Get my free Meal Prep Quick Start Guide

Sweet Peas and Saffron

meal prep recipes for busy people

Home Method Instant Pot

Basic Instant Pot Recipes You NEED to Know!

By: Leave a Comment
Posted: 5/15/20 Updated: 8/22/20

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.

These 20 basic Instant Pot recipes are perfect for beginners and experienced Instant Pot users alike! The best vegetables, proteins and grains to cook in the pressure cooker to save you time and free up your hands.

The Instant Pot has become absolutely indispensable in my cooking routine; I've been known to use it 3 times in a day! I love that it can cook food in a fraction of the time as the stove or slow cooker, and it also often eliminates the need to stir or babysit a pot on the stove.

collage image with 20 basic instant pot recipes

If you are new to Instant Pot cooking, you might be wondering which are the best ingredients to cook in your Instant Pot. After years of trial and error, I can tell you with certainty that the ingredients in this post are the best ones!

These basic Instant Pot recipes will save you time in the kitchen and get food on your table quickly. Some of these recipes are cooked all the way through before a pot of water can come to boil on the stove!

If you are looking for full Instant Pot recipes, check out my Instant Pot page. This post focusses on how to cook the basics: from single ingredients to a handful of ingredients, each of these basic Instant Pot recipes deserves to be in your recipe box!

Don't forget to pin this post to save it for later!

Recipe video

Visual learner? Watch the video below to see how I cook six of my favorite basic Instant Pot recipes! You can find more of my videos on my YouTube channel.

Chicken

Cooking chicken in the Instant Pot is a great idea! Since the Instant Pot cooks using wet heat, the chicken comes out perfectly juicy each and every time. The other benefit of the Instant Pot is that unlike the slow cooker, it is safe to cook chicken from frozen in the Instant Pot! Here are my favorite resources for cooking chicken in the Instant Pot:

Instant Pot Chicken Breast- 7 Flavors
How to cook the most juicy and delicious Instant Pot chicken breast, plus seven flavor options! Using the pressure cooker cooks your chicken breasts quickly, with no need for an oven, and they always come out perfectly. 
Check out this recipe
Collage image containing four different flavors of instant pot chicken breasts

Instant Pot Whole Chicken
Instant Pot whole chicken is the most hands off way to cook a chicken on meal prep Sunday. Showing you how to cook a fresh or frozen whole chicken in the Instant Pot. This recipe is low carb, gluten-free and paleo.
Check out this recipe
Close up shot of a whole cooked chicken with a few slices off on a gray plate with fresh thyme

Pork

The Instant Pot is great for cooking a few different cuts of pork, my favorites being pork shoulder (to make into pulled pork), and pork tenderloin.

Crock Pot Pulled Pork
This crock pot pulled pork is made with pork shoulder simmered in clean ingredients (no sodas or pre-packaged ingredients). Makes a great freezer crock pot recipe!
Check out this recipe
pulled pork in the crock pot
Instant Pot Pork Tenderloin with Soy Ginger Sauce
You're going to love this juicy Instant Pot pork tenderloin that cooks up with a sweet and sticky soy ginger sauce. It's never dry, always super flavorful, and ready in under 25 minutes! Spoon the soy ginger sauce over the pork tenderloin, rice, or veggies.
Check out this recipe
Spoon drizzling soy ginger sauce over a sliced pork tenderloin on a wooden cutting board

Beef + Turkey

We don't eat a lot of tough cuts of beef, but the Instant Pot is great for cutting down the cook time for those cuts of beef. What else is it good for? Cooking ground beef (or turkey) from fresh or frozen!

Instant Pot Frozen Ground Beef
Step by step directions showing how to cook juicy and tender Instant Pot frozen ground beef. The ultimate weeknight meal secret for cooking frozen ground beef in 20 minutes flat! No thawing needed.
Check out this recipe
overhead shot of of frozen ground beef in the instant pot
Instant Pot Asian Lettuce Wraps
These Instant Pot ground turkey lettuce wraps can be cooked from fresh or frozen, and make a delicious, lower carb meal that the whole family will love! A healthy weeknight meal that is ready in 25 minutes or less.
Check out this recipe
two asian ground turkey lettuce wraps on gray plate
Instant Pot Taco Meat (fresh + frozen)
How to cook Instant Pot taco meat- from fresh or frozen ground beef! This recipe can be ready and on your table in 20 minutes or less.
Check out this recipe
Close up shot of instant pot taco meat on a wooden spoon

Vegetables

The Instant Pot is particularly useful for cooking vegetables that require a long cook time. Cooking the vegetables under high pressure speeds the cooking process immensely, and also makes it much more hands off.

PERFECT Instant Pot Sweet Potatoes
Perfect Instant Pot sweet potatoes each and every time, with perfect, creamy insides. A time chart based on the width of your sweet potatoes ensures they are perfectly cooked each time.
Check out this recipe
overhead shot of sweet potatoes lined up with text showing number of minutes to cook each
Instant Pot Spaghetti Squash (Whole)
The BEST method for Instant Pot spaghetti squash: cook it whole! No more soggy spaghetti squash, and perfect 'noodles' every time.
Check out this recipe
cooked spaghetti squash cut in half with a fork in the background
Instant Pot Corn on the Cob
Instant Pot corn on the cob is the fastest and most efficient way to cook your corn! Easy, fast, and perfectly juicy corn each time.
Check out this recipe
overhead shot of a pile of corn cobs with knob of butter and pepper on top
Creamy Parmesan Instant Pot Mashed Cauliflower
This Instant Pot mashed cauliflower is a creamy, yet healthy, lower carb alternative to mashed potatoes. Made with cauliflower, parmesan cheese, greek yogurt, and seasoned with thyme.
Check out this recipe
close up shot of mashed cauliflower in brown bowl with parsley
Instant Pot Carrots with Honey Glaze
Instant Pot carrots with honey glaze is an effortless 15-minute side dish that is perfect for an everyday weeknight dinner or holiday meal! Made with just 5 simple ingredients this recipe is low carb, vegan, and gluten-free. 
Check out this recipe
close up shot of a bowl of instant pot carrots with honey glaze
Herb & Garlic Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes
Herb & garlic Instant Pot mashed potatoes are simple to prepare and can be made ahead and kept warm in the Instant Pot. Perfect for a weeknight meal or holiday feast.
Check out this recipe
overhead shot of herb and garlic instant pot mashed potatoes in brown bowl
Instant Pot Applesauce
Instant Pot applesauce is the most hands off way to make it! This recipe is simple, has no added sugar, is loved by my kids, and works great for meal prep.
Check out this recipe
overhead shot of multiple glass jars filled with instant pot applesauce and a spoon holding a bite of it
Perfect + Tender Instant Pot Broccoli
Instant Pot broccoli is ready in under 10 minutes, and is perfectly tender, but still with a bit of chew to it. A great way to get broccoli steamed quickly, without the need to babysit a pot of water on the stove.
Check out this recipe
Overhead shot of a pile of broccoli with fresh lemon wedges and parmesan on a gray plate

Grains + Beans

Grains and beans are also so great to cook in your Instant Pot. From oatmeal to farro to black beans and more, the Instant Pot can help you fit more beans and grains into your diet by making the cooking process quick and easy.

Easiest Instant Pot Steel Cut Oats
These Instant Pot steel cut oats are ready in less time than stovetop, are perfectly creamy, nutritious, and easy to customize with your favorite toppings. With just four simple ingredients, you can have easy reheat breakfasts for the week.
Check out this recipe
hands holding a glass meal prep container filled with instant pot steel cut oats and berries

Perfect, Fluffy Instant Pot Quinoa
Perfect, fluffy Instant Pot quinoa is easy to cook and ready in minutes! Tips to make the fluffiest quinoa in a pressure cooker, and how to infuse more flavor into your quinoa.
Check out this recipe
Large black bowl filled with instant pot quinoa
Perfect, Fluffy Instant Pot Basmati Rice (Brown + White)
Step by step directions get perfect, fluffy Instant Pot basmati rice. The pressure cooker gets it cooked in a fraction of time, and with a few tricks, can deliver that fluffy texture you want. This post includes directions for cooking both white and brown basmati rice.
Check out this recipe
Close up shot of a spoonful of basmati rice coming out of the instant pot

Instant Pot Chickpeas
How to make Instant Pot Chickpeas- no soaking required! Cooking your chickpeas from scratch will save you money and tastes so much better than canned.
Check out this recipe
Chickpeas on a large ladle coming out of the instant pot

Perfect Instant Pot Black Beans (no soaking required!)
This simple method to cook Instant Pot black beans gives you perfect black beans each and every time! No soaking, the perfect texture, and so much more flavor than canned beans.
Check out this recipe
a white bowl filled with black beans
How to Cook Farro
A complete guide showing you how to cook farro and how to serve it! We’re sharing two easy options to cook your farro: on the stovetop and in the Instant Pot. These methods yield perfectly cooked, chewy yet tender farro.
Check out this recipe
a large black bowl of cooked farro

Misc

A few odds + ends that don't really fit in any category, these recipes are easy and convenient to prep in your Instant Pot.

Instant Pot Hard and Soft Boiled Eggs
Easy to peel and ready in minutes, these Instant Pot hard and soft boiled eggs have become a staple in my meal prep routine! Prep a batch ahead and store in the fridge for up to 1 week.
Check out this recipe
Lots of halved hard and soft boiled eggs laying on a gray plate
The ONLY Bone Broth Recipe You'll Ever Need
This bone broth recipe is a nutritional superhero that is packed full of vitamins, minerals, and collagen. Learn how to make it with beef, chicken, or turkey bones, and how to cook it on the stove, in a slow cooker, or in an Instant Pot.
Check out this recipe
three mason jars filled with bone broth on a wood board

Meet Denise Bustard

Denise Bustard is the creator of Sweet Peas and Saffron, a meal prep-focussed food blog. With a PhD in biochemistry, Denise takes a scientific approach to perfecting her recipes. You can find Denise's work featured on Huffington Post, MSN, Self and more.

Read more...

Reader Interactions

Leave a Comment

Have a question? Submit your question or comment below.