Easy Instant Pot Dinner Recipes

100 Instant Pot dinner recipes your whole family will love, including the kids! How to cook frozen chicken breasts, beef or pork you need to use, we have pressure cooker weeknight dinner ideas for you!

Do we have lots of easy Instant Pot dinner recipes for you today!! Yes. We. Do! I’ve been creating new Instant Pot recipes since this nifty pressure cooker came out over two years ago and now we’re here to share them all. (affiliate links present)

Instant Pot Family Dinner Recipes

I’ll share a few from blogger friends too so you’ll have family meal ideas for over 3 months! Looking for easy Ninja Foodi recipes? NO problem, you can use the same instructions for that pot too. It’s always helpful to think ahead and do some menu planning at the beginning of the week. That way I know what to buy, and nothing goes to waste.

It’s so amazing, you can even cook frozen meat in Instant Pot too. That means on my forgetful days when I haven’t taken anything out the day before I can still save the day when the kids are hangry at the end of the day. Whether it be vegetables, meat or desserts everything comes out great.

Instant Pot One Pot Meals

Below I have tried to make it very user friendly by separating them into various categories. I tend to make a lot of casseroles. Keep in mind that you can swap out the protein in any of them. Want to make a vegetarian version? Most of the time it is no problem eliminating the meat entirely.

Remember that large cuts of protein like pressure cooking a frozen roast will take longer, some up to an hour. Along with that they’ll need a natural release of pressure. This will increase the cook time to an additional 20-30 minutes for that step.

I have even figured out how to cook meat + grains like rice or pasta together with a sauce and have it come out like a casserole. NO need to use your oven anymore y’all. 😉

Ninja Foodi Dinner Recipes

If you’d like to buy an Instant Pot I have the 6 qt. basic version and it works great for feeding the 5 of us, I don’t think I’d need anything bigger or “fancier”.

• This Instant Pot pressure cooker air fryer lid has been a game changer for us!
• I also have this Ninja Foodi pressure cooker and air fryer machine and I’m now obsessed with that. I actually love having both.

This is a very common question I ask myself every Sunday. What has helped immensely is to bring up a post like this and write down what I’m making every night.

Then I can buy what is necessary before shopping. Even if I forget to defrost my meat, I have also included instructions for things like frozen pork shoulder in Instant Pot for all of us too!

Cheap and Easy Instant Pot Dinners

We have a lot of easy Instant Pot beginner recipes to start with here, and a post on how to use an Instant Pot to get you going as well.

• Instant Pot spaghetti was our first pressure cooker recipe and is STILL our most popular!
• Then try our Instant Pot sausage and rice casserole! It’s cheesy and pure comfort food!

Pressure cooker lasagna casserole is the ONLY way to make lasagna! NO boiling required and way easier to eat. If you love Indian food you’ve gotta’ try our Easy Instant Pot butter chicken. Cheesy Instant Pot goulash is a family favorite, especially with my kids. 

• If taco Tuesday is your thang, give it a twist and make this Instant Pot taco casserole
• Instant Pot chili needs only 5 ingredients and is perfect on top of Instant Pot white rice, brown rice, inside pressure cooker baked potatoes or alone!

Now some of the best Instant Pot recipes are just very simple. Meaning, they have 5 ingredients or less and focus on one main protein. My kids love the most basic meals I’d say, simple wins every time. Let’s continue on with a few more pressure cooker dinner recipes your kids will love!

• Instant Pot chili mac recipe is seriously my go to recipe
  • then try our pressure cooker cheesy chili mac too
• This Instant Pot ground beef and rice is super cheap. Like dirty rice it is always a hit.
• Our Instant Pot crack chicken casserole is just amazing.

This is probably one of our favorite meals. Creamy pasta with shredded chicken and lots of cheese it is a complete meal even your kids will go crazy over.

Instant Pot Kid Friendly Recipes

We have so many more because I have 3 of those buggers at home myself. Making a twist on a classic dish we love this Instant Pot chicken parmesan casserole

• Spicy honey Instant Pot chicken can be made as mild or spicy as everyone likes.
• If you love Campbell’s chicken and rice here you go = Pressure Cooker chicken and rice
• This is how to make Kraft mac and cheese in the pressure cooker! It is the only way we make boxed macaroni and cheese anymore.
• A classic dish = Instant Pot macaroni and cheese. I will tell you that it’s easier than you think to make this homemade.

These are our throw together dinners we make on a weekly basis! Instant Pot tacos are always fun and we have 4 different types to choose from!

• A cheap and easy dinner is always a batch of Instant Pot hot dogs
  • Then make pressure cooker corn dog bites!
• Breakfast for dinner with hard boiled eggs and cereal. lol
• You don’t have to be sick to enjoy a bowl of Instant Pot chicken noodle soup

Instant Pot lasagna soup is a great choice. WAY easier than layering those floppy noodles that are hot.

Family friendly Instant Pot recipes

Here is a list of more Instant Pot kids recipes!

• Keeping it simple with pineapple and barbecue sauce = Instant Pot shredded barbecue chicken
• Pressure cooker cheesy chicken spaghetti is a favorite with kids
• Easy Instant Pot pork tenderloin with a side of white rice is great.
• This pressure cooker chicken pot pie is a yummy choice.

If you’re looking to pressure cook the best tasting chicken, try Instant Pot honey mustard chicken tonight. It’s fall off the bone, or use boneless for oh so tender meat in less than 30 minutes. Here are a few fun extras your kids will love after dinner.

• Did you have any idea you could make an Instant Pot angel food cake?!!
• Instant Pot popcorn is a fun experiment to do using a glass lid so they can see it pop pop pop!
• Instant Pot pancake bites you can make gluten free, protein packed or traditional
  • Use your egg mold again to make Instant Pot blueberry muffins

To make them smile you MUST make this 1 minute Instant Pot apple crisp

InstaPot dinner recipes

We have a bunch of Easy Instant Pot chicken recipes on the blog you can try.

1. Instant Pot beef recipes will include a bunch of Instant Pot ground beef recipes as well just to be convenient.
2. Here’s a tip on how to defrost Instant Pot frozen ground beef if you’re forgetful like me.
3. Having recipes for Instant Pot casseroles are always great to have on hand especially if you have a bunch of things that need to be cooked.

Steak in the Instant Pot is a win. If you can buy a few on sale, throw in some potatoes at the same time and it’s ready in just a few minutes!

1. Lots of Instant Pot soups are needed when it’s chilly outside for sure, and make a great side dish too.
2. You’ll find a variety of meat recipes in this roundup of Instant Pot pasta recipes.
3. And if you want Instant Pot vegetable recipes we have those too, like our Instant Pot carrots!

Instant Pot Chicken Recipes

Instant Pot chicken cacciatore is a simple throw together meal. If you like a little heat these Instant Pot spicy teriyaki chicken thighs are just totally amazing 

• Instant Pot chicken thighs bone in is an easy recipe with a creamy sauce on top
• Simple Instant Pot chicken legs are always a fave.
• Comfort food is here with this Instant Pot chicken and dumplings recipe
• And if you’re looking for a healthier dish try our Pressure cooker chicken quinoa casserole
• This Instant Pot chicken stew is fabulous.

2 ingredient Instant Pot salsa chicken is super cheap and served over rice with some veggies is a fave. With only about 3 ingredients this Instant Pot teriyaki chicken is the simplest dinner packed with flavor

This is how to cook a whole chicken in the Instant Pot. Pair it with some cornbread and air fryer vegetables for the perfect healthy meal. Sometimes it’s fun to put a bit of fruit into your dinner like this Instant Pot Hawaiian chicken!

Chicken Instant Pot dinner recipes

Next try our healthier version of an Instant Pot orange chicken recipe. You only need a few ingredients and it’s a healthy version from Panda Express.

• If you’ve never made pressure cooker beer can chicken it is so moist and you don’t have to go outside to make it.
• Spicy electric pressure cooker chicken sliders have some heat!
• As seen above this Pressure cooker chicken pot pie soup is delicious and I show you how to make mini bread bowls to serve it in too!
• Salsa Verde chicken & rice
• With a rich sauce we love these Creamy Italian chicken breasts
• Make sliders with these Ranch pulled chicken sandwiches
• Acorn squash with pecan stuffing is a vegetarian option
• Asian chicken is tasty and easy to throw together.

We love a great twist on the traditional like this Bruschetta chicken

Pressure Cooker Pasta Recipes

Our Instant Pot Italian wedding soup gets thumbs up every time and is fabulous using ground spicy sausage We’ve made this in our slow cooker too but this way takes a fraction of the time.

• Pressure cooker tuna noodle casserole is an all time favorite for our family. But, if you love cheese, this Instant Pot cheeseburger macaroni is like hamburger helper! 
• This Instant Pot lo mein is yummy 
• Now, going on to a version of classic stew with this Instant Pot beef stew pasta
• Then, combine soup and veggies with this Instant Pot vegetable noodle soup

Easy Instant Pot minestrone soup is packed with natural flavors and just delicious….and super healthy too! Serve it plain or with chicken/shrimp = Instant Pot fettuccine alfredo

Beef Instant Pot dinners

Pressure cooker beef pot pie soup is a twist on an old favorite.

• Mexican casserole is a yummy choice and a fave here.
• Stuffed with ground beef, cheese, and rice these Instant Pot stuffed peppers are delish.
• Our Instant Pot bbq beef is simple enough with just meat and sauce.

An old classic made in no time at all with this Instant Pot beef stew

• This Instant Pot Korean beef is full of flavor
• Because we love anything with cabbage you’ve got to try these Instant Pot cabbage rolls
• Tomato & meat Ragu is kinda’ like spaghetti but a richer sauce

A heart meal = Make this duo of roast & potatoes some night.

Instant Pot Soups

Instant Pot tomato basil soup needs only a few ingredients like tomato sauce and you can add tortellini too

• If you want something different try this Curried Butternut squash soup
  • More veggies, using dry peas make our Instant Pot split pea soup
• Add a bit of spice with some Instant Pot nacho soup

Have leftovers during the holidays…make Instant Pot turkey soup We love this potato corn chowder soup made in our pressure cooker with fresh corn. It ended up in our top 10 best Instant Pot recipes of the year list.

• But if you’re trying to eat healthier…make our Instant Pot barley soup
• Easy Instant Pot taco soup recipe is a bunch of cans from the pantry thrown together!
• One of my favorites during the winter time is this Instant Pot wild rice soup
  • Pressure cooker cabbage soup is loaded with veggies too
• Integrate vegetables into your soup with yummy Pressure cooker broccoli cheese soup

I bet we can get you to like kale in this  Pressure cooker sausage soup, it is amazing

Instant Pot Pork Recipes

• Instant Pot Hawaiian pulled pork is great for sliders or over rice.
• Pressure cooker pork chops recipe with a rich mushroom gravy.
• Then, looking for something new I’d try this Pickled pork
• Use a big piece of meat with this pork shoulder recipe that becomes fork tender.
• This Instant Pot pulled pork has Asian flavors that we love.

We always use pork when making Instant Pot ribs because they come out so tender.

Instant Pot Fish Recipes

We have instructions on how to make Instant Pot salmon + a roundup of easy pressure cooker fish recipes here to choose from plus:

• This is the way you make Instant Pot fish and vegetables cooked all in the same pot!
• How to defrost and cook Instant Pot shrimp quickly as well as how to make Instant Pot shrimp alfredo which my kids love.

Then add some fish to a soup with this Instant Pot fish curry dinner.

Instant Pot Breakfast Recipes

Pressure cooker breakfast bundt cake is packed with egg, bacon, cheese and more.

• And then treat them with a batch of Pressure cooker donuts , they are so good and fun to make!
• Our Pressure cooker egg bites are like a copycat Starbucks sous vide eggs recipe, so good
• Sweetened with honey, our Pressure cooker breakfast quinoa is amazing topped with fresh fruit

Make an oatmeal bar with dried fruits and make Instant Pot oatmeal for breakfast/dinner!