for perfect results, however, we found that 2-3 minutes natural release followed by quick release is sufficient. Below is how to use the Rice setting on Instant Pot.
If desired, use the − / + buttons to further customize the time. The cooking time may be adjusted at any time during pressure cooking. RICE COOKING TIPS
Instant Pot Multigrain SETTINGThis setting is best suited to cooking tougher, whole grains like brown and wild rice, farro, millet and steel-cut oats; it can also be used to cook dry beans and a mixture of grains and legumes. We find that this is one of the most confusing functions for people because some of the recommended manual cooking times for grains don’t match the pre-programmed setting times, so it’s hard to know when to use this function. Below is how to use the Multigrain setting on the Instant Pot.
If desired, use the − / + buttons to further customize the time. The cooking time may be adjusted at any time during pressure cooking. If cooking dry beans, ensure they are completely submerged in water; the same if you’re making a mixture of grains and beans. INSTANT POT Porridge SETTINGThe porridge setting on the Instant Pot can be used to cook oatmeal using old-fashioned oats and steel-cut oats, rice porridge and congee or porridge-like dishes that use a mixture of grains that expand in liquid. Ideally, you should use natural release when cooking high-starch foods that expand or a combination of 5-10 minutes natural release and quick release to follow. Below is how to use the Porridge setting on Instant Pot.
If desired, use the − / + buttons to further customize the time. The cooking time may be adjusted at any time during pressure cooking. Water to rice & oats ratios for porridge and oatmeal dishes
INSTANT POT STEAM SETTINGThe Steam setting on the Instant Pot is perfect for cooking vegetables, fish and seafood, tofu and any other food that is suitable to steaming. This function uses Low pressure, which helps to avoid overcooking the food and means that the Instant Pot will come to pressure quicker. You need to use the trivet/steam rack provided to elevate food from cooking liquid. Always use QR (quick release) to prevent food from overcooking. Below is how to use the Steam setting on Instant Pot.
INSTANT POT SLOW COOK SETTINGThe Slow Cook is a non-pressure cooking setting that is compatible for use with any common slow cooker/Crockpot recipe. The pot is heated but is not pressurized and the Less, Normal and More modes correspond to Low, Medium and High slow cooker settings but you will need to adjust the time manually. You might want to use this setting for making dishes ahead of time while you’re away from home or overnight. There are times when slow-cooking might work better for certain recipes than quicker pressure cooking. Below are the steps for how to use the Slow Cook setting on Instant Pot.
INSTANT POT SAUTE SETTINGThe Sauté is another non-pressure cooking program that can be used in place of a frying pan or flat-top grill. For recipes that call for browned onions or garlic, it’s important to sauté them before adding liquid to the pot as you will release a lot of flavor this way. Another reason to sauté first is for browning meat. Lastly, sautéeing before cooking is a great way to increase heat and reduce the amount of time your pot will take to come to pressure.
USING SAUTE FUNCTION AFTER COOKINGThe Sauté function is also useful for finishing the dish after pressure cooking is done. Once the pressure has been completely released, open the lid and then press Sauté button again. Press the button again to cycle through Less or More for lower or higher temperatures. Use it for:
INSTANT POT YOGURT SETTINGThe Yogurt button is a non-pressure cooking Smart Program made for easily fermented dairy and non-dairy recipes. The setting modes Less, Normal and More are used for different times of fermentation or for boiling (pasteurizing) the milk. Below are some basic steps and setting options for making yogurt using the Yogurt setting button. PASTEURIZING/HEATING MILK
ADDING STARTER CULTURE
FERMENTING YOGURT
HOW TO MAKE INSTANT POT YOGURT CUPSYogurt cups are a convenient way to portion out your yogurt into individual or smaller servings. After adding the starter culture to the pasteurized or warm milk, carefully pour the milk into your cups and seal them tightly. Clean the inner pot thoroughly and place the steam rack/trivet on the bottom of the inner pot. Place the sealed yogurt cups on the steam rack and add water to the inner pot until the cups are submerged halfway. Follow the steps in “Fermenting Yogurt” above. KEEP WARM SETTINGThis setting keeps the contents of the pot at a low temperature to maintain heat for serving. The Keep Warm setting turns on automatically after cooking on all Smart Programs (including Manual settings) except Sauté and Yogurt. It is set to count up from 00:00 to 10 hours and will then automatically switch off. If you don’t want to keep the food warm after cooking, you can press the Keep Warm button again to turn it ON or OFF. Do this after you have selected one of the smart programs or manual settings, or at the end of the cooking process. You can also change the temperature at which the food is kept warm. While in Stand-By mode (when the display shows OFF), press the Keep Warm button to cycle through Normal (145 F), Less (135F) and More (167F) temperature modes. Please note that the temperature will be remembered for next time. Use the − / + buttons to set a warming timer up to 99 hours and 50 minutes. DELAY START SETTINGThis setting button allows you to set the Instant Pot to begin cooking later. It can be set to a minimum of 10 minutes or a maximum of 24 hours.
CANCEL/STAND-BY SETTING BUTTONWhen the cooker is plugged in but not in operation, the display reads OFF to indicate Standby mode. Press Cancel to stop a Smart Program or Manual cooking at any time. The cooker returns to Standby mode. Cake settingThis high-pressure mode creates a very moist, dense cake. For a lighter, moister cake, use the Less mode; for a denser cake, use the Normal mode; for a really dense cake, such as a New York Style cheesecake, use the More mode. You will need to use a trivet/steam rack and a cake pan, ideally covered with foil. Use Natural Release after cooking is complete. Egg settingThis program is designed for cooking extra-large eggs, so you may need to adjust the time for smaller eggs. For a soft-cooked egg, use the Less mode; for a medium cooked egg, use the Normal mode; for a hard-cooked egg, use the More mode. Plunge eggs into an ice bath afterwards to prevent overcooking. Use quick release after cooking is complete. Sterilize settingThis program is designed for sterilizing baby bottles, jars, and utensils. Use the Less mode (no pressure steam sterilization at 181F) to pasteurize dairy products and sterilize tempered glass and heat-resistant plastics. Normal mode (low pressure hot water bath canning at 230F) or More (high pressure hot water bath canning at 239F) for sterilization of baby bottles, jars, utensils and water-bath canning of acidic fruits and vegetables. With each new model of the Instant Pot, there seem to be more settings and functions but the good thing is that the most common 9-10 settings are always the same. We hope that this guide has cleared up any confusion you might have had about the Smart program buttons. As we mentioned at the start, the beauty of the Instant Pot is that you can choose to use the pre-program settings or you can replicate them and have more control with Manual/Pressure Cook settings. Once you understand what they do and experiment with using them for different foods, you will get a better idea of what to use and when. If you have any further questions about the SMART PROGRAM settings or you’ve found a new way to use them, let us know in the comments below. Should I use the rice button on the Instant Pot?Most Instant Pot models will have a “RICE” button – This is the perfect button to use if you're cooking white rice. If you're cooking any other type of rice, be sure to follow the timing chart below – The water to rice ratio will remain the same.
What is rice mode in Instant Pot?We'll use your Instant Pot's "Rice" cooking program. This function was designed specifically for white rice. It's an automatic cooking mode that runs between 10 to 12 minutes. When the program finishes, wait another 15 minutes for the appliance to cool down and release its internal pressure naturally.
Is Pressure Cook button same as manual?Instant Pot MANUAL SETTING (Pressure Cook Button)
Depending on the model, the Instant Pot manual setting button will either say Pressure Cook or Manual. This is the setting you're likely to use the most. The temperature, pressure level and cooking times can be adjusted on the control panel.
What does the manual button do on an Instant Pot?“Pressure Cook” or “Manual” Button: Depending on which Instant Pot model you own, the Pressure Cook button is sometimes labeled “Manual” and sometimes “Pressure Cook.” This is the button that you will press to start a pressure cooking cycle. It's your basic pressure cooking button.
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