It is not as straightforward as you would think to use your Instant Pot as a Slow Cooker. However, with these tips, you CAN use your Instant Pot for slow cooking.
Many people purchased an Instant Pot to make their lives easier and to cut down on appliances. While the Instant Pot does a wonderful job making Instant Pot Rice, replacing the need for a rice cooker, and is superb at making yogurt, replacing the need for a yogurt incubator, an Instant Pot DOES NOT make a great replacement for a Crockpot.
While the slow cook function on a pressure cooker is not a useless Instant Pot Setting, like Porridge or Beans, it requires modifications.
Important to Remember When Using an Instant Pot as a Slow Cooker
- You must still have thin liquid in the inner pot. For the Instant Pot to reach and maintain a consistent temperature, it is crucial to have at least 1 cup of thin liquid in the inner pot. The slow cooker function will not work without the addition of thin liquid (water, broth, juice, etc).
- Layer correctly. Just like pressure cooking, be sure the thin liquid is on the bottom of the inner pot. If you have a thick sauce, such as BBQ sauce or tomato sauce, your pressure cooker will struggle to reach and maintain temperature.
- You have to modify the setting and time. The heat settings of low, normal, and high do not equally equate to the keep warm, low, and high settings on a slow cooker. Use my guide for converting recipes below.
- It shouldn't take more than 15-20 minutes to heat up. If after 20 minutes your Instant Pot is still heating, rather than counting down the cooking time, it is likely struggling to reach temperature. To override this, you can take the lid off your pressure cooker, press saute, and saute for 2-4 minutes. Hit cancel, and then reset the cooking time using the slow cook function.
- No pressure will be reached. When using the slow cook function on your pressure cooker, pressure will not be reached. Therefore, you don't need to worry about locking your lid or vent knob into place and you can remove the lid to check on your dish as desired. If you would like, you can use a glass lid, which will allow some of the liquid to evaporate, as a traditional slow cooker lid does.
Instant Pot Slow Cook Temperatures Explained
The Slow Cook Function on the Instant Pot can be adjusted to Low, Normal, or High Temperature.
- Low on the Instant Pot Slow Cooker Function is like the keep warm on a traditional slow cooker. The low setting reaches about 170 degrees F.
- Normal on the Instant Pot Slow Cooker Function is equivalent to low heat on a traditional slow cooker. Normal reaches 200 degrees F.
- High on the Instant Pot Function does not get as high as high heat on a slow cooker, but by adding 15 minutes per hour of slow cooking, you can experience similar results. High reaches about 210 degrees F, which is 10-20 degrees less than a slow cooker on high.
How to Use the Slow Cook Setting on the Instant Pot
Below this explanation, you will find a printable chart you can keep on hand to help you quickly remember how to slow cook your favorite slow cooker recipes using the Instant Pot.
- To turn on the slow cook function, hit the slow cook button on your pressure cooker.
- Hit adjust/pressure or toggle your knob to select between low, normal and high temperature.
- Use the knob or +/- buttons to adjust the cooking time, which should be able to be set in 30 minute increments. Remember to add 15 minutes of cooking time per hour if cooking on High.
- Once the cooking time is set, the Instant Pot will heat and once fully heated, the cooking time will begin.
- After the cooking time elapses, most models will default to keep warm (be sure it is selected by hitting the keep warm button if not lit up.)
Click on Picture to access the DOWNLOAD and print.
Should I Get Rid of My Slow Cooker?
NO! If you have space for both a traditional slow cooker and an Instant Pot, I would highly recommend keeping both, as both serve their purpose. A slow cooker will produce more consistent results for crockpot recipes and you don't need to worry about adding thin liquid.
However, if you only have space for one appliance, I would still recommend purchasing the Instant Pot and with this guide, you CAN slow cook using your Instant Pot.
Slow Cooker Recipes to Instant Pot Recipes
While this post was designed to teach you how to use your pressure cooker as a slow cooker, the whole purpose of the Instant Pot is to SPEED up cooking.
Here are some of my favorite Slow Cooker Recipes that I have used as inspiration to create Instant Pot versions.
- Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas to Instant Pot Pork Tacos
- Slow Cooker Steak Fajitas to Instant Pot Steak Fajitas
- Slow Cooker Baked Ziti to Instant Pot Creamy Pasta
- Slow Cooker Pulled Pork to Instant Pot Pulled Pork
If you still have questions, please leave them in the comments and I will do my best to answer!
Wendy Paterson
I have made spaghetti sauce and want to reheat it in the instant pot. I think I can use slow cooker on the lowest heat. When the lid is on do I seal or vent it. Hopefully I can do it this way.
Kristen Chidsey
Yes, you can reheat using the slow cooker function. You can leave the vent open, as it does no pressure is being reached.
MFord
Thank you for this info. Now to go make some soup
Kristen Chidsey
Enjoy so much!
Natalie
I’m trying to cook hot sausage peppers and onions in red sauce but everytime I click slow cook and enter the time, the “element is heating” icon turns on and off... is this normal?
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Natalie. Can I ask what model you have so I can better help troubleshoot? You should be able to hit slow cook and enter time and then it will begin counting the time.
Trudy Lewis
I want to slow cook beef vegetable soup in the instapot I already sautéed the meat. It’s on high, but do I leave the vent open?
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Trudy. It will not make a difference in which way your vent knob is pointing. Enjoy!
Trisha
Thanks Kristen for the helpful information. I love your site! It’s one of my favorites for recipes.
When using my Instant Pot as a slow cooker, I have found that using one of my normal pot lids (instead of the instant pot cover) more closely matches the conditions of an actual slow cooker. Since a slow cooker isn’t airtight, it allows for some evaporation during cooking, which the the Instant Pot cover does not.
Kristen Chidsey
Thanks so much Trisha! And great tip--thank you for sharing.
Novice cooker
Hi Trisha, We had a regular pot lid (not tempered glass with vent) that fits on the 6qt instant pot. Is this the same as the lid that you used?
Do you think it worth it to buy the "Instant Pot tempered glass lid" or just use the metal lid we have now?
How did your slow cook turn out?
Thanks.
Ann Calhoun
Using as Slow Cooker for Boston Butt, 8 lbs. can I press Slow Cooker and High and it will Cook for 4-6 hours? Is that correct?
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Ann, I would need to see the regular directions for the cook time on high, that sound like too short of a time frame for a pork butt that weighs 8 pouds.
Debbie Malloy
Thank you so much for this info. I bought my Instant Pot a few years ago after my husband broke my slow cooker. Then when I read everyone who was saying DON'T use it as a slow cooker, I was heartbroken. Though I have come to love using a pressure cooker, it is nice to know that I can use the slow cook function as well. Knowledge is Power!
Kristen Chidsey
I am sorry you were disappointed at first but so glad you have fallen in love with your instant pot now.
rick
I want to cook dried white hominy in the instant pot. The recipe calls for 4 to 5 hours in a slow cooker that is set on low. What would be the equivalent using the instant pot slow cooker setting? My instant pot only allows 20.00 minutes.
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Rick! This would translate to cooking on normal for 4 to 5 hours. And 20:00 is actually 20 hours not minutes, so you should be able to set for 4:00 and that would be 4 hours.
Lizet
I just bought an instant pot and im planning on cooking a 8 lb beef brisket. Ive made it in a crockpot before and it cooked for about 12 hrs
Would the cooking time be around the same if cooked in slow cooker mode at normal setting?
Kristen Chidsey
If you cooked on low heat in your slow cooker, you would cook for 12 hours on normal in slow cooker mode. Enjoy!
Avril
Thanks so much for this. I'm trying out the slow cook function for the first time today. My question is what do we do with the venting knob during slow cooking? Sealed or vent?
Thanks.
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Avril. Because no pressure is released, there is no need to worry about the position of your vent knob.
Olivia
Hello! Would the times change if I used frozen chicken breast? If so how long?
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Olivia. Here is my recipe for Frozen Chicken Breasts in the Instant Pot. I would follow that instead of trying to cook frozen meat using the slow cooker function as that can cause bacteria to grow.
Hilary
I have two boneless turkey breasts, each approximatley 2 lbs.
Can I cook them together in my instant pot?
if so, how long and on a trivet or not?
Thank you!
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Hilary! Here is my recipe for Instant Pot Turkey Breast. You will want to cook for 6 minutes per pound, so just for 12 minutes (use the weight of largest turkey breast). Enjoy!
Phyllis
Thank you. I appreciate this information.
Maggie
Will the slow cooker automatically switch over to “keep warm” once the time has finished?
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Maggie, it actually does not do this sorry!
Carrie Alborn
Maggie mine does. It may depend on model or settings.
Kristen Chidsey
Good to know Carrie! Thanks for sharing!
Sharon
I’m new to the slow cook / pressure cook world. I have the Instant Pot Duo Crisp + Air Fryer. In slow cook setting there are only 2 temps - Lo and High. I’m making a recipe that calls for 8 hrs in a slow cooker. I don’t have the option to change temp to normal. How long do you recommend I cook this brisket on low vs high? Thanks!
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Sharon! I just read over the manual of the latest Duo Crisp model and it appears they have adjusted the temperatures to be more in line with a traditional slow cooker. I would follow the traditional recipe and then PLEASE let us know how that works out. I would be happy to help adjust timing if needed and update this post to reflect that.
LaJuana
Also you should never use your pressure cooker lid when you are slow cooking. You can use any pot lid or a plate that fits over the Insta pot liner but I ordered a slow cooker lid for my Insta pot and it works perfect as a slow cooker.
Kristen Chidsey
Most people do not have an issue using the lid the Instant Pot comes with. No pressure is reached so the lid will not seal, but a clear lid is a great thing to have for using the slow cooker function and for making yogurt.
kathy
Thanks for the help using slow cooker on instant first time was wondering though can I use the slow cooker liners in my instant pot?
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Kathy! I personally have not tried this, but a reader did share they used a Reynolds liner on slow cooker function with success. I would be VERY cautious though.
Terry Fisher
HI Kristen,
I appreciate your conversion table. I have used a slow cooker for many years, and have a new instant pot. I have not used the instant pot yet and am reading about how to use it and watching videos..
I do want to use it as a slow cooker often, I work all day and like having dinner ready for my family when I get home.
Thank you.
Terry
Kristen Chidsey
I am so happy this chart may help make your life easier Terry!
Martha gearing
My slow cooker is a year old. I am not able to adjust the temperature. once I push slow cookerbutton all the control does is increase the time. I was going to use it to heat up some soup. So I put it on saute but that doesn't work it gets too hot. Any advice would be appreciated
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Martha! What model Instant Pot do you have? You should be able to hit a slow cooker and then adjust to adjust the temperature.
Christina
I also have a brand new one I got a few days ago. If you press the slow cook button repeatedly it goes from normal low and more. Not sure if more means high. Just put chicken thighs in 4 hours on more. Let see what happens. Also have pressure cook lid on.
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Christina. More is most like high, but you will need to add 15 minutes per hour from the original recipe. Hope that helps clarify.
Mary Wilmot
Same with mine! Maybe it’s an older model thing! I think mine is two years old or so.
Kristen Chidsey
Which model is it?