9 foods to avoid cooking in your Instant Pot, according to a pro chef

If you've finally treated yourself to an Instant Pot, you're probably itching to use it as much as possible — especially if you're looking to cut down on the time you spend in the kitchen. We can't blame you: Instant Pots are super convenient, with loads of functions for turning out soups, meats, rice, slow-cooked dinners and more. But while it might seem like you can throw anything into one of these magical pots, some foods just don't belong.

I spoke with Christopher Tanner, chef and executive director of the American Culinary Federation, to find out what you should avoid cooking in your Instant Pot. And don't worry: The list isn't long. You'll start making delicious meals in no time — just pay attention if you plan to cook these foods. And while you're here, check out our list of the year's best multicookers (yes, the Instant Pot made the list, multiple times).

Foods you shouldn't put in your Instant Pot

Tanner says that while you can technically put nearly any food in your Instant Pot, some simply will do better on the stove.

Milk

There are a couple of dairy products that don't do so well when they're cooked in an Instant Pot, and milk is chief among them. Tanner says you should avoid putting milk into the device unless it's ultra-homogenized because it will separate — which is as gross as it sounds.

Hard cheeses

Hold off on adding hard cheese to your Instant Pot meals too, he says, because these can also separate once they come to a boil. Instead, use dry cheese like parmesan. If your recipe does call for a hard cheese, Tanner says to add 8 ounces of Velveeta to the mix to prevent separation. You can also wait to add the cheese after the meal has already cooked.

Certain kinds of pasta

They say a watched pot never boils, but an Instant Pot may have the opposite problem. "Pasta can quickly get mushy in an Instant Pot," Tanner says. Why is that? For one thing, the pressure-release knob makes it harder to check on it. You either have to throw on some oven mitts to avoid getting burned by the steam or let the machine naturally release it. Either way, you could be left with overcooked noodles.

This rule doesn't necessarily apply to all pasta, though — avoid fresh pasta and any long pasta like spaghetti or capellini because it cooks super fast. But something like bowtie pasta usually comes out great, Tanner says.

If you don't have time to keep an eye on the stove as your pasta boils the traditional way, try using a no-boil-over cover on your pots. They're an easy way to save yourself from a potential mess.

Green vegetables

If you're like me, you want your green veggies like broccoli, zucchini and Brussels sprouts super tender. But if you add them to an Instant Pot, they can turn gray and mushy, Tanner says. If you do decide to cook them in the Instant Pot, pay attention to the amount of time they're in there. Tanner says zucchini should be in there for around 10 minutes max — the same goes for broccoli, while Brussels sprouts need only a few minutes. Still, consider using the oven to avoid a gray mess.

Fried foods

Your Instant Pot isn't a deep fryer, so making fried foods is out of the question. Tanner says not to try this one at all, because most deep-fried recipes require too much oil, and the last thing you want to do is add a ton of oil into your Instant Pot. We'll explain why below, but it's for your safety.

Now, if it's fried chicken you're craving, you can use a multicooker to tenderize the chicken and allow it to absorb all the flavors before you fry it in a skillet. About 10-15 minutes should suffice so the chicken doesn't over-cook before you take it to the next phase.

Lean proteins

Leaner cuts of meat like chicken breasts and beef tenderloin can come out of an Instant Pot too dry. If you want to stick with leaner meats, Tanner recommends going for larger chicken breasts and making sure there's a lot of sauce for them to stew in to help lock in and preserve their juices.

Shrimp and fish

It doesn't take long for shrimp or fish to cook. For the most part, an Instant Pot is a bad move for seafood and can leave you with a rubbery, mushy mess. "There's no reason to put [fish] in there unless it's the only cooking device you have," Tanner says. If that’s the case, try 5-10 minutes max, he recommends — otherwise fish can even disintegrate if left in for too long.

The best practice is to cook your seafood pretty much anywhere else, like in an air fryer or, my personal favorite, on a grill.

Recipes that call for more than ¼ cup of oil or fat

Instant Pot says to avoid recipes that call for more than ¼ cup of oil or fat — this includes oil, oil-based sauces, condensed cream-based soups and thick sauces — as it could result in a scalding or scorching injury, or even property damage. That's a nope for me. Stick to the stovetop for any creamy or oil-based recipes.

If the recipe includes these ingredients, feel free to experiment. Tanner advises, however, that you follow the recipe exactly as it's written and be extra vigilant about checking comments for potential issues. A recipe may sound great, but the comments will alert you to any potential problems.

Foods that you want to can

This one's especially for your safety: Instant Pot temperatures fluctuate too much to properly seal canned foods. Since improper canning can leave you at risk of botulism or other foodborne illnesses, this isn't something you'll want to experiment with.

It's best to stick to pressure canners designed for this exact job. They're one of only two USDA-approved methods for canning foods — the other, of course, is using boiling water.