Do you know that you can cook a lot of different menu with just a small trivet placed in the instant pot? Let’s see if this little assistant will do any good for your daily cooking with the below article from KitchenLowCost.
We will also tell you how to place trivet in instant pot.
What is a Trivet in instant pot?

A trivet in instant pot is like a steam rack that sits above the water in the inner pot and holds food or food containers. It can be made from plastic or stainless steel.
On the sides of the instant pot trivet, there are two metal hinges acting as handles. These handles help you lift the trivet out of the inner pot easily.
Even though it is called trivet which usually implies 3 feet, some models might have 4 feet or no feet at all. It depends on different models. More and more new models are being produced by various manufacturers.
Do you need Trivet Instant Pot?
Typically, the main benefit of an instant pot trivet is keeping the ingredients out of water while cooking.
When you make a dish which requires water, you have to add water into the pot. But you definitely do not want your dish to be soaked in water, do you? That is when the instant pot trivet comes in handy.
It is often the most suitable tool to be used when you want to steam food.
Beside, you can also use it for cooking with the Pot-in-Pot (PIP) method.
We will talk about some menu that you can cook with an instant pot trivet in the part below.
What can I cook by using Instant Pot Trivet?
With an instant pot trivet you can make various dishes and the steps are not complicated to do.

Boiled eggs.
The first menu you might think about when mentioning instant pot trivet is the boiled eggs.
You just simply put the eggs directly on the trivet with water below and wait for it to be cooked.

Steamed vegetables.
You pour 2 cups of water into the pot, put the veggies on the trivet.
Or you can cut them into pieces which are big enough not to fall through.
You can steam beets, potatoes, asparagus, broccoli, cauliflower, etc.

Cheesecakes and cakes.
Add 2 cups of water into the inner pot, place the trivet inside the instant pot.
Put the cake pan on the trivet.
Make sure that the cake pan fits in the inner pot without touching its edges.

Delicate foods.
If you want to cook delicate foods like fish filets, you also put the fish directly on the rack (trivet).
Do not worry if the fish is immersed in its seasoning liquid.

Lasagna & Casseroles.
Pour 2 cups of water into the inner pot, place the trivet inside the instant pot.
Place the casserole pan on the trivet without letting it touch the pot’s edges.

Meats.
You can cook ribs, hams or poultry with an instant pot trivet.
Put the seasoned pieces of meat or the rubbed chicken onto the trivet, pour the broth instead of clear water.
You can add aromatic herbs, citrus fruit, and garlic to add more flavors to the food.
Moreover, you can use instant pot trivet to cook different dishes with the same cooking time at once with Pot-in-pot method.
Add 2 cups water, on the bottom place a steam rack, put a glass bowl with the first meal on the rack. Above the first bowl you put the second rack with the second glass bowl.
The steam generated from the cooking liquid in the inner pot pressurizes to cook the food.
Different Types of Trivets
Prior to the way how to place trivet in instant pot, we will introduce some types of trivets to you.
Instant pot silicone trivet
This trivet is made of silicone so it is easy to use and clean. It is also safe to dishwashers.
The design lets steam to circulate and liquid to cover the inner pot’s bottom, preventing the Burn Message and ensuring that the food cooks evenly.
You can use this trivet in Pot-in-pot cooking method.
Metal trivet with handles
This trivet is probably the most common one on the market.
It is made of metal which is stainless steel. Therefore, it is durable, anti-rust and can be used in a long term.
It is lightweight and has the handles to easily lift the food out of the inner pot.
On some models, there is silicone covers on the handles to protect you from burning when lifting the rack out.
Tall trivet without handles
This trivet with tall legs and no handles are usually used in Pot-in-Pot cooking.
You can put the trivet with shorter legs at the bottom, then put the one with taller legs above to hold the second meal.
Or you can also use this tall trivet when you have the first meal placed directly at the pot’s bottom.
This one is usually made of stainless steel so you don’t need to worry about its durability.
Flat wire round trivet
This round trivet is often used to slightly lift the meats that are cooking in seasoning liquid.
This trivet can help to avoid the Burn Message.
It is also used as the bottom layer rack in Pot-in-
Pot cooking. A second tall trivet might be placed on top of it to hold the second food container.
Egg steamer rack
This type of trivet is suitably designed to hold eggs with the holes.
Some models are manufactured with silicone covers on the handles, allowing you to easily remove the rack out of the pot.
In the next section, we will talk about how to place trivet in instant pot. The way is so simple.
How to Place Trivet in Instant Pot?
Instant pot trivet is designed to be able to fit in the bottom of the instant pot liner with the sides up.
The sides serve as convenient grips for lifting food from the instant pot. Since the foldable handles aren’t strong enough to serve as legs, don’t use them to stand below the trivet.
To place the trivet inside the instant pot, you make sure that its legs are on the right direction which is facing down direction. Then you put it in the pot.
Pour water or seasoning liquid into the inner pot. Next, you place the ingredients directly on top of the trivet. Or else you can put them in food container first then put on the trivet later.
When the ingredients are set on the trivet, close the lid of the instant pot and follow the recipe of your wanted dishes.
Instant Pot Trivet Substitute
So we have explained to you simply how to place trivet in instant pot.
In case you lost your trivet or want to change a new one, we have some items to recommend for you as following. They are some of the reliable trivets on the market.
Hatrigo Steamer Basket
With this steamer basket, you can steam a big quantity of food in a row thanks to the big design.
OXO Bakeware Sling
This bakeware sling is easy to use and it is convenient to lift up the food.
OXO Silicone Steamer Basket
This OXO steamer basket is made of silicone and it has the handles for easy lifting.
Premium Stainless Steel Steamer Basket
The last one is this steamer basket. It allows you to adjust to fit in many pots.
Premium Stainless Steel Steamer Basket
FAQs
Can you cook meat in instant pot without trivet?
You absolutely can cook meat in instant pot without trivets. You can cook it like a normal pot by pouring the meat and its seasoning liquid into the pot, choose an appropriate temperature level for it to be cooked.
See more:
- Discover 5 Best Tall Trivet For Instant Pot on the Market
- Explore 10 Top-rated Portable Crepe Maker Nowadays
Hope that with this article, you have gained your knowledge of how to place trivet in instant pot.
Comment down below which trivet is your own favorite. Follow KitchenLowCost to not miss any upcoming great posts.