Instant Pot Kulolo Recipe Using Only 3 Ingredients (2024)

Instant Pot kulolo: Kulolo or taro pudding is a classic Hawaiian dessert. Warm, chewy, rich, dark brown pieces of kulolo made easily in the comfort of your home using an Instant Pot. My favorite!

Kūlolo is a popular Hawaiian dessert here in the islands made of ground kalo or taro, raw sugar, and coconut milk. Traditional kulolo is made in an imu or underground oven and steamed or baked for hours.

Today, kulolo is often baked in the oven or steamed in a steamer. This process is very time consuming, however I have got a way to make kulolo in the Instant Pot and will cut your cook time down tremendously.

The Instant Pot is an electronic pressure cooker and has become a very popular kitchen countertop appliance. This is the Instant Pot I have.

What is kulolo made of?

• Kalo (taro)
• Raw sugar
• Coconut milk

Recipe from this post.

What is kalo (taro)?

Kalo is a root vegetable popular in Hawaiian cuisine. Both the root and the leaves can be eaten when cooked properly. Kalo contains calcium oxalate crystals that can cause a very unpleasant itch in the back of your throat if not broken down by the cooking process. The calcium oxalate crystals can also cause itch to bare skin. If you have sensitive skin I would recommend using gloves when grating the raw kalo.

What type of kalo do I use to make kulolo?

There are many different varieties of kalo. Some grown in the ʻāina wai or wetlands and others in the ʻāina malo’o or dry land. The mana or lauloa variety of kalo make for great kulolo and are both grown on dry land.

***The Chinese variety of kalo like Bun-Long is common in grocery stores and works well to make taro chips, but DOES NOT work well to make kulolo.***

The University of Hawai’i at Manoa has great resource on kalo varieties. You can check it out here.

How long does it take to make kulolo in the Instant Pot?

Two and a half hours and best if cooled overnight to set. Yes, I know two and a half hours sounds like quite a long time, however the traditional method of making kulolo takes hours to make. Making two and half hours seem like no time at all.

How long does Instant Pot kulolo last?

Kulolo stored in an airtight container or wrapped in plastic wrap will keep at room temperature for about 3-4 days.

Can you freeze kulolo?

You can freeze kulolo wrapped in plastic wrap or the plastic wrap alternative of your choice and placed in an airtight container for a few months. When ready to eat defrost at room temperature and microwave to warm up if you’d like to eat it warm.

What goes well with kulolo?

You can eat kulolo on its own as a dessert or snack. I also enjoy eating it alongside a scoop of coconut ice cream. Or pair it with the ultimate Hawaiian meal of laulau, luau stew, kalua pig, chicken long rice, pohole salad, and lomi salmon.

How to make Instant Pot kulolo?

Set Instant Pot to saute mode.

Line an 8 inch by 2 inch deep cake pan with foil. I have a 6 quart Instant Pot and this will fit perfectly. Be sure to find a pan that will fit your Instant Pot. Set aside.

In a large bowl add kalo, sugar, and coconut milk. Stir until well combined.

Pour mixture in to prepared pan. Cover tightly with foil.

Add 1 cup of water to the Instant Pot. Place trivet in the Instant Pot followed by the cake pan. If you do not have a trivet you can roll a piece of foil to elevate the cake pan.

Place the lid on and set to sealing. Press cancel to end saute mode. Cook on manual high pressure for 150 minutes. Allow natural pressure release until safety pin has dropped and the lid is unlocked.

Allow to cool overnight. Slice in to pieces and serve. Enjoy!

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