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15 Essential Instant Pot Accessories That Will Make You a Hero

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For many busy moms the Instant Pot (IP) is an essential kitchen appliance. Having an Instant Pot is amazing because you just throw your food into the pot and walk away while dinner is made.

I went from barely cooking dinner at all pre-baby to cooking almost every night with a baby in tow. You heard that right – I actually picked up cooking while caring for a newborn. That’s how easy the Instant Pot makes it.

a collage of seven different accessories with title text reading Essential Instant Pot Accessories

The IP has been raved about since its debut in 2009 and it has yet to lose its appeal. We all know about its amazing features, and their accessories just multiply the capabilities. Here are a few essential Instant Pot accessories that give you even more possibilities in the kitchen.

Essential Instant Pot Accessories

There are plenty of amazing things you can do with your Instant Pot right out of the box. These essential Instant Pot accessories will make everyday recipes even easier though and allow you to do even more with this amazing appliance!

Steamer Basket

Steamer baskets are amazing! They fit inside your IP and you are able to steam anything.

These work the best for steaming vegetables, fish and even eggs (toddler bento boxes, anybody?).

Try incorporating flavorings into your water as you use your IP for steaming. You can use salt, vinegar or herbs. You could even bypass the water and use wine, vinegar, tomato sauce, or chicken broth instead.

Inner Pot

The inner pot is great because you can place it in the IP, then toss it into the dishwasher while you are finished. This frees up the IP in case you need to use it for something else.

Purchase a couple of these inner pots and you can make several things in the IP before having to run your dishwasher. For me, this is perfect because I cook and my husband washes dishes. It’s nice being able to cook an entire meal without having to stop to wash something.

Sealing Rings

The Instant Pot sealing rings hold food odors so they need to be cleaned regularly. Having an extra one or two on hand means you’ll never be waiting on one to deodorize and you’ll have a backup when one wears down after many uses and washings.

Tongs

One thing that you have to do to your Instant Pot is mix up the food and make sure that everything is perfectly soft the way that you like it. Silicone tongs are great for shredding meat, flipping over food and retrieving food safely.

I highly recommend this over trying to stab your food with a fork and crossing your fingers it makes it to your dish before dropping. It’ll also put a dent in your Band-Aid and aloe vera budget.

Cooling Rack

Cooling racks are placed above the Instant Pot for cooling desserts like pies, cakes and cookies. It would be also perfect to cool down your steamed vegetables and other foods before consuming.

They’re also a great way to get airflow to your food while you’re preparing the rest of your meal. It’s one of those things that isn’t a huge game-changer, but a small enough enhancement that it makes preparing dinner and desserts just a little more pleasant.

Stackable Insert Pans

Speaking of game changers, these stackable pans make it easy to cook two dishes at the same time in your Instant Pot.

Egg Steamer Rack

Instant Pot users LOVE to make hard boiled eggs in their pots! With the help of this rack, you can make up to 14 at once!

Egg Bites Molds

Another IP fan favorite is egg bites, very similar to an item on Starbucks’ menu. You’ll need this silicone mold to make them.

Use this Egg Bites recipe from Foodie & Wine. One of my favorite Instant Pot hacks is to use these molds to make no-peel hard-boiled eggs!

Springform Pan

If you make cheesecake, cake or other desserts, a springform pan is the ultimate IP accessory. You simply drop in ingredients and wait.

When your dessert is finished cooking, easily lift the whole pan out of the IP for a perfectly shaped creation.

This is great for bake sales, holiday gatherings and barbecues. For someone like me who’s never been known as a wizard in the kitchen, I get such a thrill when somebody wants to know the secret to something I’ve made.

Glass Lid

One of the most popular Instant Pot accessories is the glass lid. It keeps all of the steam inside your cooker so that you are able to provide the softest meats.

Glass lids are perfect for keeping your food warm mode while it’s sitting in the inner pot. You are again free to use your pot for other items.

Silicone Lid

If you like to prep your meal ahead of time or want to make it super easy to pack up leftovers, a silicone lid is a must. It turns your inner pot into an airtight, spill-proof container.

This is perfect for when you make yogurt or when you prep dinner ahead of time and need to keep it refrigerated until you’re ready to cook.

Meat Shredding Claws

These are amazing if you love to have shredded meat. When your meat gets soft enough you use these “claws” to shred away.

These are perfect for pulled pork sandwiches and about a million shredded chicken dishes.

Tote Bag

The Instant Pot is too amazing to keep to yourself! Many IP users take theirs to potlucks, parties, or on the road in their RV’s.

Because of its size and shape, make sure you get a tote bag specially designed for the Instant Pot. I like this one because it has a zippered compartment for accessories too.

Foam Brushes

These little tools are the easiest way to clean the edge of your Instant Pot. Just run a foam paint brush around the inside lip and wipe away all the grime.

Vinyl Decals

IP lovers become so enamored with this appliance, they even decorate and personalize them! These vinyl decals are an inexpensive and easy way to do that and there are so many to choose from, it’s not hard to find one that fits your personality.

Here’s a sampling to give you and idea of what’s available:

 

It's Science vinyl decal for the instant potvinyl decal for the instant pot with text reading if you combine wine with dinner the new word is winnervinyl decal for the instant pot with text it's getting Hot in Here

Instant Pot Recipes

Ready to put those essential Instant Pot accessories to use? Check out these Instant Pot recipes.

What are your essential Instant Pot accessories? Let me know in the comments!

 

5 thoughts on “15 Essential Instant Pot Accessories That Will Make You a Hero”

  1. I have a question: I have a recipe for an egg bake that requires a dish that will fit inside the pot without handles so Pyrex is out. Can you use stoneware in the Instant Pot? What other dish would you suggest?

    Reply
    • In general, anything that is food-grade and can be placed in the oven will also work in your pressure cooker. Ceramic dishes work great in the Instant Pot, though I usually use stainless steel since they are lighter and easier for me to handle. I’m a big fan of creating foil slings to make it easy to lower and lift dishes out of the Instant Pot. If you use a stoneware dish, just make sure you have a really thick foil sling that won’t break when you lift the dish out with it.

      Reply
  2. I received this as a gift and have been gifting it to others as well: https://amzn.to/2JBcmhE
    It has the mitts, the steamer, and the mold. Completely in love with my IP and those accessories. I can make the same egg bites as the ones I pay a lot for at Starbucks (for a lot less haha)!

    Reply

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