When You Need Dinner to Practically Make Itself, Try These Instant Pot Recipes (2024)

When You Need Dinner to Practically Make Itself, Try These Instant Pot Recipes (1)

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Figuring out what to make for dinner night after night—that won't take ages in the kitchen—is a never-ending problem. One of the best solutions? Get yourself an Instant Pot and take full advantage of it. Not only is the one-pot-wonder a breeze to cook with and clean, but the multi-cook functions make it versatile enough that you can make practically anything with it. It can sear food and pressure cook, so you get lots of flavor and a super-fast cook time. But it can also make practically any slow cooker recipe, so you can prep food in the morning, and come dinner have a perfectly made meal waiting for you. (One caveat: To make the most of your Instant Pot's slow cooker functions, buy the inexpensive but necessary Instant Pot slow cooker lid, which keeps everything from getting too waterlogged)

Here, we put together the absolute best Instant Pot recipes to make delicious suppers that the entire family (yes, even the little ones!) will love. If you’re fairly new to cooking with an Instant Pot, prepare to be amazed at just how quickly a complete plate comes together—including your favorite Instant Pot chicken recipes. Now, you can spend your evenings enjoying quality time with your loved ones instead of working away in the kitchen all evening. There’s truly no shortage of excellent Instant Pot ideas that makes cooking easier. So, what are you waiting for? Whip up one of these dishes today for the tastiest weeknight dinner you’ve ever made.

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1

Gingery Slow Cooker Chicken with Cabbage Slaw

When You Need Dinner to Practically Make Itself, Try These Instant Pot Recipes (3)

Supremely tender thighs cooked in a combo of apricot jam, ketchup, soy sauce, and ginger, pair perfectly with a crunchy slaw.

Get the recipe.

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2

Instant Pot Lima Beans

When You Need Dinner to Practically Make Itself, Try These Instant Pot Recipes (5)

Pick up some smoked pork when you get that Easter ham and let your pressure cooker churn out these tender, flavorful beans.

Get the recipe for Instant Pot Lima Beans.

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3

Slow Cooker Chili with Grains and Beans

When You Need Dinner to Practically Make Itself, Try These Instant Pot Recipes (7)

Packed with toothsome wheat berries, hearty beans and kicky poblano peppers, this chili is so flavorful you may not notice it's missing the meat. Let it burble away in the pot all day until you're ready to eat.

Get the recipe.

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4

Slow Cooker Cowboy Brisket

When You Need Dinner to Practically Make Itself, Try These Instant Pot Recipes (9)

Every country home needs something simmering in the kitchen, so fire up this versatile big-batch recipe.

Get the recipe.

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6

Chicken and Quinoa Minestrone

When You Need Dinner to Practically Make Itself, Try These Instant Pot Recipes (13)

You'll love this healthy update on classic chicken and rice soup.

Get the recipe.

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7

Indian-Spiced Chicken and Cauliflower

When You Need Dinner to Practically Make Itself, Try These Instant Pot Recipes (15)

This dish will bring the spice to your usual chicken and veggies.

Get the recipe.

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8

Instant Pot Honey Teriyaki Chicken

When You Need Dinner to Practically Make Itself, Try These Instant Pot Recipes (17)

Master the art of mixing sweet and savory with this honey teriyaki chicken recipe. Crushed pepper flakes and minced garlic amp up the flavor without overpowering the honey.

Get the recipe at Creme de la Crumb.

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9

Instant-Pot New Orleans Red Beans

When You Need Dinner to Practically Make Itself, Try These Instant Pot Recipes (19)

This NOLA staple dish is creamy, hearty, and delicious. With the help of a pressure cooker, it's also weeknight-friendly.

Get the recipe at Chef Kenneth Temple.

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10

Mexican Tortilla Soup

When You Need Dinner to Practically Make Itself, Try These Instant Pot Recipes (21)

Sharp Cheddar cheese meets creamy avocado slices in this classic soup recipe, which comes together easily in any Instant Pot. Don't forget the tortilla chips!

Get the recipe at Chelsea's Messy Apron.

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11

Instant Pot Creamy Chicken With Mushrooms

When You Need Dinner to Practically Make Itself, Try These Instant Pot Recipes (23)

Classic comfort food, here we come! This flavorful dish features mushrooms, fresh herbs, and lightly breaded chicken.

Get the recipe at Dinner at the Zoo.

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12

Instant Pot Spinach Mac and Cheese

When You Need Dinner to Practically Make Itself, Try These Instant Pot Recipes (25)

You just won't believe how decadently creamy pressure-cooked pasta can be.

Get the recipe at Marisa Moore.

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13

Instant Pot Chicken Tikka Masala

When You Need Dinner to Practically Make Itself, Try These Instant Pot Recipes (27)

No takeout menu? No problem! You can make tikka masala at home—fluffy rice, naan, and all—with this easy recipe.

Get the recipe at Jo Cooks.

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14

Instant Pot Sweet and Spicy Meatballs

When You Need Dinner to Practically Make Itself, Try These Instant Pot Recipes (29)

Don't overlook the Instant Pot's ability to make simple recipes even simpler. Here, frozen meatballs get a seriously luxe sweet and spicy glaze in just 5 minutes of cooking. Pair with mashed potatoes for a filling weeknight dinner.

Get the recipe at Simply LaKita.

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15

Instant Pot Minestrone Soup

When You Need Dinner to Practically Make Itself, Try These Instant Pot Recipes (31)

Vegetarians, rejoice! This dish is both comforting and healthy.

Get the recipe at Damn Delicious.

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16

Instant Pot Black Eyed Peas Curry

When You Need Dinner to Practically Make Itself, Try These Instant Pot Recipes (33)

This Carribean-style curry packs a good bit of heat and a ton of flavor. It's rich and creamy enough that you might not even notice it's vegan!

Get the recipe at That Girl Cooks Healthy.

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17

Instant Pot Chicken Wings

When You Need Dinner to Practically Make Itself, Try These Instant Pot Recipes (35)

Ten out of ten hostesses agree: The best, most stress-free game day dishes are made in an Instant Pot. Whip up these mouthwatering wings in half the time using yours.

Get the recipe at Veronika's Kitchen.

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18

Instant Pot Carrot Soup

When You Need Dinner to Practically Make Itself, Try These Instant Pot Recipes (37)

Those colors! That creamy texture! It's safe to say we're in love.

Get the recipe at Plated Cravings.

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19

Instant Pot Coq au Vin Recipe

When You Need Dinner to Practically Make Itself, Try These Instant Pot Recipes (39)

There are few things more beloved or classic than coq au vin, but most would be too intimidated to attempt it. Here, the entire cooking process is shortened to just 30 minutes.

Get the recipe at Half Baked Harvest.

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20

Instant Pot Chipotle Chili

When You Need Dinner to Practically Make Itself, Try These Instant Pot Recipes (41)

Two different kinds of chili powder make this dish intensely flavorful. A dollop of sour cream and a sprinkling of crushed tortilla chips seal the deal.

Get the recipe at My Food Story.

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When You Need Dinner to Practically Make Itself, Try These Instant Pot Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What is the disadvantage of Instant Pot? ›

Con– The Instant Pot uses steam under pressure to cook food and not everything is meant to be cooked in the Instant Pot. I attempted a crustless quiche which turned out well but it was too wet and moist to my liking and I prefer to cook it in the oven with dry heat.

What foods should not be cooked in an Instant Pot? ›

6 Things You Should Never Cook in an Instant Pot
  1. Creamy Sauces. If there's one food group you should avoid in the Instant Pot, it's dairy. ...
  2. Fried Chicken. The best fried chicken is crisp on the outside, juicy on the inside and perfectly golden brown. ...
  3. Cookies. ...
  4. Burgers. ...
  5. Pie. ...
  6. Steak.

Why don t chefs use Instant Pot? ›

They are most commonly used in industrial settings to quickly prepare meat or stocks. However, in most scenarios, Elite Chefs avoid using pressure cookers because they provide less control over the final dish. Chefs often prefer slow cooking techniques that accentuate and pull out the flavors of the food.

What is the one pot meal trend? ›

This age-old preparation method is found among almost all ethnicities and cultures, and as its name suggests, it needs just one pot or pan. This pot may be a Dutch Oven, casserole dish, tagine, roast pan, skillet, or wok. All your vegetables, protein, and starches are mixed in just one vessel.

What are the disadvantages of a pressure cooker? ›

Advantages of pressure cooking include reduced cooking times and retention of nutrients, plus it's a great way to make energy-efficient, one-pot meals. The downsides include problems with foods that have different cook times and not being able to check the progress of the food cooking.

What should never go in a pressure cooker? ›

Foods containing dairy, like milk, cream, or yogurt, should not be pressure-cooked. The high heat and pressure can cause dairy products to curdle or separate, ruining the texture, taste and flavour of the dish. Cooking fried foods is a strict no no, when it comes to pressure cookers.

Why shouldn't potatoes be cooked in a pressure cooker? ›

Mostly we boil potatoes in a pressure cooker, but like rice, potatoes also contain a lot of starch. This is the reason why boiling or cooking in this pressure cooker is not considered good for health. If you still plan to use cooker for the same, add a lot of water and wash them thoroughly post cooking.

What is the best meat to cook in a pressure cooker? ›

You can still pressure cook leaner pieces – like eye of round and top sirloin – but these work best if they've been stuffed, shredded or rolled (with other ingredients). Best cuts of beef to use: Chuck steak, Round Roast, Shoulder, Pot roast, Ribs, Brisket, Oxtail.

Why are people selling their Instant Pots? ›

The Instant Pot became an unnecessary appliance taking up space in my pantry. The Instant Pot is safe and effective at cooking food thoroughly, but I found that the downfalls of the machine didn't justify its space in the kitchen.

Are Instapots better than air fryers? ›

Cooking times: Instant Pots can often prepare food more quickly than air fryers. Food choices: Although both small kitchen appliances can prepare a wide range of foods, Instant Pots offer more recipe options. Ease of use: Air fryers are good for beginners, while Instant Pots have a learning curve.

Are instapots worth it? ›

If you're looking to save counter space or don't want to spend a lot of money on separate appliances, then an Instant Pot could be worth the expense. However, if you're only going to use one or two functions of the Instant Pot, it's worth considering if separate devices would be more cost-effective.

Are instant pot meals healthy? ›

Instant pot recipes are absolutely healthy as long as what you put in the recipe is healthy,” she says. The shorter cooking time may also result in the greater preservation of vitamins and minerals when compared to other longer types of cooking.

What is the new cooking pot craze? ›

First available to buy in 2010, the Instant Pot has become a veritable craze, a success built through social media word-of-mouth instead of traditional TV or print advertising.

What is the one meal a day trend? ›

The OMAD diet helps you lose weight by forcing your body to burn fat. Intermittent fasting is a very popular health and fitness trend that many use for weight loss. There are many types of intermittent fasting practices and one meal a day (OMAD) is one of these. OMAD is also known as 23:1 intermittent fasting.

Can Instant Pots fail? ›

Faulty pressure cookers can cause serious injuries, such as burns, lacerations, traumatic brain injuries, and more. Manufacturing errors and product defects that can cause an Instant Pot explosion include the following: Faulty gaskets. Fault lid lock or lid sealing ring.

What are the benefits of having an Instapot? ›

10 Reasons Why We Bought the Instant Pot Pressure Cooker
  • Safe To Use. ...
  • FAST Cooking – Saves So Much Time & Energy. ...
  • Healthier & Tastier Food – Consistently TENDER Meat. ...
  • Simple and Easy To Use. ...
  • Super Convenient. ...
  • No Sweat, No Steam, No Smell, No Noise. ...
  • Conclusion. ...
  • Who Is the Instant Pot For?

What are the pros and cons of using an air fryer? ›

Comparing Pros And Cons of Air Fryer vs Traditional Deep Frying
AIR FRYER
PROS· Healthier cooking · Quick and easy · Versatile · Easy to clean · Cost-effective · Safer · Environmentally friendly
CONS· Limited capacity · The initial cost may be expensive · Cooking with an air fryer has a learning curve
Aug 24, 2023

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