7 Dinner Ideas For Instant Pot

In my opinion, Instant Pot meals are some of the easiest and most delicious ones you can make in a short period of time. I have been using Instant Pot for over 5 years now, and can certainly say that there is not a better way to get an amazing dinner in about 30 minutes.

The Instant Pot does an amazing job of cooking the ingredients under HIGH pressure. This helps keep a lot of nutrients intact while delivering restaurant-quality meals. Another benefit of it is that you can cook frozen ingredients in it. For example, I love cooking frozen pork tenderloin in it because it results in juicy and tender meat.

This is one of the essential gadgets to have in your kitchen, especially if you have a busy schedule. Most of the meals can be ready in 30 minutes or less, which makes it ultra-convenient and handy for busy families.

In this post, I will share with you my 7 favorite dinner ideas that you can quickly and easily make in the Instant Pot. They are all original and tasty designed for novice chefs. So, if you are not an experienced cook, do not worry!

I will show you how to prepare these recipes step by step. Also, I will share the links to the original post on my page where you can also see a short video tutorial to each post. I hope you will enjoy them just as much as I do!

A little bit about me…

My name is Catalina Castravet, and I am the owner of Sweet And Savory Meals. I am a professional chef and food blogger who is always on the lookouts for tasty and delicious recipes.

Over the past 10 years, my team and I have created well over one thousand recipes, starting from quick breakfasts, to delicious dinner meals. All the recipes are shared for free with our beloved followers and readers.

What is an Instant Pot?

An Instant Pot is a multi-functional electric pressure. It basically has the function of a slow cooker, steamer, rice cooker, and yogurt cooker. The secret of the Instant Pot is that it cooks the ingredients under high pressure. This limits the cooking time drastically, and you end up with a fully cooked meal is usually 30 minutes.

What can I cook in the Instant Pot?

Pretty much anything can be cooked in the Instant Pot. Some of my favorite ingredients to cook in it are:

Meats (any types of meat, even frozen meat is ok)

Veggies

Beans

Soups and Ramen

Sauces and Jams

Rice

Desserts

What should you not cook in the Instant Pot?

It is not recommended to cook the following:

Deep-fried foods

Bread

Cookies (it is best to use the oven for them, as the texture will not be ideal when cooked under HIGH pressure)

Stacking a lot of ingredients at once

Best dinner ideas to cook in the Instant Pot:

With that said, I will share with you 7 of my most popular dinner ideas to try at home. They are some of my most popular recipes on the blog and together have well over 30 million views. In no particular order, here is the list:

Instant Pot Orange Chicken: This is a proven recipe and one of the most viewed on our blog. It is a sweet and savory Asian dish that is flavorful and tasted better than takeout. Ready in less than 30 minutes, this is the ultimate weekday dinner to enjoy with friends and family. You can serve it over rice or noodles.

Instant Pot Mongolian Chicken: This is another hearty Asian inspired dish that is super flavorful and ready in about 30 minutes. All you have to do is throw the chicken and the rest of the ingredients into the pot and cook under pressure. I like to serve it over white rice and garnish with sesame seeds and freshly chopped green onion.

Instant Pot Whole Chicken: If you want a tender and delicious whole chicken, then give this recipe a try. It is quick and easy to make. Also, you can even cook it frozen and have it ready in about 1 hour. All you need for this recipe is chicken, water or stock, and your favorite seasoning. I like to serve it with rice, mashed potatoes, or mac and cheese.

Instant Pot Rice: There is not a better way to cook rice than in the Instant Pot. Also, no more guessing is needed. All you have to remember is the water to rice ratio, which is always the same 1:1. So, for every cup of rice you need 1 cup of water. This applies to all types of rice. Whether you are cooking white, brown, long, or short rice, the ratio will always stay the same. The only variable will be the cooking time. Check my post above and see how to cook various types of rice and their respective time.

Instant Pot Chicken tikka masala: This dish is creamy, flavorful with very tender and juicy chicken. It is an Indian inspired dish that everyone must try. I like using chicken breasts here. However, feel free to use thighs or drumsticks. All cuts will work just fine. Serve it over white rice and some naan for a complete dinner!

Instant Pot Pork Chops: I love pork chops, and there is no better way to cook them other than the Instant Pot. I cook the chops together with mashed potatoes in the same pot. This way, you end up with a full meal ready in one pot! The pork chops are juicy and tender. I highly recommend using thicker cut chops with bone-in. They are the best option when cooked under high pressure.

Instant Pot Mac and Cheese: This is true comfort food that every Instant Pot owner should try. It is creamy and super easy to make, and ready in less than 30 minutes. For this recipe, I love using elbow pasta as it absorbs the cream and cheeses the best. It is a delicious meal on its own. But if you want to pair it with something else, it will be a great side dish as well.