Biryani Pasta (Instant Pot)

February 9, 2026

This version contains the measurements and ingredients necessary to make biryani pasta in a 6qt or larger instant pot. These measurements (especially timing and water amounts) will not work for the stove top, although using common sense, you could easily adapt the recipe for stove top cooking.

Recipe tested in a 6qt standard and 7qt Rio Wide Instant Pot.

Ingredients

amount	ingredient
1 lb / 500g	dry pasta
1 lb / 500g	chicken breast, raw, thin sliced^* (optional)
~1-2 T	olive oil
1	onion, medium, sliced
~2 T	Shan Special Bombay Biryani masala
~24oz	tomato sauce
36oz	water
to taste	salt; use more if using chicken
to taste	cheese, shredded
to taste	cilantro, chopped

^*see notes for how to add chicken

Process

mode: sauté
heat: medium

when IP is heated up on sauté mode, add olive oil and wait for it to heat up
add sliced onions and sauté until transluscent; no need to brown
add Shan masala and toast in oil for ~1-2 minutes, making sure there are no dry bits of masala and also that the masala doesn’t burn
if using raw chicken, add it now and mix well
add tomato or marinara sauce and mix well
IMPORTANT: pasta is not eaten like biryani, where the whole spices are expected to be picked out, so after the flavors of the spices have infused the tomato sauce mixture well, fish out as many of the whole spices as you can find.
- at this stage, mixture should taste over-spiced and salted
- add salt or more Shan masala conservatively, per taste; remember there’s salt in the Shan mix, too
add pasta
- if using spaghetti or other long shapes, break in half and layer in criss-cross pattern to fit in 6qt pot
add water; scrape the bottom of the pot to make sure nothing is sticking that will burn later

pressure: high
time: 8 minutes
release: manual

once pressure drops, open lid and add cheese and cilantro, stir to melt and combine
- can also add cheese individually in plates when serving

Notes

any pasta shape will work, I’ve used spaghetti, farfalle, rotini, penne, etc.
there are other biryani mixes available, even from the same brand, but I don’t find the perfect biryani flavor in any of them but the one I linked, so use others at your own risk (some are much heavier on the spice or salt, some lack the proper floral notes, etc.)
if using cooked chicken, shred and add it at the end, along with the cheese in step 9 to avoid overcooking
suggest experimenting with a lower cook time and longer natural release to leverage passive cooking…something like 3 minutes high pressure, 5 minutes natural release (untested)

cheeses

Any melting cheese will work well here. I have used/tried and enjoyed:

mozzarella, shredded
provolone
pepperjack
jalapeno havarti slices
shredded pizza cheese blend

You can also sandwich a slice of cheese between layers of portioned pasta (the cheese pull in the picture is from a slice of provolone layered between pasta in the bowl)

See the freezing guide for tips and information on freezer-safe food storage.

better than takeout ○ chicken ○ desi ○ freezer friendly ○ fusion ○ italian ○ meat ○ one pot pan or bowl ○ pakistani ○ photo

Spicy Southwest Chicken Soup

May 17, 2024

This is a more “from-scratch” and meat-inclusive version of my quicker, spicy southwest veggie soup.

Ingredients

amount	ingredient
50g	black beans, dry
50g	white beans, dry
100g	kidney beans, dry
1 lb	chicken breast
24g	oil
160g	onion, diced
150g	bell pepper, diced
28 oz	tomatoes, diced
28 oz	water
15g	Better Than Bouillon
12 oz	corn, frozen
1 oz	jalapenos
2 T	cumin
1 T	chili powder
1 tsp	salt
to taste	black pepper
½ tsp	garlic powder
½ tsp	MSG
¼-½ cup	cilantro, chopped, fresh or frozen
1	lime, fresh, juice of (optional)

Process

Instant Pot

add all dried beans to Instant Pot and cover with ~1″ of water

pressure: high
time: 15 minutes
release: 10 minute natural

drain beans, set aside

sauté: high

add oil and chicken, sear until chicken is no longer pink; set aside
add onions and bell peppers, cook until translucent
add all other ingredients, including chicken, to pressure cooker

pressure: high
time: 4 minutes
release: 15 minute natural

remove chicken breast and set aside to cool enough to handle
blend soup sporadically with immersion blender until desired consistency reached (optional)
dice chicken into bite-sized pieces, or shred and return to pot
add cilantro and fresh lime juice, mix well and serve immediately

Stovetop

I’ve never bothered to make beans on the stovetop and wouldn’t recommend it to others. If you already have beans (canned, frozen, or just extra lying around, proceed with the below. Otherwise, just submerge dry beans in water and cook them forever.

in heavy-bottom pot, add oil and sear chicken until no longer pink; set aside
add onions and bell peppers, cook until translucent
add the rest of the ingredients, including chicken; simmer until chicken is cooked through and all other components have meshed together
remove chicken and allow to cool enough to handle
blend soup sporadically with immersion blender until desired consistency reached (optional)
dice chicken into bite-sized pieces, or shred, and return to pot
add cilantro and fresh lime juice, mix well and serve immediately

Notes

This soup goes great with:

a dollop of sour cream
corn tortilla strips, chips, or broken up tostada/tortilla shells
shredded cheese of choice
avocado
fresh jalapeno coins
a dash of hot sauce
crusty bread

Picture shows soup made with 3-4 T of heavy cream, and 2 cans of tomato sauce instead of the diced tomatoes, since that’s what I had on hand. I had already copied my before small and uniform, and with no large tomato chunks, I didn’t bother to blend. Extra lime juice and pepper jack cheese added to serve.

See the freezing guide for tips and information on freezer-safe food storage.

Instant Pot // Recipe // Soup // Stovetop

american ○ better than takeout ○ chicken ○ comfort food ○ freezer friendly ○ fusion ○ meat ○ mexican ○ one pot pan or bowl ○ photo

Chicken Tender Wrap

January 14, 2024

Frozen, breaded chicken tenders and flour tortillas turn into spicy chicken wraps with bold flavor and a pop of bright citrus.

ingredients

amount	ingredient
1	flour tortilla, large, warmed
1 slice	cheese, American (optional)
1 – 2	chicken tenders, spicy
to taste	mayonnaise
to taste	hot sauce
to taste	onions & jalapeños, pickled
to taste	cilantro, fresh, chopped
to taste	lettuce greens

assembly

heat tortilla according to preference (see notes below)
if using cheese, lay cheese on top of hot tortilla and add hot chicken tender on top so the cheese melts easily
layer the rest of the ingredients on top, ending with the lettuce so that you can more easily hold things down to roll without getting your hands dirty
roll up tortilla; it’s not necessary for complete overlap if you’re careful with holding it properly while eating

notes

naturally, all amounts are to-taste so do and use whatever you like
tortilla can be heated any way you prefer:
- stovetop: on a griddle, tawa, comal, or dry frying pan, turning to get nice brown spots and taking it off the heat once desired doneness is reached; do not heat too long or it will become crunchy and not foldable
- microwave: lay tortilla on microwave -safe plate and cover with a damp paper towel, heat until just warmed through; this will yield a soft, pliable tortilla that’s not crunchy at all
- airfryer / toaster oven / oven: heat for a few minutes until warmed through; avoid getting brown spots as it will turn into a giant tortilla chip pretty quickly, especially in a toaster oven or air fryer which works faster than a standard oven
any chicken tender will work, I use a spicy breaded variety and pop it in the airfryer for 20-25 minutes, flipping halfway through
I use Frank’s hot sauce and find the simplicity of it plays nicely with both the mayo and pickles
for the greens, use whatever you have on hand: iceberg, spring mix, spinach, arugula, celery tops, romaine, etc.

Airfryer // Mains // Meal Ideas // Microwave // Oven // Stovetop

american ○ better than takeout ○ chicken ○ frozen foods ○ fusion ○ meat ○ one pot pan or bowl ○ photo ○ sandwich

Mashed Potato Bowl

June 22, 2022

Build a mashed potatoes bowl by adding leftovers you already have on hand. This is a great way to clear out the fridge and use up items on their last legs. Food waste is bad, mkay?

Vegetables

Steamable vegetables like corn, spinach, or broccoli are easiest, whether fresh or frozen. Just pop them into the microwave until desired tenderness is reached.

For fresh vegetables that release a lot of liquid, like onions, mushrooms or bell peppers, you can roast them in the oven or give them some heat on the stovetop, first.

The mashed potatoes themselves can also be microwaved. Add a little bit of liquid (water, milk, or cream) to keep them from drying out too much, if that’s a concern.

Protein

Bulk up your bowl with whatever meat or beans you have on hand, whether that’s chapli kabab, chicken tenders, deli meat, or leftover lentils.

If adding meat, I’d avoid heating it in the microwave, since I hate the taste of microwaved meat. Either heat it separately via another method (stovetop, oven, toaster oven or airfryer), or simply bury it under the piping hot vegetables for a few minutes to warm up.

Toppings

Mix everything up and add gravy or cream sauce to keep things from getting too dry. Other toppings include jams or jellies for a bit of sweetness, chutneys for a chatpata kick, or your favorite hot sauce.

Other suggestions include cheese, fresh herbs, fresh cracked black pepper. Use what you have.

Mains // Meal Ideas // Microwave

american ○ comfort food ○ fusion ○ one pot pan or bowl ○ photo ○ quick
Simple Rice & Potatoes

December 10, 2021
Ingredients

Amount Ingredients
360g rice, basmati
2 cups water + Mexican chicken reserved liquid
50g oil, vegetable
150g onion, sliced
360g potatoes, Yukon gold
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cumin seeds

Process
1. Wash the rice and cover with water to soak; set aside
2. Set instant pot to sauté mode, add oil, onions, half the salt, and cook until nicely browned; add a tablespoon or 2 of water if onions start browning too quickly or unevenly
3. Add potatoes, cumin seeds
4. Add rice, water / liquid, and the rest of the salt; stir to combine; close lid and seal
```
Pressure: High
Time: 7 minutes
Release: 10 minute natural
```
Nutrition

100g = 153 calories

Notes
1. This recipe uses the leftover liquid that’s drained from the Mexican chicken recipe. Use as much of the liquid as you have, then add water until you have 2 cups of liquid total.
2. If you do not have the reserved liquid or you did not make that recipe at all, use all water.
3. I prefer to add half the salt to the onions while browning in step 2, but you can add it all.
4. The flavor is somewhere between Mexican rice and Pakistani pulao.
5. Can be enjoyed as-is, or you can pair it with all the fixings of regular chicken tacos to make a taco rice bowl: fajitas, Mexican chicken, and any sauces.
Instant Pot // Mains // Recipe

calories calculated ○ dump and go ○ fusion ○ mexican ○ one pot pan or bowl ○ pakistani ○ photo ○ rice

Amount	Ingredients
360g	rice, basmati
2 cups	water + Mexican chicken reserved liquid
50g	oil, vegetable
150g	onion, sliced
360g	potatoes, Yukon gold
1 tsp	salt
1 tsp	cumin seeds

Thai Curried Butternut Squash Soup

November 25, 2021

Credits

Recipe modified from Cookie + Kate.

Ingredients

Amount	Ingredients
2 T	oil
2 lbs	butternut squash (~1.5 squashes)
1	onion, yellow, medium
4 cloves	garlic
2-3 T	Thai red curry paste
2 tsp	coriander powder
1 tsp	cumin powder
¼ tsp	salt
⅛ tsp	red pepper flakes
1 T	lime juice, fresh
32 oz	vegetable broth
½ cup	coconut milk, full fat
handful	chopped cilantro, mostly leaves

Process

slice squash in half lengthwise, scoop out seeds and spray cut side lightly with oil and roast in the oven (optional)

Temp: 450º F
Time: 1 hour

peel and chop into rough chunks when cool enough to handle

Instant Pot

turn IP to saute mode and add oil, squash, onions, garlic, curry paste, coriander, cumin, salt, and red pepper flakes; cook for 8-10 minutes
add broth, close the lid and seal pot

Pressure: high
Time: 5 minutes
Release: 10 minute natural

use immersion blender to puree soup to desired consistency; taste for salt and curry paste, adjust as necessary
stir in lime juice, coconut milk, and chopped cilantro

Stovetop

in medium sized, heavy bottom pot, add oil, squash, onions, garlic, curry paste, coriander, cumin, salt, and red pepper flakes; cook for 8-10 minutes
add broth, bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes
using immersion blender, puree soup to desired consistency; taste for salt and curry paste, adjust as necessary
stir in lime juice, coconut milk, and chopped cilantro

Nutrition

100g soup = 71 calories

Notes

roasting is an optional step, but increases flavor and makes peeling/chopping the hard butternut squash much easier
roasted squash pulp can be stored in the fridge for ~a week or so; freeze if storing longer
this soup freezes well; fresh cilantro and a hit of lime juice can help wake up the flavors a little bit when reheated from frozen

See the freezing guide for tips and information on freezer-safe food storage.

Instant Pot // Recipe // Soup // Stovetop

calories calculated ○ freezer friendly ○ fusion ○ photo ○ thai ○ vegetarian

Ingredients

Process

Notes

cheeses

Ingredients

Process

Instant Pot

Stovetop

Notes

ingredients

assembly

notes

Vegetables

Protein

Toppings

Ingredients

Process

Nutrition

Notes

Credits

Ingredients

Process

Instant Pot

Stovetop

Nutrition

Notes