15 Healthy Instant Pot Dump and Go Recipes For Weeknights (2024)

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ByJennifer KropfUpdated:

What are dump and go instant pot recipes?

These meals are exactly what they sound like! Aside from chopping a few vegetables, you dump everything you need straight into the instant pot to cook. The concept is a lifesaver to moms everywhere!

It’s the easiest, simplest dinner solution. And it’s a game changer.

Note: A few recipes have a quick saute option. This step can add flavor, but you can also skip it to make it a true “dump and go” instant pot recipe.

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Dump and Go Instant Pot Soups & Stews

First, in my home I’ve gone to making almost all of our soups in the instant pot.

You can not beat the efficiency and flavor. It’s as though the soup has been simmering for hours, even though it has only been a few minutes!

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Great for a quick lunch or dinner

Instant Pot Minestrone Soup

This instant pot minestrone is the perfect healthy meal. Packed with veggies and flavor, it’s perfect any day of the week.

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Great for meatless Monday

Instant Pot Vegetarian Tortilla Soup

Instant Pot vegetarian tortilla soup takes a few pantry staple ingredients and turns them into a hearty vegetarian meal. This recipe takes just minutes of prep and makes a tasty lunch or dinner.

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Hearty plant based soup

Vegan Instant Pot White Bean Stew

A dump-and-go Instant Pot recipe that couldn’t be simpler! This white bean stew is healthy, vegan, gluten-free, nut-free, soy-free and has no added oil. And it comes togetherwith zero hands-on cooking!

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Extremely Versatile

Keto Hamburger Soup

This keto hamburger soup is easy, full of your favorite veggies, and a crowd favorite! It can be made in the Instant Pot or on the stovetop and is a delicious, comforting dinner to serve when the weather turns cold.

Use pre-cut or frozen cut vegetables to make these meals even faster!

Instant Pot Dump and Start Chicken Recipes

Chicken goes with everything friends!

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Taco night made easy

Easy Instant Pot Chicken Fajitas

Dinner has never been easier! This Instant Pot Chicken Fajita recipe comes together in just 20 minutes, with tender, and lightly spicy chicken breasts, bell peppers, and onions. It’s a simpleand delicious meal that’ll wow your family!

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Easy with frozen veggies

Instant Pot Chicken and Rice

This instant pot chicken and rice is an awesome one-pot meal for busy weeknights. It’s as easy as toss, saute, and cook.

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Better than take out

Instant Pot Chicken Pad Thai

This Thai flavor-inspired, dump and start Instant Pot Chicken Pad Thai is so easy to make and kid-friendly too! It’s made with juicy chicken, fresh vegetables, and noodles in a homemade creamy peanut sauce. It is the perfect all-in-one summer meal.

Ready in less than 20 minutes

Best Instant Pot Honey Garlic Chicken Recipe

This Instant Pot Honey Garlic Chicken is a super easy dinner idea. It’s juicy, tender, and sweet and savory at the same time. It is a flavorful and deliciousdump and start recipe that is suitable for beginners.

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You can cook it with rice too!

Instant Pot Dijon Mustard Chicken

You will love these tender bone in thighs covered in mushrooms and sauce. It is quick and easy, but also bursting with flavor.

One Pot Pasta Dinners For the Pressure Cooker

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Quick for weeknights

Instant Pot Chicken Pasta

This Instant Pot chicken pasta is a dump and go recipe that will for sure enter your weekly dinner rotation. It’s easy, delicious, and ready in just 25 minutes.

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Kids love it!

Instant Pot Mac and Cheese

Move over Kraft. Your family won’t be able to get enough of this delicious, creamy mac and cheese. It’s a simple, gold medal dish for when you need a bit of comfort food. And you can add veggies and protein to make it a complete meal.

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Easy alternative to a complex dish

Instant Pot Lasagna

This Easy Instant Pot Lasagna Recipe is made without a springform pan in 30 minutes! It is possible to add uncooked pasta, meat, and sauce to your pressure cooker and enjoy saucy, cheesy lazy lasagna.

*Note: this recipe does require you brown the meat first, so it isn’t completely a dump and go instant pot recipe. However, it’s the easiest lasagna I’ve EVER seen, so I had to include it!

Instant Pot Dump and Go Beef Recipes

The instant pot is the best tool for turning your cheaper cuts of beef into juicy, tender deliciousness.

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Family Friendly

Ranch Beef Tips With Carrots and Potatoes

This Instant Pot Ranch Beef Tips with Carrots and Potatoes recipe makes a complete, one-pot meal. The tasty recipe makes tender pieces of beef and tasty potatoes and carrots.

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Great with rice and broccoli

Instant Pot Korean Beef

This instant pot beef dish is an easy hands-off dinner with a fun Korean twist. It’s also packed with flavor and makes a great amount of sauce to spoon on the rice.

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One pot dinner

Instant Pot Pot Roast And Potatoes

This tenderpot roast and potatoeswith gravy makes the perfect family-friendly dinner. It’s an easy one pot dinner recipe that will please even your pickiest eaters!

To Consider With Dump and Start Instant Pot Recipes

I hope you got some great ideas for your next weeknight meal from this list of dump and go instant pot meals!

What’s your favorite? And do you have other recipes you’ve tried and loved? Share them in the comments!

More Great Healthy Dinner Ideas

  • The Big List of Healthy Meals + Free Printable
  • 21 Quick Weeknight Dinners
  • 12 Crockpot Meals Perfect For Weeknights

Jennifer Kropf

Jennifer is the founder and chief editor of Healthy Happy Impactful®. She believes that living, loving, and connecting deeply are the foundation for a good life. She holds a degree in education and is a mom to 3 kids.

15 Healthy Instant Pot Dump and Go Recipes For Weeknights (2024)

FAQs

What to make when you have no time to cook? ›

Try making food ahead of time! Overnight oats are all the rage these days because they're a healthy, delicious, and easy go-to in the morning (having cooked overnight!). We also recommend batch cooking brown rice, quinoa, farro, and other healthy grains to have in the fridge for when the week gets busy.

Can you make everything in an Instant Pot? ›

Instant Pots are terrific for some dishes. Others are a big no-no. If you own an Instant Pot, you know how convenient it is when it comes to cutting down the time it takes to cook food, all through the magic of heat and steam. But while your Instant Pot has kitchen prowess, it can't cook everything safely.

What kind of bowl can go in an Instant Pot? ›

Instant pot-safe bowls can be made of stainless steel, glass, ceramic, silicone, aluminum, bamboo, or copper.

Can I use my Instant Pot as a regular pot? ›

The Instant Pot's three non-pressurized settings, “Sauté,” “Slow Cook,” and “Keep Warm,” also let you use the appliance like a saucepan. This is a handy thing to remember around the holidays when you need an extra burner or want to keep foods warm.

What to make for dinner when nothing sounds good? ›

What to eat when nothing sounds good: 25 balanced meal ideas
  • Ham or turkey & cheese sandwich with a side of fruit.
  • Rotisserie chicken with frozen microwaveable rice and veggies.
  • “Adult Lunchable”: cheese, crackers, deli meat, raw fruits or veggies with dip.
  • Frozen chicken tenders or nuggets on top of a salad.
Jan 11, 2023

What is the best meat to cook in a pressure cooker? ›

You can still pressure cook leaner pieces – like eye of round and top sirloin – but these work best if they've been stuffed, shredded or rolled (with other ingredients). Best cuts of beef to use: Chuck steak, Round Roast, Shoulder, Pot roast, Ribs, Brisket, Oxtail.

Can you overcook meat in pressure cooker? ›

Steam penetrates food easily under pressure. So connective tissues in cubes of beef for soups or stews soften in 15 minutes or less, and a pot roast will be medium-rare in 30 minutes. Be sure to follow instructions carefully; at this speed, it's easy to overcook things in mere minutes.

Can you put a glass bowl in a Instapot? ›

Assuming that you are talking about a tempered glass bowl that is marketed as microwave, dishwasher and oven safe, there should be no problem in the pressure cooker. For glass vessels, the most critical uses are rapid temperature changes and uneven heating, the surrounding pressure isn't an issue.

Can I use plastic bowl in pressure cooker? ›

Pressure cookers generate high temperatures and pressure, which can cause plastic to melt or release harmful chemicals. It is important to only use materials that are approved for pressure cooking, such as stainless steel, aluminum, or heat-resistant glass.

Can you put glassware in a pressure cooker? ›

Oven-tempered glass and metal bowls or pans can be used in a pressure cooker. Beautiful desserts and side dishes can be prepared in a pressure cooker by using individual molds, glass custard cups, metal bowls, pans, soufflé dishes, and springform pans, all of which must be oven safe.

Can I put Pyrex bowl in Instant Pot? ›

That is commonly done, and yes, any pyrex is fine for it although metal has an advantage in that it wouldn't require extra time. Anytime you use glass, pyrex, ceramic or any other heat absorbent material for "pot in pot" cooking, add ~5 minutes to the time under pressure.

Can you put a Pyrex bowl in a pressure cooker? ›

One is about using Pyrex® inside the electric pressure cooker. According to Corelle Brands, makers of Pyrex®, it is not recommended to put this glassware in these appliances. The glass is not made to be put under pressure and it could crack or explode.

Can you bake in an Instant Pot? ›

The Instant Pot can gently steam and bake with ease — and keep you from heating up the oven when you want a sweet treat.

What can I cook in 5 minutes? ›

25 healthy recipes you can cook in 5 minutes or less
  • Pea and broad bean couscous.
  • Fast home-made baked beans.
  • Porridge.
  • Pasta with cherry tomatoes and rocket.
  • Home-made hummus.
  • Smashed avocado and wilted spinach.
  • Cucumber (or potato) raitha.
  • Quick pitta pizzas.

What can you cook in 3 minutes? ›

Three-Minute Meals
  • Mushroom Toast. 1 piece whole-grain toast. ...
  • Spring Salad with Shrimp and Brown Rice. ...
  • Italian-Style Ratatouille with Chicken Sausage. ...
  • Quick Vegetarian Tacos. ...
  • Mediterranean-Style Loaded Baked Potato. ...
  • Breakfast for Dinner: Vegetarian Omelette. ...
  • Asian-Inspired Stir Fry. ...
  • Whole Grain Flatbread Pizza and Salad.
Jun 7, 2017

What to eat when you have no food and can't cook? ›

Ways to Eat Healthy Without Having to Cook
  • Precooked Whole Grains. 1/13. ...
  • Frozen Veggies. 2/13. ...
  • Precooked Chicken Strips. 3/13. ...
  • That's a Wrap. 4/13. ...
  • Deli Chicken. 5/13. ...
  • Lower-Sodium Soups. 6/13. ...
  • Canned Salmon. 7/13. ...
  • Ready-to-Eat Boiled Eggs. 8/13.
Aug 28, 2023

What can you cook in 8 minutes? ›

8-minute recipes (91)
  • 8 minute Spanish rice. ...
  • 8 minute spicy Ramen. ...
  • 8 Minute Fudge. ...
  • 3 Minute Bread Pudding (for breakfast and snacktime) ...
  • Easy Egg Sandwiches in 5 Minutes! ...
  • California Farm Panfried Halibut with Asparagus. ...
  • SHRIMP FETTUCCINE ALFREDO 😋❤️😘💋💋💋 ...
  • Glossy!

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