We’ve all had those moments where we are in middle of something away from home and our mind drifts to dinner (or, let’s be honest, Sunday lunch) and we realize we forgot to defrost meat for dinner, or worse yet, forgot to throw it in the slow cooker! Now you could hit up a drive through on the way home…again. But you’ve had more than your fill of burgers and fries. So what are you to do? Never fear, the Instant Pot is here! This kitchen gadget truly is the super hero of kitchen appliance because it can rescue you from potential meal time disaster by cooking a variety of foods in a matter of minutes. But don’t take my word for it. Behold this list of Instant Pot dinners! It’s sure to inspire you and end the mild panic attacks forever!
Our favorite pressure cooker is the Instant Pot I/P Duo. If you don’t have one yet, get it here. We highly recommend it!
Delicious Instant Pot Dinners
Did you know that your Instant Pot can handle a whole roast chicken? It looks amazing, doesn’t it? Just season with your favorite herbs (try lemon pepper!) and some oil, and it’ll come out tender and juicy.
Or make shredded chicken so you’ll have chicken for the week for tacos, soups, chilis, casseroles and more.
Make Vegetarian Sweet Potato Chili in just 15 minutes! It’s chock full of beans, bell peppers, sweet potatoes and lots of other good stuff.
White Bean Chicken Chili is another yummy option that can’t miss during a cold snap.
Get a Mississippi Pot Roast ready in just an hour and a half. This is perfect for those days when you forget to put a roast in the crock pot first thing in the morning.
Beefy Salisbury Steak Meatballs are cooked in a mushroom gravy in about 30 minutes. Pair with homemade mashed potatoes, and you have an amazing comfort food dish to feed your family.
Corned Beef and Cabbage is delicious on a cold day. You don’t have to wait for St. Patrick’s Day! The brisket will be unbelievably tender but still sliceable… if you want it falling apart, add a few minutes to the cooking time.
Honey sesame chicken is a quick and easy dinner the whole family will love. With tender bite-size chunks of chicken in a sweet and tangy sauce, you really can’t go wrong.
Barbecued Baby Back Ribs are the perfect Friday night meal. What a way to end the week!
The Instant Pot and chicken just go together, don’t they? Try this Lemon Butter Chicken for dinner tonight. It comes together in less than 45 minutes. Yum!
Have dinner ready in just 5 minutes. Really! This Shrimp Scampi Paella uses frozen shrimp, so you literally need no planning at all. What an easy weeknight meal!
Not only are Rootbeer Chicken Wings a great weeknight dinner option, but they’re the perfect tailgating food, too. They’re ready in under 20 minutes, so if you run out, just make another batch in a pinch.
Even picky kids will enjoy an easy, quick meal of Venezuelan Shredded Beef paired with steamed rice.
Sausage Cacciatore is made with sausage, peppers, onions, celery, mushrooms, tomatoes and pasta… who wouldn’t love that?
When you’re feeling under the weather and need some Chicken Noodle Soup fast, try the Instant Pot. This recipe is delicious and soul warming!
Get fork-tender ribs in a flash. These are ready in just one hour, and you’ll love the homemade BBQ sauce on these babies!
Impress dinner guests with Maple Smoked Brisket that tastes like it took hours to make.
Don’t you love one pot meals? You’ll want Chicken, Black Beans and Rice to be in your rotation regularly.
Gather the family for a classic dinner: Greek Pot Roast. Serve it with veggies and warm mashed potatoes or make fajitas or tacos with the meat!
Use the pressure cooker to get your chicken thighs super tender for this scrumptious Kung Pao Chicken recipe.
Don’t have 4 hours to simmer chili? Make Texas Red Chili in just 30 minutes. Yum! This is another goodie for tailgating.
Chicken Tortilla Soup pairs up well with just about any veggie you can imagine – squash, bell peppers or shredded greens. Don’t be afraid to experiment!
Use your pressure cooker to stick to your diet! No one will ever know that these Low Carb Flank Steak Tacos are actually healthy!
Here’s another yummy and healthy option: Cheesy Chicken and Green Zoodles.
Meat-based curries aren’t exactly a quick dinner idea… until now. This Cashew Chicken Curry is done in under half an hour. Yay!
Lentil Bolognese is packed with veggies and protein and is both vegan and gluten free. It’s also super tasty!
Even picky eaters will devour this one-pot Enchilada Pasta.
When you’re in the mood for a sandwich, you can’t go wrong with this Under Pressure French Dip Sandwich. Delish!
Serve this Sweet Soy Sauce Shredded Chicken with white rice and steamed veggies for a healthy, complete meal.
When it’s just too hot to turn on the oven, make Beef Short Ribs in the Instant Pot instead.
Or try Beef Stroganoff instead.
Get fall-apart ribs with homemade Dr. Pepper BBQ sauce in a fraction of the time. Ready for pulled pork sandwiches?
Cheesy Chili Mac is a kid-friendly meal that’s full of veggies and flavor. You’ve gotta love a hands-off dish!
Get the deliciousness of chicken pot pie in a warm, hearty stew. This Chicken Pot Pie Stew will knock your socks off!
Pork Goulash can be made in the slow cooker, but since the Instant Pot can do both, just use the slow cooker function!
You’ll crave Instant Pot Andouille Sausage Stew on a cold day. With potatoes, tomatoes, greens, onions and sausage, it’ll warm you right up.
Christmas and Easter will be a breeze now that you can make a honey glazed ham in your pressure cooker.
I don’t know about you, but I can never get meatloaf just right, but this Paleo Mexi Meatloaf is perfection!
Salsa Verde Chicken is another versatile shredded chicken recipe that you need in your arsenal. It’s good in so many dishes!
When you’re craving warm, comforting soup, try this Minestrone Soup made with ingredients you already have in your kitchen and pantry.
Make Chicken Marsala with simple, fresh ingredients right in your pressure cooker. It’s better than any restaurant version.
Want to learn more about our favorite Instant Pot? Click the link below for our review! Or you can just go straight to Amazon and read about it over there.
So the next time you’re sitting in the school pick up line or even in church (I’m not the only one guilty of that right?). Don’t panic. Remember you have a super hero in you kitchen just waiting for your call for help. Keep these recipes handy for those crazy, “I forgot to prep dinner again” days and let your Instant Pot do all the work. Did one of these recipes get your mouth watering?