Seafood is already known to be a quick and easy way to prepare a healthy, delicious meal. When you couple seafood with an Instant Pot, Ninja Foodie, or any other multi-pot cooker, you’ll be amazed at what you can create in a very short amount of time.
An Instant Pot (we’ll use this brand since it’s the one most people have heard about) is a brand name of a multifunction cooker that includes a pressure cooker, slow cooker, steamer, rice cooker and sometimes even a yogurt maker, sous vide and/or air fryer. On top of being quick and easy, they are invaluable when you’re looking to save space in your kitchen because you can eliminate so many other appliances.
Let’s get this straight: An Instant Pot can be a slow cooker (or some people use the brand name Crock-Pot), but a slow cooker is not an Instant Pot. Slow cookers are great for people who want to set it and forget it, and then come home to a hot meal waiting for them.
And, pressure cookers can help get food to the table fast. They raise the boiling point of the cooking liquid quickly and then trap the steam under pressure to make the food inside cook quicker.
Instant Pots eliminate the need for having both of these cookers AND still gives you a way to have quick and healthy meals without having to leave something cooking all day long.
You can put frozen foods directly into the Instant Pot. No thawing is required.
You can steam leftovers to reheat a dish without drying out the previously cooked foods.
And, although some people equate high cooking temperatures with nutrient loss…the opposite is true. Pressure cooking allows heat to be evenly and quickly distributed, so you only need enough liquid to generate sufficient steam; usually less than a cup. Since the food is not submerged in water, the nutrients don’t dissolve.
Natural flavors and colors are also preserved since these machines are airtight and oxidation can’t occur.
So now that you know what it can do – let’s apply this kitchen magic to SEAFOOD!
King Crab legs take 4 minutes when cooked on high. If they are frozen – 8 minutes.
It takes one minute to make pasta for your shrimp scampi.
But here’s our favorite: Frozen Shrimp Seafood Boil Instant Pot style
- Peel and chop a large onion and put it in the bottom of your Instant Pot
- Put 4 cloves of garlic that have been quartered on top of the onion.
- Add 6 small red potatoes that have been cut into sixths
- Add 3 ears of corn – each cut into thirds
- Add 1 pound cooked Andouille sausage cut into 1” sections
- 1 pound of frozen shrimp with tails on (if you have fresh shrimp – freeze first; shrimp cook fast and you don’t want them overcooked)
- 1 Tbs Old Bay Seasoning
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 lemon cut into 6 wedges – squeeze the juice into the pot and throw them on top.
- Add ½ cup chopped parsley
Here’s the magic…5 minutes in the Instant Pot and dinner is served!
Garlic mussels are even quicker…
Set your Instant Pot to saute and add 4 TBS of butter. When melted, add 1 large minced shallot and 4 cloves of minced garlic in the pot. Add 2 pounds of mussels (scrubbed and debearded), 1 cup of chicken or bone broth, juice of 1 lemon, and 3 tsp parsley. Cook for 3 minutes. TA-DA!
Want to hear about more “instant” seafood recipes, check out :
25 Instant Pot Seafood Recipes that Will Make Your Heart Seim With Joy
You’ll find great recipes for gumbos, chowders, and paella, to salmon and bang-bang shrimp.
