Grocery shopping for weeknight meals can be such a hassle. With so many recipes, there are a million steps, tons of ingredients, and a lot of complicated things to do — even the recipes that claim to be for busy weeknights often end up taking over an hour. (We tried a roasted butternut squash recipe for dinner last night, and it was delicious, but it also took a solid 45 minutes longer than the recipe author claimed!). These recipes are genuinely five ingredients or fewer — although that's often not including water, salt, and pepper, because those seem less like "ingredients" than "basic seasoning and water is just … water. But many of these really use three or four ingredients from start to finish, and since they're all prepared in the Instant Pot, they take little prep or cooking time.
We're huge fans of all of these easy, flavorful dishes, and selected an array of different proteins, including several vegetarian dishes. However, it's definitely not the only list of great Instant Pot dinners we've published, and while many of these require more than five ingredients, they don't really take too much time because Instant Pot recipes are always pretty speedy. Try some easy and delicious Instant Pot meals for the ultimate in simplicity. Or, for those who are new to cooking or new to the multi cooker, try Instant Pot recipes that make cooking crazy-easy. For anyone who's really looking for those warm fall flavors right now, consider Instant Pot recipes for fall and autumn Instant Pot breakfast recipes, which make tasty, seasonal cuisine more approachable. And for anyone just looking for more recipes using only a few ingredients, try favorite five-ingredients-or-less main courses.
Pepperonicini Italian Beef
This pepperonicini Italian beef uses only four ingredients, but it's incredibly flavorful given how perfectly simple this is to make — and given that the prep time is literally five minutes. It's amazing on its own served with some roasted vegetables, but is even better as a sandwich.
Instant Pot Boneless Pork Chops
This Instant Pot boneless pork chops recipe is the perfect solution for busy weeknights. Full of that ranch flavor kids (and — we'll confess — adults) really love, these are incredibly easy and flavorful, and even get that nice sear that we love in a pork chop.
Instant Pot Salsa Verde Chicken
This Instant Pot salsa verde chicken is absolutely delicious, uses only four ingredients, and is a component of any number of dishes — it can be a healthy way to top a big savory veggie bowl, a great burrito stuffing or taco filling, or on top of a salad.
Instant Pot Pulled Pork
This Instant Pot pulled pork is incredibly flavorful and tender, and requires just four simple ingredients to make. It's delicious served inside a hot jacket potato or sweet potato, in buns as a pulled pork sandwich, on the plate with some braised collard greens, or thrown into a traditional Spanish tortilla.
Instant Pot Rice & Beans
These Instant Pot rice and beans are a nutritious, inexpensive, vegetarian, healthy meal that only takes 10 minutes of prep time and then 25 minutes in the pressure cooker. It's wonderful served with a fresh green salad or pan-roasted broccoli tossed with oil and garlic.
5-Ingredient Pressure Cooker Cheesy Egg Bake
A kind of play on a Spanish tortilla, this 5-ingredient pressure cooker cheesy egg bake is a delicious breakfast-for-dinner style treat (but it would also make a hearty breakfast). This is also a great way to use up whatever leftover cooked vegetables happen to be in the fridge.
Instant Pot Mississippi Chicken Recipe
This Instant Pot Mississippi chicken only uses four ingredients — and it's amazingly delicious. We love it on a roll with cheese and sandwich dressings, but it's also great as a stuffing for baked potatoes or served with rice and some pan-seared fresh vegetables.
Instant Pot 3-Ingredient Rump Roast
This Instant Pot 3-ingredient rump roast is so delicious, simple, and a perfect complete meal unto itself — add potatoes and carrots, and it still only boosts the ingredients list up to five ingredients while making this more nutritious all around.
Instant Pot Firecracker Chicken
We are amazed at how much flavor we can enjoy from this Instant Pot firecracker chicken, which only has five ingredients but manages to be sweet, spicy, and savory. Serve with pan-fried broccoli with garlic in avocado oil for a well-balanced meal.
Instant Pot Orange Chicken
This Instant Pot orange chicken uses only three ingredients, and it's absolutely fantastic. It's so good served with jasmine rice and steamed or lightly pan-fried mixed vegetables, especially carrots and snap peas. It's a healthier variation of the traditionally fried Chinese food take-out.
3-Ingredient Instant Pot Ribs
These 3-ingredient Instant Pot ribs only require 10 minutes of prep, and cook for 30 minutes — just enough time to get the table set and some sides whipped up. Go traditional with mashed potatoes, collard greens, and/or some crispy corn fritters, or pair with whatever the family loves!
Instant Pot Spaghetti & Meatballs
This Instant Pot spaghetti and meatballs is so incredibly easy to make, and it's all made within the Instant Pot from start to finish, so it needs basically zero clean-up, too. This is one that can help teens and and older kids to learn how to cook for themselves, as well!
Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken
We love how versatile this dish is. Serve this incredibly easy, five-ingredient Instant Pot Buffalo chicken with lettuce wraps for a low-carb option, but this is also great with tortillas, or with small buns as sliders. For a side dish, a romaine lettuce salad is excellent.
5-Ingredient Instant Pot Chili
Yes, truly amazing chilis usually take hours and tons of layered flavors. But for just a random weeknight, this 5-ingredient Instant Pot chili is totally delicious and so simple. Top with shredded cheese and either sour cream or Greek yogurt.
5-Ingredient Instant Pot Chicken Alfredo
This 5 ingredient Instant Pot chicken Alfredo is so incredibly easy to make. It's an indulgent, delicious dinner that is excellent for cold days. We love this with simple baking sheet roasted vegetables — especially broccoli. Just cover in a silicone liner and roast with avocado oil and salt until they're fragrant.
Instant Pot Chicken Burrito Lasagna
This Instant Pot chicken burrito lasagna is so incredibly simple to make, uses delicious Southwest flavors to create a new dish. To create a complete meal, it's a smart idea to saute some baby spinach for a side dish, just with olive oil, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes — it takes less than three minutes and tastes amazing!
5-Ingredient Mexican Lime Chicken
This 5 Ingredient Mexican lime chicken is a great use of the Instant Pot. Serve it with traditional taco fixings, like fresh lettuce, chopped tomatoes, sliced avocado, and shredded cheese, on top of a salad for a light, healthy option or on tortilla chips for an indulgent treat.
5-Ingredient Instant Pot Mac & Cheese
When winter rolls around, that it's mac and cheese season again — and we couldn't be happier. This 5-ingredient Instant Pot mac and cheese is incredibly tasty, so simple to make, and is incredibly warming. We love it with some quick sauteed broccoli.
5-Ingredient Vegan Instant Pot Soup
This 5-ingredient vegan Instant Pot soup may not be the heartiest meal on this list, but it's definitely one of the healthiest. This is a delicious, low-calorie soup that's excellent as a snack, or as one part of a complete meal. Toss some tofu or tempeh and a handful of cooked wild rice in for a balanced meal!
Healthy Chicken Stew
This healthy chicken stew is so packed with good-for-us ingredients — but only five! Served it on top of cooked quinoa for a little added bulk and some complete protein, or enjoy it on its own. This is also a handy recipe for using up any baby spinach in the fridge that's going to go off soon — just shred it, throw it in, and wilt it down right before serving!
