What Is a Trivet in an Instant Pot? A Simple Guide for Home Cooks
If you just opened your Instant Pot box and found a small metal rack inside, you may be wondering the same thing I did at first: what is a trivet in an Instant Pot, and do I really need to use it?
I’m Daniel Brooks, and in my kitchen, the trivet went from “extra piece I almost ignored” to one of the most useful Instant Pot tools I own. It helps lift food above the liquid, keeps delicate foods from getting soggy, and makes steaming much easier.
In this guide, I’ll explain what an Instant Pot trivet does, when to use it, when not to use it, and how to avoid the small mistakes that can ruin a simple pressure-cooked meal.
Quick Answer
A trivet in an Instant Pot is a small rack that sits inside the inner pot and lifts food above the cooking liquid. It is usually made of stainless steel and often comes with the Instant Pot. You use it for steaming, cooking eggs, making pot-in-pot meals, and keeping foods like meat, vegetables, or pans away from direct contact with water or sauce. It is not needed for every recipe, but it is very helpful when you want steam to cook the food instead of boiling it.
What Is a Trivet in an Instant Pot Used For?
The Instant Pot trivet is mainly used to raise food above liquid. Since pressure cooking needs steam, most recipes require water, broth, or another thin liquid in the bottom of the pot. The trivet keeps certain foods from sitting directly in that liquid.
That small lift makes a big difference. Instead of potatoes soaking in water, they steam. Instead of a cheesecake pan sitting on the bottom of the pot, it rests above the liquid and cooks gently. Instead of chicken breasts getting watery on the bottom, they stay raised while steam moves around them.
- Steaming vegetables: Broccoli, carrots, green beans, and potatoes cook well above water.
- Cooking eggs: Eggs sit neatly on the rack and peel more easily after pressure cooking.
- Pot-in-pot cooking: A smaller oven-safe dish sits on the trivet inside the Instant Pot.
- Keeping food out of liquid: Meat, fish, and some desserts cook better when they are raised.
- Lifting food safely: A trivet with handles helps remove hot pans or larger foods.
If you are still choosing the right cooker size, my guide to Instant Pot models compared can help you match the appliance to the way you cook.
| Use | Why the Trivet Helps | Common Foods |
|---|---|---|
| Steaming | Keeps food above water so it cooks with steam | Vegetables, potatoes, eggs |
| Pot-in-pot cooking | Raises a separate dish above the cooking liquid | Rice, oatmeal, cheesecake, leftovers |
| Meat and poultry | Prevents the bottom from sitting in liquid | Chicken, ribs, roast, meatloaf |
| Desserts | Gives gentle heat and helps avoid a wet bottom | Cheesecake, custard, bread pudding |
How to Use an Instant Pot Trivet the Right Way
Using a trivet is simple, but the order matters. I always start with liquid in the inner pot first. Then I place the trivet inside, add the food or pan on top, and close the lid.
Most 6-quart Instant Pot recipes use at least 1 cup of thin liquid, but always check your model’s manual because different models can vary. Instant Pot keeps official instructions on its multi-cooker product manuals page, which is worth checking if you are new to your exact model.
- Add the required liquid to the stainless steel inner pot.
- Place the trivet in the pot with the legs facing down.
- Set food, a steamer basket, or an oven-safe dish on top.
- Close the lid and set the valve as your recipe directs.
- Cook, release pressure, and remove the food carefully.
A 6-quart model is the most common size for everyday home cooking. If that is the size you use most, my guide to the best 6-quart Instant Pots is a useful next step for comparing features and capacity.
When You Should Use a Trivet and When You Should Skip It
You should use a trivet when you want steam to cook the food. You should usually skip it when the food needs to cook directly in liquid, like soup, chili, beans, pasta, or stew.
Here’s the thing: a trivet does not make every Instant Pot recipe better. It is a tool, not a rule. Some meals need direct contact with broth or sauce to cook properly. Other foods turn mushy or watery if they sit in liquid, so the trivet helps.
| Use a Trivet For | Skip the Trivet For |
|---|---|
| Hard-boiled eggs | Soup |
| Steamed potatoes | Chili |
| Cheesecake pan | Beans cooked in broth |
| Chicken breasts above broth | Pasta cooked in sauce |
| Pot-in-pot rice | Rice cooked directly in the inner pot |
If you often cook bigger cuts of meat or batch meals, a larger pot gives you more room for the rack and food. My guide to the best 8-quart Instant Pots can help if your trivet feels crowded in a smaller cooker.
Types of Instant Pot Trivets and Accessories
The basic Instant Pot trivet is usually a low stainless steel rack with short legs. Some have handles. Some are flat. Some are taller. They all do the same main job: lift food above the liquid.
Over time, I found that different shapes are useful for different meals. A low rack works well for eggs and vegetables. A tall rack gives more space under the food. A handled rack makes it easier to lift out a cheesecake pan or bowl of rice.
- Standard low trivet: Best for eggs, potatoes, and simple steaming.
- Tall trivet: Best when you need more space above the water.
- Handled trivet: Best for lifting pans, bowls, and meatloaf.
- Silicone trivet: Softer on pans, but it must be pressure-cooker safe.
- Steamer basket: Better than a trivet for small vegetables that may fall through.
For crisping foods after pressure cooking, some people use air-fryer lids or combo models. If that is the direction you want to go, my guide to Instant Pots with air fryer features explains what those models can and cannot do.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Forgetting the liquid: The Instant Pot needs thin liquid to build steam and pressure.
- Putting food under the trivet: Food should sit on top unless the recipe says otherwise.
- Using the wrong dish: For pot-in-pot cooking, use an oven-safe dish that fits with space around it.
- Overfilling the pot: Leave enough room for steam and pressure to work safely.
- Grabbing the trivet bare-handed: It gets very hot after pressure cooking.
- Using it for canning: An Instant Pot is not the same as a tested pressure canner. The National Center for Home Food Preservation notes that electric pressure cookers have not been validated the same way for home canning, so follow tested home canning guidance.
Expert Tips from Daniel Brooks
Key Takeaways
- An Instant Pot trivet is a rack that lifts food above the cooking liquid.
- Use it for steaming, eggs, pot-in-pot cooking, desserts, and some meats.
- Skip it for soups, stews, beans, pasta, and foods that need to cook in liquid.
- Always add the correct amount of thin liquid before pressure cooking.
- Use safe tools when removing the hot trivet from the pot.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to use the trivet in an Instant Pot?
No, you do not have to use the trivet for every Instant Pot recipe. Use it when food should sit above the liquid, such as eggs, vegetables, cheesecakes, or pot-in-pot meals. Skip it for soups, beans, pasta, chili, and recipes where the food needs to cook directly in liquid.
What can I use if I lost my Instant Pot trivet?
You can use a pressure-cooker-safe steamer basket, silicone rack, stainless steel rack, or a few metal canning rings in a pinch. The replacement must be heat-safe, food-safe, and small enough to fit inside the inner pot without blocking the lid. Do not use plastic or anything that can melt under pressure.
Can food touch the water when using a trivet?
A little contact is usually fine, but the main point of the trivet is to lift food above the liquid. If the food sits deep in water, it may boil instead of steam. For the best texture, keep the liquid below the top of the trivet unless the recipe says otherwise.
Can I cook chicken on the Instant Pot trivet?
Yes, chicken can cook well on a trivet, especially when you want it raised above broth or water. Add the required liquid below the rack, place the chicken on top, and pressure cook as your recipe directs. Always check the internal temperature before serving.
Is an Instant Pot trivet the same as a steamer basket?
No, they are similar but not the same. A trivet is a rack that lifts food or a pan above liquid. A steamer basket holds food inside a basket shape, which is better for small vegetables or loose foods that may fall through a rack.
Can I use a glass bowl on the trivet?
You can use some glass bowls for pot-in-pot cooking only if they are oven-safe and fit properly inside the Instant Pot. Leave space around the bowl so steam can move. Avoid thin glass, cracked glass, or dishes that are not rated for heat.
Why does my Instant Pot recipe say to use a trivet?
A recipe usually calls for a trivet when the food should steam instead of sit in liquid. This helps protect texture, prevents soggy bottoms, and allows heat to move around the food more evenly. It is common for eggs, potatoes, cakes, cheesecakes, meatloaf, and pot-in-pot meals.
Conclusion
A trivet may look like a small extra part, but it does a lot inside an Instant Pot. It lifts food above the liquid, helps steam cook evenly, and makes pot-in-pot cooking possible.
My simple rule is this: use the trivet when you want steam, and skip it when you want the food to cook in broth, sauce, or water. That one idea makes Instant Pot recipes much easier to understand.
If you are new to pressure cooking, start with eggs, potatoes, or steamed vegetables. Those foods show you exactly how useful the trivet can be without making dinner feel complicated.
