14 Pressure Cooker Recipes: A Handy Collection

I received a new electric pressure cooker at the tail end of summer, and frankly, I haven’t stopped using it since. It has completely transformed my kitchen routine, giving me a warm, delicious, and incredibly effortless autumn. From crystal-clear soups and tender braised meats to silky steamed eggs and even sous-vide chicken, this machine does it all.

If you have an Instant Pot or any multi-function electric pressure cooker, you might feel intimidated by the buttons. Don’t be! Below is a collection of 14 essential recipes that I’ve tested and loved. They are perfect for when you want the depth of flavor found in dishes like Braised Beef Noodle Soup or Char Siu without standing over the stove for hours.

A Note on Equipment:

I use a “Shihe” pressure cooker, but these recipes are universal.

• “Soup Mode” ≈ High Pressure (30-40 mins)
• “Open Lid Cooking” ≈ Sauté Mode (essential for thickening sauces)
• “Waterless/Anhydrous” ≈ Low liquid pressure cooking

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Part 1: Nourishing Soups (The “Dump & Go” Classics)

The secret to clear Chinese soups? Always blanch your meat first to remove impurities, just like we do for Cantonese Wonton Soup.

1. Carrot & Corn Pork Rib Soup

A naturally sweet and savory soup that is a staple in Cantonese households. If you love my Corn and Pork Rib Soup, this is the pressure cooker shortcut.

Ingredients:

• Pork ribs (cut into chunks)
• 1 Corn cob, cut into segments
• 1 Carrot, peeled and cut into large chunks
• Aromatics: 2 slices ginger, 2 bay leaves
• Water (do not exceed max fill line)

Instructions:

1. Blanch: Place ribs in a pot of cold water with a slice of ginger and a pinch of Sichuan peppercorns (optional). Bring to a boil, skim off the foam, and transfer ribs to the pressure cooker.
2. Combine: Add corn, carrots, bay leaves, ginger, and water.
3. Cook: Select Soup Mode (High Pressure, approx. 40 minutes).
4. Finish: Release pressure naturally. Season with salt to taste before serving.

2. White Radish & Kelp Rib Soup

White radish (daikon) becomes incredibly sweet when pressure cooked. This has a similar comforting vibe to Bitter Melon Pork Rib Soup, but much sweeter.

Ingredients:

• Pork ribs (blanched as above)
• White radish (Daikon), peeled and cut into large chunks
• Kelp knots (seaweed)
• 2 slices Ginger

Instructions:

1. Cook Ribs & Radish: Add blanched ribs, radish chunks, ginger, and water to the pot. Select Soup Mode.
2. Add Kelp Later: If your cooker has an “Add Ingredient” function, set it to pause 10 minutes before the end. Quick-release the pressure, open the lid, add the kelp knots (similar to how we use seaweed in Seaweed Egg Drop Soup), and reseal to finish cooking.
3. Season: Season with salt after cooking.

3. Tea Tree Mushroom & Fish Maw Chicken Soup

A luxurious, medicinal-style soup. If you enjoy the earthy flavors of Mushroom Chicken Clay Pot Rice, you will love this soup.

Ingredients:

• Chicken chunks (blanched)
• Dried Tea Tree Mushrooms (soaked until soft, washed)
• Fish Maw (fully rehydrated/soaked)
• Herbs: Solomon’s Seal (Yuzhu), Chinese Yam (Huai Shan), Ginger slices

Instructions:

1. Combine: Place blanched chicken, mushrooms, fish maw, and herbs into the pot. Add water.
2. Cook: Select Soup Mode (High Pressure, 40 minutes).
3. Season: Add salt to taste after opening the lid.

4. Eyebrow Bean & Peanut Chicken Soup

A rich, nutty soup featuring “Mei Dou” (black-eyed peas/eyebrow beans).

Ingredients:

• Chicken chunks (blanched)
• Dried Shiitake mushrooms (soaked)
• Peanuts (raw)
• Eyebrow beans & Job’s tears (soaked overnight)
• 1 Honey date (dried candied date)
• Chinese Yam & Ginger

Instructions:

1. Combine: Add all ingredients to the pot with water.
2. Cook: Select Soup Mode.
3. Season: Add salt to taste.

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Part 2: Rich Braises & Stews (The “Rice Killers”)

Pro Tip: Pressure cooking releases liquid but doesn’t evaporate it. For sticky, rich sauces like you see in Red Wine Braised Beef, always use the “Sauté” or “Open Lid Boil” function at the end to reduce the sauce.

5. Braised Pig Trotters with Soybeans (Beer Edition)

Sticky, collagen-rich trotters braised in beer for depth of flavor. This is a faster version of my stovetop Braised Pork Trotters.

Ingredients:

• 2 Pig trotters (chopped), blanched
• 50g Dried Soybeans (soaked overnight)
• Aromatics: 2 bay leaves, 1 star anise, ginger slices, scallion segments, small handful of rock sugar
• Seasoning: 2 tbsp Light Soy Sauce, 2 tbsp Dark Soy Sauce, ½ tsp Salt
• Liquid: 1 can of Beer (enough to cover ingredients)

Instructions:

1. Load: Place blanched trotters, soaked beans, aromatics, sugar, and seasonings into the pot. Pour in the beer.
2. Cook: Select Meat/Tendon Mode (High Pressure, 35 mins / 70kpa).
3. Reduce: Once finished and pressure is released, open the lid. Select Sauté/Open Lid Boil. Let it bubble while turning the meat until the sauce is thick.

6. Beef Brisket Stew with Potato & Carrot

A hearty classic very similar to Braised Beef Brisket with Potatoes. Adding the veggies halfway ensures they don’t turn into mush.

Ingredients:

• 500g Beef Brisket (blanched with ginger & Shaoxing Wine)
• 1 Potato & 1 Carrot (peeled and chopped)
• Aromatics: Ginger, star anise, bay leaf, scallions
• Sauce: 1 tbsp Shaoxing Wine, 2 tbsp Light Soy Sauce, 1 tbsp Dark Soy Sauce, Rock sugar
• Water (to cover beef)

Instructions:

1. Cook Beef First: Add beef, aromatics, and sauces to the pot with water. Do not add potatoes/carrots yet. Select Beef/Mutton Mode (High Pressure, 35 mins).
2. Add Veggies: Stop the cooker 15 minutes early. Quick-release pressure, add potatoes and carrots, taste for salt, and cook for another 15 minutes under pressure. (If you love curry, check out my Curry Beef Brisket for a variation).
3. Reduce: Open lid and use Sauté Mode to thicken the gravy.

7. Classic Braised Pork Belly (Hong Shao Rou)

Melt-in-your-mouth pork belly without the hours of stovetop watching. This is the pressure cooker adaptation of my famous Braised Pork Belly.

Ingredients:

• 500g Pork Belly (cubed and blanched)
• Aromatics: 1 small cinnamon stick, 1 bay leaf, 1 star anise, ginger, rock sugar
• Sauce: 2 tbsp Shaoxing Wine, 2 tbsp Light Soy Sauce, 2 tbsp Dark Soy Sauce
• Water (to cover meat)
• Garnish: White sesame seeds

Instructions:

1. Cook: Add all ingredients to the pot. Select Pork/Meat Mode (High Pressure, 20 mins).
2. Glaze: This step is crucial. Open the lid and switch to Sauté Mode. Boil and stir continuously until the liquid turns into a shiny, sticky glaze coating the pork.

8. Braised Chicken with Shiitake & Chestnuts

A fall favorite. If you like Potato Braised Chicken, you will enjoy the sweetness the chestnuts bring to this dish.

Ingredients:

• 500g Chicken chunks (blanched)
• Dried Shiitake mushrooms (soaked, keep the soaking water!)
• 200g Chestnuts (peeled)
• Seasoning: Ginger, 1 star anise, rock sugar, 2 tbsp Light Soy Sauce, 1 tbsp Dark Soy Sauce, ½ tsp Salt

Instructions:

1. Prep: Pan-fry the chestnuts briefly in oil first; this helps them keep their shape.
2. Cook: Add chicken, chestnuts, mushrooms, and spices. Pour in the reserved mushroom soaking water (filtered) to just cover the chicken. Select Chicken/Duck Mode (High Pressure, 15 mins).
3. Reduce: Open lid and sauté to thicken the sauce.

9. Spicy Beer Duck

Duck can be tough, but the pressure cooker makes it tender in minutes. This has the spicy kick of Chongqing Spicy Chicken.

Ingredients:

• 500g Duck (chopped and blanched)
• Aromatics: 2 cloves garlic, scallions, ginger, 2 fresh chilies, pinch of Sichuan peppercorns, 1 star anise, cinnamon stick
• Sauce: Rock sugar, 2 tbsp Light Soy Sauce, 1 tbsp Dark Soy Sauce, ½ tsp Salt
• Liquid: 1 can of Beer

Instructions:

1. Cook: Combine all ingredients and beer in the pot. Select Chicken/Duck Mode (High Pressure, 20-30 mins).
2. Reduce: Open lid and sauté to reduce the sauce until rich and flavorful.

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Part 3: Waterless & Steamed Delicacies

10. Scallion Oil Chicken (Waterless Method)

This “Wu Shui Ju” (Waterless Braise) uses the moisture from onions to steam the chicken, resulting in intense flavor similar to Cantonese Soy Sauce Chicken.

Ingredients:

• 1 Small Chicken (Young chicken/Cornish Hen, approx. 750g)
• Marinade: 1 tbsp Light Soy Sauce, 1 tbsp Dark Soy Sauce, 1 tbsp Oyster Sauce
• Base: LOTS of ginger slices, garlic cloves, and scallion segments

Instructions:

1. Marinate: Rub the chicken with the marinade and refrigerate overnight (or at least 2 hours).
2. Layer: Completely cover the bottom of the pressure cooker pot with the ginger, garlic, and scallions. This prevents burning and adds aroma.
3. Cook: Place the chicken on top of the aromatics. Select Waterless/Anhydrous Mode (or Low Pressure) for 40 minutes.
4. Serve: The chicken will be fall-off-the-bone tender, similar to Hand Shredded Chicken.

11. Silky Steamed Eggs (The Perfect Ratio)

Making glass-smooth egg custard is easy if you follow these specific rules. It pairs beautifully with Stir-Fried Shrimp and Eggs with Lily Bulb.

Ingredients:

• 2 Eggs
• 150ml Boiled Water (Cooled down to room temp)
• Pinch of salt
• Garnish: Scallions, Soy Sauce, Sesame Oil

Instructions:

1. Mix: Whisk eggs, water, and salt. Critical: Use water that was boiled and cooled to prevent air bubbles. The ratio should be roughly 1 part egg to 1.5 parts water.
2. Strain: Pour mixture through a sieve into a heat-proof bowl. Skim off any surface foam.
3. Cover: Cover bowl tightly with plastic wrap and poke a few small holes in it.
4. Steam: Add water to the pressure cooker (steaming level). Place bowl on a trivet. Select Steam Mode for 5 minutes.

12. Steamed Egg with Pork & Preserved Veggie (Zha Cai)

A savory twist. If you like Steamed Egg with Minced Pork, try this version with preserved mustard tuber.

Ingredients:

• Minced pork (marinated with a little Shaoxing Wine and salt)
• Zha Cai (Sichuan preserved mustard tuber), chopped
• 1 Egg

Instructions:

1. Prep: Mix pork with Zha Cai. Spread the meat patty at the bottom of a heat-proof bowl. Use a spoon to make a small indentation in the center and crack the egg into it.
2. Steam: Place on a trivet in the cooker with water below. Select Steam Mode for 10 minutes.

13. Steamed Pumpkin with Lily Bulb & Red Dates

A sweet, healthy dessert or side dish. If you have leftover pumpkin, you can also try my Baked Pumpkin Soufflé or Pumpkin Chestnut Pound Cake.

Ingredients:

• Kabocha squash (Beibei pumpkin), cubed
• Fresh Lily Bulb petals
• Red dates (Jujubes)
• Rock sugar
• 1-2 tbsp Water

Instructions:

1. Assemble: Place all ingredients in a bowl. Sprinkle 1-2 spoons of water over the top.
2. Steam: Place on a trivet in the cooker. Select Steam Mode for 15 minutes.

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Part 4: Modern Function (Sous Vide)

14. Sous Vide Chicken Breast

If your pressure cooker has a “Low Temp” or “Sous Vide” function, you can make the juiciest chicken of your life. This is great for meal prep or making Bang Bang Chicken.

Ingredients:

• Chicken Breast
• Marinade: Salt & Black Pepper (or Garlic Chili Sauce)

Instructions:

1. Marinate: Rub chicken with spices and refrigerate overnight.
2. Seal: Place chicken in a sous-vide bag or Ziploc bag, using the water displacement method to remove all air.
3. Cook: Fill pot with water. Select Sous Vide / Low Temp Mode. Set to 70°C (158°F) for 1 hour.
4. Finish: The chicken is ready to eat! You can slice it up for Black Pepper Chicken Rice Bowls or sear it quickly for color.

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Summary for Beginners

If you are new to electric pressure cooking, just remember these three rules for Chinese food:

1. Blanch meats first for cleaner flavor.
2. Sauté at the end (Lid Open) to thicken your sauces; pressure cookers do not reduce liquid during the cooking cycle.
3. Use the trivet for steaming to separate your food from the boiling water.

Happy Cooking!