20+ Healthy Instant Pot Recipes (2024)

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Need some new healthy instant pot recipes for meal prep or for lunch and dinner? Here is a collection of the best healthy instant pot recipes that you can make in a jiffy!

20+ Healthy Instant Pot Recipes (1)

What is an Instant Pot?

I have theDuo Plus 9 in 1 Instant Pot. The DuoPlus replaces 9 commonly used kitchen appliances – Pressure Cooker, Slow Cooker, Rice/Porridge Cooker, Yogurt Maker, Cake/Egg Maker, Sauté/Searing, Steam, Warm, and Sterilize.

It’s quite the multi-use product, isn’t it? And bonus feature is that because these healthy Instant Pot recipes are really only using the one pot, it falls under the #OnePotRecipe category too! Minimal dishes! Win-Win! If you want to learn more, here’s myWhat’s An Instant Potpost that also breaks down each Instant Pot model! You can also click here to see all the Instant Pot Recipes I have on this blog!

Need some side dishes?

Before you get started, here are some sides that you can make in the Instant Pot to go with these meals, if you’re like me and own more than one pressure cooker!

  • Instant Pot Cilantro Lime Rice
  • Instant Pot Basmati Rice with Butter and Garlic
  • Instant Pot Coconut Lime Rice
  • Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes
  • “Baked” Potatoes in the Instant Pot
  • Instant Pot Lentils
  • Instant Pot Chickpeas
  • Instant Pot Corn on the Cob
  • Instant Pot White Navy Beans

The Best Healthy Instant Pot Recipes

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Quick, moist, and, and hands-off, you’ll love making Instant Pot salmon! Thanks to the Instant Pot, you can pressure cook them from both fresh and frozen.

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This Instant Pot cilantro lime chicken is such a versatile recipe. Use the shredded chicken in a bowl, tacos, or burritos!

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This simple Instant Pot beef and broccoli takes only a couple of minutes to put together! You sauté a couple of ingredients and then add in the sauce. Then you let the Instant Pot do the rest!

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You will love this Instant Pot chicken and broccoli recipe as it’s an easy chicken dinner that’s healthy and takes less than 10 minutes to make.

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Coated with a sweet but spicy sticky sauce, you’ll love this super easy Instant Pot spicy garlicky sesame chicken. All you need are some pantry staples to make this sesame chicken in the pressure cooker.

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This Instant Pot tomato soup comes together with pantry staples! Even better, it’s freezer-friendly as it uses coconut milk instead of dairy!

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This Instant Pot chicken taco recipe is bursting with flavor! I like to serve it with mango salsa and lime crema, so it tends to disappear off the table fast.

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You only need a few simple ingredients to make this Instant Pot shredded Hawaiian chicken. The hardest part about this recipe is shredding the chicken!

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Comforting and hearty, this Instant Pot spaghetti is made with simple, wholesome ingredients that are probably already in your kitchen! Even better, it’s freezer-friendly, so I always freeze any leftovers, so I have dinner for another day.

Want good quality meat for these pressure cooker recipes? Try Butcher Box! It’s an easy and convenient way to have hormone and antibiotic-free protein delivered to your door! I love knowing I have a freezer that’s well stocked with quality proteins – especially when I’m really busy!

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This beef and tomato soup is a childhood classic for me. Thrown into the instant pot, this soup comes together so quickly and easily! No need to babysit a pot on the stove.

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Freezer friendly, hearty, and comforting, this Instant Pot beef and barley soup is perfect for a cold day!

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Ok, making steak in the Instant Pot may seem controversial but trust me on this one! This Instant Pot steak and mushrooms recipe is so tender and flavorful!

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A take-out classic, this Instant Pot Kung Pao Chicken and Rice recipe is the perfect combination of sweet, salty, and spicy! The rice is made pot in pot, so everything cooks together.

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Want a meatless version of my kung pao chicken recipe? Try my Instant Pot Kung Pao Chickpeas and Rice recipe!

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Have you tried making chicken tinga in the Instant Pot? It is so easy, flavorful, and saucy! Turn it into a burrito bowl or tacos!

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A mix of sweet and savory, this Instant Pot cashew chicken recipe comes together in a flash! Add some veg near the end, and you’ll have dinner ready in no time.

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Making carnitas in the Instant Pot is SUCH a time saver! I like to crisp it up in the oven but if you have the air fryer attachment on the pressure cooker, then you can save yourself the time of clearing out your oven of sheet pans!

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Want something with a little kick? Try this Instant Pot spicy honey garlic chicken recipe! It uses a lot of kitchen staples, so it’s definitely more budget-friendly than ordering take out!

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This Instant Pot chicken teriyaki recipe is full of bold flavors that you get at a restaurant! Make it at home with a few simple ingredients and serve it with some rice and steamed veggies to make it the perfect dinner.

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Made with simple and nutritious ingredients, this chicken vegetable soup comes together so easily in the Instant Pot. Light but still hearty, this Instant Pot chicken vegetable soup is perfect for any meal.

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This Instant Pot chicken pesto pasta is super easy to make and is packed with veggies. Bursting with flavor, saucy, and a family favorite, this kid-friendly pasta is sure to be a hit for you!

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This Healthy Instant Pot Thai Peanut Chicken and Noodles Recipe is the perfect weeknight dinner! This Thai Peanut Chicken and Noodle recipe is so quick, easy, and versatile you’re going to want to make all the time!

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This Healthy Instant Pot Turkey and Lentil Chili Recipe is the perfect meal for any night of the week! The turkey keeps the calories low and the extra boost of lentils in the chili helps keeps you feeling full.

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This Instant Pot Salisbury Steak Styled Meatballs Recipe is inspired by the salisbury steak frozen dinners in the frozen food aisle. These yummy salisbury steak meatballs are lightened up by using both turkey meat and beef with mushrooms and take under 30 minutes to make!

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This delicious and easySpicy Instant Pot Chicken and Rice Meal Prep is inspired by the chicken burrito bowls from Chipotle! It’s so easy to make and takes less than 30 minutes to meal prep for four days or as a quick dinner for the entire family!

Need More Recipe Ideas?

  • Healthy Shrimp Meal Prep Recipes
  • Budget Meal Prep Recipes
  • Healthy Make Ahead Work Lunch Ideas (Hot and Cold!)
  • 17 Chicken Breast Recipes
  • 10+ Easy Meatball Recipes
  • Easy Instant Pot Chicken Recipes
  • 10+ Healthy Slow Cooker Recipes

Want good quality meat for these pressure cooker recipes? Try Butcher Box! It’s an easy and convenient way to have hormone and antibiotic-free protein delivered to your door! I love knowing I have a freezer that’s well stocked with quality proteins – especially when I’m really busy!

Other places to connect with me
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20+ Healthy Instant Pot Recipes (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.

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.

Are instant pots healthy to use? ›

Even though some studies suggest that pressure cooking isn't the best way to preserve nutrients in food, no research exists to suggest that pressure cookers of any model or brand pose health risks. If you're a fan of your Instant Pot, don't worry: You can continue to safely use your appliance without worry.

Does the Instant Pot really work? ›

However, the Instant Pot is more functional than a slow cooker and a rice cooker combined because it can also pressure-cook. The word “instant” in the name gives it away: You can cook things astonishingly fast in a pressure cooker—even notoriously slow-cooking or labor-intensive foods, such as risotto and brisket.

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.

Which is better, a crockpot or an Instant Pot? ›

If you are interested primarily in slow cooking, you should buy a dedicated slow cooker. They're more reliable with a range of slow-cooker recipes than an Instant Pot. We found Instant Pot multicookers specifically could not successfully slow-cook dense, high-volume recipes such as beef stew or pot roast.

What should you never put in a pressure cooker? ›

Foods containing dairy, like milk, cream, or yogurt, should not be pressure-cooked. The high heat and pressure can cause dairy products to curdle or separate, ruining the texture, taste and flavour of the dish. Cooking fried foods is a strict no no, when it comes to pressure cookers.

Why don t chefs use Instant Pot? ›

They are most commonly used in industrial settings to quickly prepare meat or stocks. However, in most scenarios, Elite Chefs avoid using pressure cookers because they provide less control over the final dish. Chefs often prefer slow cooking techniques that accentuate and pull out the flavors of the food.

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.

Why does Instapot have prop 65 warning? ›

The Duo Nova is PTFE and PFOA free. This model does come with a Prop 65 warning, as a small amount phthalates are present in the power cord. The food contact materials are standard stainless steel and aluminum. All Instant Brand products are compliant to all FDA standards.

Which is healthier, a slow cooker or a pressure cooker? ›

Leaching increases with acidic foods, higher temperatures and longer cooking times. I prefer pressure cookers because of their short cooking time. The longer cooking times associated with the slow cooking method will increase leaching of any heavy metals or contaminants in the cookware.

Does pressure cooking destroy nutrients in bone broth? ›

Since pressure cooking doesn't require a much higher temperature and shortens the cooking time, there is less time for nutrient loss. For this reason, pressure cooking may actually preserve nutrients better than other methods of cooking.

Why did Instant Pot go out of business? ›

“In particular, tightening of credit terms and higher interest rates impacted our liquidity levels and made our capital structure unsustainable,” Mr. Gadbois said. Instant Brands said in a statement on Wednesday that the new financing would allow the company to continue paying workers, vendors and suppliers.

What is the lifespan of an Instant Pot? ›

The average lifespan of an Instant Pot ranges from 2-5 years, but it can last longer depending on how often it's used and how well-maintained it is. So it's safe to say Instant Pots aren't commonly being replaced, and may even be a one-time purchase.

What is the difference between an air fryer and an Instant Pot? ›

Although both can take the fuss out of cooking some meals, these two appliances have many differences. Air fryers help crisp up food that you may otherwise cook in a deep fryer, while Instant Pots cook meals that need a liquid element like stews, soups and rice.

Is cooking food in a pressure cooker healthy? ›

According to a study conducted by the Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, pressure cooking reduces the lectin content from food. Lectin is a harmful chemical that reduces the nutritional value of food by hindering the absorption of minerals.

What's healthier Instant Pot or air fryer? ›

The difference between the Instant Pot and air fryer is the way they cook. Instant Pot uses pressure cooking method to make food faster and easier, while air fryer uses hot air method to make oil-free and healthier food.

Is Instant Pot safe for food? ›

With no chemical coating, the inner pot is compliant with FDA food safety standards. The steam rack is also made from food grade 304 (18/8) stainless steel, so you can be sure that all of your food is cooked safely.”

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