35 Healthy Instant Pot Recipes (Quick & Easy) - Kristine's Kitchen (2024)

See my guide on how to use an Instant Pot.

You’ll love these Healthy Instant Pot Recipes! With these easy pressure cooker recipes, you’ll get delicious weeknight dinners on your table faster than ever. Plus, ideas for breakfast, side dishes and meal prep!

35 Healthy Instant Pot Recipes (Quick & Easy) - Kristine's Kitchen (1) Instant Pot Vegetable Soup

The more I use my Instant Pot, the more I realize what an amazing appliance it is. I couldn’t live without my Instant Pot at this point – it saves me so much effort with preparing quick, healthy meals!

You can use your Instant Pot as a pressure cooker, slow cooker, steamer or rice cooker. You can also sauté veggies, brown meat and make yogurt in an Instant Pot. I use the Instant Pot sauté and pressure cook functions most often.

If you are new to Instant Pot cooking, read my guide on How to Use an Instant Pot.

I own multiple Instant Pots. I’ll often have two Instant Pots cooking at the same time if I’m doing food prep for the week or making a main and side dish for dinner. You might think I’m crazy, but it is so convenient!

I regularly use both the 6 quart Instant Pot and the 8 quart Instant Pot DUO. I love and highly recommend both, depending on your needs. The 8 quart is great for when you are feeding a crowd or meal prepping large batches of dried beans, etc. The 6 quart is perfect for feeding a family on a daily basis.

Why you need an Instant Pot (electric pressure cooker)

  • You can make true one pot meals in your Instant Pot.
  • If you forget to start your slow cooker, you can make dinner fast in your Instant Pot.
  • You can safely and effortlessly cook meat from frozen.
  • It’s a hands-off way to cook. You don’t need to watch a pot on the stove or a pan in the oven.
  • You can make many meal prep staples quickly and easily, including shredded chicken, hard-boiled eggs, steel cut oats and cooked beans (from dry).
  • The pressure cooking process develops delicious flavors quickly. I’ve never had a better chili than my Instant Pot Turkey Chili!

Healthy Instant Pot Recipes

ThisInstant Pot Spaghetti is one of the best Instant Pot recipes for a fast family dinner. Everything cooks together in one pot: meat, pasta and sauce!

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ThisInstant Pot Butternut Squash Soup has the best flavors of fall wrapped up in a deliciously easy soup!

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Honey Garlic Instant Pot Chicken Breasts are always moist, tender and flavorful! These pressure cooker chicken breasts cook perfectly in minutes from fresh or frozen for a quick dinner.

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Instant Pot Minestrone Soup is the perfect hearty meal to warm you up. This homemade recipe tastes just like the restaurant version and is loaded with healthy vegetables and hearty beans.

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Enjoy an easy savory meal with this Instant Pot Chicken Thighs recipe. Perfectly juicy and seasoned with a homemade spice rub, make these chicken thighs in your Instant Pot in just 30 minutes, start to finish.

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TheseEasy Peel Instant Pot Hard Boiled Eggs are so simple to make and easy to peel! They are a great healthy meal prep option for breakfasts, snacks and lunches.

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This vegetarian Instant Pot Lentil Soup is a warmly spiced soup that’s filled with tender lentils, vegetables and tomatoes.

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This Instant Pot Potato Soup is the perfect thick and creamy soup for a chilly winter evening meal.

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We can’t get enough of thisInstant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup! This healthy one pot dinner can also be made in the slow cooker.

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Instant Pot Pinto Beans are a versatile recipe that you can use to make many delicious meals.

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ThisInstant Pot Greek Chicken has only 5g net carbs. This delicious and healthy meal will have you coming back for more!

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These Instant Pot Baked Potatoes are an easy meal, perfect for a weeknight. Load them up with your favorite toppings and enjoy.

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Everyone who tries thisHealthy Turkey Chili Recipe says it is the best turkey chili they’ve had! I bet your family will love it too.

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Instant Pot Chicken and Mushrooms has loads of flavor from onion, garlic and mushrooms plus an herb and seasoning blend.

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Instant Pot Spaghetti Squash is an easy, hands-off way to cook this versatile ingredient. It turns out tender and perfectly cooked, ready to enjoy with marinara sauce or use in your favorite recipes.

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This vegetarian Instant Pot Lentil Chili with black beans, quinoa, lentils and veggies is a healthy and hearty chili recipe.

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Easy Instant Pot Chicken and Rice is always a family dinner favorite! Made with brown rice and packed with veggies, this healthy dinner cooks in under 30 minutes.

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Enjoy this delicious Instant Pot Broccoli Cheddar Soup made easy and fast in your pressure cooker.

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ThisInstant Pot Brown Ricerecipe is a hands-off way to cook fluffy brown rice! This easy pressure cooker rice recipe helps to simplify dinner prep.

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Instant Pot Corn on the Cob is a foolproof recipe that turns out perfect every time. The easiest way to cook corn on the cob!

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Make your favorite takeout food at home with thisPressure Cooker Thai Peanut Chicken & Noodles recipe.

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Cook your ownBlack Beans in your Instant Pot!These Mexican-flavored black beans are easy to make, with no soaking required! Use them in burritos, tacos, salads, enchiladas or as a side dish.

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Weeknight meals just got easier with this deliciousInstant Pot Whole Chicken. The leftovers are perfect for sandwiches!

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You can never have too many chili recipes and thisInstant Pot Chili is flavorful and easy to make.

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ThisInstant Pot Chicken Noodle Soupis perfect for cold winter days!

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Breakfast just got easier with these foolproof Instant Pot Steel Cut Oats. They come out perfect every time!

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Instant Pot Sweet Potatoes are an easy side dish, or add your favorite toppings and make them a meal.

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ThisInstant Pot Lemon Chicken with Garlic is an easy low carb and low effort meal for any day.

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A sweet and savory honey garlic sauce makes this easy Instant Pot Pork Tenderloin Recipe something special.

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Perfectly fluffy Instant Pot Quinoa cooks quickly in the pressure cooker. Enjoy it as a side dish or use it in your favorite quinoa recipes.

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When you need a cozy, healthy dinner that cooks in one pot, this Instant Pot White Chicken Chili is just the recipe. You can make it with fresh or frozen chicken.

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Breakfast for dinner? ThisInstant Pot Frittata Breakfast Casseroleis crazy delicious and loaded with healthy veggies. This tasty pressure cooker breakfast is easy to make and an excellent make-ahead meal!

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This Instant Pot Applesauce is an easy and delicious homemade apple sauce recipe that pressure cooks in just 6 minutes.

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See how to cook moist, tender and juicy chicken breasts in your Instant Pot for shredding. This Instant Pot Shredded Chicken is quick and easy to make and it turns out perfect every time!

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5 from 11 ratings

Healthy Instant Pot Recipes: Instant Pot Vegetable Soup

Servings: 7 servings

Prep Time: 20 minutes mins

Cook Time: 4 minutes mins

Pressurize Time: 26 minutes mins

Total Time: 50 minutes mins

This Instant Pot Vegetable Soup is one of our favorite healthy Instant Pot recipes!

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Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
  • 3 ribs celery, chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 4 cups low sodium vegetable broth
  • 3 medium carrots, sliced into ¼-inch thick rounds or half rounds if large
  • 1 pound Yukon gold potatoes, about 4 medium, cut into ¾-inch pieces
  • 1 cup chopped green beans, 1 inch pieces, fresh or frozen
  • ¾ cup frozen corn
  • ¾ cup frozen peas
  • 14.5 ounce can fire roasted diced tomatoes
  • 2 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
  • ¾ teaspoon salt, or to taste
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 bay leaves

Instructions

  • Turn on the Instant Pot's saute function and add the olive oil. When hot, add the chopped onion and celery. Saute, stirring often, until softened, 4-5 minutes. Add the garlic, turn off the Instant Pot, and stir for 30 seconds.

  • Pour the vegetable broth into the pot and stir, scraping up any bits stuck to the bottom of the pot. Add all of the remaining ingredients: carrots, potatoes, green beans, corn, peas, diced tomatoes, Italian seasoning, paprika, salt, pepper and bay leaves. Stir.

  • Close the Instant Pot lid and move the steam release valve to the sealing position. Set the cook time to 4 minutes at high pressure. The Instant Pot will take about 20 minutes to reach pressure and then the cook time will start counting down.

  • When the cook time ends, allow the pressure to release naturally for 5 minutes by just leaving the Instant Pot alone. Then, quick release the remaining pressure by carefully moving the steam release valve to the venting position. Once all of the steam has escaped and the pin drops down, carefully open the Instant Pot lid.

  • Remove the bay leaves. Stir the soup, serve and enjoy!

Notes

  • This soup is delicious served with chopped fresh parsley and grated Parmesan cheese. Try adding a squeeze of fresh lemon juice to the soup for a bright, fresh flavor or a pinch of red pepper flakes for heat.
  • Try using other vegetables in this vegetable soup recipe, such as zucchini, cubed butternut squash or sweet potatoes. Note that zucchini will become very soft after pressure cooking.
  • To make this soup even more of a hearty meal, you can add canned beans or pasta. Canned beans can be added before pressure cooking. It is best to cook pasta separately and add it to the soup after pressure cooking.

Serving: 1.5cups, Calories: 188kcal, Carbohydrates: 30g, Protein: 5g, Fat: 7g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Sodium: 917mg, Potassium: 606mg, Fiber: 6g, Sugar: 7g, Vitamin A: 5468IU, Vitamin C: 29mg, Calcium: 73mg, Iron: 2mg

Nutrition information is an estimate.

Cuisine: American

Course: Main Course, Soup

Tried this recipe?Mention @kristines_kitchen on Instagram or tag #kristineskitchenblog.

This site contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through these links, I may receive a small commission, at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting Kristine's Kitchen!

35 Healthy Instant Pot Recipes (Quick & Easy) - Kristine's Kitchen (2024)

FAQs

Are Instant Pot meals healthy? ›

Instant pot recipes are absolutely healthy as long as what you put in the recipe is healthy,” she says.

Does Instant Pot count down when cooking? ›

When you close the lid and set the desired cook time the Instant pot will look like it's not doing anything. Don't worry. In a few seconds it will beep and the display will say ON. It will say ON until the pot comes to pressure and then the timer will start counting DOWN.

How long does it take to cook 2 pounds of beef in the Instant Pot? ›

For example, cook a 2-pound pot roast at high pressure for 40 minutes and a 3-pound pot roast for 60 minutes. Frozen beef: I highly recommend thawing your beef for this recipe, since you cannot sear the frozen beef. If you must use frozen beef, assume 30 minutes per pound.

What foods should not be cooked in an Instant Pot? ›

6 Things You Should Never Cook in an Instant Pot
  1. Creamy Sauces. If there's one food group you should avoid in the Instant Pot, it's dairy. ...
  2. Fried Chicken. The best fried chicken is crisp on the outside, juicy on the inside and perfectly golden brown. ...
  3. Cookies. ...
  4. Burgers. ...
  5. Pie. ...
  6. Steak.

What is the disadvantage of Instant Pot? ›

Con– The Instant Pot uses steam under pressure to cook food and not everything is meant to be cooked in the Instant Pot. I attempted a crustless quiche which turned out well but it was too wet and moist to my liking and I prefer to cook it in the oven with dry heat.

How long can food sit in Instant Pot? ›

Unlike nonstick cooking surfaces, the stainless steel pot presents no threat of harmful chemicals. Instant Pot also switches to a “warm” setting when it's done cooking, keeping food at a safe temperature for up to 10 hours.

Does amount of meat in Instant Pot affect cooking time? ›

Pressure cooking cooks each piece of food equally. That means that each piece of chicken (2, 4 or 8) will require the same cooking time, and so will each grain of rice. That's because the pressure cooking time is determined by the size and not the quantity of food.

Is an Instant Pot better than a crockpot? ›

Ease of use: Crockpots are generally easier to use because you just adjust the time and heat (low, high, and warm). Instant Pots have many more functions and steps, which add more potential points of confusion. Cleanup: This depends on the brand and model.

What is the most popular Instant Pot? ›

In general, the Instant Pot Duo seems to be the most popular, because it offers excellent value — it's the most affordable model but still cooks seven ways and has basic, intuitive controls. The Duo also offers the Duo Crisp model that can also air fry.

Can you put frozen meat in an Instant Pot? ›

Yes, it is safe to cook frozen food in a pressure cooker or an electric pressure cooker like an Instant Pot.

Why is my roast beef tough in Instant Pot? ›

If you find that it's still tough after cooking, you'll need to cook it for another 10 to 20 minutes at high pressure – it just needs a bit longer to continue to brine and break down the connective tissue.

What happens if you cook meat too long in an Instant Pot? ›

Unfortunately, once you overcook a piece of meat in the pressure cooker, there's no going back. You'll be left with a pile of dry, crunchy, tasteless fibers and no amount of additional pressure cooking is going to put that moisture back into the meat. Earlier, I explained how ingredient size affects the cooking time.

Can I use chicken broth instead of beef broth? ›

Like beef broth, chicken broth is a kitchen staple and makes a good substitute if you are all out of the meaty broth. This savory, salty liquid has a milder flavor than beef broth but is a good one-to-one replacement. Chicken broth also has a similar nutrition profile to beef broth, low in calories and high in sodium.

Is cooking meat in an Instant Pot healthy? ›

Pressure-cooked meat-based dishes show a significant reduction in unsaturated fat contents, but it appears that iron is not lost. In addition to making foods like grains and legumes more digestible, pressure cooking does not create any of the unhealthy chemicals associated with baking and grilling methods.

Is cooking food in a pressure cooker healthy? ›

Yes, cooking in a pressure cooker is healthy as it uses steam to cook food, the insulated and sealed body does not allow the water to evaporate thus preserving the nutrients in the food. Pressure cookers do not require oil to cook making them even healthier.

Does Instant Pot deplete nutrients? ›

No, it doesn't. The speediness at which Instant Pots cook might seem like a cause for concern, but according to the majority of scientific evidence, it isn't. One 1995 study dubbed pressure cooking the best out of several other cooking methods because the pressure-cooked foods retained more nutrients than the others.

What are the disadvantages of pressure cooking? ›

Because pressure cooking is an enclosed form of cooking, there is no contact with air. Therefore, some nutritionists argue that the ingredients may remain uncooked from within which can hamper your digestion on being consumed.

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