Help! If I’m Cutting a Recipe in Half for the Instant Pot, Do I Need to Adjust the Cook Time?

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Hello, Kitchn!

I’m new to Instant Pot cooking. If I wish to cut a recipe in half, do I change the cooking time?

tysm!

Sheryl

Arie: Meghan …

Meghan: Hello! I’m your gal. The answer depends on what the recipe is. For things like chicken breast, pork shoulder, and pot roast, I would say no — you really need the Instant Pot to get to full pressure and cook for a while.

Arie: So you wouldn’t change the time at all for those things?

Meghan: I would not!

Arie: Got it. Are there any recipes where you would change the time?

Meghan: For quicker-cooking things like pasta, I would start by adjusting the time by two minutes if you’re cutting the volume in half!

Arie: What would you qualify as “quick-cooking things”? Like, any non-meat things?

Meghan: Pasta! Rice! Beans!

Arie: What about eggs?

Meghan: Oh, eggs are interesting, I would not adjust the cooking time on hard-boiled eggs, but I would on casseroles.

Arie: And we’re just talking about shaving a couple minutes off, right? Not like, cutting the time in half?

Meghan: Exactly.

Arie: Perfect. So, what if you open your IP and think it needs more time, what do you do? Just add more time, like a microwave?

Meghan: I usually turn on the sauté function and continue to cook with the lid off.

Arie: You’re so smart.