If you’re the proud owner of an Instant Pot, you probably know that having one in your kitchen is like having a superpower. With the ability to cook almost anything at almost any rate in almost any style, you’re suddenly transformed from human to kitchen wizard. But, as it goes with superpowers, with great power (and so. many. buttons.) comes great responsibility: to meal-prep. Yep, if you let it, this steamy little bot will become your best friend when it comes to planning out your week and making the easiest meal-prep recipes.
We know the “m” word makes some of you shudder, but when you’ve got an Instant Pot, all it really entails is tossing a little more of whatever you would’ve added anyway into a pot! Just plug it in, let it do all the work, and store whatever you don’t eat in the fridge or the freezer. (Not so scary, right?)
So go ahead, use your time-saving superpowers for good by making these Instant Pot recipes.
1. Superfood Instant Pot Oatmeal in a Jar
You don’t have to wait until dinnertime to break out the Instant Pot. In just 10 minutes, you can whip up a week’s worth of healthy breakfasts with this superfood oatmeal recipe. Packed with apples, walnuts, and goji berries, these oats are hearty, flavorful, and might keep you from reaching for the day-old donuts someone left in the meeting room.
2. Instant Pot Greek Chicken Quinoa Bowls
Sure, you can cook chicken quickly in an Instant Pot. But more than that, you can cook your grains along with it at the same time. This light, zesty meal makes a delicious go-to dinner for busy weeknights. Bring it into work the next day for a simple lunch that beats anything you’d find near the office.
3. Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken Meatballs
Meatballs are great and all, but who really wants to stand over a pan of popping oil for an hour just to brown a few spheres of meat? Luckily, the Instant Pot’s sauté function means meatballs no longer require such hardship. You can whip up a week’s worth of delicious golden buffalo chicken balls cooked in soft quinoa that have all the taste—without all the spattering oil.
4. Whole30 Instant Pot Seafood Gumbo
Ready for a week long of Mardi Gras? With just 10 minutes of prep time for a big ol’ pot of New Orleans-style Cajun shrimp and bass, this well-seasoned seafood gumbo is where it’s at.
5. Kung Pao Chicken
Packed with sweet and spicy chicken, zucchini, and bell pepper, this Kung Pao chicken recipe gives your go-to take-out meal a run for its money. Eat as is, opt for the Paleo or gluten-free version, or pile on top of jasmine rice or buckwheat soba noodles.
6. Instant Pot Vegan Quinoa Burrito Bowls
Quite honestly, there’s no night we’re not craving burrito bowls. And since this dairy-free, meat-free version is packed with protein, fiber, and flavor, there’s really no reason you shouldn’t satisfy that craving every night. Commit to just five minutes in the kitchen to sauté some onions, toss in some beans and quinoa, top with hella avocado, and you’ll be ready to guac-n-roll your way through the rest of the week.
7. Yellow Split Pea Curry With Brown Rice
Want to keep an entire meal in your pantry? Here’s a meal-prep recipe you can stock your cabinets with months in advance. Fill each jar with dried lentils, split peas, and optional brown rice and cook single serving portions in your Instant Pot in 20 minutes, one prepped jar at a time.
8. Instant Pot Honey Garlic Chicken
This one’s for the Paleo, gluten-free, and refined sugar-free folks… as well as for anyone who ever said chicken was dry. Let the bird marinate in sesame oil, honey, ginger, garlic, and a drop of fish sauce for an unbelievably flavorful chicken. Chow down tonight, and toss on top of a salad, quinoa, or brown rice for an easy lunch tomorrow.
9. Instant Pot Pork Tenderloin With Soy Ginger Sauce
There’s arguably no better way to cook pork tenderloin than in your Instant Pot. Not only does it retain all those good juices, but also it takes less than 25 minutes to bring this sweet and savory dish to the table. Top with lots of green onions and make extra soy ginger sauce so you can put it on everything. And we mean Every. Thing.
10. Instant Pot Cauliflower Mac and Cheese
We all have those weeks where we just want comfort food, and this *oh-so-slightly-healthy* cauliflower mac and cheese won’t let you down. With whole-wheat pasta elbows, cauliflower, and all the cheese, one batch of this will give you enough mac and cheese to fix all of your problems.
11. Instant Pot Dill, Feta, and Broccoli Frittata
It may not be bottomless, but this is the brunch that keeps on giving. Keep Sunday afternoon going all week long with this simple, seven-ingredient egg bake. No oven required.
