The 3 Cookbooks That Taught Me to Love My Instant Pot

When I got my very first Instant Pot, more than four years ago, I just … didn’t love it. I found that most of the preprogrammed settings never got used and the Instant Pot-specific cookbooks were hit or miss (some recipes just weren’t suitable for my tastes, others were faulty, and most of them were for family-style meals that were way too large).

Eventually I decided to give it a try again — the 3-Quart Instant Pot DUO Plus — and I was more into it. Of course it helps that, by this time, there were even more cookbooks out there for Instant Pot users. I found three great Instant Pot cookbooks, and they’ve made such an impression on me that they’ve managed to make me fall in love with my small appliance.

While I still don’t use all of the preset buttons, the mini is now one of my favorite small appliances. And it’s in large part because of these three cookbooks.

Of all the Instant Pot cookbooks I’ve read and owned, Megan Gilmore’s is my number one favorite. Megan is the brilliant (and lovely!) mind behind one of my favorite blogs: Detoxinista. She is also the author of a variety of fantastic cookbooks (which I also own), but her most recent Instant Pot cookbook is the one that helped turn me into a believer.

Megan doesn’t just offer great recipes in this book — she also offers so many useful tips. She has tips for pot-in-pot cooking techniques (also known as PIP), cooking veggies for 0 minutes (yes, 0 minutes!), and making healthy desserts while also cooking a full dinner. I eat a plant-based diet and Megan provides customizable directions for all recipes, so that they can be modified to fit in with how you eat. Plus, many of the recipes are vegetarian, vegan, Paleo, and/or gluten-free.  

My favorite recipes from this cookbook are the Instant Vegetable Medley, Speedy Sweet Potato Curry, and The Maple Cinnamon Cereal Bowls. There are 75 recipes total, so there’s something here for everyone.

Nora Visha is the blogger behind Rainbow Plant Life, which is well-loved for its nourishing, plant-based recipes. This lovely cookbook has more than 90 recipes, and it’s got a five-star rating on Amazon. I love that all the recipes are plant-based, unique, and easy to customize. The photos in this book are beautiful, and, in my opinion, this book will inspire anyone to eat better — no matter their current lifestyle. 

My favorite recipes so far (the book came out in June and I’m still working through it!) are the Homemade Coconut Yogurt and Chai-Spiced Rice Pudding, which I’ve easily customized to my personal tastes. If you love to bake, try the Banana Bread with Walnut Streusel topping!

This was one of the first cookbooks I bought when I got my Instant Pot mini and it’s still one I turn to over and over again. Kathy Hester is one of my favorite healthy bloggers who authors both websites Plant-Based Instant Pot and Healthy Slow Cooking. She is a genius when it comes to healthy Instant Pot recipes and healthy slow cooker meals. I love that Kathy doesn’t just focus on meals in this book, but also healthy staples like non-dairy milks, sides, sauces, and more.

My favorite recipes from this cookbook are the No-Effort Soy Yogurt, Fresh Marinara Sauce, and Not-Raw Almond Milk. I’ve also made the Whole Grain Cornbread and Southern Style Pinto Beans for mom and both were huge hits!

Do you have any Instant Pot cookbooks you love? Tell us about them in the comments below!