Weeknight Instant Pot dinner recipes - 365 Days of Slow Cooking and Pressure Cooking (2024)

Weeknight Instant Pot Dinner Recipes—looking for tasty, healthy-ish, fast dinner ideas for those busy weeknights? I got you covered. Here are 31 different Instant Pot recipes to help you plan your menu and make your life just a little less hectic.

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Weeknight Instant Pot Dinner Recipes

In the 365 Days of Instant Pot Recipes Facebook group Beth asks, “I am looking for good, easy, healthy dinner recipes for weeknights. I work long hours and I am spending way too much time in my kitchen when I get home. What are your favorites?”

First off I want to tell Beth, I hear ya! I can imagine that after a long day at the office and then commuting home on a busy freeway the last thing that you want to do is spend an hour making dinner. But on the other hand you probably don’t want to throw a Lean Cuisine into the microwave every night either. Dinner should be nourishing and delicious. It should be a positive part of the day.

Beth, today I’m hoping that I help you out by giving you some good weeknight Instant Pot dinner recipes after a long day at work. These dinners are fairly healthy and don’t take a lot of effort or time.

Instant Pot Egg Roll Bowls

• This recipe is inspired by chinese egg rolls but it’s given a fresher spin. It’s a flavorful, healthy-ish, semi-homemade dinner that can be made so fast.
• All in one meal
• Hands on time: 15 minutes
• Total time: 39 minutes (15 minutes prep, 10 minutes to come to pressure, 4 minute pressure cooking time, 10 minute NPR)

Instant Pot Mango Salsa Chicken

• With only 4 ingredients thischicken is perfect when you have no time but need to get dinner on the table now.
• It’s perfect over rice, on tortillas or over riced cauliflower.
• Hands on time: 10 minutes
• Total time: 45 minutes (10 minutes prep, 10 minutes to come to pressure, 15 minutes pressure cooking time, 10 minute NPR)

Instant Pot Greek Spaghetti

• Spaghetti with a Greek flare. It has lemon, feta, cucumber, yogurt, tomatoes and more.
• All in one pot meal
• Hands on time: 15 minutes
• Total time: 34 minutes (15 minutes prep, 10 minutes to come to pressure, 4 minute pressure cooking time, 5 minute NPR)

Instant Pot Mexican Black Beans and Rice

• The easiest and tastiest rice ever! Brown rice is cooked in flavorful salsa with garlic salt, a bay leaf and cumin. Canned black beans make this recipe very convenient.
• Serve as a main meatless dish or add chicken to make it more hearty.
• Hands on time: 5 minutes
• Total time: 47 minutes (5 minutes prep, 10 minutes to come to pressure, 22 minute pressure cooking time, 10 minute NPR)

Instant Pot Garlic Herb Pork Chops and Green Beans

• This one pot meal can be made in minutes. The pork chops and green beans are full of rich buttery herb flavors.
• Serve as is for a low-carb meal or serve with your favorite starch (potatoes, rice or noodles).
• Hands on time: 15 minutes
• Total Time: 31 minutes (15 minutes prep, 10 minutes to come to pressure, 1 minute pressure cooking time, 5 minute NPR)

Instant Pot Brown Rice Pilaf with Chicken Sausage

• A quick, easy and healthy meal of seasoned brown rice with carrots, peas and chicken sausage.
• Serve with a side of broccoli
• Hands on time: 15 minutes
• Total Time: 60 minutes (15 minutes prep, 10 minutes to come to pressure, 22 minute pressure cooking time, 10 minute NPR)

Instant Pot Chicken Barley Soup

• A healthy but filling soup. This is a forgiving soup that allows you to use cooked chicken or turkey or raw chicken breasts or thighs.
• Serve with crusty bread, rolls or breadsticks.
• Hands on time: 20 minutes
• Total time: 60 minutes (20 minutes prep, 10 minutes to come to pressure, 18 minutes pressure cooking time, 10 minute NPR)

Instant Pot Madras Lentils with Ground Beef

• Lentils, red beans and spices simmered in a creamy tomato sauce.
• Serve like a chili or over rice.
• Hands on time: 15 minutes
• Total time: 35 minutes (15 minute prep, 10 minutes to come to pressure, 10 minutes pressure cooking time)

Instant Pot Creamy Dill Chicken

• Chicken with garlic, lemon pepper, dill, and lemon juice encoated in creamy yogurt.
• Serve the chicken wrapped in a warm pita with diced cucumbers and cherry tomatoes.
• Hands on time: 20 minutes
• Total time: 45 minutes (15 minutes prep, 10 minutes to come to pressure, 15 minutes pressure cooking time, 5 minute NPR)

Instant Pot Southwest Shredded Chicken Bowls

• A stew that is bursting with flavor but not too spicy. It has tender shredded chicken, pinto beans, fire roasted tomatoes, green chiles and taco seasoning.
• Serve this stew over rice or plain.
• Hands on time: 15 minutes
• Total time: 45 minutes (15 minutes prep, 10 minutes to come to pressure, 15 minutes pressure cooking time, 5 minute NPR)

Instant Pot Garlic Mushroom Chicken

• A creamy sauce is spooned over mushrooms, tender bites of chicken (and optional broccoli). A delicious dump and go recipe that you can make with frozen chicken.
• Serve plain or over rice, pasta or garlic toast.
• Hands on time: 15 minutes
• Total time: 45 minutes (15 minutes prep, 10 minutes to come to pressure, 12 minute pressure cooking time, 5 minutes NPR)

Instant Pot Honey Lime Salsa Verde Chicken

• Chicken tenders infused with lots of bright flavors. Green salsa, honey, lime, and plenty of seasonings will have you licking your plate!
• Serve chicken over rice, on tortillas, wrapped up in lettuce or plain.
• Hands on time: 25 minutes
• Total time: 44 minutes (10 minutes prep, 10 minutes to come to pressure, 4 minute pressure cooking time, 10 minutes NPR, 10 minute reduction time)

Instant Pot Cabbage Roll Soup

• A fast and way to enjoy all the flavors of cabbage rolls. This soup will be your family’s new favorite!
• Serve with bread or rolls and a side salad of raw vegetables.
• Hands on time: 15 minutes
• Total time: 39 minutes (15 minutes prep, 10 minutes to come to pressure, 4 minute pressure cooking time, 10 minutes NPR)

Instant Pot Honey Garlic Pork

• A 5-ingredient recipe for the tastiest and easiest pork lettuce wraps ever!
• Serve rolled up in lettuce leaves or over salad.
• Hands on time: 10 minutes
• Total time: 30 minutes (10 minutes prep, 10 minutes to come to pressure, 5 minute pressure cooking time, 5 minutes NPR)

Instant Pot Green and White Soup

• A nourishing and tasty soup with white and green beans, barley, lemon, spinach and chunks of chicken. An easy dump and go Instant Pot recipe!
• Serve with a slice of fresh bread or a warm roll.
• Hands on time: 15 minutes
• Total time: 52 minutes (15 minutes prep, 10 minutes to come to pressure, 22 minute pressure cooking time, 5 minutes NPR)

Instant Pot Spanish Rice with Beef

• A super fast and easy recipe for rice with ground beef, tomatoes, green peppers and spices.
• Serve with a side salad.
• Hands on time: 15 minutes
• Total time: 35 minutes (15 minutes prep, 10 minutes to come to pressure, 5 minute pressure cooking time, 5 minutes NPR)

Instant Pot Million Dollar Spaghetti

• Spaghetti but a whole lot better. A ground beef sauce is served with spaghetti noodles and then cream cheese is stirred in for an ultimate creamy dinner.
• Serve with a side salad.
• Hands on time: 15 minutes
• Total time: 33 minutes (15 minutes prep, 10 minutes to come to pressure, 3 minute pressure cooking time, 5 minutes NPR)

Instant Pot Chicken and Mashed Potatoes

• Chicken, mashed potatoes, carrots and gravy are all prepared in one pot, your Instant Pot.
• Serve with a side of greens or by itself.
• Hands on time: 15 minutes
• Total time: 42 minutes (15 minutes prep, 10 minutes to come to pressure, 12 minute pressure cooking time, 5 minutes NPR)

Instant Pot Chicken Asparagus Potato Dinner

• Moist bites of chicken, cubed potatoes and crisp bites of asparagus are tossed with a seasoning blend of smoked paprika, garlic powder and more to create a well seasoned one pot dinner.
• Serve by itself.
• Hands on time: 15 minutes
• Total time: 34 minutes (15 minutes prep, 10 minutes to come to pressure, 4 minute pressure cooking time, 5 minutes for asparagus)

Instant Pot Cheesy Chicken and Lentils

• An easy dump and go recipe. Lentils and chicken are pressure cooked with mild salsa verde and black beans to make a creamy one pot dinner.
• Serve with tortilla chips and sour cream.
• Hands on time: 10 minutes
• Total time: 38 minutes (10 minutes prep, 10 minutes to come to pressure, 13 minute pressure cooking time, 5 minute NPR)

Instant Pot Mexican Stuffed Peppers

• Bell peppers are stuffed with brown rice, black beans and salsa and cooked perfectly in your pressure cooker.
• Top with a dollop of sour cream.
• Hands on time: 15 minutes
• Total time: 36 minutes (15 minutes prep, 10 minutes to come to pressure, 6 minute pressure cooking time, 5 minute NPR)

Instant Pot Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup

• An easy dump and go soup recipe that you can make in minutes in your electric pressure cooker.
• Top with a dollop of sour cream, cilantro and avocado.
• Hands on time: 10 minutes
• Total time: 40 minutes (15 minutes prep, 10 minutes to come to pressure, 10 minute pressure cooking time, 5 minute NPR)

Instant Pot Chicken Lettuce Wraps

• An incredibly easy and delicious recipe for lettuce wraps.
• Serve chicken rolls up in crisp lettuce leaves.
• Hands on time: 15 minutes
• Total time: 39 minutes (15 minutes prep, 10 minutes to come to pressure, 4 minute pressure cooking time, 10 minute NPR)

Instant Pot Zucchini Linguine

• Al dente pasta is stirred together with fresh zucchini, tender chicken bites, yogurt, garlic and cheddar.
• Serve by itself or with a side of broccoli.
• Hands on time: 20 minutes
• Total time: 50 minutes (20 minutes prep, 10 minutes to come to pressure, 10 minute pressure cooking time, 10 minute NPR)

Instant Pot Tomato Basil Tilapia

• Steamed tilapia is topped with diced tomatoes, olive oil, fresh basil, salt and pepper.
• Serve with quinoa or sauteed spinach.
• Hands on time: 10 minutes
• Total time: 24 minutes (10 minutes prep, 10 minutes to come to pressure, 4 minute pressure cooking time)

Instant Pot Cajun Sausage, Potatoes and Green Beans

• A quick and easy one pot meal of cajun-style andouille sausage, quartered red potatoes, fresh green beans and sliced mushrooms.
• Serve by itself.
• Hands on time: 20 minutes
• Total time: 33 minutes (20 minutes prep, 10 minutes to come to pressure, 3 minute pressure cooking time)

Instant Pot Lemon Butter Garlic Salmon with Homestyle Vegetables

• Flaky wild Alaska salmon is steamed on the top of red potatoes and carrotsin your electric pressure cooker and drizzled with garlic, fresh lemon juice and butter.
• Serve by itself.
• Hands on time: 15 minutes
• Total time: 39 minutes (20 minutes prep, 10 minutes to come to pressure, 4 minute pressure cooking time, 5 minute NPR)

Instant Pot Homestyle Chicken and Vegetables

• A true one pot meal that is family friendly, tastes amazing and is so easy to put together.
• Serve by itself.
• Hands on time: 15 minutes
• Total time: 35 minutes (15 minutes prep, 10 minutes to come to pressure, 5 minute pressure cooking time, 5 minute NPR)

Instant Pot Ground Turkey Lentil Chili

• This healthy, easy pressure cooker turkey lentil chili is the perfect meal for any night of the week. It fills you up without filling you out while still having tons of flavor.
• Serve with garlic bread.
• Hands on time: 15 minutes
• Total time: 45 minutes (15 minutes prep, 10 minutes to come to pressure, 10 minute pressure cooking time, 10 minute NPR)

Instant Pot Pasta Primavera

• A meatless pasta and vegetable dish. Rigatoni pasta is cooked quickly in your pressure cooker along with tomatoes, fresh green beans, carrots, mushrooms, garlic and zucchini.
• Serve by itself.
• Hands on time: 20 minutes
• Total time: 32 minutes (20 minutes prep, 10 minutes to come to pressure, 2 minute pressure cooking time)

Instant Pot Cheesy Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole

• A lightened up, easy pressure cooker version of a favorite casserole.
• Serve by itself or with a salad.
• Hands on time: 20 minutes
• Total time: 57 minutes (15 minutes prep, 10 minutes to come to pressure, 22 minute pressure cooking time, 10 minute NPR)

Instant Pot Country Boil with Smoked Sausage

• A one pot meal with tender red potatoes, sweet corn, fresh green beans and smoked sausage.
• Serve by itself
• Hands on time: 20 minutes
• Total time: 26 minutes (15 minutes prep, 10 minutes to come to pressure, 1 minute pressure cooking time)

*Karen Petersen is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.