Easy Instant Pot Dinner Recipes
A collection of easy Instant Pot dinner recipes for busy weeknights. Whole chicken, slow-cooked beef, pork roast, and more with simple prep, minimal effort, and great results.
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My Instant Pot is a little too bulky to live on the counter, but it has a permanent spot in the cabinet right within reach. Honestly, it comes out more than almost anything else in my kitchen.
I resisted it for a long time. It seemed like one more appliance that would take up space and require a learning curve. But once I made the Whole Chicken the first time and realized I had a juicy, fully cooked chicken in under an hour with almost no effort, I was sold. Now it is one of the tools I reach for most on busy weeknights when I want something that tastes like it took more effort than it did.
Most of these recipes need less than 15 minutes of hands-on prep. The Instant Pot handles the rest, whether that is a whole chicken in under an hour, Italian beef that tastes like it cooked all day, or a bowl of soup that comes together faster than takeout.
Below are all of my favorite Instant Pot dinner recipes, organized by protein.
Easy Instant Pot Chicken Dinners
How to Make the BEST Instant Pot Whole Chicken
This is the most-visited Instant Pot recipe on the site, and it earns it. A full, juicy chicken in under an hour with very little hands-on time, and the cooking liquid at the bottom becomes a simple pan sauce you can spoon right over the top. If you are new to the Instant Pot, this is the best first recipe to try. It is forgiving, straightforward, and makes enough for dinner plus leftovers.
How to Cook a Frozen Whole Chicken in an Instant Pot
Did you forget to thaw the chicken? This recipe is the answer. It walks you through cooking a whole chicken straight from frozen, and it still comes out tender and juicy. A few extra minutes on the cook time is all it takes. No thawing, no planning ahead, just dinner on the table when you need it.
Easy Instant Pot Greek Chicken Recipe with Orzo
Chicken, orzo, and Greek-inspired flavors all cook together in one pot. It is a complete dinner that does not feel like a typical weeknight meal.
Quick & Easy Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken Wraps
The chicken pressure cooks in buffalo sauce and shreds easily right in the pot. Pile it into wraps with your favorite toppings and dinner is done.
How to Make Shredded Chicken (Instant Pot or Slow Cooker)
This is a good one to have in your back pocket. The shredded chicken works in tacos, salads, pasta, soups, and just about anything else you want to throw it into.
Amazing Green Enchilada Chicken Soup (Instant Pot or Slow Cooker)
This soup has a lot of flavor for how little effort it takes. The green enchilada sauce gives it a great base without needing a long ingredient list.
Rustic Chicken Gnocchi Soup (Dutch Oven & Instant Pot)
A cozy soup with soft gnocchi and tender chicken. It is the kind of dinner you want on a cold evening when you need something comforting and filling.
Easy Instant Pot Beef Recipes
Chicago Style Italian Beef (Slow Cooker and Instant Pot)
Tender, shredded beef slow-cooked with Italian seasoning until it falls apart, then piled onto a roll with giardiniera and provolone. This is one of the most popular dinner recipes on the site, and the au jus it produces is reason enough to make it. The Instant Pot version gets you there in a fraction of the time of the traditional method, and the result is just as good.
How to Make a Tender & Delicious Tri Tip Roast in Your Instant Pot
Tri-tip usually takes a long time on the grill or in the oven, which makes it more of a weekend project than a weeknight dinner. The Instant Pot changes that. You get tender, flavorful beef in a fraction of the time, and the cooking liquid makes a natural sauce that works well spooned over the top or alongside mashed potatoes.
Quick & Easy Instant Pot Beef Pepper Steak
Strips of beef, peppers, and a savory sauce come together quickly in the Instant Pot. It is good over rice and comes together faster than you’d expect.
Easy Instant Pot Mongolian Beef
This is a great weeknight alternative to takeout. The sauce is sweet and savory, the beef gets very tender, and it is ready in about 30 minutes start to finish.
Roast Beef Sandwiches in the Instant Pot
This recipe makes the most amazing roast beef sandwiches – no need to to wait for leftovers!
Easy Instant Pot Corned Beef and Cabbage
Corned beef and cabbage in the Instant Pot comes out tender every time and takes a fraction of the time of the stovetop method. It is a great option beyond St. Patrick’s Day—the leftovers reheat well and work nicely in hash the next morning.
Instant Pot Pork & Seafood
Too Good to Be True Instant Pot Balsamic Pork Roast
The name fits. The pork gets very tender and the balsamic gives the whole dish a slightly sweet, tangy flavor that tastes like it took a lot more effort than it did.
How to Make Delicious Crab Legs In Your Instant Pot
Crab legs in the Instant Pot come out perfectly steamed every time. It is one of those things that feels special but is actually very simple to pull off at home.
A Few Tips for Cooking in the Instant Pot
If you are newer to pressure cooking, these basics will help things go more smoothly.
- Always add at least one cup of liquid before sealing the lid. The Instant Pot needs liquid to build pressure, and skipping this step will trigger a burn warning.
- Natural pressure release gives you more tender results with large cuts of meat. If you are short on time, quick release works fine for soups, chicken pieces, and pasta dishes.
- Searing the meat in the pot before pressure cooking takes about five extra minutes and adds a noticeable layer of flavor to the finished dish.
- Frozen chicken works in the Instant Pot. Just add a few extra minutes to the cook time and always check that the internal temperature hits 165°F before serving.
Final Thoughts
Once you get comfortable with a few of these recipes, the Instant Pot becomes one of those tools you reach for all the time. Most of these dinners take less than 15 minutes of hands-on prep, and the results feel like a lot more effort than they are.
If you are just getting started, the Instant Pot Whole Chicken is the best first recipe to try. It is simple, forgiving, and makes enough for dinner plus leftovers the next day.
