The first pressure cooker was created in France in 1679. Since then, people have been using it to quickly cook their food! Pressure cookers are a lifesaver in a busy household. It doesn’t matter if you forgot to soak your beans or if you came home later than you usually do and don’t have the 50 minutes to spare for brown rice — your pressure cooker can get the job done faster than cooking on the stovetop.

Now that the holidays are starting to roll around and the days are getting shorter, there seems to be less and less time in the evening to make dinner. So, we found some of our favorite pressure cooker recipes on the Food Monster App so that you can get that slow-cooked taste in a matter of minutes!


1. Baby Jackfruit Curry

This thick Baby Jackfruit Curry is a delicious and flavorful dinner entrée idea for when you’re craving Indian food. Coriander powder is the main spice utilized in this dish and is actually a mixture of coriander seeds, dry chilies, curry leaves, and garlic. Once the jackfruit has been cleaned, making this dish is a snap and can even be done entirely in a pressure cooker if you prefer.

2. Rosemary Black-Eyed Pea Soup With Kale

Black-eyed peas, sautéed onions, chopped kale, and mushrooms are mixed with coconut milk, water, and fresh rosemary in a pressure cooker to make this soup. The mellow flavor of these peas, as opposed to the stronger tasting black or red bean variety, goes nicely and does not overpower the other flavors in this soup. Since this Rosemary Black-Eyed Pea Soup With Kale spends most of the cooking time in a pressure cooker, it’s a convenient and effortless dinner option.

3. Bisi Bele Bath

This Indian dish, traditionally called Bisi Bele Bath, literally translates to hot lentil rice dish, which is perfect because that’s exactly what it is. It’s a spicy, healthy, nutritious, and flavorful one-pot meal prepared using aromatic spices and vegetables of your choice.

4. Bean Étouffée

If you are looking for an easy way to make a big batch of dinners, then this recipe is for you! Étouffée is a Cajun and Creole dish that is traditionally shellfish in a tomato roux over rice. This vegan take on the dish uses beans as the protein and swaps out rice for quinoa for more protein!


5. Mexican Lentil Stew

This pressure cooker stew is hearty, smoky, and incredibly easy to make – just pop all the ingredients into a pressure cooker for 25 minutes and you will have a delectable lunch or dinner. The Mexican Lentil Stew is made up of lentils, onions, smokey paprika, and a handful of fresh chiles, zucchini, and other vegetables that all blend into a dish that is elegantly simple and who’s flavor profile is devilishly spicy and complex.

6. Raw Jackfruit Curry

Tangy jackfruit and Indian spices come together for this delicious and flavorful Raw Jackfruit Curry. The fleshy texture of raw fruit makes for a filling, meaty entrée. The jackfruit is seasoned with turmeric and prepared in the pressure cooker and then cooked in a pan of herbs and spices. Serve with rice (which you can make in a pressure cooker to speed up the process) and plenty of flat bread.


7. Dal Tadka

A touch of cardamom takes golden yellow dal to the next level. When mixed with chopped garlic, onions, and dried red chili, it’s one of its kind. What really makes this dal stand out from a lentil soup is the tadka (tempering), a technique of adding tempered spices and flavor to hot oil that’s poured on a piping hot dal. Serve this Dal Tadka as a soup or as a main dish with some steamed rice, naan or with any of your favorite flatbread.

8. Hoppin’ John

A Southern classic, made vegan! This easy, meat-free Hoppin’ John is the perfect dish to throw together whether you’re pressed for time or seeking a filling, budget-friendly meal. Black-eyed peas, wild rice, and tomatoes are stewed together in a pressure cooker for fast cooking. If you don’t have a pressure cooker, fear not! You can make this recipe on stovetop as well.


9. Red Lentil Curry

Can you believe you can make this deliciously savory and fragrant Red Lentil Curry in just 15 minutes?! It’s true. Simply load a pressure cooker up with some coconut milk, chopped tomatoes, red lentils, and some seasoning, and then set up your plate for some good eating. Yum!

10. Rice Pudding With Stewed Strawberries

Love rice pudding? This decadent Rice Pudding With Stewed Strawberries is made by cooking risotto rice with non-dairy cream, brown sugar, and soy milk in a pressure cooker until sweet, sticky, and caramelized. While that cools, you whip up a quick strawberry compote, then blend the rice pudding into a lusciously creamy texture. Not only is this sweet rice pudding great for dessert, it would also make an amazing breakfast or brunch item!

11. Barbecue Lentil Stew

This is one of those meals that improves the longer it sits, so it’s definitely wise to make a big batch and eat it throughout the week for a series of quick and delicious meals! You’ll also want to slather this homemade vegan barbecue sauce on everything. This Barbecue Lentil Stew is going to be the new baked beans at your family gatherings!

13. Oil-Free Smoky Gouda Cheesy Sauce

Eating plant-based doesn’t mean boring, flavorless meals. If you find the right recipes and dishes, like this Gouda Cheese, you can enjoy decadent recipes that leave you feeling like you’re at a five-star restaurant, but you’re in your pajamas in your kitchen licking this stuff off your spoon. What could be better?

14.Lentil and Quinoa Kitchari

This Kitchari is an Indian comfort food that provides strength and energy. It uses the six tastes of Ayurvedic cooking — sweet, sour, pungent, astringent, bitter, and salty, so it leaves you feeling full without the sluggishness. This take on kitchari uses both lentils and quinoa, so it’s packed with protein, but feel free to add a side of rice to make it last!

15. Biryani

Need a quick, easy no-fuss meal? This pressure cooker Biryani is the thing to make! You don’t need any pots or pants — all you need is your pressure cooker. Onion, garlic, turmeric, and other spices are sautéed and then cooked with brown rice until fragrant and fluffy. This biryani can be enjoyed as a meal on its own or you can serve it alongside whatever you want, like soup, curry, or steamed vegetables.


We also highly recommend downloading our Food Monster App, which is available for both Android and iPhone, and can also be found on Instagram and Facebook. The app has more than 8,000 plant-based, allergy-friendly recipes, and subscribers gain access to ten new recipes per day. Check it out!

Lead image source: Hoppin’ John