Easy Instant Pot Recipes
Need some new dinner ideas?
We use our instant pot (pressure cooker) several times a week and I am always on the lookout for new and tasty recipes. Here is our 6 most favorite go-to recipes for healthy family meals!
For all recipes Download and print the PDF here or select & print what you want below.
Easy Taco Chili
Easy Taco Chili
Instant Pot Taco Chili is ready in minutes and is the perfect dinner for a busy day. I wasn’t super impressed with this recipe until I tasted it! This is SO easy in the instant pot. I serve it with fresh baked cornbread, a little grass-fed butter, greek yogurt and a tiny bit of shredded cheese. YUM!
Equipment
- Instant Pot or other Pressure Cooker (times will vary by machine)
Ingredients
- 1 LB Lean ground grass-fed beef 1 15 oz can of whole corn, add juice to mixture
1 1.25 oz package of taco season mix - 2 15 Oz Cans Diced tomatoes
- 1 15 oz Can Chili I like Amy's brand (or any vegetarian)
- 1 16 OZ Greek Yogurt like FAGE or your favorite Sour Cream
- 1 Shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 cup Thinly sliced green onions for garnish on top, sprinkle in the pot when finished or in each bowl.
- 1 Box Cornbread Use your favorite box of cornbread mix or buy it already prepared in your favorite grocery store.
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to pressure cooker on chicken/meat or bean/lentil setting (cooks approximately 10 minutes, you can manually adjust time if needed).
- Once the chili is cooked it will need a minute or two to "rest". Carefully release the pressure valve on your instant pot or pressure cooker and allow the steam to release from the pot.
- Add to a bowl and let stand a few minutes to cool, it is VERY hot right out of the pressure cooker!
- Add your favorite toppings and aside of cornbread & ENJOY!
Curried Chicken
Uncle Paul's Curried Chicken
This is our go-to family meal for cold fall or winter nights. It is delicious & comforting and tastes like you spent the whole day in the kitchen preparing it!
Equipment
- Pressure cooker or Instant Pot
Ingredients
- 2 LBS Organic Chicken (boneless skinless cut into large bites) 1 chopped bell pepper (optional)
- 1 Whole Russet Potato Peeled & chopped 1/4 into small bites & 3/4 into large bites. The small bites break down & thicken the soup.
- 1 TBSP Taste of Thai Curry Paste or your favorite brand, Taste of Thai is pretty mild. If you want it spicier then add half of the jar.
- 1 Can Organic Coconut Milk
- 1 TBSP Grated Ginger
- 1 TBSP Taste of Thai Fish Sauce Some fish sauces makes me swell, this one does not. If you cannot find it or do not eat fish you can substitute Tamari or Braggs 1:1 instead.
- 1 whole Green bell pepper seeded & chopped into medium bites
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to Instant Pot or pressure cooker.
- Press Manual/Pressure cook and set to cook for 15- 20 minutes (depending on your machine the Power Pressure Cooker cooks at a higher PSI & doesn't need as much time .Press Manual/Pressure cook and set to cook for 30 minutes.
- This recipe is so easy sometimes my son helps me!
Instant Pot Black Beans
Instant Pot Black Beans
Make a savory pot of black beans in your instant pot.
Equipment
- Pressure cooker or Instant Pot
Ingredients
- 1 lb black beans, soaked 8 hours or BEST overnight
- Garlic
- Bone Broth (or water)
- 1 tsp grated Ginger
- 1 tbsp Tamari
Instructions
- Add first four ingredients to the pot set to “beans”, cook one hour or until all
beans are very soft. - Add ginger and tamari and let stand 15 minutes & ENJOY!
- You can use this is a side dish or make a burrito bowl.
Stove Top Directions: (total time: about 3 hours)
Add the first three ingredients to the pot cook on medium heat for 10 minutes. Add the broth, bring to a boil, set to low, cover with a tight fitting lid and simmer 2.5 hours. ** If you have a gas stove (or your stove runs hot) put on the lowest setting and check the beans frequently so that they do not burn.
Stir beans and add 1 tbsp fresh grated ginger and 1 tbsp tamari. Stir well and simmer on low for another 20 minutes. The beans should be velvety and mostly fall apart when you stir in the ginger and tamari. If not then please cook for 30-40 more minutes.
Curried Lentil Stew
Curried Lentil Stew
This is a hearty vegetarian stew that is super satisfying. You can add meat to it but it really doesn't need it.
Equipment
- Pressure Cooker
Ingredients
- 1 Cup Raw (soaked) lentils Green if you like hearty and red if you want a thick stew.
- 1 Piece Kombu OR Wakame (sea vegetable)
- 2 Whole peeled carrots, sliced in rounds
- 1 Bunch Kale de-stemmed and chopped
- ½ Onion, diced
- 1 stalk of celery
- 1 TBSP Taste of Thai (red) curry paste
- 1 TBSP Tamari or Braggs
- 1 Cup rice or barley You can add this raw or cooked. Cooked rice can be added after the stew is cooked. This is optional but does make this stew count as a complete protein.
- 1 Cup Shredded rotisserie chicken Optional, it really doesn't need it unless you need the extra protein.
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to the pressure cooker except cooked rice & (or) chicken and cook for 30 minutes.
- I serve with rice or a nice loaf of sourdough bread and grass fed butter.
Beef Stew
Instant Pot Beef Stew
Super easy and delicious meal in a fraction of the time!
Equipment
- Pressure Cooker
Ingredients
- 2 LBS Grass Fed Beef Stew Meat
- 1 32 oz Beef Broth I prefer beef or bison bone broth but chicken tastes great as well)
- 2 Medium Russet Potatoes, peeled & chopped into bite sized pieces
- 2 Carrots, cut into bit sized rounds
- 1 Stalk Celery, diced
- 1 Whole Onion, diced
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to pot set to Soup/Stew and cook one hour.
- I serve with a side rice or a nice loaf of sourdough bread and grass fed butter.
Hearty Autumn Stew
Adapted from The Self Healing Cookbook by Kristina Turner
Hearty Autumn Stew
This is our favorite beginning of fall stew. It is adapted from Kristina Turner's Self Healing Cookbook. It is rich, savory & satisfying.
Equipment
- Pressure Cooker
- Cutting Board
Ingredients
- 1 Whole Butternut Squash, diced RESERVE ¼ cup of FINELY diced squash. This will break down and make the soup thick. If you want it more like a stew reserve a full cup.
- 1 Cup Daikon Radish, diced * Daikon Radish has been known best for helping
the body eliminate mucus. If you cannot find it in the store you can
substitute with any radish - 1 Whole Carrot, Sliced into rounds
- 1 Whole Onion, diced
- 2 Stalks Celery, diced
- ½ cup Burdock root, finely diced this is a mineral rich root that can be hard to find. Try your local health food store. If you cannot find Burdock substitute equal parts with finely diced Parsnip
- 4 Cups Bone Broth, chicken You can substitute with a boxed brand but it won’t be as nourishing.
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to the pressure cooker or instant pot and set to soup/stew setting.
- Start Rice (cook about 20 minutes)
- Taste & adjust salt if needed
- Add Chicken, Tempeh or Tofu and brown rice
INSTANT POT COOK TIMES:
NOTE about Instant Pot Settings: There are 2 ways to cook using your Instant Pot (IP) or Power Pressure Cooker(PPC). You can press the manual button and select the amount of time you’d like to cook your meal on OR you can hit the setting for that type of food. For example for the turkey chili I cook on Meat (IP) or Poultry (PPC).
The amount of time you cook it will depend 2 things:
- What type of machine you are using. The Instant Pot cooks at a lower psi and takes more time to fully cook meals. The Power Pressure Cooker cooks at a higher psi and takes less time to cook.
- What you are cooking. (The new pressure cooker models can sense weight but cannot tell what you’re cooking so it’s important to know how long you want to cook it. If you have never used an IP before use a pressure cooking guide.
Instant Pot Safety:
It is important to read your manual and consider the following safety precautions.
- Make sure you’re pressure cooker or instant pot is not too full.
- Check the lid to make sure the parts are one correctly and secure (the pressure valve AND the silicone sealer)
- Wait until the pressure has released (most pots- even stove top- have a pressure valve that rises when the pressure is TOO HIGH to be released. Wait until this valve has released into its original position.)
- Avoid the steam when removing the lid.
- If your kids normally help you cook let them help with the food prep (chopping, and setting ingredients in) before it starts cooking. For me once I begin cooking my son can play elsewhere (another room) until it’s completely finished cooking, the pressure valve is down and I unplug it.
