Instant Pot Comfort Food Recipes for Rainy Summer Days
British summer can change its mind very quickly.
One minute you are thinking about barbecues, salads and eating outside. The next, the rain is coming down, the temperature has dropped and suddenly nobody wants anything cold for dinner.
That is when comfort food comes back into its own.
Your Instant Pot is ideal for making warming, satisfying meals without spending hours in the kitchen. So if the British summer has disappeared again, these are the recipes worth turning to.
Instant Pot Mac and Cheese
When the weather turns, mac and cheese is hard to beat.
Cooking it in the Instant Pot keeps things simple, with the pasta cooking quickly before the cheese and finishing ingredients are stirred through at the end.
Keep it classic or add bacon, chicken, mustard, chilli or extra cheese.
It is quick, comforting and exactly the sort of dinner a rainy evening calls for.
Recipe inspiration:
- Mac and Cheese with Bacon – https://instantpot.co.uk/mac-and-cheese-with-bacon/
- Three-Cheese Mac and Cheese – https://instantpot.co.uk/three-cheese-mac-and-cheese/
- Crab Mac and Cheese – https://instantpot.co.uk/crab-mac-and-cheese/
Pressure-Cooked Beef Ragu
A rich beef ragu feels far more appropriate than salad once the temperature drops.
Pressure cooking helps tenderise the beef while giving tomatoes, herbs and vegetables plenty of time to develop flavour.
Serve it over pasta with Parmesan, spoon it over a jacket potato or make extra and keep another portion for later in the week.
Recipe inspiration:
- Korean Beef Cheek Ragu in under 2 hrs! – https://instantpot.co.uk/korean-beef-cheek-ragu-in-under-2-hrs/
Instant Pot Chicken Curry
A warming curry is another easy way to rescue a grey evening.
Chicken becomes tender quickly under pressure and cooks directly in the sauce, making it ideal when you want plenty of flavour without lots of separate pans.
Serve with rice, naan and your favourite chutneys and suddenly staying indoors does not feel so bad.
Recipe inspiration:
- Mom’s authentic Chicken Curry – https://pipingpotcurry.com/chicken-curry-pressure-cooker/
Loaded Potato Soup
Some days require proper soup.
Think potatoes cooked until tender, a creamy base and plenty of toppings such as grated cheese, spring onions, bacon or sour cream.
Add bread on the side and it becomes a full dinner rather than a light lunch.
Recipe inspiration:
- Instant Pot Loaded Potato Soup – https://belleofthekitchen.com/instant-pot-loaded-potato-soup/
Make the Most of a Rainy Day
British summer may not always cooperate, but dinner still can.
A few reliable Instant Pot comfort food recipes mean you can swap barbecue plans for mac and cheese, curry or a rich ragu without making the evening feel like a compromise.
