Since Erica doesn’t eat pork chops (Justin here writing this post), I sometimes get a craving for pork chops and have to make up some for myself. Usually I just do a simple seasoning and cook them on the grill or cast iron pan, but this time I decided to try them in the instant pot. Boy was I happy with how these instant pot pork chops with apple balsamic topping turned out!
Sauté In The Instant Pot
Have you used your instant pot to sauté anything yet? When we first got ours, we only used it for soups and roasts and things you’d typically make in the crockpot. But the instant pot has so much more to offer, why not use it for other recipes? The sauté function on the instant pot is easy, and it’s basically like cooking something in a skillet over medium heat. So, for this instant pot pork chop recipe you can use the instant pot for both browning the pork chops and cooking them with a delicious apple balsamic topping. Win win.
The Apple Balsamic Topping
Pork and apples pair perfectly together. There’s something about the sweetness of the apple that creates a perfect combination of flavors. For this recipe, I added some light seasonings, onion and tart balsamic to bring even more flavor to the topping.
6 Ingredients – Simple And Easy
If you are looking for a simple recipe, this is about as easy as it gets. The hardest part in making these instant pot pork chops is cutting up an apple and an onion, that’s really all there is to it. Then, just sauté the pork chops for a couple of minutes to brown the outside, add the remaining ingredients and just sit back and let the instant pot work its magic!
Looking For More Whole30 Instant Pot Recipes?
In case you haven’t seen it, we put together a round up post of 21 Whole30 Instant Pot Recipes. Be sure to check this post out and pin it for later so you always have plenty of instant pot recipes on hand.
Your Turn To Try These Instant Pot Pork Chops with Apple Balsamic Topping
Get your instant pot out and go make these pork chops! You will love the flavor combo of apple, balsamic and pork and it’s such a simple and easy recipe. Let us know how it goes by leaving a comment below. Also, take a photo and tag us on Instagram @realsimplegood, so we can check it out!
LIKE THIS RECIPE? CLICK HERE TO PIN IT AND TRY IT LATER!
Instant Pot Pork Chops with Apple Balsamic Topping (Paleo + Whole30)
Ingredients
- 3 thick cut pork chops, (about 1 inch thick)
- 1/2 onion, diced
- 1 apple, cored and diced into chunks
- 1 tbsp ghee, (or coconut oil for dairy free)
- 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
- 1.5 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
Equipment
Instructions
- Chop onion and apples as noted and have the other ingredients on hand for quick access.
- Turn your Instant Pot on and set it to “Saute”.
- Add in ghee to melt and stir it around to cover the bottom of the pot.
- Place pork chops in the instant pot to brown each side (about 1-2 minutes per side). Don't saute too long, it's just to get a quick brown sear on each side.
- Once the chops are browned press the “Keep Warm/Cancel” button.
- Sprinkle the onion and apples over the pork chops. Drizzle on the balsamic vinegar over the top.
- Sprinkle the garlic powder, salt and pepper over everything.
- Lock the Instant pot lid into place and close the pressure valve.
- Cook on the manual setting for 10 minutes. Quick release the pressure once the cooking is complete.
- Remove the pork chops and spread the apple/onion topping evenly over each pork chop for serving.
This has been a huge HIT in our house for a few years now. My diet is very limited due to food allergies and this had everything I could actually eat.
I never imagined it would be so delicious. We all love it here in this household!
Thank goodness for recipes like these and people like you who are willing to share them!
Thank you!
You are so welcome! Thanks for the amazing review 🙂
Tried this recipe after finding it off Pinterest. REALLY yummy. I hadn’t cooked pork in a long time so this recipe was my reintroduction to cooking pork after it 10ish so years away from it. Was an excellent reintroduction.
Happy to hear you liked the recipe! Thanks for coming back to leave a review 🙂
Wow, just wow. Tried this tonight, and gotta say it’s one of my top 3 favorite IP recipes yet! So delicious and easy.
Modifications:
-Used more of the diced apple/onion (2 small Granny Smiths + full small red onion, same amount of balsamic), and having more of the pork topping to spoon on top was great)
-the pork chops I had were boneless center cut, sliced thin. Based on other comments, I only did 7 min IP pressure cook with quick release. Was still a tad dry so I think I’d try 5 min next time
-served with white rice and a garlic—Parmesan asparagus recipe I found.
Outstanding!
Glad this turned out for you and you enjoyed it! Sorry I wasn’t able to respond to your earlier question in time but it sounds like you’ve got it 🙂
Hi- excited to try this recipe but have a question. I got thin boneless center cut chops, and want to be sure they’re juicy and not dried out. Intrigued by incorporating natural release to ensure juiciness. Any advice on cooking time? Maybe 3 min high pressure, 5 min natural release? Thanks!
Just tried this recipe. I was so easy and delicious! Erica, you need to try it… I know pork is not your thing, but WOW! Thanks, Justin.
Glad you enjoyed this recipe! Erica really is missing out…
Hahaha! So, I’ve tried to like pork chops many times, and I just don’t. It’s a texture thing for me. This recipe did make me wish I liked them though. Glad you enjoyed it! 🙂
what would be a good veggie to serve with this dish?
Whatever sounds good! Winter squash, root vegetables, sweet potato, wilted greens, asparagus, brussels sprouts, cauliflower or cauli rice, etc. So many options! Let us know what you end up trying and how it goes!
Can the ghee be replace a cooking oil?
Yep, that should be just fine! 🙂
I love this recipe and use it regularly in rotation. Very easy and quick, and leftovers are great for a quick reheat!
So happy to hear you enjoy this one! Thanks so much for coming back to share a rating and review! 🙂
My chops were a little frozen so added 5 minutes, then let th pressure go down naturally. Since I had 4 chops I increased to apples and onions, and added a couple sprigs of fresh Rosemary. DELICIOUS!!!! Thanks for this great recipe!!!
This was so good. I did with frozen center cut boneless chops. I added 5 minutes and it was not dry at all. I loved it. Definitely will save.
I made this last night and it was delish! After cooking, I used the remaining liquid and made it into a reduction sauce. Soooo good!
Sounds delicious Laura!
Hands down one of the best pork chop recipes we have had! My husband is typically not a fan of pork with fruit but he asked to keep this on the menu. So simple and delicious.
Love to hear that Tiffany, thank you!
So good!!!!!!!!
Glad you enjoyed them Jill!
I’ve made this before and it’s A HUGE HIT!! So delicious!!
Just made this for the first time. I had 6 chops (thick and bone-in) so I doubled the onions and apples. I used one full cup of balsamic and 1/4 cup of apple brandy. The sauce was to die for! The pork chops were a little overdone, but I’m still trying to figure out what it means to “close the pressure valve”. I’m guessing I should not have relied on the alarm sounding at the end of the pressure time. I got too busy with the online working and learning going on in my house today. Highly recommend!
These came out great! So quick and easy!! Used 4 boneless pork chops about inch or so thick. I used 1 1/2 times the ingredients (adapting for the 4th chop?). Followed directions, cooking for 10 minutes and then quick release. Meat was moist and tender and big hit with the family!! Passed it on to my sons and daughters in law.
That’s great to hear Anita, thanks for sharing!
This dish is simply delicious and has become a go-to in our home and a frequent request by my kiddos! First it’s quick and easy (a must for busy weeknights) and secondly it’s just so delicious. The meat comes out moist and tender, and the combo of flavours are amazing. I like to serve over mashed potatoes with all the juice/sauce. I usually double the recipe and find 14 mins cook time is perfect.
This is so wonderful to hear! Thanks for trying our recipe and taking the time to share here and on IG, too. We appreciate it so much! And we’re so glad it’s a hit with the whole family! 🙂
Absolutely delicious, made it exactly as written and it was perfect. And super easy! Making it again this weekend for friends.
Glad you liked this and hope your friends do too :).
Found this recipe last week & have already tried it twice! My husband is in love with it & says its a keeper! High praise from a good cook. Thank you so much for making me look like a decent weeknight cook!
Wow, thank you so much! Glad you both are enjoying this one :).
Can I bundle up some baby potatoes to cook at the same time as the chops? Ive done this recipe before and love it, but thought maybe I could do potatoes on top, in foil?
We haven’t tried it, but sure, give it a shot!
After sauteing, do you place the pork chops on the trivet or just right in the pot?
We just placed them right back in the pot.
That was delicious. My compliments to the chef! Can’t wait to try your recipe
Yummy this came out perfect. Added 2 tsp cornstarch at the end and cooked on saute for a few minutes to thicken the sauce.
Sounds good Lisa, thanks for sharing the tip to thicken the sauce.
Just made this! It was delicious. Pork chops we perfect . First time I cook pork chops in my Instpot.
Glad you enjoyed it Julie!
PS I thought meat was supposed to not get a QR, so I let it sit for a few minutes. Any comments. Thanks.
We’ve had fine results with a quick release, but it’s fine to let it sit for a few minutes.
I added some freshly picked figs to this today, chopped up. I used frozen pork! Even with no added salt, I can’t believe the flavor!!!!
I also tossed in a few 10 minute sized potatoes.
Sounds delicious! Glad you enjoyed the recipe 🙂
What kind of onion and apple do you recommend?
Just a regular yellow onion and any crisp apple will work!
Outstanding! Simple, quick, delicious. What more can you ask for? Family loved it.Will absolutely make again.
So glad you guys enjoyed the recipe 🙂
Can I cook potatoes at the same time in a dish above my 4 pork chops??
We’ve never tried that and I’d be worried about the potatoes getting cooked with such a short cooking time. You’d definitely want to cut the potatoes up into small chunks if you tried that. Let us know how it goes if you do!
Pork loin chops great as usual, no surprise, but the potatoes didn’t cook right at all. Epic fail. Lol. Oh well, I’ll have to try something different next time.
That’s a bummer, but at least you gave it a try. Maybe you could just pop the potatoes in the oven to cook before you start the instant pot next time?
OMG this recipe is so delicious. I have made it a few times and I have had company rave how good it is. Thank you so very much for sharing. Please. Don’t think about trying this, just go for it. I promise you won’t be disappointed…
Thanks for the great review! We agree, this is a good one 🙂
We tried this tonight, it turned out amazing, perfect tender pork chops, and the sauce was delicious! I tripled the sauce, and wonder if that’s why my chops turned out so moist, and tender?
That’s great to hear! I’ve never tripled the recipe, so I’m not sure. Glad to hear it turned out well :).
That was very tasty, thanks. And I don’t even use salt! I had thick pork chops and did 8 min HP with 10 min NR – could have pulled em out sooner! The apples were Anastasia.
Soooo happy you enjoyed the recipe! Thanks so much for giving it a try! And thanks for coming back to share! Appreciate it. 🙂
Really, really great flavor, but chops were WAY over cooked and I only cooked them for 7 minutes. Next time I will try cooking them for only 4-5 minutes with 10 NPR.
Glad you liked the flavor and hopefully next time you get the chops cooked to your liking.
I really enjoyed the flavor of this recipe. I used two apples as mine were pretty small. I did get the “burn” message on my insta pot. I had to add some beef broth and a little more vinegar to get more liquid. I also went down to 9 minutes. Will definitely make this again.
Glad you were able to adjust and make it work! Thanks for trying our recipe and coming back to tell us how it went :).
Meat was bit tough, flavor was just ok. Thanks for your recipe.
Sorry this didn’t turn out as desired.
Making it for the 3rd time since finding this recipe this summer. For us we love the sauce, but tweaked it a little or maybe a lot. 😉 LOL. . We doubled the amount of apples and cut back the vinegar and garlic powder by half and for u, love it that way! The sauce is great over rice as well as the pork chops. 🙂 Thank you for sharing this recipe. Now to move on and try some over your other ones.
Having an instant pot has been a real energy saver at our house over this hot summer. Saves us from using the oven but at the same time allows us to have those meals that we love having but not wanting to use the oven.
That’s great! Glad you found the recipe and modified it to your liking :).
Any suggestions on using a crockpot instead of an instant pot for this recipe?
We haven’t done this recipe specifically in the crockpot but we have done other recipes. For this, I’d recommend giving the pork chops a quick sear for 1-2 minutes on both sides in a pan. Then, transfer to the crockpot and follow steps 6-7 in the recipe. Cook on high for 1.5 to 2 hours, depending on the thickness of the chops. Hopefully this helps and let us know how it goes!
Awesome, thank you!
OMG, it’s DELICIOUS! I was worried it would be dry because the recipe didn’t call for any liquid other than the balsamic to be added and I was SO wrong- the pork is incredibly juicy and the onion and apple created a heavenly flavor and are the PERFECT consistency! Thank you. Oh, and I followed your crockpot suggestion and you were right on.
That’s great! So glad it worked out well and you enjoyed it!! Thanks so much for giving our recipe a try and taking the time to come back and share. We appreciate it! 🙂
Just wanted to say that this recipe is wonderful! It is by far mine and my husband’s favorite pork chop recipe. We use thin pork chops and the meat just falls right off the bone. And it’s so simple to make. I know this review sounds cliche, but I’m really pleased with how this meal turned out.
Thanks so much for the review, we are so glad you enjoy the recipe!
Could I make a double batch all at once? Would I need to change the cooking time?
We haven’t tried this, but if you’re able to sear all of the pork chops first you should be able to use the same cooking time. Just check the pork chops when you finish to be sure they are cooked to your liking.
I was looking for a fast and easy meal, and this definitely delivered. I used some thick sliced bone-in, and some thick slice boneless. They were both good, but the bone in was AMAZING. I could break it apart with my fingers for the baby, but it still maintained the crispy exterior. I have had a problem over cooking meats, so I did 5 mins with NPR on mine. Also, I tried doubling it with great results, except I should probably not have doubled the balsamic. There was entirely too much liquid, but I don’t know how different the flavor would have wound up without the extra balsamic.
Yay! We’re so happy to hear this worked out great for you! Thanks so much for giving it a try and taking the time to come back and share! We hope this one makes it into your regular rotation of recipes! Next time you double it, you might play with using less than double of the topping to see how it compares flavor wise. The apples definitely release a lot of water while cooking. We haven’t tried doubling it ourselves yet, so you’ll have to let us know. 🙂
Can I substitute red wine vinegar for balsamic?
Yes, it will just have a different flavor profile and might create a thinner sauce. Let us know how it goes if you try it out!
This is my go to pork chop recipe for the instant pot!!
Yesss! We love hearing that! Thanks so much for giving it a try and taking the time to come back and share! 🙂
Have you done this with frozen chops? How would you do it?
Sorry, we haven’t tried this with frozen chops and I’m not sure how they would turn out.
Followed directions above excepted did a 10 min NPR at the end. Turned out moist and had lots of yummy juices with the apple onion mixture. Will definitely make these again.
So happy to hear you enjoyed it! Thanks so much for giving our recipe a try and coming back to share! Appreciate it! 🙂
I want to try these tonight. Doesn’t there need to be any liquid in the pot?
The apple mixture has some liquid in it and then the apples release some water as they cook, which adds to the liquid in the IP. Hope you enjoy! 🙂
Having cooked with a pressure cooker for many years, I recommend a shorter cooking time, about half, with a slow release.
Thanks for the tip.
I agree with Terry!
Hi! I made this last night and my 1 1/2 inch boneless pork chops came out dry. I put my instant pot on “pressure cook” for 10 minutes and then let it slow release. My pot gives me the option for “low” or “high” pressure when I use that function. I selected “high”. My IP is new to me, and I would appreciate any advice you could give me. The sauce was delicious and I would certainly make this again, if I could figure out how to not dry out the chops!
Thanks!
Hi there – Our instructions say to quick release the pressure, so your pork chops actually cooked for an additional 15 minutes or so by letting the IP naturally release. Next time try the quick release and also only do a very short sear on both sides using the saute function. Let us know how it goes!
I bought 2 2.5″ thick chops and I knew from last time 10 mins is too long a time. I did 7.5 min with slow release, but I still thought it could be less time. 6 minutes next time.
If they still need more time, I’ll just put them in the oven for a bit, then they’re still hot and ready to serve. Don’t want them over cooked! Practice makes perfect!
I want to make this but I have 5 thin boneless chops already. Thoughts on cooking times for that? Thanks!
I would just give them a very quick sear on each side and then pressure cook for 7-8 minutes instead of 10. Just be sure to check them and make sure they are cooked before eating (you can always saute them a little more if needed). Let us know how they turn out!
Made this today from sliced pork loin… so yummy and not dry at all.
Fantastic! So glad it worked well and you enjoyed it! Thanks so much for giving our recipe a try and coming back to share! 🙂
Taste was good but pork was so dry. I’d reduce the time
If we tried them again. It’s a bummer too because the topping was yummy!
Thanks so much for trying our recipe and taking the time to come back and share! We appreciate it. Cooking time will definitely vary a bit depending on the size and thickness of the pork chops, so hopefully next time you’re able to get the pork to come out just right! Thanks again! 🙂
Hi; I have tried two whole 30 recipe’s so far and they were great! I usually don’t have good success cooking to say the least but with your help I’ve had two great meals this week. I would like to get an instant pot, which one do you recommend ? Thanks again for sharing! My 14year old thanks you to!,
So happy to hear you found some success with our recipes! Here is a link to the Instant Pot we use:
http://amzn.to/2GKZu2L
Try natural release instead of quick release for the first 15 minutes or so. This lets the meat rest and generally help meat retain moisture.
Thanks for sharing your tip!