Name: Instant Pot Pork Chops Recipe
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 22 oz center loin, bone-in, lean only pork chops; 1/2 tbsp olive oil; 1/2 tbsp unsalted butter; 2 oz onions (finely diced); 1 tbsp garlic (minced); 6 oz brown mushrooms (quartered); 1 tsp fresh thyme (about 2 sprigs); 1 tsp traditional Dijon mustard; 1/2 tbsp all-purpose flour; 1/2 tsp garlic powder; 1/2 tsp onion powder; 1/2 tsp paprika; 1/2 tsp salt; 1/4 tsp ground black pepper; 1/4 cup unsalted chicken broth; 1/4 cup whole milk; 3 tbsp heavy cream; 3 oz green peas (thawed); 14 oz cooked spaghetti; 2 tbsp parsley (finely chopped); 0.5 oz Parmesan cheese (grated)

Our Instant Pot pork chops recipe is the easiest way to transform tough chops into a fine meal.

There are tons of ways to cook pork chops but only some are worth the time. Today, we’re sharing a good one. We cooked ours in the Instant Pot and served the juicy meat over pasta, all drenched in a flavorful mushroom cream.

The dish may take 30 minutes to make, but half of that is hands-free. You can arrange to fit some chores in there or make a salad and a juice (like we did) to complete your meal.

Does the Instant Pot Make Better Dishes?

Compared to cooking methods that take hours, the Instant Pot takes under one, which minimizes the loss of some nutrients. It also preserves the nutritious juice from the meat and vegetables.

Plus, under intense pressure, tough meats like pork chops tenderize well, making them easier to digest.

Of course, when it comes to nutrition, what goes into the pot matters even more.

What Makes Our Pork Chops Healthy

This recipe uses heavy cream, milk, and butter. Saturated fats are not necessarily bad, but the combination of high fat high salt dishes lead to heart disease over time.

To keep these levels within reasonable limits, we used just enough salt and dairy and kept a close eye on the nutritional profile. The pork doesn’t taste any less flavorful, as we slathered it with plenty of seasoning and not just salt.

Seasoning for Pork Chops

Like many other pork chop recipes, we first added the basics: salt, pepper, onions, and garlic. We also use powdered onions and garlic because the powders can give a more intense flavor than their fresh counterparts.

For aroma, we went with thyme. We also sprinkled some parsley on the finished product, for a little freshness.

If you also love a little heat as we do, add a dash of paprika. You can further enhance the heat by adding cayenne or chili powder.

All of these seasonings and aromatics go into the creamy sauce made of butter, heavy cream, and milk. We added mustard to the sauce for a hint of pungency.

Finally, sprinkle Parmesan on top for a touch of savoriness and a fancy finishing.

How Long to Cook Pork Chops in the Instant Pot

For the crucial searing stage, our pork needed only 5 minutes, both sides. Give yours some more time if they’re yet to turn golden.

For the pressure-cooking stage, it’s 15 minutes for our 3/4” pork chops. Thicker chops need about 5 more minutes.

Fifteen minutes may sound nothing like “Instant”, but it’s really quicker than other cooking methods. Chops of the same size would take 20 minutes in the air fryer and 30 minutes in the oven (not including the searing stage).

With this knowledge, you’re now ready to cook.

How to Cook Pork Chops in the Instant Pot

First, select the “sauté” mode and sear both sides of the pork chops until they’re golden brown. You can adjust the time with the “-“ or “+” buttons.

Set the chops aside, and sauté the mushrooms in butter with aromatics until they’re caramelized.

Add the pork back into the pot along with broth, seasonings, and milk. Close the pot, turn the pressure vent to “lock”, and pressure-cook the pork for 10 minutes on “stew/meat” mode.

You’ll need to set the time to 10 minutes because the mode automatically sets it to 45 minutes. We utilized this free time to boil the pasta, mix the salad, and juice the juice.

Place a kitchen rug on the vent, and use the handle of a spatula to turn it to “release”. The steam will shoot out with great force, so it’s crucial that there is a rug and your hands are away from the vent.

Add heavy cream and green peas, cook for another 5 minutes on “meat/stew” mode and release the steam. If the peas splitting in half doesn’t bother you, feel free to add the peas along with the pork and the cream after everything’s done.

All there’s left to do is serve it on top of the cooked spaghetti.

Here’s a recap:

Sear the pork

Sauté the mushrooms

Pressure-cook the pork (and boil the spaghetti)

step 4: Release pressure, add flour and the peas

Release pressure and add the peas

Serve the pork over pasta

Check out our “Instant Pot pork chops recipe” card down below for the measurements of these ingredients and more detailed instructions.

Can You Cook Frozen Pork Chops in the Instant Pot?

Yes, you can cook frozen pork chops in the Instant Pot. However, it may take some more time to sear and pressure-cook.

We tried, and we had to sear the chops for 10 minutes instead of 5. The pressure-cooking time also takes 5 minutes extra, so we highly recommend that you thaw your meat in advance.

Sides for Pork Chops

The salad we mentioned is a kale salad, which isn’t solely comprised of greens. It also has juicy oranges, chewy dried fruits, and nuts, all tossed in a sweet-tangy dressing.

The meal is already creamy, savory, tangy, and sweet, so a little cool and refreshing edge should complete it. We picked out our cucumber juice, which is made of fresh coconut water enhanced by a few drops of ginger essence.

Recipes	Course	Calories	Saturated fat	Sodium
Instant Pot Pork Chops	Main Dish	490	6.6 g	515 mg
Kale Salad	Side Dish	207	1.8 g	248 mg
Cucumber Juice Recipe	Beverage	59	0.1 g	36 mg
Total		756	8.5 g	799 mg

Nutritional values in this table vary somewhat to those below due to different app calculations. Read more...