How to prepare classic holiday dishes with just an Instant Pot

With the holiday right around the corner, you might be wondering how you’ll find time to prepare a holiday meal this year. Holiday prep can feel like a daunting task between the main course, side dishes and dessert. Luckily, you can cook many holiday meals in an Instant Pot with little effort, and no one will know the difference. 

Instant Pot turkey legs

Ingredients

• Two turkey legs
• Olive oil
• 1 cup of chicken stock or chicken broth
• One small onion
• Pinch of rosemary
• Pinch of thyme
• Sea salt to taste
• Black pepper to taste

Preparation instructions

1. Begin by seasoning your turkey legs with salt and pepper. Using a generous amount will add flavor, although you can use less salt if you have dietary restrictions.
2. Dice your onion into small pieces.
3. Press the sauté button on your Instant Pot. Press the adjust button within 10 seconds and set your Instant Pot to “more.”
4. When the heat indicator on your Instant Pot says “hot,” you may add one tablespoon of olive oil to the pot, followed by your seasoned turkey legs. Ensure the olive oil coats the entire bottom of your Instant Pot to prevent your meat from sticking to the pot.
5. Brown your turkey legs on both sides for 2-3 minutes. When your turkey legs are ready, you may remove them from the pot and add your onions.
6. Cook your onions for 1 minute and 30 seconds, adding extra salt and pepper to your pot as you cook them.
7. Add 1 cup of chicken stock or broth to your Instant Pot, along with a pinch of rosemary and thyme.
8. Place your turkey legs back in the Instant Pot and close the lid. Pressure cook at high pressure for 18-20 minutes.
9. Use the natural pressure release function for 10 minutes and release any remaining pressure.

Instant Pot corn on the cob

Ingredients

• Six ears of corn
• Water
• Salt
• 2 tablespoons of butter
• 1 teaspoon of minced garlic

Preparation instructions

1. Add one cup of water to your Instant Pot.
2. Place corn on top of the Instant Pot trivet. You can add them on top of each other crosswise if you don’t have enough room for all six ears of corn.
3. Close the lid and ensure your valve is set to the sealing position.
4. Pressure cook the corn on high for two minutes and use the quick release feature to depressurize the pot.
5. Melt two tablespoons of butter and mix it with one teaspoon of minced garlic. 
6. Coat the ears of corn with your garlic butter mixture and remove them from the pot.

Instant Pot peach cobbler

Ingredients

• 7 ounces of white cake mix
• Eight peaches
• .5 cup of melted butter

Preparation instructions

1. Slice and peel your peaches.
2. Place a small oven-safe dish on top of your Instant Pot trivet.
3. In a separate bowl, combine 7 ounces of white cake mix and 1/2 cup of melted butter.
4. Pour the mixture over the sliced peaches.
5. Cover the mixture with foil and add one cup of water to the Instant Pot.
6. Close the lid and ensure your valve is set to the sealing position.
7. Set the Instant Pot to “high pressure” and the timer to 15 minutes.
8. After the peach cobbler is done cooking, use the natural pressure release function for 10 minutes and release any remaining pressure.

Best Instant Pot products for holiday meals

Instant Pot Duo

The Instant Pot Duo is Instant Pot’s highest-selling product. This affordable kitchen device has up to an 8-quart capacity and seven different cooking functions, including pressure cook, slow cook, yogurt maker, steamer, rice cooker, sauté and food warmer. The Instant Pot Duo comes with a one-year warranty and a trivet.

Sold by Amazon

Instant Pot Official Cook and Bake Set

This official baking set by Instant Pot includes two trivets, two stainless-steel baking dishes with lids and a removable divider. This set is ideal for peach cobbler, boiled eggs and more. The trivets are stackable, making them easy to use and store. This set is compatible with 6-quart and 8-quart Instant Pots. The lids are great for storing your food after you’re done cooking and feature pressure-release tabs for releasing steam. 

Sold by Amazon

Instant Pot Stainless Steel Inner Cooking Pot

If you plan on making multiple dishes in your Instant Pot this holiday season, it’s a good idea to buy an extra inner pot. This official stainless-steel pot comes in both 6-quart and 8-quart sizes. Thanks to its polished stainless steel material, this pot is easy to clean.

Sold by Amazon

Instant Pot Official Starter Accessories Set

This set includes a pair of silicone oven mitts, a heat-resistant mat and a suction-sealing lid. Buyers love how easy the silicone mitts are to use and how well they protect your hands from hot trivets and cooking dishes. You can use the multifunctional heat-resistant mat to remove hot dishes, as a jar opener or to protect your counter from hot dishes.

Sold by Amazon

Want to shop the best products at the best prices? Check out Daily Deals from BestReviews.

Sign up here to receive the BestReviews weekly newsletter for useful advice on new products and noteworthy deals.

Cody Stewart writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.

Copyright 2022 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved.