The Best Recipes to Make with Your Smart Kitchen Appliances, According to Reviews
HGTV Smart Home is inspiring us to take a closer look at smart kitchen gadgets. Here are our most popular recipes that call for an air fryer, Instant Pot and more.
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Five-Star Kitchen Gadget Recipes
One of the hallmarks of HGTV Smart Home is the tech used throughout the house to make the everyday routine more fun or efficient. We here at Food Network love a clever gadget, especially if it saves us time and effort in the kitchen. Inspired by Smart Home, we’re taking a closer look at smart kitchen appliances and how they can streamline getting dinner on the table. Whether you just treated yourself to a new kitchen toy or want to get more use out of the appliances you already own, we’ve got you covered with tried-and-true ideas galore. Not only were they a hit in our test kitchen, but they’ve also received heaps of praise from Food Network reviewers. Here are our best-reviewed recipes using the air fryer, Instant Pot, slow cooker, sous vide machine and more.
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There are two secrets to our hall-of-fame avocado toasts: rubbing the bread with garlic for just a hint of flavor and adding a pop of crunchy sea salt on top. Bonus points if you use a smart toaster, which allows you to input your bread of choice; select whether it is fresh, frozen or reheated; and pick the browning level you prefer.
Get the Recipe: Avocado Toasts
Air Fryer Chicken Wings
Skip the deep-fryer and forget soggy oven chicken wings. The air fryer offers the best of both worlds for crispy wings without extra fat!
Get the Recipe: Air Fryer Chicken Wings
Air Fryer French Fries
Forget the frozen fries! These homemade French fries come out perfectly golden and crisp and only use 1 teaspoon of oil...just another reason to love your air fryer.
Get the Recipe: Air Fryer French Fries
Crispy Air Fryer Chicken Thighs
Juicy, tender dark-meat chicken with the crispiest skin in less than twenty minutes — who could ask for anything more? Serve these lightly seasoned chicken thighs as is, or toss them while still hot with your favorite barbecue or buffalo sauce to give this quick and easy anytime meal an extra kick.
Get the Recipe: Crispy Air Fryer Chicken Thighs
Air Fryer Fried Shrimp
These air-fryer shrimp are perfectly crispy and easy to make without the hassle of heating up a large pot of oil. Serve with our spicy remoulade, or substitute any of your favorite condiments for dipping.
Get the Recipe: Air Fryer Fried Shrimp
Air Fryer Steak with Garlic-Herb Butter
Yes, you can even cook steak in an air fryer! We found that thicker cuts, like sirloin, are best — they turn nice and browned on the outside without overcooking. Plus, there's very little clean up. We added a homemade garlic-herb butter to melt over the steak for a quick and flavorful weeknight dinner.
Get the Recipe: Air Fryer Steak with Garlic-Herb Butter
Air Fryer Eggplant Parm
This version of the Italian-American classic is lightened up thanks to the air fryer, but still delivers on the promise of crispy eggplant smothered in red sauce and ooey gooey cheese. The best part: it comes together in a snap and there is no oil to clean up after dinner.
Get the Recipe: Air Fryer Eggplant Parm
Instant Pot Chicken Adobo
This streamlined version of a Filipino comfort favorite is speedy in your Instant Pot multi-cooker, and there's only one pot to clean. Adobo in the Philippines has its origins in the Malay practice of preserving meat in vinegar and/or salt and differs from the Mexican sauce or Caribbean seasoning known by the same name. The soy sauce in Filipino adobo reflects Chinese influences and largely replaces salt in the dish. Mixed with vinegar and aromatics, it makes a deliciously savory base for the dish and an excellent sauce for the rice that accompanies it.
Get the Recipe: Instant Pot Chicken Adobo
5-Ingredient Instant Pot Mac and Cheese
We love multi-purpose kitchen gadgets that make life easier, so that's why the Instant Pot (a slow cooker, pressure cooker and stove-top stand-in, all in one) is a go-to for quick meals. Especially this creamy kid-friendly mac and cheese, which cooks up in no time. And after it's been gobbled up, you'll only have one pot to clean!
Get the Recipe: 5-Ingredient Instant Pot Mac and Cheese
Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup
An Instant Pot can handle a whole chicken, which is perfect for this comforting soup.
Get the Recipe: Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup
Instant Pot Salmon with Garlic Potatoes and Greens
This trifecta of salmon, potatoes and greens is so fast, easy and delicious that you'll want to make it every night of the week!
Get the Recipe: Instant Pot Salmon with Garlic Potatoes and Greens
Instant Pot Greek Chicken Bowls
The flavors of the Mediterranean are cooked up in 30 minutes in an Instant Pot for a quick and filling, souvlaki-inspired weeknight dinner.
Get the Recipe: Instant Pot Greek Chicken Bowls
Instant Pot Barbecue Pulled Pork Sandwiches
You can thank your Instant Pot for pulled pork in just under two hours. This gadget juggles different cook settings (slow cooking, pressure cooking and stove-top browning) to make favorite dishes that your crowd won't have to wait long to devour.
Get the Recipe: Instant Pot Barbecue Pulled Pork Sandwiches
Sous Vide Steak Dinner
The restaurant secret to foolproof, perfectly cooked steak is finally within the reach of home cooks, thanks to countertop sous vide machines. Drop in a bag of spinach mixed with cream cheese and garlic and you have the quintessential steakhouse dinner for two.
Get the Recipe: Sous Vide Steak Dinner
Slow-Cooker Pork Tacos
Puree a variety of bold Mexican chiles with garlic, honey, vinegar and spices to make a bright, aromatic sauce that gets slow-cooked with pork shoulder. Once tender, shred the pork and enjoy with corn tortillas and your favorite toppings!
Get the Recipe: Slow-Cooker Pork Tacos
Slow-Cooker Pot Roast
Taking the time to make a smooth, thick gravy for this slow-cooked dinner is worth it. As the pot roast cooks, the water and juices from the vegetables and meat will thin the gravy out, creating just the right consistency.
Get the Recipe: Slow Cooker Pot Roast
Slow-Cooker Chicken Stroganoff
Move over beef — chicken is in the house. This great weeknight meal takes less than 15 minutes to prep, then the slow cooker does the rest.
Get the Recipe: Slow Cooker Chicken Stroganoff
Slow-Cooker Sunday Gravy
This sauce showcases tomatoes three ways: sun-dried tomatoes add sweetness and body, toasted tomato paste adds intense flavor, while crushed tomatoes melt down into this hearty sauce.
Get the Recipe: Slow-Cooker Sunday Gravy
Slow-Cooker Shrimp Boil
You don't have to live by the shore to enjoy a good old-fashioned New England-style shrimp boil. Use a slow cooker to cook potatoes and seasonings, then add the corn, shrimp and sausage to cook in the flavorful broth at the end.
Get the Recipe: Slow-Cooker Shrimp Boil
Slow-Cooker Whole Chicken
This no-fuss whole chicken is moist and tender. We rub it in spices and prop it up on canning lids, suspending it above the juices for a roasted effect right in the slow cooker. Piercing the skin on the bottom lets excess juices run out, allowing for even and gentle cooking. A simple homemade barbecue sauce comes together in mere minutes, perfect for slathering all over.
Get the Recipe: Slow-Cooker Whole Chicken
