I get asked a lot: Is the Instant Pot really faster? My honest answer is: it depends on what you compare it to, but for many weeknight situations the pressure cooker is a real time-saver — especially when you care about one-pot cleanup and predictable results. Over the years I’ve tested it against the stovetop and oven for everything from beans and braises to weeknight soups. The Instant Pot wins when it replaces long simmering or when it turns a multi-step dinner into one simple process.
That said, the Instant Pot doesn’t perform miracles. It needs time to come to pressure, and that warm-up can add 5–15 minutes depending on the volume and temperature of the ingredients. Where it shines is in turning minutes of active work (chopping, browning, babysitting) into a mostly hands-off cook while keeping dishes to a minimum. Below I walk through what I mean and share three dinners I regularly make that take about 20 minutes of real time and still feel like a full, satisfying meal.
When the Instant Pot is faster — and when it’s not
Here’s how I break it down in real life:
To make “20 minutes” real, I mean about 20 minutes of hands-on time: prep, layering ingredients, and finishing the dish after pressure. Some of the recipes below have a short come-to-pressure and quick-release, so total wall-clock time may be 30–35 minutes, but you only need to be actively cooking for roughly 20 minutes.
Quick comparison — typical timings
| Dish | Stovetop/Oven active time | Instant Pot hands-on time | Total wall time (approx.) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken & rice one-pot | 30–40 min active | 20 min | 35 min |
| Beef stroganoff (simmer) | 40–50 min active | 20 min | 40 min |
| Chickpea curry (from dried) | 90+ min active | 25 min | 45 min |
Three 20-minute pressure-cooker dinners I make again and again
Below are three real weeknight dinners that require about 20 minutes of my time. I include small notes on swaps and ways to shorten them further if you’re in a rush. These serve 4 and are designed to use minimal pans.
1) 20-minute Lemon Chicken & Rice
This is my go-to when I need something comforting, fast, and low-fuss. If I’m short on time I use boneless skinless thighs because they stay juicy and don’t need trimming.
- 1 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 2-inch pieces
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup long-grain rice, rinsed
- 1 1/4 cups chicken broth
- Juice and zest of 1 lemon
- 1 tsp dried oregano or thyme
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Set the Instant Pot to Sauté. Heat oil, sear chicken quickly just to color (about 2 minutes), then remove to a plate.
- Sauté onion 1–2 minutes until softened, add garlic and stir 30 seconds.
- Add rice, broth, lemon juice/zest, oregano, and a pinch of salt. Stir, nestle chicken on top.
- Seal and cook on High Pressure for 6 minutes. Quick-release the pressure (QR).
- Fluff and adjust seasoning. Garnish with parsley if you have it.
Hands-on time: ~18 minutes. Wall-clock: ~30 minutes including pressurizing.
2) 20-minute Beef & Mushroom Stroganoff (pressure-cooker shortcut)
This version keeps straggling pans to a minimum and uses sour cream stirred in at the end for creaminess.
- 1 lb ground beef or thinly sliced skirt steak
- 1 tbsp butter + 1 tbsp oil
- 8 oz mushrooms, sliced
- 1 small onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup beef broth
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 8 oz wide egg noodles (instant type) or 1 1/2 cups dried pasta
- 1/2 cup sour cream (or Greek yogurt)
- Sauté butter + oil on Sauté. Brown beef quickly (if using steak, brown slices briefly), drain excess fat if needed.
- Add onion and mushrooms, cook 2 minutes. Add garlic and stir.
- Add broth, Worcestershire, and pasta. Stir so noodles are mostly submerged. Do not stir after closing.
- Seal and cook High Pressure: 4 minutes for quick-cook pasta. Quick-release.
- Stir in sour cream off-heat. Taste and adjust salt/pepper.
Hands-on time: ~15–20 minutes. Wall-clock: ~25–30 minutes total.
3) 20-minute Chickpea & Spinach Curry (from canned chickpeas)
This is my “open the pantry and be dinner” meal. If you’re using dried chickpeas you still save time vs. stovetop, but that’s a different recipe.
- 2 tbsp oil or ghee
- 1 onion, diced
- 1 tbsp curry powder or 2 tsp garam masala + 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes
- 2 cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1/2 cup coconut milk
- 4 cups fresh spinach
- Salt, chili flakes and lemon juice to finish
- Sauté onion in Instant Pot with oil until soft, 3–4 minutes. Add spices and cook 30 seconds.
- Add tomatoes, chickpeas, and coconut milk. Stir, then seal and cook High Pressure for 3 minutes.
- Quick-release, stir in spinach until wilted. Finish with salt and a squeeze of lemon.
Hands-on time: ~12–15 minutes. Wall-clock: ~25 minutes including pressurizing.
Quick tips to actually save time with your pressure cooker
Bottom line: the Instant Pot isn’t a magic bullet, but it can reliably turn complicated meals into approachable, low-fuss dinners that free you to do other things while food cooks. For weeknights where I want one pot, minimal cleanup, and dependable results, it’s become one of my favorite time-saving tools.
