There’s nothing better than drinking a cup of sweet, milky, spiced chai in the morning or really at any time of the day. This Instant Pot masala chai is so easy to make for yourself, for a few people or even for a large group of people. My recipe for Instant Pot Masala Chai is from my cookbook, Indian Food Under Pressure.
You might be wondering why anyone would make chai in a pressure cooker. It can be faster to make it on a stovetop, especially a single cup. But when you make it in a pressure cooker, there’s no need to babysit the tea. I always use my pressure cooker when making chai for friends or for a large party because it’s such a hands-off recipe. I also like making chai for myself and my husband before work. I can prepare the tea, get ready for the day, then come downstairs to a fresh cup of steaming hot chai.
Why Make Chai in an Instant Pot?
- It’s really easy to make for a large group of people
- You don’t have to babysit a pot on the stove (great for those of us who have hands full with kiddos!)
- no risk of having milk overflow onto the stovetop
- do other things while chai simmers
There is a time and place for chai: always and anywhere. 😉 But what’s the best way to prepare chai? I really think the answer to that question depends on your personal circumstance.
For example, if I have some time to spare, I’ll make a cup of masala chai on the stovetop. If you ask my Indian parents, that’s the only way to make proper chai. Sometimes, if I know I’m going to have a really busy week, then I’ll prepare a batch of chai concentrate so I don’t have to worry about making a fresh cup of chai every morning.
If I’m being honest, I don’t know how parents of young kids find time to make and drink a hot cup of chai. I have a 16-month-old and I literally have to re-heat my chai in the microwave four times before I can get through it (and yes, I realize that even bringing up a microwave is basically sacrilege when it comes to chai).
So when is the right situation to make chai in an Instant Pot? Whenever you need to make chai using the least amount of effort possible. Yes, it may take longer than preparing it over the stove but you won’t have to watch it simmer. I love this method of making chai when we have friends over. It’s the perfect way to make chai for a party. It’s really easy to scale the amount of chai according to the number of people in your group too – see my recipe below for details on how to do that.
Things You Must Know Before Making Chai in an Instant Pot:
- Make sure to wash the lid on your Instant Pot before you make chai. Otherwise the chai will taste and smell like the last thing you cooked. YUCK.
- If possible, buy an extra silicone ring that you keep solely for sweet recipes. I actually have two Instant Pots and one is dedicated to sweet dishes (desserts, oatmeal, plain rice, yogurt).
- Chai is a personal thing. Give my recipe a try, then adapt the recipe to your taste. If you prefer more spice, add more spice or if you prefer to drink a less milky chai then change the ratio and use more water instead.
Make this and let me know how it goes! And if you enjoy this recipe, be sure to check out my cookbook: Indian Food Under Pressure.
Instant Pot Chai for One or for a Party
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You might be wondering why anyone would make chai in a pressure cooker. It can be faster to make it on a stovetop, especially a single cup. But when you make it in a pressure cooker, there’s no need to babysit the tea. You can set it and forget it. I always use my pressure cooker when making chai for friends or for a large party because it’s such a hands off recipe. I also like making chai for myself and my husband everyday before work. I can prepare the tea, get ready for the day, then come downstairs to a fresh cup of steaming hot chai.
Ingredients
Chai for 1
- ½ cup water
- 1 black tea bag
- 1 cardamom pod, lightly crushed
- 1 whole clove
- Pinch of fennel seeds (approx. 1⁄8 teaspoon)
- ½ cup milk
- Sweetener, adjust to taste
Chai for 4
- 2 cups water
- 4 black tea bags
- 4 cardamom pods, lightly crushed 4 whole cloves
- ½ teaspoon fennel seeds
- 2 cups milk
- Sweetener, adjust to taste
Chai for 10
- 5 cups water
- 10 black tea bags
- 10 cardamom pods, lightly crushed 10 whole cloves
- 1 ¼ teaspoons fennel seeds
- 5 cups milk
- Sweetener, adjust to taste
Instructions
- Multiply the ingredients according to the number of people drinking chai.
- Press the sauté button on the Instant Pot and add water, black tea, cardamom pods, cloves and fennel seeds to the pot. Once the water begins to steam, pour the milk into the pot (make sure the water is steaming before adding the milk as this will prevent the milk from burning at the bottom of the pot).
- Secure the lid, close the pressure valve and cook for 2 minutes at high pressure.
- Naturally release pressure for 15 minutes. Open the valve to release any remaining pressure.
- Add sweetener to taste, then serve.
Notes
- You may want to adjust the proportions according to your taste (e.g. if you prefer stronger chai, add more tea or if you prefer less milk then use more water).
- Make sure you have washed your lid prior to making chai, otherwise your chai will taste and smell like the last thing you cooked.
- I suggest keeping a separate silicone ring for sweet recipes. In fact, I have two Instant Pots and one is dedicated to sweet dishes (desserts, oatmeal, plain rice, yogurt).
Hi Ashley! Could this recipe be made with loose tea instead of a tea bag?
Hi Maneesha! Yes you can definitely use loose tea 🙂 Add as much as you normally would per cup!
Awesome! I’ll definitely try this!
Can’t wait to hear what you think!!
No milk?
It’s listed in the ingredients list 🙂
I am making a half a gallon and it will go in the fridge for tomorrow. Is there any reason to add the milk to the instant pot? Can I just add it when it is done?
Thanks, it’s a very good recipe. I made it yesterday too.
You can add it later too – just be sure to heat it all together so the flavors blend 🙂
This is ingenious! You are a genius 😊 I have a gathering this weekend and I discovered this recipe just in time. I was always afraid the milk would boil over but you give me confidence.
Thank you, Varsha!! Let me know how it goes! Hope everyone loves the chai 🙂
Hi Ashley.. does the tea get bitter from sitting with the tea leaves during the 15mins of NPR?
Hi Amruta, I haven’t had it taste bitter yet 🙂 Let me know what you think if you give it a try!
I have a 6 qt pressure cooker. How much tea do you think I could make at one time? 5 quarts? I just worry because of the milk and the pressure. I’m also new at using pressure cookers. Thanks
I definitely want to try this recipe; however I noticed that most of your recipes calls for an instant pot. Can I make the recipes in my slow cooker instead?
★★★★
Hi Maria! You can make this on the stovetop – I have a separate recipe for that on my blog 🙂 I’m sure you can do it with a slow cooker but I no longer use a slow cooker now that I have an instant pot…
Hello, do you mind running me through the instructions of how to make the chai concentrate? I would like to prepare that in a large batch on sunday nights for the whole week
Thank you.
Here’s my blog post on chai concentrate: https://myheartbeets.com/homemade-chai-concentrate/ hope that helps!
What kind of milk do you recommend?
This is completely up to you and your taste! I usually use 2 percent or skim depending on how creamy I want it.
What is the max number of cups of tea I can make in IP? I have a 6 qt and want to make chai for a party I’m having this weekend. Need a total of at least 30 cups of chai. Can I make it in one shot?
Thank you!
Hi! The max I’ve done is for 10 people but you should be able to go until the max fill line – I would probably NPR though because if you try to release it yourself and it’s really full then it might spray out the valve.
My milk spilled out of the instant pot when I tried this recipe. What did I do wrong? I thought I followed all the instructions.
Hi Lekha, let’s see if we can troubleshoot! A few questions – did you fill the milk past the max line? Did you quick release or release pressure before it dropped on it’s own?