12 Instant Pot Dinners That Taste Like You Cooked All Day
If your Instant Pot is collecting dust in a cabinet, it is time to pull it back out. These Instant Pot dinners turn tough cuts tender, cook pasta and sauce together and make soups taste like they simmered all day, often in under an hour. Any electric pressure cooker will work. The cook times below do not include the 10 to 15 minutes the pot needs to come up to pressure. Want more easy weeknight ideas? See our easy chicken dinners too. Let us get cooking..
Instant Pot Dinners Start With Butter Chicken
Butter chicken is the dish that sells most people on their pressure cooker. Tender chicken thighs cook in a spiced tomato sauce in just 8 minutes, then a swirl of butter and cream turns it silky and rich. It tastes like it simmered all afternoon at your favorite Indian restaurant. Scoop it up with warm naan or spoon it over basmati rice. Would you order it A) mild, B) medium, or C) hot?
You will need: 2 lb boneless chicken thighs cut in chunks, 2 tbsp butter, 1 onion diced, 4 cloves garlic, 1 tbsp grated ginger, 2 tsp garam masala, 1 tsp turmeric, 1 tsp cumin, 1 tsp chili powder, 1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce, 1/2 cup water, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 cup heavy cream, 2 tbsp butter to finish, cilantro, rice or naan
How to make it: Use the saute setting to melt the butter and cook the onion 4 minutes. Add the garlic, ginger and spices for 1 minute. Stir in the tomato sauce and water, scraping the bottom, then add the chicken. Lock the lid and cook on high pressure 8 minutes. Quick release. Stir in the cream and butter and simmer on saute 3 minutes.
Instant Pot Dinners Classic: Fall Apart Beef Stew
Beef stew usually means a whole afternoon by the stove, but the pressure cooker turns tough chuck roast tender in 35 minutes. Browning the beef first is worth the extra step because it builds a deep, rich gravy. Potatoes and carrots go in for the whole ride so they soak up all that flavor. Serve it with crusty bread for dunking. It is pure cold weather comfort in a bowl.
You will need: 2 lb beef chuck in 1 1/2 inch cubes, 2 tbsp flour, 2 tbsp oil, 1 onion diced, 3 cloves garlic, 2 tbsp tomato paste, 2 cups beef broth, 1 tbsp Worcestershire, 1 tsp thyme, 2 bay leaves, 1 lb baby potatoes, 3 carrots chunked, 1 cup frozen peas, salt, pepper
How to make it: Toss the beef with flour, salt and pepper. Brown it in oil on saute in batches. Add the onion and garlic, then the tomato paste and broth, scraping the bottom well. Add the beef, Worcestershire, herbs, potatoes and carrots. Cook on high pressure 35 minutes, then natural release 10 minutes. Stir in the peas and season.
Creamy Mac and Cheese in 4 Minutes
This mac and cheese is so quick it feels like cheating. Dry pasta cooks right in seasoned broth under pressure for just 4 minutes, so there is no draining and no extra pot. Then you stir in milk and a mountain of cheese until it is gooey and creamy. It is one of the fastest Instant Pot dinners you can make. Will you go A) classic cheddar, B) smoked gouda, or C) pepper jack?
You will need: 1 lb elbow macaroni, 4 cups chicken broth or water, 2 tbsp butter, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp dry mustard, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, 1 cup milk, 3 cups shredded sharp cheddar, 1 cup shredded mozzarella or Monterey Jack, black pepper
How to make it: Add the pasta, broth, butter, salt, mustard and garlic powder to the pot and press the pasta under the liquid. Cook on high pressure 4 minutes and quick release. Stir well, then add the milk and cheese a handful at a time until melted and creamy. Season with pepper and serve right away.
Instant Pot Dinners for Sick Days: Chicken Noodle Soup
When someone in the house has the sniffles, this is the soup to make. The pressure cooker pulls rich flavor from the chicken in about 10 minutes, so the broth tastes like it simmered all day. Shred the chicken, add the egg noodles and dinner is ready. It is gentle, cozy and freezes well if you leave out the noodles. What is the one thing your family always adds to chicken soup?
You will need: 1 1/2 lb boneless chicken thighs or breasts, 1 tbsp butter, 1 onion, 3 carrots and 3 celery stalks sliced, 3 cloves garlic, 8 cups chicken broth, 1 tsp dried thyme, 1 bay leaf, salt, pepper, 3 cups wide egg noodles, fresh parsley, lemon
How to make it: Saute the onion, carrots and celery in butter 4 minutes, then add the garlic. Add the broth, chicken, thyme and bay leaf. Cook on high pressure 10 minutes and natural release 10 minutes. Remove and shred the chicken. Switch to saute, add the noodles and cook 5 to 6 minutes. Add the chicken back, plus parsley and a squeeze of lemon.
No Stir Mushroom Risotto
Classic risotto needs 25 minutes of constant stirring, but the pressure cooker does the work for you in 6. The rice turns out creamy and tender with a little bite in the center, just like in Italy. Golden mushrooms, garlic, a splash of white wine and plenty of parmesan make it rich enough to be a meatless main. Add a handful of spinach or some leftover chicken if you like.
You will need: 2 tbsp butter, 1 tbsp olive oil, 12 oz mushrooms sliced, 1 small onion diced, 2 cloves garlic, 1 1/2 cups arborio rice, 1/2 cup dry white wine or extra broth, 4 cups chicken or vegetable broth, 3/4 cup grated parmesan, salt, pepper, parsley
How to make it: Saute the mushrooms in butter and oil until golden and set some aside for topping. Add the onion and garlic for 3 minutes, then the rice and stir 1 minute. Pour in the wine and let it bubble, then add the broth. Cook on high pressure 6 minutes and quick release. Stir in the parmesan and top with the reserved mushrooms.
Instant Pot Dinners Kids Love: Loaded Potato Soup
This soup tastes just like a loaded baked potato in a bowl. Potatoes cook until soft in 10 minutes, then you mash some of them right in the pot to make the soup thick and creamy without a ton of cream. Top each bowl with crispy bacon, cheddar, sour cream and green onions. Set the toppings out bar style so everyone can load their own. Are you team bacon or team no bacon?
You will need: 3 lb russet potatoes peeled and cubed, 6 slices bacon chopped, 1 onion diced, 3 cloves garlic, 4 cups chicken broth, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper, 1 cup milk, 1/2 cup sour cream, 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar, green onions
How to make it: Cook the bacon on saute until crisp and remove it. Saute the onion and garlic in the drippings 3 minutes. Add the potatoes, broth, salt and pepper. Cook on high pressure 10 minutes, natural release 5 minutes, then quick release. Mash about half the potatoes, then stir in the milk, sour cream and cheese. Top with bacon and green onions.
Sticky BBQ Ribs Without a Smoker
Yes, you can make fall off the bone ribs on a weeknight. Baby back ribs get a quick dry rub, cook under pressure for 25 minutes, then go under the broiler with barbecue sauce until sticky and caramelized. They come out tender and juicy every single time. Grab extra napkins and serve them with coleslaw and cornbread. Are you a sauce on the side person or fully drenched?
You will need: 1 rack baby back ribs (about 3 lb) cut in thirds, 2 tbsp brown sugar, 1 tbsp smoked paprika, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp onion powder, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper, 1 cup apple juice or water, 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar, 1 cup barbecue sauce
How to make it: Mix the rub and coat the ribs. Pour the apple juice and vinegar into the pot, add the trivet and stand the ribs up on it. Cook on high pressure 25 minutes and natural release 10 minutes. Move the ribs to a foil lined sheet pan, brush with sauce and broil 3 to 5 minutes until sticky. Rest 5 minutes and slice.
One Pot Spaghetti With Meat Sauce
This is the dinner that wins over pressure cooker skeptics. The noodles cook right in the meat sauce, soaking up all the flavor, and you only wash one pot. The trick is layering: broken spaghetti goes in a crisscross pattern, then the sauce on top, with no stirring until it is done. That keeps the pot from showing a burn warning. It is one of the cheapest Instant Pot dinners for a big family.
You will need: 1 lb ground beef or Italian sausage, 1 onion diced, 3 cloves garlic, 1 tsp Italian seasoning, 1 tsp salt, 3 cups water or broth, 1 lb spaghetti broken in half, 1 jar (24 oz) marinara sauce, parmesan and basil
How to make it: Brown the meat with the onion and garlic on saute, then drain any fat. Add the water and scrape the bottom clean. Layer the spaghetti in a crisscross pattern and pour the marinara on top without stirring. Cook on high pressure 5 minutes (about half the package time) and quick release. Stir well and rest 2 minutes before serving.
Instant Pot Dinners From Latin America: Arroz con Pollo
Arroz con pollo means chicken with rice, and it is loved from Puerto Rico to Peru. Juicy chicken thighs, golden rice, peppers, peas and olives all cook together in one pot. Sazon or a pinch of turmeric gives it that sunny yellow color. It is the kind of one pot dinner that feeds a crowd for very little money. Who taught you to make it, or is this your first time?
You will need: 2 lb boneless chicken thighs cut in large pieces, 1 packet sazon or 1/2 tsp turmeric and 1 tsp cumin, 1 tsp oregano, 2 tbsp olive oil, 1 onion, 1 bell pepper diced, 3 cloves garlic, 1/2 cup tomato sauce, 1 1/2 cups long grain white rice rinsed, 1 1/2 cups chicken broth, 1 cup frozen peas, 1/3 cup green olives, cilantro
How to make it: Season the chicken with sazon, oregano and salt and brown it in oil on saute. Add the onion, pepper and garlic for 3 minutes. Stir in the tomato sauce and broth, scraping the bottom. Add the rice and press it under the liquid. Cook on high pressure 6 minutes and natural release 10 minutes. Fluff with the peas, olives and cilantro.
Tender Pulled Pork in About an Hour
Pulled pork normally takes all day in a smoker or slow cooker, but the pressure cooker gets it fork tender in about an hour. Pork shoulder chunks are rubbed with brown sugar and spices, then cooked in a tangy mix of broth, vinegar and barbecue sauce. Shred it right in the pot. Pile it on buns, tacos, nachos or baked potatoes all week long. It feeds a crowd for very little money.
You will need: 3 to 4 lb boneless pork shoulder cut in 4 chunks, 2 tbsp brown sugar, 1 tbsp smoked paprika, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp onion powder, 1 tsp cumin, 2 tsp salt, 1 tbsp oil, 1 cup chicken broth, 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar, 1 cup barbecue sauce, buns and coleslaw
How to make it: Rub the pork with the sugar and spices. Brown it in oil on saute. Add the broth and vinegar and scrape the bottom. Cook on high pressure 60 minutes and natural release 15 minutes. Shred the pork with two forks, skim the fat from the liquid and stir in the barbecue sauce with a little of the cooking liquid.
Instant Pot Dinners With Tex Mex Flavor: Chicken Tortilla Soup
Chicken tortilla soup is a fiesta in a bowl. Chicken, black beans, corn, tomatoes and green chiles cook in a smoky broth seasoned with cumin and chili powder, then the chicken gets shredded right back in. The best part is the toppings: crunchy tortilla strips, avocado, cheese, sour cream and lime. It is hearty, a little spicy and ready in about 30 minutes. How many toppings is too many?
You will need: 1 1/2 lb chicken breasts, 1 tbsp oil, 1 onion, 3 cloves garlic, 1 jalapeno minced, 2 tsp chili powder, 1 tsp cumin, 1 tsp smoked paprika, 1 can (14 oz) fire roasted tomatoes, 1 can (4 oz) green chiles, 1 can black beans drained, 1 cup corn, 4 cups chicken broth, lime, tortilla strips, avocado, cheese
How to make it: Saute the onion, garlic and jalapeno in oil 3 minutes. Stir in the spices. Add the tomatoes, chiles, beans, corn, broth and chicken. Cook on high pressure 10 minutes and natural release 10 minutes. Shred the chicken and return it to the pot. Add lime juice and serve with tortilla strips, avocado and cheese.
Takeout Style Mongolian Beef
Skip the delivery fee and make this sweet, savory Mongolian beef at home. Thin slices of flank steak cook in a garlicky soy and brown sugar sauce, then a little cornstarch turns it thick and glossy. It tastes like the restaurant version with less oil. Serve it over rice with steamed broccoli and green onions. Which takeout dish should we make next: A) orange chicken, B) lo mein, or C) fried rice?
You will need: 2 lb flank steak thinly sliced against the grain, 1/4 cup cornstarch plus 2 tbsp, 2 tbsp oil, 4 cloves garlic minced, 1 tbsp grated ginger, 1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce, 1/2 cup water, 1/3 cup brown sugar, 1 tsp sesame oil, 4 green onions, rice and broccoli
How to make it: Toss the beef with 1/4 cup cornstarch. Sear it in oil on saute in batches until browned. Add the garlic and ginger for 30 seconds, then the soy sauce, water and brown sugar, scraping the bottom. Add the beef back. Cook on high pressure 10 minutes and quick release. Stir in 2 tbsp cornstarch mixed with water and simmer on saute until thick. Add the sesame oil and green onions.
