As much as we love all the fresh, inexpensive local produce that we get to enjoy all summer, the truth is, fall flavors are our favorite. We relish the opportunity to give up on eating tons of salads — they're so boring after a while, aren't they, even with great fresh-sliced tomatoes and tasty, tangy dressings? But even though we're eating fewer salads, that doesn't mean we have to eat unhealthily. Instead of enjoying summer produce, we just get to dive into heartier, warmer fare with great, seasonal ingredients, like creamy sweet potatoes, rich-tasting cauliflower, and beautifully crisp apples. The one issue: these ingredients tend to take longer to prepare to really get their flavor out — after all, a raw sweet potato is gross, but a cooked one is one of the tastiest things in the whole wide world.
That's where the Instant Pot comes into play. Although it doesn't take a long time to use, it manages to get all those rich, beautiful fall flavors out of the produce that's best (and cheapest!) during this season. We're huge fans of this tool because it makes a dinner that could take up to eight hours take just 30 minutes. For other great Instant Pot recipes, take a peek at some Instant Pot dinner recipes. Or, perhaps Instant Pot family chicken recipes will provide inspiration for when chicken is on sale but we're looking for something new and different to make. For those less skilled in the kitchen, try Instant Pot recipes that make cooking crazy-easy. And for anyone who prefers the slow cooker route, take a look at some healthy family Crock-Pot meals and inexpensive Crock-Pot recipes.
Instant Pot Chicken With Autumn Vegetables
This recipe for Instant Pot chicken with autumn vegetables makes such an amazing meal — and it's complete in itself. Or, serve it with a wild rice and brown rice blend, or even just with some delicious whole-grain bread that's been toasted.
Instant Pot Loaded Cauliflower Soup
We love a classic loaded baked potato soup, but why not up the nutritional ante — while still keeping all the delicious flavors intact — with this variation: Instant Pot loaded cauliflower soup. It's a healthy, tasty treat, and the best part is that it reheats beautifully for days on end.
Instant Pot Beef Bourguignon
If there's one classic French dish that really signifies fall, it's beef bourguignon. But although it sounds really fancy, it's really just a French beef stew, which means it's perfect for making in an Instant Pot. This recipe for Instant Pot beef bourguignon is really easy, sounds like a gourmet dish, and is absolutely delicious.
Instant Pot Baked Apples
Apples are a fall favorite. These Instant Pot baked apples are stuffed with chopped walnuts, brown sugar, and cinnamon, but the truth is, they can be stuffed with anything — including turkey sausage and instant stuffing for a light but seasonal dinner!
Instant Pot Chicken Pumpkin Chili
This Instant Pot chicken pumpkin chili tastes of all of our favorite fall flavors. While it's totally awesome to get the pumpkin from a fresh pumpkin from the grocery store, canned is really just as good. Plus, pumpkin is incredibly healthy, packed with vitamin A and very nutrient-dense.
Instant Pot Wild Rice Pilaf With Mushrooms & Pine Nuts
This recipe for Instant Pot wild rice pilaf works absolutely beautifully as a side dish with basically any protein, but this would go especially well with a simple roast chicken. We'd also serve it with easy pan-seared pork chops, pan-fried scallops, or a baked fish.
Instant Pot Apple Butter Pork Chops
Everyone's favorite childhood pork chops were served with applesauce, and this variation of Instant Pot apple butter pork chops hits all those same flavors that we loved as kids — but infused all together into a whole, united dish. This is such a lovely fall dish, especially served with some roasted green beans and potatoes.
Easy Instant Pot Chicken Cacciatore
This easy Instant Pot chicken cacciatore creates absolutely falling-apart, incredibly tender chicken. Italian comfort food works so well in the autumn, and this is pretty much the essence of it. It would be ideal served with simple plain pasta, polenta, or egg noodles.
Instant Pot Beets
These Instant Pot beets take just five minutes of prep time, and they're incredibly delicious on their own — although they're also tasty when topped with crumbled goat cheese, or when they're part of a seasonal fall salad of roasted vegetables, like carrots, kale, and Brussels sprouts.
Instant Pot Lamb Ragu With Pappardelle
This Instant Pot lamb ragu with pappardelle is a classic dish filled with comforting but bold fall flavors, and we love that it makes use of one of our favorite meats that doesn't tend to get enough love after Easter — lamb! Make sure to have some fresh-grated Parmesan cheese to sprinkle on top (which would be delicious on top of some accompanying roasted veggie sides, too).
Instant Pot Sweet Potato Curry
This Instant Pot sweet potato curry takes just a few minutes to put together, which is kind of amazing because it's so incredibly flavorful. Plus, it's a smart choice for Meatless Mondays because it's naturally vegan, and is full of healthy proteins and seasonal sweet potatoes, which add tons of vitamins.
Instant Pot Acorn Squash With Pecan Stuffing
This Instant Pot acorn squash with pecan stuffing is a perfect — and perfectly easy — autumn side dish. It would also make an impressive but easy appetizer for a simple dinner party. And throw some chicken sausage into the pecan stuffing, and this could really be a complete meal — just serve with some roasted broccoli.
Sage & Nutmeg Butternut Squash Autumn Risotto
This sage and nutmeg butternut squash autumn risotto is such an incredibly flavorful, perfectly autumnal dish. It's gorgeous on its own as a vegetarian main, but would also work served as a side dish with some simple pan-fried chicken thighs or steaks.
Instant Pot Chicken & Dumplings
This recipe for Instant Pot chicken and dumplings makes this incredibly comforting, wonderfully classic dish so incredibly easy. It's perfect for a cool autumn day, especially when it's rainy out and we just want to get snuggly. We think this would work well with a broccoli salad.
Instant Pot Chicken Sausage With Pasta
This recipe for Instant Pot chicken sausage with pasta is a perfectly easy and totally tasty weeknight fall dinner. It's definitely hearty enough for serving a hungry family, and it would be great served with just a simple side salad or a tray of mixed roasted fall veggies.
Instant Pot Bacon Brussels Sprouts Recipe
This Instant Pot bacon Brussels sprouts recipe is basically the perfect autumnal accompaniment to any protein. These would be absolutely delicious with a roast pork loin, a rotisserie chicken picked up from the grocery store, or some crispy roasted, marinated tofu.
Instant Pot Butter Chickpeas
Love the flavor of Indian butter chicken, but looking to cut back on the amount of meat the family consumes? This recipe for Instant Pot butter chickpeas is the perfect solution. It has all the flavor of traditional butter chicken, but without any of the animal fat — and it's warming in fall.
Instant Pot Mongolian Beef
This recipe for Instant Pot Mongolian beef is a healthier variation of the traditional Chinese takeout dish. It's also a comforting, hearty, filling autumn meal — and is perfect served over some white rice, perhaps with steamed broccoli or cauliflower on the side, too.
Instant Pot Vegan Tofu & Little Potato Stew
For anyone looking for a balanced, filling, vegan dish to serve this fall — that also takes only 15 minutes to prepare — this Instant Pot vegan tofu and little potato stew is a smart choice. It's hearty and satisfying, but also lower in fat than a version using animal proteins. A great alternate choice.
Instant Pot Autumn Mash
Looking for an autumnal side that goes with absolutely everything and makes smart use of seasonal produce? Look no further: this Instant Pot autumn mash is a puree of everything that's wonderful about the season, it's incredibly easy, and tastes great.
