7 Common Instant Pot Mistakes (And How to Avoid Them)

The Instant Pot is basically a tiny countertop time machine: toss in ingredients, press a few buttons, andboomdinner. Except sometimes
the “boom” is metaphorical (a Burn warning), sometimes it’s audible (steam hissing because something isn’t sealed), and sometimes it’s
emotional (why is the chicken perfect but the rice… sad?).

If you’ve ever stared at your Instant Pot like it personally betrayed you, welcome. The good news: most Instant Pot mishaps are predictable,
repeatable, and fixable. Below are seven of the most common Instant Pot mistakesand exactly how to avoid themso your pressure cooker can go
back to being the helpful kitchen sidekick you paid for.

Mistake #1: Not Using Enough Thin Liquid (or Using Only Thick Sauce)

An Instant Pot doesn’t create pressure through vibes. It needs steam, and steam needs water-based liquid (broth, water, thin juice, etc.).
When there isn’t enough thin liquid, the pot struggles to come to pressure. Meanwhile, the heating element keeps working, the bottom gets too
hot, and you’re suddenly in a relationship with the Burn message.

How to avoid it

• Start with the minimum liquid for your pot size (and add more when cooking thick mixtures).
• Thin out thick sauces (tomato sauce, curry paste, condensed soups) with broth or water before pressure cooking.
• Use “pot-in-pot” for delicate or thick recipes: put food in a smaller oven-safe dish on a trivet, with water in the main liner to make steam.

Example: The chili that always burns

Chili is famous for triggering burn warnings because it’s thick and often includes tomato paste or crushed tomatoes. Tomatoes and tomato paste
can sit heavily on the bottom and scorch under pressure heat. A simple fix: add thin liquid, and avoid stirring thick tomato products into the
bottom layer before pressure cooking (more on layering in Mistake #3).

Mistake #2: Skipping the Deglaze Step After Sautéing

Sauté mode is wonderful because it lets you brown onions, toast spices, or sear meat right in the pot. The problem? Those tasty browned bits
(aka “fond”) can weld themselves to the stainless-steel bottom. If you pressure cook on top of that stuck-on layer, the pot may read it as
overheating and throw a burn warning as a self-protection move.

How to avoid it

• Deglaze like you mean it: after sautéing, add a splash of water or broth and scrape the bottom with a wooden spoon until it’s smooth.
• Turn off sauté before adding delicate ingredients (like garlic) so they don’t scorch while you’re gathering the rest.
• If you see browned bits, don’t ignore them. Brown is flavor. Black is regret.

Example: “Everything was fine until I sealed the lid”

That’s the classic deglaze problem. Under pressure, you can’t stir or scrape, so any stuck-on bits stay stuckand keep heating.
Deglazing takes 30 seconds and saves your entire dinner.

Mistake #3: Stirring Everything TogetherEspecially Tomato, Dairy, Sugar, or Starch

The Instant Pot heats from the bottom. If the bottom layer is thick (tomato paste), sticky (brown sugar sauces), or starchy (flour, cornstarch,
pasta), it can scorch before the pot fully pressurizes. Many “burn-prone” recipes aren’t bad recipesthey’re just built in a way that makes the
bottom too dense.

How to avoid it

• Layer smart: put thin liquids on the bottom, then meat/veg, then thick sauces on top.
• Don’t stir in tomato paste or thick tomato sauce before pressure cooking. Spoon it on top instead.
• Add dairy and thickeners after pressure cooking using sauté mode (stir in cream, then simmer briefly).
• For pasta: keep noodles mostly on top, use enough liquid, and avoid aggressive stirring that packs starch on the bottom.

Example: Creamy soups that split or scorch

Creamy soups often do better if you pressure cook the base first (broth + vegetables + seasonings), then blend and add cream or cheese after.
This prevents scorching and keeps dairy from curdling under high heat.

Mistake #4: Overfilling the Pot (and Ignoring the “Foamy Foods” Rule)

Instant Pots have max fill lines for a reason: pressure cooking needs headspace. Overfilling can cause foaming foods to clog the pressure valve,
create messy venting, or prevent proper pressure control. Some foods are especially risky because they expand or foam: beans, grains, oatmeal,
pasta, applesauce, and split peas.

How to avoid it

• Stick to the fill lines: generally no more than about two-thirds full for pressure cooking.
• For foamy/expanding foods: keep it closer to half full.
• If you need a double batch, do two runs instead of “testing the laws of physics.”

Example: The oatmeal volcano

Oatmeal expands and can foam. If you overfill and then quick-release, you might redecorate your kitchen with oat steam.
The solution is smaller batches, more headspace, and a gentler release (see Mistake #6).

Mistake #5: Getting Casual About the Sealing Ring, Lid, and Valve

The Instant Pot is brilliant, but it’s not psychic. If the sealing ring isn’t seated properly, the pressure valve isn’t set correctly, or the
lid parts are dirty, the pot may not sealor it may lose steam slowly, which reduces liquid inside and increases the chance of burning.

How to avoid it

• Check the silicone sealing ring every time: it should be snug, fully in its track, and not twisted.
• Set the steam release to the correct position (Sealing for pressure cooking, Venting for steam/saute situations).
• Keep the anti-block shield and valve area clean so steam can move properly.
• Manage odors: silicone absorbs smells; air-dry the ring and lid, and consider separate rings for savory vs. sweet.

Example: “Why does my cheesecake taste like yesterday’s chili?”

Usually it doesn’tbut your nose might insist it does. Silicone rings can hold onto strong aromas. A vinegar soak, thorough washing, and letting
it air out can help. Many people keep two rings: one for savory meals, one for desserts, so nobody has to experience “barbecue flan.”

Mistake #6: Using the Wrong Pressure Release Method (Quick vs. Natural)

The pressure release method is not a personality quiz. It’s a cooking technique. Some foods do best with quick release (typically tender veggies
or foods that overcook easily). Others need natural release (soups, stews, beans, grains, and anything foamy) to prevent sputtering and to keep
liquid from violently bubbling up through the valve.

How to avoid it

• Follow the recipe’s release instructions unless you understand what you’re changing.
• Use natural release for foamy foods (beans, oatmeal, soups) or do a “partial natural release” (wait 10 minutes, then quick-release the rest).
• Protect your hands and counters: keep your face away from the valve and use a utensil if you’re switching to Venting.

Example: Soup spraying from the valve

If you quick-release a very full pot of soup, the boiling can surge upward and spit liquid. Natural release helps calm the boil. If you must
quick-release, wait a few minutes first so the bubbling isn’t so aggressive.

Mistake #7: Expecting “5 Minutes” to Mean Dinner in 5 Minutes

Instant Pot recipes often list “cook time” (the time under pressure), but that’s only part of the story. You also need time to:
(1) sauté (optional), (2) come to pressure (often 8–20 minutes depending on volume and temperature), and (3) release pressure (quick is fast;
natural can take 10–30 minutes). If you plan like the cook time is the whole time, your schedule will feel personally attacked.

How to avoid it

• Budget extra time: add at least 15–30 minutes beyond pressure cook time for most meals.
• Don’t constantly open the lid between steps (it resets heat momentum and slows things down).
• Use the right cut size: big chunks take longer; tiny pieces can turn to mush. Aim for even sizes so cooking is predictable.
• Know when “Keep Warm” helps (holding soups) and when it hurts (overcooking delicate pasta).

Example: “My chicken was dry and my carrots were baby food”

That usually comes from uneven sizes or a mismatch between cook time and release method. Try larger vegetable pieces, reduce cook time, or switch
to quick release for veggies while using natural release for meats when the recipe calls for it.

Real-World Instant Pot Experiences You’ll Probably Recognize (and How They Usually End)

To make all of this feel less like a textbook and more like real life, here are some extremely common Instant Pot momentspulled from the
collective experience of home cooks everywhere. If any of these feel familiar, congratulations: you’re normal, not cursed.

1) The “Burn” warning during a recipe you’ve made before

This often happens when one small variable changes: you used a thicker salsa, added extra tomato paste, swapped fresh onions for frozen, or
doubled the spices and accidentally created a thicker base. The fix is usually boring (and therefore effective): add a little more broth, scrape
the bottom thoroughly after sautéing, and keep thick ingredients from sitting on the bottom layer. It’s not that your Instant Pot woke up and
chose violenceit’s that viscosity won.

2) The mysteriously “wet” rice

Many people expect pressure-cooked rice to behave like stovetop rice, but pressure cooking is different: it builds heat and pressure fast, and
the pot stays sealed unless you vent. If rice turns out wet, it may need a short natural release (to let moisture redistribute), or you may have
added extra liquid that didn’t evaporate the way it would on the stove. The good news is rice forgives you: fluff it, let it sit on Keep Warm
for a few minutes with the lid ajar, and it often tightens up.

3) The sealing ring that smells like “last week”

Silicone is great at sealing and not great at pretending it never met garlic. A lingering smell is common and usually harmless. The practical
pattern many cooks land on: wash the ring, air-dry it completely, and store the lid upside down so the ring can breathe. If you make strongly
aromatic dishes often, a second ring dedicated to desserts can save you from the psychological discomfort of “cinnamon rolls, with notes of curry.”

4) The steam leak that looks like your pot is sighing dramatically

A little steam during the early heating phase can be normal as the pot builds pressure, but a steady leak often means the ring isn’t seated or
the valve isn’t in the right position. This is where a quick “lid check routine” pays off: ring seated, valve set, anti-block shield clean.
Once you get used to it, it takes about five secondsless time than you spent reading this sentence.

5) The foamy quick-release mess

If a pot is full of soup, beans, or grains and you quick-release immediately, the liquid can boil aggressively and foam up. Some people learn
this lesson exactly once. A gentler approach is a timed natural release (like 10 minutes), then vent the rest. It’s the culinary version of
“let’s all calm down and talk about it.”

6) The “Why is it taking forever to start?” panic

This is the Instant Pot rite of passage: you set 6 minutes and it says “On” for what feels like a full presidential term. Coming to pressure
can take a while, especially with large volumes or cold ingredients. Once you plan for that hidden time, the machine stops feeling slow and
starts feeling… honest. (Which is a lot to ask of an appliance, but here we are.)

7) The accidental Delay Start

It’s surprisingly easy to hit the wrong button and set a delayed start instead of cooking immediatelyespecially if you’re multitasking, hungry,
and deeply confident. If nothing seems to be happening, check whether a delay timer is running. It’s not plotting against you. It’s just doing
exactly what you (accidentally) told it to do.

The bigger takeaway from all these experiences is simple: Instant Pots reward consistency. A quick pre-flight checklistdeglaze, liquid, layer,
seal, fill line, release methodsolves the majority of problems before they start. And once those habits click, the Instant Pot becomes what it
was meant to be: a reliable dinner machine that makes you feel like you have your life together, even if the laundry is auditioning to become a
mountain range.

Conclusion

Instant Pot mistakes are usually not catastrophicthey’re just small misunderstandings about how pressure cooking works. Use enough thin liquid,
deglaze after sautéing, layer thick ingredients on top, respect the fill lines, keep your sealing parts clean and properly set, choose the right
release method, and plan for the real total cook time. Do that, and you’ll spend less time troubleshooting and more time enjoying the reason you
bought the Instant Pot in the first place: dinner that shows up with minimal drama.

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