44 Best Soul Food Instant Pot Recipes
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Wanna know my secret to homecooked Southern soul food? What I call “Magical Meals In Minutes.”
Hint: It’s 2 words that are quick and easy.
Did you guess it?
Instant Pot!
Best Instant Pot Comparison Guide
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Soul food recipes + Instant Pot = magic!
From the rooter to the tooter, as old Black folks might say. Meaning from the snout to the tail – my secret to a down-home soul food dinner is Instant Pot!
How To Use Instant Pot – Should the Instant Pot valve be up or down?
Instant Pot introduces a new generation to pressure cooking and shows people how to instantly cook a healthy meal!This guide is for you whether you recently bought a new Instant Pot or you’re already using it.I’ll also answer frequently asked questions with helpful Instant Pot user tips. Starting with –> Should the Instant Pot valve be up or down?
Wouldn’t it be great to enjoy soul food with all the benefits of Instant Pot?
From the turkey leg to the oxtail, I wish everyone knew how easy Instant Pot cooking is for busy households, hectic holidays, and home cooked meals – made from scratch!
The Best Recipes For A Soul Food Thanksgiving Menu
What are some good soul food Thanksgiving dinner recipes? This soul food Thanksgiving menu will make you wanna slap yo mama-but please don’t!
Check out this recipe!
Want fast comfort food that goes beyond Southern?
What’s the difference between Southern food and soul food?
While most soul food is Southern. Not all Southern food is soul food.
Get it?
No worries if you don’t get it yet. Once you start here, you’ll understand as you feast on these easy soul food Instant Pot recipes – trusted, tried, and true!
No more dry, bland recipes!
Forget about dry, bland gravy and tasteless stuffing!
Get ready for tender, juicy meats and flavorful sides that’ll have your family bursting into celebration songs well before the final entrée is served! (Pastor Shirley Caesar U Name It challenge, anybody?)
Black Folks Soul Food Easy Christmas Dinner Menu
A soul food Christmas dinner menu is Southern soul food entrées and Black folks recipes. Try these Black folks’ easy Christmas dinner ideas!
Check out this recipe!
From a Black folks Thanksgiving menu to a soul food easy Christmas dinner – Instant Pot will turn your entrees and side dishes into magical meals in minutes.
With Instant Pot, most traditional stovetop recipe cook times are cut in half!
How do you cook Southern green beans?
Easily, in my Instant Pot! Soul food green beans pressure cook in 2 minutes vs. 2 hours stewing over a large hot pot all day!
Yep! With Instant Pot it’s one-pot… straight to plate!
Instant Pot Cooking Times
How to cook with Instant Pot is one of my favorite topics!I wish everyone knew how easy Instant Pot cooking is for busy households – one-pot… straight to plate!Print my helpful Instant Pot cooking times chart to always know how long to let meats, seafood, vegetables, eggs, rice, grains, and beans pressure cook inside the pot.
What can you cook in your Instant Pot?
From Black folks’ Southern turkey recipe, candied yams, creamy mashed potatoes, collard greens, fresh cranberry sauce, Black folks red velvet cake, or how about Black folks baked mac and cheese!
…And the list goes on and on like ‘”Beans, greens, potatoes, tomatoes. You name it!”
Instant Pot For Beginners
New to Instant Pot?And are you feeling not so hip to the PC (pressure cooker) lingo, terms and tips?No worries – I gotchu with Instant Pot for beginners!No more feeling like you’re not a part of the conversation while OG Instant Pot Heads seemingly talk in EPC (electric pressure cooker) code.
What’s that saying about a watched pot?
A watched pot never boils – meaning that time passes very slowly when you’re waiting for something to happen.
Well, them days are over!
Why watch a pot and wait for it to boil when you can get an electric pressure cooker to make your favorite soul foods in an instant?
So instead, start here with these Black folks’ Instant Pot recipes – easy enough for anyone to make and everyone to love!
What’s the best thing to cook in an Instant Pot?
My family’s classic soul food recipes (Black folks’ food) – and I’m so proud to share these recipes with you!
The same Southern comfort food and seasoned buttery-rich flavors in a fraction of the traditional time with Instant Pot.
57 Best Instant Pot Soul Food Recipes
Soul food Instant Pot main dishes
Instant Pot Southern Fried Chicken
The Instant Pot can be your secret weapon for making authentic soul food Southern fried chicken, saving you hours in the kitchen! An electric pressure cooker significantly reduces cooking time compared to traditional methods, like marinating the chicken in buttermilk, eliminating the need to soak overnight.
Check out this recipe!
Black Folks Pineapple Glazed Ham
Black folks are famous for our sweet ham glaze recipes, especially with pineapple and brown sugar. So you may know this Black folks soul food recipe by other names like pineapple ham, pineapple baked ham, or pineapple and brown sugar ham.No matter what you call it, it's the same beautiful and delicious glazed ham recipe masterpiece!
Check out this recipe!
Black Folks Instant Pot Smoked Turkey Legs
Thanksgiving doesn't have to be complicated or expensive. Black folks Instant Pot turkey legs are an easy alternative to a whole turkey. A welcome addition to your Southern soul food Thanksgiving menu!
Check out this recipe!
Black Folks Southern Shrimp And Grits
This is the Black folks’ shrimp and grits recipe you’ve been looking for! It’s a creamy, saucy seafood goodness dish, featuring a rich and flavorful Creole sauce generously drizzled over a warm bed of the fluffiest grits, complemented by succulent, jumbo garlic-butter seasoned shrimp to keep things interesting.
Check out this recipe!
Instant Pot Soul Food Chicken Spaghetti With Tomato Sauce
Chicken spaghetti just got the ultimate soul food glow-up, made more flavorful and faster in the Instant Pot! Tender chicken, perfectly cooked pasta, and a seasoned tomato sauce come together with bold, soulful spices for a dish that feels like a big warm hug.
Check out this recipe!
Easy Instant Pot Hamburger Helper Recipe
Skip the box and make this easy Instant Pot Hamburger Helper recipe. Creamy, cheesy, and full of flavor. One of the best one-pot comfort food dinners ready in minutes!
Check out this recipe!
Soul Food Meatloaf Recipe
Soul food meatloaf holds its own on the table like a seasoned headliner! Loaded with savory herbs, tender ground beef, bell peppers, onions, and a just-right blend of soul food seasonings, this meatloaf brings bold flavor in every slice.
Check out this recipe!
Southern Pulled BBQ Chicken Recipe The Soul Food Way
Southern pulled BBQ chicken is made by smothering the chicken in soulful seasonings and a rich, smoky, and sweet barbecue sauce, then slow cooking it until it’s fall-apart tender, before shredding it into juicy strands.
Check out this recipe!
Southern Soul Food Homemade Burger Recipe
What makes a Southern soul food burger?A Southern soul food homemade burger is made with savory bell pepper & sweet onion for a thick, juicy, tender, well-seasoned ground beef patty.
Check out this recipe!
Southern Corned Beef And Cabbage In The Instant Pot
Tender corned beef, buttery cabbage, and soul-seasoned broth. It's classic Southern comfort made quicker and easier in the Instant Pot!
Check out this recipe!
Easy Soul Food Gumbo With Thai Flavors
The secret to a great gumbo? It’s the roux! In this recipe, creamy coconut milk blends with spicy Thai red curry paste to create a rich, flavorful base, perfectly balanced by tender, salty crab meat for a soulful twist on a Southern classic. Where Cajun tradition meets Thai inspiration.
Check out this recipe!
Instant Pot Low Country Southern Shrimp Boil
Traditionally, a low-country shrimp boil was an hours-long stovetop affair. But now? The Instant Pot brings that backyard boil flavor indoors, cutting down the time without cutting out any of the soul. What used to be an all-day cooking event has transformed into a quick and easy weeknight meal!
Check out this recipe!
Jamaican Instant Pot Oxtail
Authentic Jamaican oxtail is rich, savory, and fall-off-the-bone tender with bold island spices. Traditionally, it takes all day to make this dish. But the Instant Pot delivers the same soulful flavor in half the time, saving you hours in the kitchen!
Check out this recipe!
Soul Food BBQ Ribs
Soul food BBQ ribs are a perfect crowd pleaser and an all-time favorite main dish for potlucks, tailgates, game days, or a Black BBQ cookout menu.
Check out this recipe!
Black Folks Soul Food Hoppin John Recipe
Black folks' Hoppin John is black-eyed peas, collard greens, and rice with Southern soul food flavors. An African American New Year's tradition and comfort food recipe.
Check out this recipe!
Soul Food Lobster Tail Recipe
How to steam soul food lobster tails:Whipping together a Cajun garlic butter sauce & steaming soul food lobster tail in the Instant Pot is as easy as 1 minute! You may find yourself rereading the instructions thinking it can't be that easy!
Check out this recipe!
Soul food Instant Pot side dishes
Instant Pot Mac And Cheese The Soul Food Way
Instant Pot cooking makes mac and cheese quick and easy. Using an Instant Pot for this recipe has transformed a soulful family favorite into a weeknight dinner breeze!
Check out this recipe!
Black Folks Collard Greens Recipe
Collard greens are both nutritious and delicious, especially when prepared in the traditional Black folks' way, seasoned to perfection! They've long been a staple in soul food and Southern cuisine, representing more than just a side dish at family gatherings.
Check out this recipe!
Instant Pot Candied Yams The Soul Food Way
Sweet, buttery, and spiced just right, Instant Pot candied yams deliver all the soul food flavor you love in only a fraction of the time, while still tender, caramelized, and full of soul!
Check out this recipe!
Southern Black Eyed Peas
Soul food Southern black eyed peas are intensely flavored in a thick sauce with smokey & spicy seasonings. Warm, comforting, & flavorful good luck you can eat for prosperity in the New Year!
Check out this recipe!
Black Folks Soul Food Red Beans And Rice
Experience the rich taste of soul food by way of a simple yet flavorful staple dish. Black folks' soul food red beans and rice. A dish that will make your mouth water when you smell the aroma of savory seasonings and spices as the red kidney beans soak in the rich flavors of this dish!
Check out this recipe!
Southern Soul Food Baked Beans Recipe
This recipe is a fresh take on a classic Southern dish with an added twist of soul food seasonings and flavors. After soaking and boiling the dry beans, the diced vegetables lay the groundwork. Then, the combination of brown sugar, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, molasses, barbecue sauce, and soul food seasonings truly transforms the dish!
Check out this recipe!
Black Folks Soul Food Cabbage Recipe
The soul food cabbage difference is all in the legacy, the layers, and the love. Regular fried cabbage is just… cabbage. But Black folks’ cabbage? That’s comfort, culture, and collard greens’ close cousin all wrapped into one well-seasoned, soulful side dish!
Check out this recipe!
Black Folks Creamy Mashed Potatoes Recipe
The secret to my Black folks’ creamy mashed potatoes recipe is cooking them the soul food way—rich, creamy, and seasoned far beyond just butter, salt, and pepper. It’s all about layering flavor with creamy texture.
Check out this recipe!
Black Southern Cinnamon Apples Recipe
Tender, buttery apples simmered in brown sugar and cinnamon, just like Grandma used to make! This Black Southern classic is sweet, spiced, and full of soul. Perfect as a side, dessert, or spooned over warm biscuits or ice cream.
Check out this recipe!
Instant Pot Fresh Cranberry Sauce
Sweet, tart, and spiced just right, my Instant Pot fresh cranberry sauce delivers Southern soulful holiday flavor in minutes! A glossy, ruby-red sauce made easy with warm spices and a vanilla twist.
Check out this recipe!
Black Folks Creamed Corn Pudding Casserole
This Southern creamed corn casserole has a sweet corn flavor with onion and garlic for a rich, savory, soul food taste. Add sour cream for a creamy melt-in-your-mouth pudding and parmesan cheese for the cornbread crust.
Check out this recipe!
Instant Pot Creamed Corn The Soul Food Way
This isn’t your average cream-style corn from a can! I’m sharing my family’s Southern creamed corn recipe made faster in the Instant Pot, but still full of that slow-cooked, buttery flavor you remember from Grandma’s table. It’s sweet, savory, and silky-smooth with a touch of soul.
Check out this recipe!
Instant Pot Green Beans The Soul Food Way
Tender, savory Instant Pot green beans are soul food flavorful… fast! Steeped in Southern tradition, but ready in a fraction of the time. Cooked with chicken stock, onions, and bold seasoning, this recipe captures all the down-home goodness of Grandma’s stovetop pot, but without the long simmer.
Check out this recipe!
Instant Pot Glazed Carrots The Soul Food Way
Savor the sweetness and nutrition of glazed carrots for busy weeknight dinners or as a standout holiday side dish. The ease and efficiency of using the Instant Pot shine through, without compromising the distinctive, soulful, sweet, and savory flavors of this traditional Southern recipe.
Check out this recipe!
Black Folks Soul Food Southern Deviled Eggs
Deviled eggs start as hard-boiled egg yolks mashed. Then they're seasoned to perfection and stuffed into the egg whites for a delicious and flavorful appetizer!
Check out this recipe!
Soul food Instant Pot drinks
Black Folks Southern Sweet Tea
For starters, Southern sweet tea is a delicious blend of refreshingly sweet and tangy flavors. (Mostly sweet flavors when making Southern-style sweet tea the Black folks' way!) But sweet tea is more than just a thirst-quenching beverage. It symbolizes Southern hospitality and good company, enjoyed throughout the deep South.
Check out this recipe!
Juneteenth Red Drink Southern Hibiscus Sweet Tea
What is the official drink of Juneteenth? Southern hibiscus sweet tea. It's a delicious red drink, and hibiscus flowers are native to West Africa. So, hibiscus tea has been part of Black culture since the beginning!
Check out this recipe!
Black Folks Soul Food Homemade Eggnog
Creamy and sweet, Black folks' homemade eggnog has a flavor profile that resembles cinnamon, coconut, and rum. Southern comfort spice eggnog and soul food at its finest!
Check out this recipe!
Instant Pot chicken – the soul food way!
Instant Pot Whole Chicken Recipe – The Southern Way
How to make a whole chicken in the Instant Pot – the Southern way! It's more than just a traditional chicken recipe – flavorful, tender & juicy – it's more of a soul food flavor burst!
Check out this recipe!
Southern Soul Food Cornish Hens
Perfectly seasoned, juicy, and golden brown, these soul food Cornish hens are an elegant twist on Southern comfort. Packed with deep roasted flavor and seasoned with a soulful blend of spices, this easy recipe delivers Sunday dinner perfection in every bite!
Check out this recipe!
Kamala Harris Instant Pot Lemon Chicken
Got a divided country to unite? Then you need Madam VP's recipe to get dinner on the table in a flash!Meal prep for your family Madam VP's sunshine state-inspired dish quick and easy with Instant Pot!
Check out this recipe!
Black Folks Soul Food Chicken Yock Recipe (Yock-A-Mein)
Born from the kitchens of Black communities in Tidewater, Virginia, and New Orleans, Louisiana, soul food chicken yock is a cultural mashup, equal parts savory broth, tender chicken, slippery spaghetti noodles, and that unmistakable kick of seasoning that says, “somebody’s grandma or auntie made this!”
Check out this recipe!
Dessert in your Instant Pot?
Instant Pot Sweet Potato Pie The Soul Food Way
Classic Black folks’ sweet potato pie, now made faster with the Instant Pot! The same soulful flavor and rich, spiced perfection, now with pressure-cooked ease. A favorite among both beginner and seasoned cooks.
Check out this recipe!
Instant Pot Banana Pudding From Scratch
This Instant Pot banana pudding isn’t about rushing tradition. Instead, it’s about reimagining it for the way you like to cook. If you love the soul-soothing taste of homemade pudding but prefer using your Instant Pot over the stovetop, this recipe’s for you!
Check out this recipe!
What are some of your favorite soul food pressure cooker recipes?
Which easy Instant Pot recipes from this list will you try first? Leave your answer in a comment below!
Servings: 6
Calories: 508kcal
Equipment
- Instant Pot electric pressure cooker
- Instant Pot Omni Plus oven
- 10-inch cast iron skillet
Ingredients
Ingredients for the shrimp
- 2 pounds shrimp jumbo, frozen or thawed, peeled and deveined
- ½ cup water
- ¼ teaspoon avocado oil or cooking spray
- 1 tablespoon butter unsalted
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Ingredients for the grits
- 1 cup corn grits white
- 2 ½ cups chicken broth
- ½ cup heavy whipping cream and another ½ a cup on reserve in case it’s needed at the end
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons butter
- ¼ cup mascarpone cheese
- 3 strips crumbled bacon (Optional to garnish the dish at the end)
Ingredients for the creamy shrimp and grits Creole sauce
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon granulated
- ⅓ cup fresh parsley finely chopped
Instructions
Instructions for the shrimp
- Remove the Instant Pot lid and turn on the sauté setting for 5 minutes. (Although you will not use all of this time. I like to have the extra minutes for the time it takes for the sauté to become active.)
- With the lid off the pot, heat the water, avocado oil, and butter in the stainless-steel inner pot for up to 1 minute.
- Add the shrimp, garlic, salt, and pepper.
- Cancel the sauté setting and close the Instant Pot lid.
- Close the Instant Pot lid (make sure the valve is up – in the position for sealing) and pressure cook on high for 1 minute.
- When the cooking time is finished, allow a natural pressure release for at least 2 minutes.
- To open the Instant Pot lid, move the valve to ‘venting’ and manually release any remaining pressure, if applicable.
- Use a colander to drain the liquid from the cooked shrimp and set the shrimp aside to add to the grits later.
- *To prepare shrimp on the stovetop – Heat the butter and oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and sauté the shrimp with the seasoning ingredients for about 4 minutes until they turn pink.
Instructions for the grits
- Open the Instant Pot lid and add the chicken broth, grits, salt, and butter to the stainless-steel inner pot.
- Close the Instant Pot lid (make sure the valve is up – in the position for sealing) and pressure cook on high for 10 minutes.
- When the cooking time is finished, allow a natural pressure release for at least 5 minutes.
- To open the Instant Pot lid, move the valve to ‘venting’ and manually release any remaining pressure, if applicable.
- Pour in the heavy whipping cream.
- Stir the grits to combine the ingredients.
- Add the mascarpone cheese and continue stirring.
- Remove the stainless-steel inner pot with the grits inside so they don’t dry out.
- Cover the Instant Pot stainless steel inner pot with the Instant Pot lid to keep the grits warm while off of the Instant Pot burner.
- *To prepare the grits on the stovetop – In a large saucepan, bring the whipping cream and salt to a boil, then stir in the grits. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cover, stirring occasionally. After 5 minutes, fold in the mascarpone cheese.
Instructions for the Southern shrimp and grits sauce
- (You may need to transfer the grits to the skillet at this point if you only have one Instant Pot because you will need to use the stainless-steel inner pot for the sauce.)
- Add the heavy whipping cream, smoked paprika, chili powder, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, and chicken bouillon to the empty Instant Pot stainless steel inner pot.
- Turn on the sauté setting for 10 minutes. (Although you will not use all of this time. I like to have the extra minutes for the time it takes for the sauté to become active.)
- Allow the sauté to come to a boil and let boil for about 3-5 minutes.
- While the sauce is boiling, keep watch of it and occasionally stir to avoid overcooking and burning.
- Cancel the sauté setting and stir in the parsley.
- Remove the shrimp and grits sauce in the stainless-steel inner pot from the Instant Pot burner.
- *Preparing the sauce on the stovetop – In a medium-sized saucepan, stir together the whipping cream and spices and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 15 minutes.
Instructions for setting up Black folks’ Southern shrimp and grits
- Add the grits to a 10-inch cast-iron skillet.
- Optional: you can mix in 1/4 – 1/2 a cup of heavy whipping cream to loosen the grits if needed.
- Place the cooked shrimp on the grits.
- Then pour the sauce over the shrimp and grits.
- Heat the skillet with the shrimp and grits in the Instant Pot Omni Plus oven on the ‘warm’ setting for 5-7 minutes or 5 minutes in the conventional oven on the ‘warm’ setting or 150 degrees F.
- Remove the skillet from the oven and optionally garnish the finished dish with crumbled bacon.
- Serve this Black folks' Southern shrimp and grits recipe right away, and enjoy!
Video
Notes
- While the sauce is boiling, keep watch of it and occasionally stir to avoid overcooking and burning.
- The brand of grits I like to use and recommend is Bob’s Red Mill white corn grits/polenta.
Nutrition
Calories: 508kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 42g | Saturated Fat: 26g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Cholesterol: 146mg | Sodium: 1023mg | Potassium: 295mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 2949IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 111mg | Iron: 1mg
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The Ultimate Soul Food Recipes Guide
What is soul food? Soul food recipes are African-American recipes full of flavor! A legacy of Southern cooking the Black way. Check out this collection of the best soul food recipes!
Check out this recipe!