Best of: Instant Pot® and slow cooker

As many home cooks will attest, the advantages of cooking with an Instant Pot® or slow cooker are numerous. Ingredients that typically require low cooking temperatures over a long period of time, everything from short ribs to chicken stock to steel cut oats, are especially suited for a pressure cooker or slow cooker. An Instant Pot®, which most notably features sauté, pressure cooker, and slow cooker functions, can be used to cook a wide variety of dishes both efficiently and without the use of multiple pots and pans. Likewise, a slow cooker can be left alone to simmer for hours and can be used to prepare everything from bisque to coffee cake.

When it comes to making soups and stews, slow cookers and pressure cookers are an indispensable tool. From classic bouillabaisse to a hearty Moroccan-inspired lamb stew, the recipes below are full of healthy ingredients the whole family will love. In general, soups and stews tend to be even more flavourful the following day, making them ideal for leftovers throughout the week and for freezing up to six months. To freeze soup while taking up the minimum amount of freezer space, portion the soup or stew into resealable freezer bags and lay flat, stacking the bags when the contents are frozen solid.

Using a pressure cooker or slow cooker to brown and braise meats moves “weekend-only” main dishes like Korean short ribs or lamb korma firmly into the weeknight category. Each cooking method works equally well when it comes to getting fork-tender results from lean cuts of meat and poultry, as well as accompanying complex and deeply savoury sauces and gravies.

Whether you identify as vegan, vegetarian, or are looking to add more plant-based mains to your recipe repertoire, these plant-based suggestions are as nutritious as they are delicious. Pressure cookers and slow cookers are particularly valuable tools for preparing vegetarian staples, such as steel cut oats, brown rice, barley, beans, and lentils, without the need for constant supervision.

There’s nothing better than a piping hot breakfast once the weather turns cooler, and with the help of an Instant Pot® or slow cooker you can make favourites like overnight oats, coffee cake, and frittata a regular part of your morning routine.