For anyone whose family is rather competitive about cooking their dishes on Thanksgiving, we hear it, we see it, and we have solutions for it. For families who do potluck-style Thanksgivings where the host makes the turkey and everyone else brings a side, there's always a battle at the end to warm up the side dishes. We strongly recommend making something that doesn't involve the oven at all — or at the worst, needs just 10 minutes to crisp up — and can even do without any time on the stovetop. So aside from serving some raw vegetables, how are we to accomplish this? Why, in the Instant Pot, of course! Once we add all the ingredients, all the Instant Pot needs to do its work is an electrical outlet, which doesn't even really have to be in the kitchen, if those are scarce, too (which often happens since everyone is trying to whip potatoes and make pies all at once).
For anyone who's bringing their dish from their house to another person's on Thanksgiving — or who is just cooking a ton of dishes on Thanksgiving — this is an absolute game-changer. There's nothing more relaxing than being the guest who can show up with his own cooking implements and stay totally out of the way — and it also makes us a total favorite of the hosting household, for that matter. For anyone who knows how stressful Thanksgiving can be and is looking forward to not being in the center of the drama this year, take a peek at cringeworthy stories of when Thanksgiving went so, so wrong — it's always so funny when it happens to someone else, right? And for anybody looking for a way to keep the kids occupied for a few hours, Thanksgiving crafts to keep kids out of the kitchen are absolutely invaluable. And while we love our families, we always do best keeping a sense of humor about them.
Instant Pot Sweet Potato Casserole
This Instant Pot sweet potato casserole tastes exactly the way a regular sweet potato casserole does — and it requires zero time in the oven. To caramelize the top, this can take five minutes in the broiler, or use a kitchen torch (they're so super fun to play with) to get a little sear, if desired.
Instant Pot No-Knead Dinner Rolls
Who even knew that bread could be baked in an Instant Pot? These Instant Pot no knead dinner rolls are so incredibly easy, and are also incredibly fluffy. We're in love with the fact that we don't even have to get the mixer out for this, either.
Instant Pot Cornbread Stuffing
When the stovetop is also filled up with bubbling pots of gravy, saute pans full of green beans, and everything else that ends up needing a warm-up right at the end of the meal, this Instant Pot cornbread stuffing is an absolute lifesaver for making room.
Traditional Instant Pot Stuffing
While it might seem like an oxymoron, this traditional Instant Pot stuffing combines all the classic flavors and does it so incredibly easily. Some people love a cornbread stuffing, but for those who like more traditional flavors, this is arguably the best — and easiest — way to enjoy them.
Instant Pot Turkey Breast
For anyone with a gigantic family who needs to cook more than one turkey, or a small family who doesn't want to eat a ton of turkey leftovers and just wants a little turkey breast this year, this Instant Pot turkey breast is a juicy solution to the problem.
Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes
These Instant Pot mashed potatoes are just as rich, creamy, and amazing as the ones we normally make on the stovetop, but they don't take up room on the stove when everyone else has a dish that needs to be heated there. It's the perfect combination.
Instant Pot Green Bean Casserole
We love a good updated version of a classic green bean casserole, and this one is much easier than most. This Instant Pot green bean casserole does require a quick finish of 15-20 minutes in the oven to crisp up, but that's way less time than a standard version — which usually takes about 50 minutes.
Instant Pot Mac & Cheese
This Instant Pot mac and cheese is creamy, rich, and delicious. In the Instant Pot, we're not going to get that cheesy crust we may be used to if we're into baked mac and cheese, but compared to a typical stovetop mac and cheese, this is without question just as strong.
Instant Pot Garlic Pepper Smashed Potatoes
These Instant Pot garlic pepper smashed potatoes are more rustic style than classic mashed potatoes, since the skin is kept on and the seasoning is bolder and more flavorful. An Instant Pot is definitely the easiest way to cook potatoes, too.
Instant Pot Candied Yams
Traditional candied yams have a sweet, almost dessert-like flavor, and these Instant Pot candied yams do not disappoint. They completely live up to their more classic counterparts, yielding spice-and-vanilla-scented, deliciously tender yams.
Instant Pot Turkey Gravy
This Instant Pot turkey gravy uses the pan juices to quickly create a gravy — this whole recipe comes together in just five minutes. Gravy typically has to be made right before serving, as the pan juices from the turkey are required, so this is a smart way to make that happen while heating up other food on the stove.
Instant Pot Cranberry Sauce
We absolutely adore the flavors in this Instant Pot cranberry sauce, which use orange juice and orange zest to cut through the sourness of the cranberries with a bright sweetness (although there's sugar in here as well — cranberries are really, really tart, after all).
Instant Pot Pumpkin Pie
This Instant Pot pumpkin pie is awesome because it's absolutely foolproof, so it's ideal for throwing together when we're super focused on getting the rest of the Thanksgiving table ready (and breaking up fights among our kids and their cousins).
Instant Pot Homemade Creamed Corn Recipe
Creamed corn is a critical part of some folks' Thanksgiving table, and if that describes the family, then this Instant Pot homemade creamed corn is absolutely going to be perfect for them — it's sweet, buttery, has a tiny kick. It's delicious, and this recipe includes cool variations, too.
Spiced Instant Pot Butternut Squash
This spiced Instant Pot butternut squash isn't just delicious and flavorful, it's also incredibly inexpensive to prepare. If there are some unexpected guests at the Thanksgiving table this year, we can make it all stretch a little further with some tasty, low-cost additions like this one.
Instant Pot Black-Eyed Peas
For many families, black-eyed peas are a critical part of Thanksgiving and New Year's celebrations. Add this flavorful, wonderful side dish to the table without the typical fuss by using this recipe for Instant Pot black-eyed peas, which makes delicious, classic flavors come together with only 10 minutes of prep time.
Instant Pot Collard Greens
For many Southern families, Thanksgiving just isn't Thanksgiving without collard greens. Keep the tradition alive (without taking up too much room on the stovetop) with these exceptionally delicious Instant Pot Collard Greens, flavored traditionally with ham hock and red pepper flakes.
Instant Pot Bacon Brussels Sprouts Recipe
Everyone loves Brussels sprouts these days — remember when they were the most hated vegetable out there? But these Instant Pot bacon Brussels sprouts recipe make them even better than traditional Brussels sprouts, because bacon.
Instant Pot Pecan Pie Cheesecake
This Instant Pot pecan pie cheesecake is incredibly delicious, and we're incorporating it into every Thanksgiving dinner from here on out. Instant Pots are amazing for making cheesecake, and this version adds a ton of seasonal flair while really using this tool to do what it does best.
Instant Pot Caramel Apple Pie
This Instant Pot caramel apple pie sounds indulgent — and packed full of traditional fall flavors — but it's naturally sweetened, so it's considerably healthier than many other recipes. Plus, it's easy to make, can be made up to four days in advance, and is great served chilled.
