Celebrity chef Geoffrey Zakarian's Instant Pot recipes from queso dip to meatballs
To round out the "GMA" Instant Pot Challenge, we wanted recipes to feed a crowd and one of our favorite chefs came through in a big way.
Chef and partner of Point Royal and The Lambs Club Geoffrey Zakarian, joined "GMA" for a pot-luck party and shared a few easy recipes below.
From hot melty queso dip and chili to meatballs and simple tomato sauce, these classic recipes are made even simpler with an Instant Pot.
Simple Instant Pot Queso Dip
Ingredients:
16 ounces shredded cheddar cheese
16 ounces cream cheese cubed
2 cups chopped tomatoes
2 tablespoons chopped jalapenos
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4 cup whole milk
1/2 cup chopped cilantro (to finish)
Directions:
Place all the ingredients (except cilantro) into the simple pot.
Cook on high pressure for five minutes.
Whisk until smooth.
Transfer to a bowl and garnish with cilantro.
Turkey Chili
Zakarian sears his turkey meat on sautee mode first, then adds all the other ingredients to cook all together.
Ingredients:
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 pounds ground turkey, light and dark meat
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
2 large onions (about 3 cups)
6 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 bunches scallions (white and green parts), chopped(about 2 cups)
2 tablespoons tomato paste
4 tablespoons chili powder
1 12-ounce bottle dark beer, such as Dos Equis
2-28 oz cans fire roasted tomatoes with juice, crushed by hand
1-15.5 ounce can small white beans, drained and rinsed
2 cups chicken stock
2 Tablespoons green Tabasco
1 cup full fat yogurt
1 ripe avocado, crushed until smooth
Directions:
Turn the instant Pot to Sauté, then add oil. When the oil is hot, add the turkey. Cook and stir occasionally until the turkey is browned all over. Season with salt and pepper.
Add the onions, garlic, and scallions and cook until wilted, about five minutes. Make a space. in the pan and drop in the tomato paste. Let toast for one minute and then stir into the turkey. Sprinkle in the chili powder. Cook and stir until fragrant, about two minutes.
Pour in the beer and cook until almost reduced away, about four minutes. Pour in the tomatoes, white beans and stock and season with the green Tabasco.
Turn the Instant Pot to the chili/bean setting and place the lid on the pot. Cook for 20 minutes. Release the pressure before opening.
While the chili is simmering, make the avocado crema. Combine crushed avocado and yogurt and whisk until smooth. Chill until needed.
Serve chili in bowls with a dollop of avocado crema and garnishes.
Zakarian recommends having fun with garnishes. Chili is perfect for a crowd. Set out large bowls of sharp shredded cheddar, lime slices, chopped cilantro and broken tortilla chips.
Instant Pot Meatballs
Once the meatballs are formed Zakarian browns them on sautee mode and leaves the remnants in the pot because he said, "all that fat is love and flavor."
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons garlic, finely chopped
1/2 each onions, finely diced
4 sprigs rosemary, finely minced
1 pound ground pork
1 pound ground veal or beef
1 pound sweet Italian sausage, removed from casings
1 egg
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 1/2 cups grated Parmigiano Reggiano
Directions:
In a large bowl, mix all the ingredients above and season with salt and pepper.
Roll the meatballs into silver dollar sized portions, about two ounces each.
Set Instant Pot to saute setting and sear the meatballs in oil on all sides to brown them.
When browned, remove the balls and add the Tomato sauce ingredients from below.
When sauce is simmering, return the balls to the pot.
Close top, Set Instant Pot to Pressure cook on high for eight minutes.
Release pressure before opening.
Tomato Sauce
Ingredients:
3 each 28-ounce cans San Marzano tomatoes, crushed
1 tablespoon red chili flakes
10 leaves basil
3 cloves garlic, grated
Directions:
Combine ingredients and serve over meatballs with freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano.
