Are you confused by Instant Pot cooking times? Yep, me too! I have been a crock pot girl my whole life but the instant pot is great for cooking everything together in ONE place quickly and cutting down cooking time.

BUT how much do you cook things for? I find that really confusing so wanted to share these handy charts to help!

Vegetables
To steam vegetables, use 1 cup of water and an ovenproof bowl on the steam rack that came with your Instant Pot. Use the steam setting.

Vegetable Cooking time (fresh) Cooking time (frozen)
Broccoli, florets 1 minute 1 minute
Brussel sprouts 1 minute 2–3 minutes
Butternut squash 1–2 minutes 3–4 minutes
Carrots 3–5 minutes 6–8 minutes
Cauliflower florets 1 minute 2–4 minutes
Dark leafy greens 4–5 minutes 5–6 minutes
Sweet potatoes 3–4 minutes 5–8 minutes

Dried Beans and Legumes
Beans will double their size after cooking, so don’t overfill the pot and make sure to add water. Soaking can help cut down on cooking times.

Dried Beans and Legumes Cooking time (dried) Cooking time (soaked)
Adzuki beans 16–20 minutes 4–6 minutes
Black beans 20–25 minutes 6–8 minutes
Black-eyed peas 13–18 minutes 4–5 minutes
Chickpeas 35–40 minutes 10–15 minutes
Kidney beans 15–20 minutes 7–8 minutes
Pinto beans 25–30 minutes 6–9 minutes

Rice and Grains
Use the measuring cup that came with your Instant Pot, for the same ratio of grains to water.

Rice and grains Grain to water ratio Cooking time
Barley, pearled 1:2 ½ 20–22 minutes
Brown rice 1:1 20–22 minutes
Millet 1:1 ¾ 10–12 minutes
Oats 1:2 2–3 minutes
Quinoa 1:1 ¼ 1 minute (yep, for real!)
Wild rice 1:2 20–25 minutes

Seafood and Fish
You can steam fish and seafood using 1 cup of water and an ovenproof bowl on the steam rack that came with your Instant Pot.

Use the steam setting and use quick release to avoid overcooking. These guidelines apply to all serving sizes.

Seafood and Fish Cooking time (fresh) Cooking time (frozen)
Fish, whole 4–5 minutes 5–7 minutes
Fish, fillets 2–3 minutes 3–4 minutes
Mussels 1–2 minutes 2–3 minutes
Shrimp 1–3 minutes 2–4 minutes

Meats and Poultry
Cooking times are per pound so just keep that in mind

Meat Cooking time
Beef, stew meat 20 minutes
Bone broth or chicken stock 40–50 minutes
Chicken, breasts (boneless) 6–8 minutes
Chicken, whole (4-5 pounds) 8 minutes
Eggs (large, hard-boiled) 5 minutes
Turkey, boneless breasts 7-9 minutes
Turkey, whole breasts 20–25 minutes

Don’t forget to use your pressure valve and take your face AWAY from the valve when you release, that is really important.

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