If it were a perfect world, we would have enough time, money, and energy to whip up a gourmet five-course meal to be enjoyed by candlelight. Unfortunately, the reality is that we often barely have time to even sneak in a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. If we're not rushing to get the kiddos to school then we're rushing to a work meeting, all while trying our best to not let the house fall apart in between. This is precisely why our Instant Pots are true blessings in our hectic lives.
Since an Instant Pot is basically a pressure cooker, Crock Pot, rice cooker, steamer, and more in just one appliance, the meal possibilities are pretty much endless. Instant Pots can help us put together breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Is anyone else crying tears of joy?
Plus, since home-cooked meals are literally the click of a button away, then we're bound to also save money. As we all know, eating at home rather than at restaurants is more economically friendly — and healthier too! We know exactly what's going in our delicious meal.
So do Instant Pots count as a win-win-win then? We vote yes.
For some Instant Pot recipe inspiration, here are 50 recipes to always keep in our repertoires. We've got recipes for vegans, vegetarians, and meat-lovers alike!
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Lentil Tacos
Calling all taco-loving vegetarians or vegans! These lentil tacos "are great in crunchy or soft tacos, as part of a burrito, or taco salad," as Holly at My Plant-Based Family says.
Mexi-Meatloaf
This seasoned and tasty meatloaf can be made in just 35 minutes. Plus, the recipe, which is from Predominantly Paleo, can also be adapted into meatballs! Yum.
Maple-Smoked Brisket
Liquid smoke is the secret to this deliciously smelling — and tasting — brisket from Bare Root Girl. No one will know this wasn't made in an outdoor smoker!
Creamy Dairy-Free Potato Soup With Kale
Have stray vegetables that are on their way to the trash can? Grab an Instant Pot and an immersion blender and turn those guys into a hearty and dairy-free soup with this recipe by Veggie Inspired Journey!
Mongolian Beef
This recipe by Pressure Cooking Today is so simple to put together but packs a flavorful punch, thanks to garlic and ginger.
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Instant Stew
This Instant Stew recipe by The Domestic Man is worthy of being an Instant Pot staple. We bet this would hit the spot during cold winter nights.
Homemade Yogurt
Make a big batch of creamy yogurt with an Instant Pot and this recipe by Tidbits. The recipe calls for a yogurt starter, like plain yogurt, powdered milk, vanilla, milk, and a strainer. Easy peasy.
Chef AJ's Red Lentil Chili
Healthy Girl's Kitchen's recipe for red lentil chili is so hearty and warming that it'll make the snow outside melt. It also only takes 10 minutes of actual cooking time in the Instant Pot. Score!
Butternut Squash Risotto
This gluten-free and vegan butternut squash risotto by Make Real Food is still so creamy that it'll make people wonder if dairy was snuck into it!
Summer Cherry Tomato Chicken Cacciatore
Instant Pots aren't only reserved for the winter. Don't believe me? Check out this light and colorful recipe by Hip Pressure Cooking!
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Paleo Butternut Squash Soup
Coconut milk is the trick to giving this soup a creamy texture without dairy! Find the recipe at Savory Made Simple.
Cinnamon Applesauce
Whether we want to eat applesauce as a snack or for dessert, we're going to be using this recipe by Jennifer Robins and her book Paleo Cooking With Your Instant.
Cinnamon Applesauce
Makes: 4 servings
5 apples, any variety
1 tbsp (8 g) ground cinnamon
½ cup (120 ml) 100% apple juice or cider
3 tbsp (21 g) grass-fed collagen powder
Core and seed apples and coarsely chop.
If using a pressure cooker or Instant Pot, place apples, ground cinnamon and juice into cooker. Secure the lid and manually select 5 minutes on high pressure. Once complete, quick-release the pressure and when appropriate, remove the lid.
When cooked, transfer contents to a blender or use an immersion blender to purée into sauce. Once smooth, add in the grass-fed collagen and stir to combine. Chill and serve.
Alternative: If using a slow cooker, place the chopped apples, cinnamon and juice into the slow cooker and cook on low for 4 hours. Transfer the contents to a blender or use an immersion blender to purée it into sauce. Once smooth, add in the grass-fed collagen and stir to combine. Chill and serve.
One Pot Chicken, Black Beans & Rice Burrito Bowl
Bye, Chipotle. Thanks to Hip Pressure Cooking, we can make our own healthy burrito bowls!
Chili Lime Chicken
Oh, the things we would do with this chili lime chicken recipe by Our Best Bites. From burrito bowls to tacos and taco salads. Yum!
Eggplant & Olive Oil Spread
Whip up this Baba Ganoush recipe by Hip Pressure Cooking for the next dinner party! Or maybe use it as a sauce!
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Peaches & Cream Oatmeal
With rolled oats and an Instant Pot, we have a sweet meal that's delicious enough to be eaten anytime of the day. This recipe by Instantly Delicious has juicy peaches in it!
Braised Beef Short Ribs
There's not much that's more savory than braised short ribs. Follow this recipe by Fresh Tart for a quick, easy and delicious recipe!
Individual Crustless Quiche
These savory little quiches are the perfect recipe by Paleo Cooking With Your Instant Pot for meal-prepping. Just heat 'em up and nosh on them at anytime of the day!
Individual Crustless Quiche
1 tbsp (15 ml) ghee, olive oil or lard
1/3 cup (67 g) onion, diced
1/3 cup (22 g) freshly sliced mushrooms
3 pastured eggs
¼ cup (60 ml) dairy-free milk or water
¼ cup (10 g) baby spinach, chopped
¼ tsp onion powder
¼ tsp garlic powder
¼ tsp sea salt
Pinch black pepper
1 cup (240 ml) water
To begin, heat your ghee or preferred cooking fat by pressing the Sauté button. Toss in your onion and mushrooms and cook them for 5–8 minutes, shifting them regularly, until they are soft and beginning to brown. Remove them from the stainless steel bowl and set them aside. Now in a mixing bowl, whisk together your eggs, dairy-free milk and all of the remaining ingredients, including the sautéed onions and mushrooms.
IPstainless steel bowl and place the steaming rack into the bowl. Now lower your uncooked quiche pans onto the steaming rack. If you do not have room for all of them, you can actually stack them on top of each other and they will still cook through.
Secure the lid and close off the pressure valve. Press the Manual button and press the "-" button until the time reflects 10 minutes. Allow the cooking cycle to complete, and then quick-release the pressure valve and remove the lid when safe to do so. Carefully remove the mini quiches and serve warm. You can also make them ahead and refrigerate them covered.
Alternative: Follow preparation steps above, and then lower the quiche pans into you
Fettuccine Alfredo
With this recipe by Heather Likes Food, we can whip up a rich and indulgent fettuccine Alfredo in just 20 minutes.
Tomato Basil Soup
This rich tomato basil soup is so good, we don't even need a grilled cheese alongside it. We like the recipe by This Old Gal.
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Beef Barbacoa Burrito Bowls
This recipe by Jay's Baking Me Crazy requires just one hour for tender fall-off-the-bone beef barbacoa that rivals Chipotle.
15-Minute Instant Pot Orange Chicken
Forget take-out. This orange chicken recipe by A Fork's Tale requires just 15 minutes and an Instant Pot. Yes, please!
Cowboy Chili
Sausage and ground beef make this chili the heartiest ever! Find the recipe in Paleo Cooking With Your Instant Pot.
Cowboy Chili
Makes: 8 servings
1 lb (450 g) pasture-raised breakfast sausage
1 lb (450 g) grass-fed ground beef 2 onions, diced
29 oz (822 g) diced tomatoes
1½ cups (300 g) carrots, diced
½ tsp pepper
2 tbsp (14 g) chili powder
1 tsp (2 g) garlic powder
1 tsp (2 g) onion powder
½ tsp paprika (regular or smoked)
1 tsp (5 g) sea salt
1 tbsp (15 ml) (or more) gluten-free
Worcestershire sauce
To serve: Dairy-free sour cream, jalapeño slices and dairy-free cheese
Begin by placing your two meats and onion into the basin. Press the Sauté button and cook until the meats are no longer pink, shifting the contents regularly to break them up. This will take around 5 minutes or so. Now add in the remaining ingredients. Give them a quick stir and press the Keep Warm/Cancel button (high pressure, 30 minutes). Now secure the lid, close off the pressure valve and press the Bean/Chili button. Allow the contents to cook and once complete, quick-release the pressure valve. Remove the lid when safe to do so and press Keep Warm/Cancel, and then press the Sauté button. This will help reduce the chili liquid and help thicken it up. Sauté your chili for about 10 minutes, stirring each minute or so. Serve with dairy-free sour cream, jalapeño slices and dairy-free cheese.
Alternative: To make in a slow cooker, first sauté the breakfast sausage, beef and onions over high heat for about 5 minutes. Transfer to slow cooker and combine remaining ingredients. Give it a quick stir, cover and cook on low for 5 hours.
BBQ Meatballs
This recipe by Plaid & Paleo will help us whip up some sweet and tangy BBQ meatballs, perfect as an appetizer or main entrée.
Key Lime Pie
This key lime pie recipe by Living Sweet Moments will instantly transport us to the summertime — even in the dead of winter.
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Mac & Cheese
Mac and cheese is the ultimate comfort food, right? This mac and cheese recipe by Family Fresh Meals will have us feeling at home in no time.
Cajun Chicken & Sausage
This recipe for spicy Cajun chicken and sausage rice by This Mama Loves is sure to warm up anyone. The Instant Pot gets the temperature and the texture just right.
Baby Back Ribs
This recipe by The Spicy Apron gives us tender and juicy baby back ribs in just 30 minutes. Perfect for the procrastinating outdoor barbecue party host!
Beef Gyros
This beef gyro recipe by My Crazy Good Life is so easy and so delicious! The lemon juice and broth keep the beef juicy and tender.
Smoky Pecan Brussels Sprouts
These crunchy and smoky-tasting brussels sprouts by The Ultimate Vegan Cookbook for Your Instant Pot are bound to become everyone's favorite side dish.
Smoky Pecan Brussels Sprouts
Makes 4 side dish servings
Pressure Cooker Ingredients
2 cups (176 g) small baby Brussels sprouts, as close to the same size as possible
¼ cup (60 ml) water
½ tsp liquid smoke
Sauté Ingredients
¼ cup (28 g) chopped pecans
2 tbsp (30 ml) maple syrup
Salt, to taste
For the pressure cooker, add the Brussels sprouts, water and liquid smoke to your Instant Pot and mix well. Put the lid on and close the pressure valve. Cook on high pressure for 2 minutes. (Note: If you have very large Brussels sprouts, you may need to double the cooking time.)
Once the cooking time is up, carefully move the pressure release valve to release the pressure manually.
For the sauté, switch to the sauté function and add in the pecans and maple syrup and reduce the liquid as you finish cooking the sprouts. Remove from the heat once tender and add salt to taste.
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Beef Stroganoff
For a creamy and hearty meal, check out this beef stroganoff recipe by This Old Gal. The recipe calls for butter, Sherry wine, and garlic to make the sauce as savory as possible.
Salted Date Caramel Tapioca Pudding
We wouldn't mind starting off every day with this indulgent tapioca pudding by The Ultimate Vegan Cookbook for Your Instant Pot — especially since it has a salted date caramel filling.
Salted Date Caramel Tapioca Pudding
Makes 6 servings
2 cups (475 ml) unsweetened nondairy milk (plain or vanilla)
1⁄2 cup (76 g) small tapioca pearls
1⁄2 cup (120 g) Date Caramel Filling (page 197)
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
Salt, to taste
Add the nondairy milk, tapioca and date caramel to your Instant Pot. Cook on high pressure for 8 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally. Don’t worry if the pudding is thinner than you expect. It will thicken more in the fridge.
Stir in the vanilla and salt to taste. Pour into a storage container and put in the fridge for at least 4 hours before serving.
Fancy it up and top each portion with vegan chocolate curls or a sprinkle of kosher salt.
Date Caramel Filling
Makes about 4 cups (940 G)
3 cups (700 ml) water
1 (7-oz [227-g]) package pitted dates
2 tsp (10 ml) pure vanilla extract
Add the water and dates to your Instant Pot. Cook on high pressure for 10 minutes and let the pressure release naturally. Using tongs or a slotted spoon, carefully transfer the dates to your blender. Add the vanilla and cooking water as needed to puree the dates into a paste.
Store in the fridge. This is great in coffee, as a dip for apple slices and much more. You will have leftovers to play with if you only make 12 tamales.
Giant Pancake
For an indulgent breakfast — or snack or dessert after dinner — whip up this giant Instant Pot pancake. Check out the recipe by Kirbie's Cravings and get one in just a few minutes!
Shrimp Boil
No need to travel to the Big Easy with this Instant Pot shrimp boil by Pressure Luck Cooking. The recipe is so easy, thanks to frozen sausage, corn, and shrimp!
Baked Potato Soup
For a hearty and creamy meal without all the hard work, follow this recipe for baked potato soup by Living Locurto.
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Butter Chicken
The Indian dish called butter chicken lives up to its name. It's creamy and flavorful. Now we can make it in a pinch, thanks to this recipe by Jo Cooks.
Spaghetti Squash
Spaghetti squash is a polarizing dish, and one reason for that is because it's difficult to cut open and cook. However, an Instant Pot can make it oh-so simple! Follow this recipe by Nom Nom Paleo.
Creamy Mushroom Curry With Brown Basmati Rice Pilaf
We're going to want more than just one serving of this savory Indian-inspired mushroom curry by The Ultimate Vegan Cookbook for Your Instant Pot.
Creamy Mushroom Curry With Brown Basmati Rice Pilaf
Makes 2 servings
BasmatiRice Pilaf Ingredients
basmatirice
1½ cups (355 ml) water
1 cardamom pod
1 cinnamon stick
½ tsp cumin seeds
¼ tsp ground turmeric
¼ tsp salt
Creamy Mushroom Curry Ingredients
1½ cups (108 g) sliced mushrooms
1 cup (128 g) cubed potatoes, cauliflower florets, carrots, sweet potato or combination
½ cup (120 ml) unsweetened nondairy milk
¼ cup (61 g) unsweetened plain vegan yogurt or cashew cream
1 tsp grated ginger
½ tsp minced garlic
½ tsp salt
garam masala
¼ tsp ground turmeric
¼ tsp ground coriander
1⁄8 tsp chili powder
For the rice pilaf, combine the rice, water, cardamom pod, cinnamon stick, cumin seeds, turmeric and salt in your Instant Pot insert.
garam masala, turmeric, coriander and chili powder in it. Cover with foil.
If your pan does not fit inside the rack handles, you will need to fashion some handles out of aluminum foil to lower the pan into the cooker. Tear off two pieces of foil about 3 feet (1 m) long, fold each one lengthwise two times. Lay the foil handles out on the counter in a plus sign near your cooker. Place your pan in the center, where the two pieces cross. Pull the handles up and carefully lift the pan into your Instant Pot.
Cook on high pressure for 27 minutes.
Lasagna
Lasagna is a comforting go-to dish, but it can be kind of a chore to put together. An Instant Pot can really cut down on that though! Check out this recipe by Simply Happy Foodie.
Herb Roasted Potatoes
Ditch the oven and make some herb roasted potatoes in an Instant Pot! In this recipe by Hip Pressure Cooking, it only takes about 15 minutes for those babies to become tender.
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Chicken Teriyaki
For a sweet and savory chicken dish, look no further than at this recipe by Fabulessly Frugal. Throw the chicken over some rich and sautéed veggies, and voilà! Dinner!
Lemon Pepper Salmon
Let's get some omega-3 fatty acids by cooking up some healthy salmon fillets in our Instant Pot! This recipe by Wholesomelicious seasons the fish with lemon and pepper — a simple but classic recipe.
Bourbon Honey BBQ Wings
Bourbon and honey make these BBQ wings lip-smacking good, while the Instant Pot ensures the wings are juicy and crispy. Find the recipe at The Kitchen Whisperer.
Beef and Broccoli
In less than 30 minutes, we can have a healthy and delicious protein and veggie-filled dish. We love this recipe by Life Made Sweeter.
Vegan 15 Bean Soup
This vegan bean soup is packed with both protein and flavor. It's also a super cheap recipe! Check out the recipe by Brand New Vegan.
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Bacon-Topped Turkey Meatloaf
Using an Instant Pot can help ensure our meatloaf never dries out or is undercooked. Perfection! Follow this recipe by Paleo Cooking With Your Instant Pot.
Bacon-Topped Turkey Meatloaf
Makes: 4 servings
For the Meatloaf
1 cup (240 ml) water
1 onion, diced and sautéed
1 lb (450 g) pastured ground turkey meat
3 strips cooked crisped bacon, chopped
¼ cup (60 ml) high-quality store-bought ketchup
1 tsp (5 g) garlic sea salt
½ tsp black pepper
1 egg
¼ cup (24 g) cassava flour, arrowroot, almond flour or preferred grain-free flour
For the Topping
¼ cup (60 ml) high-quality store-bought ketchup
1 tbsp (15 ml) apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp (15 ml) 100% maple syrup 3 strips cooked crisped bacon, chopped
Begin by pouring the cup (240 ml) of water into the stainless steel Instant Pot bowl. Lower in the steamer rack. To assemble the meatloaf, combine all of the remaining meatloaf ingredients in a mixing bowl and mix by hand. Tear off a sheet of foil and form a loaf out of your meat mixture, placing it onto the foil sheet. Wrap up your uncooked meatloaf, securing the foil around the edges. This will help keep your meat insulated and also protect it from breaking apart as it cooks.
stovetopfor about 5 minutes or keep it as is. Warming it will help the flavors merge that much better.
Once the meatloaf has completed cooking, quick-release the pressure valve and remove the lid once safe to do so. Carefully remove the foil-wrapped meatloaf once it's cool enough to handle and unwrap it. Spoon the sauce over the top of the meatloaf and sprinkle with the remaining chopped bacon. Slice and serve right away.
Note: You may choose to cook your onion and/or bacon in the Instant Pot prior to cooking the meatloaf. You can use the Sauté feature for both options, using a bit of cooking fat for the onion, and sautéing for around 10 minutes. The bacon can be cooked without additional fat on the Sauté feature for about 10 minutes or until desired crispness has been reached.
Alternative: You can cook this meatloaf in the slow cooker wrapped.
Chicken Adobo
This savory and juicy Filipino chicken dish is simplified and made easy, thanks to our Instant Pots. Find the recipe at Simply Happy Foodie.
Korean Beef
Garlic, sesame oil, soy sauce, and sriracha marinate this beef into some seriously flavorful stuff. Get the Instant Pot recipe at Damn Delicious.
Lentil Bolognese
This vegan rendition of the classic Italian sauce is hearty, filling, and protein-packed. We suggest making this as a huge batch and freezing the rest! Get the recipe at Knead to Cook.
Veggie Burger
Transform red lentils, sweet potatoes, and hemp into a delicious veggie burger with this recipe by The Veggie Queen.
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