Using a pressure cooker is considered a healthy alternative to other cooking methods. The short cook time and limited water usage that is associated with pressure cooking help to preserve precious nutrients that otherwise would have been significantly lessened due to extended exposure to heat, like when using a slow cooker or the oven. This is part of the reason why pressure cookers are becoming exceedingly more popular over the years.
The type of pressure cooker you have can limit you on what types of recipes you can make. For instance, the Butternut Squash Risotto recipe below requires the use of a multicooker that has the option to sauté, as well as high-pressure cook settings.
A couple of the cookers that are popular for multiple uses are the InstantPot Programmable Pressure Cooker, the Breville Fast Slow Pro Multifunction Cooker or the Mealthy MultiPot.
After buying a pressure cooker and you’ve familiarized yourself with it, you may want to learn some simple, healthy recipes that not only taste good but are also good for you. A meal isn’t made healthy just because it’s cooked in a pressure cooker, wholesome ingredients are essential.
Try using recipes that have minimal sodium, use lean meats, and include some sort of greens. You can always substitute unhealthy ingredients with healthy ones; like if a recipe calls for canola oil, use olive oil instead and if one of the ingredients is ground beef, there are grass-fed lean beef brands that you can buy at the store that are a great alternative. Stay away from excessive amounts of carbohydrates and foods that are high in fat.
Instant Pot Butternut Squash Risotto
Recipe by: Carolyn Casner/ EatingWell Magazine
This is a simple and delicious gluten-free pressure cooker recipe to try. One serving of it has just 235 calories and very little fat content. It’s also egg-free and vegetarian (unless you use chicken broth). The total cook time is around 45 minutes.
Ingredients:
How to Cook:
- Use the sauté mode on pressure cooker to heat the olive oil. Add shallots and stir for 2 minutes, or until softened. Add garlic, sage, and rice. Stir. Add wine and stir again for about 2 minutes, then add broth, squash, salt, and pepper.
- Turn off sauté mode. Close and lock the lid and cook on high pressure for 6 minutes. Release pressure and remove lid. Stir in parmesan cheese. Let stand until thickened before serving.
Pressure Cooker Chicken Cacciatore
Recipe at: whole9life.com (by Christie Tracy)
This recipe uses natural flavors that will make you crave healthy food all the time. Chicken cacciatore is an Italian recipe that is prepared in spicy tomato and mushroom sauce.
Ingredients:
How to Cook:
- Heat oil in a pressure cooker that is 4 quarts or larger. Add shallots and bell pepper. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently for 2 minutes, or until shallots are softened slightly
- Stir in broth and then boil for 2-3 minutes
- Stir in mushrooms and garlic. Set the chicken on top and then cover with crushed tomatoes and tomato paste, don’t stir
- Lock lid and cook at high pressure for 8 minutes
- Turn off the heat and allow pressure to come down completely. Remove lid
- Stir in olives, parsley, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Optional: serve over shredded cabbage or noodles
Other Pressure Cooker Recipes
Here are some other healthy recipes that you can make in your pressure cooker or multicooker.
Make Enough to Save for Later
Try out these healthy recipes that people have come up with and be sure to make lots of it so that you can have leftovers for lunches during the week. If you don’t like these meals, there are loads of other healthy pressure cooker recipes available online that you can use.
You can also try creating your own recipes using vegetables, chicken, beans, rice, and other healthy ingredients. Pressure cooking is one of the quickest and easiest methods for cooking a large hearty meal for you and your family.
It not only allows you to make a ton of food in a short amount of time; it also helps to maintain the integrity of vitamins and minerals that are cooked out when using other cooking methods.