Family Friendly Healthy Instant Pot Meals

Instant Pot was selling like hot cakes during the black Friday weekend and we are hoping that you have gotten yourself an Instant pot last year.  Thus, we thought this would be the perfect time for us to put together a roundup of Family Friendly Healthy Instant Pot Meals to help get you in and out of the kitchen quickly!  Instant pot has been a life saver for us and we would highly recommend reading Mastering the Instant Pot in 3 Buttons to get a quick overview of the features you can use for preparing most recipes. All of the meals here are vegetarian, meatless, and plant-based and needless to say that they have been made in the instant pot. Many of them are hearty and filling, and some are light if you are watching your food. Most importantly, all of them are easy and healthier than store bought.

You want to try your instant pot or want to show off your instant pot skills and don't know what to prepare first?

Don't worry we have got you covered. We have collected the best and easy instant pot recipes ranging from healthy Breakfast to Lunch, to soups, to dinner, and of course Desserts. Most of these recipes are also freezer friendly allowing you to make them ahead of time. Less time in planning more time with kids. There should be something for everyone here, both from our own website and from some of my fellow bloggers. To help the individuals with none or minimal instant pot experience, a lot of the chosen recipes have video instructions. Enjoy the Family Friendly Healthy Instant Pot Meals and don't Forget to pin or bookmark this page to have these recipes handy at your fingertips. 

Instant pot Breakfast Recipes

• Homemade Yogurt - Tired of buying expensive yogurt at the grocery store? Now save money by making Homemade yogurt at less than half the cost of store bought. It tastes amazing, fresh, and you will know exactly what is in yours – no more reading labels. All you need is Just 2 ingredients and just 2 steps! You can also try creating different flavors of yogurt once you master this instant pot homemade yogurt recipe.

• Vegan Vermicelli Bowl / Semiya Upma– Semiya Upma / Vermicelli Upma – A popular Indian breakfast dish which is also known as Vermicelli Upma/ Semiya Upma/ Namkeen Javein. A quick, easy and light recipe, this is made from vermicelli, a traditional type of pasta similar to spaghetti along with a mix of vegetables and spices. This is one of the most fulfilling and delicious meal to prepare when you have just no time to prepare an elaborate breakfast.

• 3-ingredient Easy Strawberry Compote with fresh strawberries ready in 1 minute with no added sugar. Perfect for yogurt, waffles, pancakes, or healthy desserts!

• Banana Steel Cut Oats -  One of the best ways to start your day is with flavor-filled banana steel cut oats that taste just like banana bread!

• Egg-free Veggie Frittata - This colorful, flavorful egg-free Vegetable Frittata is cooked in Instant-pot and is perfect for packing up a healthy breakfast or lunch on the go. With a side salad and crusty bread, this delicious frittata makes a satisfying and delicious vegetarian dinner – and great leftovers for lunch and guess what it’s made in the Instant-pot!

• Polenta Breakfast Porridge - is an easy and delicious way to start your day! This rich creamy polenta porridge topped with maple syrup and chopped nuts is just the thing to warm you up on chilly winter mornings. Suitable for Vegan and Gluten-Free diets.

• Pumpkin Steel Cut Oatmeal - This creamy, no fuss Instant Pot pumpkin steel cut oatmeal is the perfect fiber filled, whole grain breakfast for the cold winter months.

• Coconut Low Carb Porridge - A high fiber coconut low carb porridge that’s easy to make on the stove top or in an electric pressure cooker. It’s a perfect hot keto cereal.

 

• Homemade Khaman Dhokla -  A warm soft and spongy savory chickpea flour snack cake tempered with spices. Ready in 20 minutes this cake makes a perfect breakfast, snack or party appetizer.

• Tempeh Breakfast Bowl - This Instant Pot Tempeh Breakfast Bowl gives you a hearty breakfast or brunch that has 3 unique components. The tempeh is sweet and spicy, the potatoes are slightly smoky, and it gets topped off with some cheesy kale. A complete meal cooked all at the same time!

 

Instant pot Lunch Recipes

• Instant pot Rice  After a few times of experimenting, we have finally figured the failproof recipe of how to make perfect Instant Pot Rice, Instant Pot Basmati rice, Instant Pot Brown rice, and Instant Pot Jasmine Rice. No more uncooked, burnt or mushy rice.

• Risotto with Mushrooms and Parmesan- Do you love creamy risotto but hate having to babysit it on the stove? This quick and easy recipe for instant pot risotto with mushrooms and Parmesan cooks in just 7 minutes. The best part? No babysitting!

• 10 Minute Vegan Curry - This delicious pressure cooker vegan curry takes only 10 minutes in your Instant Pot! Naturally dairy, gluten and nut free and totally delicious.

• Vegetarian Taco Pasta - This cheesy, spicy and yum Vegetarian Taco Pasta is the best of both worlds.  It’s good old hearty pasta dressed up in spicy and zesty taco seasoning.  Using pantry and fridge staples, this cheesy taco pasta can be prepared in just 20 minutes.  And the result is a delicious quick and easy weeknight dinner.

• Easy Thai Red Curry; this vegan dinner recipe is super yummy and easy to make. Plus the recipe makes the curry and rice together at once.

• Barley Salad - This healthy, wholesome Instant Pot Barley Salad is packed with flavor from lime and garden-fresh parsley. What a great option for lunch, picnics, potluck parties or a quick fix dinner!

• Carrots and Beets Masala Khickdi - Looking for a healthy wholesome one pot meal? Then try this Carrot & Beets Masala Khichdi in an Instant Pot! This yummy rice & lentils combo is comfort food!

• Kale Saag Paneer is a twist to a classic Punjabi dish – Saag Paneer!  Saag primarily means green leafy vegetables like spinach, mustard greens, fenugreek etc. It goes amazingly well with Makki ki roti (Corn tortilla) and a dollop of butter. This traditional dish is eaten during winters in Punjab – northern part of India. Saag tends to keep you warm during winters and is a good source of iron, magnesium, and calcium. This winter special makes everyone drool in winters. When cubed paneer enters the equation, the dish becomes saag paneer.

• Vegan Chili with Black Beans This hearty vegan chili with black beans, sweet potato, buckwheat and chipotle tastes like it took all day to make. But thanks to the Instant Pot, it's ready in about 30 minutes. Makes a big batch that only improves in flavor over the course of the week, so it's great for batch cooking and meal prep, or for feeding a crowd

• Vegetarian Stuffed Peppers Make these vegetarian Instant Pot Stuffed Peppers in minutes … they’re healthy and delicious!

• Punjabi Kadhi Pakoda - Vibrant, tantalizing and perfect! These adjectives just don’t do justice to the Instant Pot Punjabi Kadhi Pakoda that can be made in minutes!! Punjabi Kadhi Pakoda or Punjabi Karhi is a dish originating from the Indian subcontinent. It consists of a thick gravy based on chickpea flour and contains vegetable fritters called pakoras, to which Dahi (yogurt) is added to give it little sour taste. It is often eaten with boiled rice or roti.

• Lentil Stroganoff If you’re looking for a delicious, cozy, and easy dinner, this Instant Pot lentil stroganoff with mushrooms fits the bill. It’s hearty, filling, and a fun vegetarian take on the traditional beef stroganoff.
• Green Thai Curry - Any fans of GREEN THAI CURRY? Instant Pot Green Thai Curry is a simple and delicious curry from Thai Cuisine. This recipe is very easy to make, kind of put all of it together and cook. The best part is that it is Oil-Free + Vegan + Glutenfree. It goes very well with Jasmine Rice or Rice Noodles.
• Sambar or Sambhar is a tangy and mildly spicy lentil-vegetable stew from the southern part of India. It is a staple in most South Indian homes and is served alongside idlis or dosas for breakfast or with rice for lunch/dinner.

• Yellow Dal Tadka - Everyone’s favorite yellow Dal Tadka. A delicious lentil preparation served at Indian restaurants. You can now enjoy this restaurant style Dal at home as it’s super easy to make.

Instant pot Dinner Recipes

• Burrito Bowl - This homemade instant pot vegan burrito bowl version is amazing, its packed with veggies, beans, and salsa. This is about to become your new go-to meal for weeknights, weekends or any other day! All you need to do is arrange the ingredients in the Instant-pot and walk away.

• Sweet Potato Chili - Don’t you just love a warm bowl of comforting food? I could eat this Instant Pot Sweet Potato Chili all day. Hearty, sweet, salty, delicious, and best of all, is ready in no time with the help of my pressure cooker.

• Mumbai style Pav Bhaji - a lip-smackingly delicious mashup of spicy potatoes and veggies served with dinner rolls. A very popular street food from Mumbai. Super easy to make. Instant Pot Pav Bhaji Recipe (Video) & Stove Top recipe.  Tastes exactly like the one you get in Mumbai. Vegan option available. Sharing my secret to get the perfect red bhaji

 

• Black Eyed Peas Curry - This is easy to prepare black Eyed Peas Curry Recipe that is so simple yet flavorful. It melts in your mouth with the warming spices and it is very hearty, perfect to serve on a chilly night. Both stovetop and 'no soaking' Instant Pot versions are included. Serve a bowl of this curried black-eyed peas with rice, quinoa, roti or cauliflower rice.

• Vegan Pad Thai Noodles in just 20 minutes. Yes, please!!! Noodles, sweet and sour Pad Thai Sauce, some veggies and tofu is all you need to whip up your next weeknight meal. Save this one because it’s yum. Gluten-Free.

• Mexican-inspired Fiesta Rice is a flavorful and yummy side dish that comes together in less than 30 minutes and tastes fantastic. Every bite you take feels like a fiesta in your mouth!

• Whole Roasted Cauliflower served in a thick creamy Indian Masala Sauce. A perfect centerpiece for the holiday season, this dish is sure to wow the crowd. Exotic yet easy to make. Can be made ahead of time.Vegan & Gluten-Free but full of rich flavors and aroma. Video Recipe.

• Tofu Tikka Masala - This is a slow cooker tofu tikka masala – start by sauteeing a few aromatics and spices in a pan, but then transfer everything to your Crock Pot (or pressure cooker!) to finish the curry.

• Dal Makhani, the name says it all. Who said Dal Roti is a boring meal? Dal Makhani is one of the most ordered vegetarian curry recipe in Indian restaurants. No Punjabi get-together is complete without this finger licking and creamy Vegan Dal Makhani. Just Indulge in this super delicious Vegan, Gluten-free Instant-Pot Dal Makhani!

• Teriyaki Rice - A complete meal made in one-pot, this Teriyaki Instant Pot Rice will be a great addition to your mid-week dinner rotation.

• Charro Beans are a great side or even a full meal with cornbread on the side! Have you ever forgotten to soak the beans prior night? Have you ever cooked dried beans in your Instant-Pot? This best Instant -Pot Charro beans recipe is a great place to start with and get your hands adjusted to the Instant-pot.

• Smoky Lentil Stew - This smoky lentil stew is the ultimate cold weather warmer. Simple, healthy and suitable for vegans, this lentil stew takes just 10 minutes in the pressure cooker!

• Tikka Masala Curry- Meal Prep - Everyone’s favorite Tikka Masala Sauce / Tikka Masala Curry in 30 minutes. Meal prep idea for the week. Throw in some veggies or protein of your choice, yummiest meal is ready. Can be made Vegan.

• Vegetarian Pasta – Rigatoni Bolognese - Instant Pot Vegetarian Pasta – Rigatoni Bolognese – is a healthy, filling pasta dish that’s worthy to be in your regular meal rotation, and you won’t miss the meat! All the vegetables in this hearty vegetarian pasta recipe give the dish a meaty texture. The pasta and sauce are cooked together making it a delicious one-pot meal.

• Homemade Dinner Rolls / Homemade Pav -A quick and easy soft Homemade Pav – dinner rolls made with whole wheat flour. The softest 100% whole wheat dinner rolls you’ve ever had. The homemade dinner rolls are soft, fluffy and perfectly golden brown in color!  These are so much healthier than the traditional store purchased dinner rolls. Win-win situation here!

• Sweet Potatoes - How to cook sweet potatoes in an instant Pot electric pressure cooker! It’s very easy, and of course, they are gluten free, paleo, whole30, and vegan and vegetarian!

 

Instant Pot Soup Recipes

• Minestrone Soup is a perfect family-friendly meal hearty enough for even the biggest appetites.  It’s the easiest, and best Instant-Pot Minestrone Soup recipe ever and full of protein-packed beans and loaded with veggies. This soup is filling comfort food in a bowl. The recipe includes a stove-top recipe plus recipe video. Your family will love this soup for dinner. Skip the trip to Olive Garden!

• Summer Vegetable Soup Corn, zucchini, and tomatoes…oh my! A light and healthy Summer Vegetable Soup is the perfect way to take advantage of all of the season’s fresh produce! Best of all, there’s no need to heat up your kitchen — just turn on your pressure cooker, stovetop, or slow cooker for this easy homemade vegetable soup recipe that keeps well in the freezer for months.

 

• Vegetable Quinoa Soup - Ready for the easiest soup recipe of your life?  You won’t believe the flavors in this easy-to-make Instant Pot Vegetable Quinoa Soup! Who knew healthy could taste so good.  This healthy soup is vegan, gluten-free, vegetarian. Don’t forget to check out the video.

 

• Adzuki Beans Soup - Adzuki beans are not just for sweet Asian-inspired treats! Instant Pot Adzuki Bean Soup with Miso, Winter Squash, and Kale combines nutrient-rich adzuki beans with a Japanese-style miso broth and hearty fiber-rich vegetables in a soul-warming vegan and gluten-free soup.

• Instant Pot Broccoli and Pear Soup - A combination of delicious and vibrant ingredients, this bowl of thick and creamy Instant Pot Broccoli and Pear Soup is perfect for warming up on chilly winter evenings and fancy enough as a starter on a Christmas party menu. Prepare to soothe your conscience after indulging those calorie ladened mince pies, chocolates, mulled wine and glasses of champagne over the festive season! Enjoy the flavors of leek, potato, garlic and thyme blended together into a luscious spring soup. An easy, quick, Gluten- Free crowd pleaser!

• Creamy Vegetable Soup This delicious vegan Creamy Vegetable Soup is made in the Instant Pot for an easy meal. Carrots, celery, cauliflower and brown rice make this gluten-free soup a comforting and healthy lunch or dinner.

• Spicy Black Bean Soup - Spicy black bean soup is perfect for Meatless Mondays, or anytime you’re craving a healthy meal. Made from scratch to control what goes in it. No more preservatives or high sodium added and obviously a lot less processed. When it comes to this Instant pot spicy black bean soup, tasty and healthy go hand in hand. This thick and hearty Black bean Soup is packed with fiber and plant-based protein. It’s vegan and gluten-free, is a comforting and satisfying meal in a bowl!

• Vegan Wild Rice Soup is easy to make in the Instant Pot pressure cooker. It’s creamy and comforting while being dairy-free, gluten-free, and oil-free.

• Yellow Split Pea Soup - Hearty and comforting, this classic Yellow Split Pea Soup will be your new favorite. Just add the wholesome ingredients to your Instant Pot, and relax for 25 minutes while the magic happens.

• Bean Soup with Spinach and Pesto This Instant Pot Bean Soup with Spinach and Pesto packs a ton of nutrients, from beans, spinach, and other veggies. But it’s not short on flavor, with the incorporation of Parmesan rind, lemon juice, and basil pesto, for a nice European twist.

• Vegetable Barley Soup - This simple and yet easy Vegetable Barley soup is one of my family’s favorite soups! This Instant Pot Vegetable Barley Soup Recipe is hearty, satisfying, and so filling. It’s filled with fiber, protein, vitamins, and minerals. Instant pot Barley soup makes a great dinner any night of the week and it is ridiculously easy and quick. Let me show you how! 

• Sweet Potato Coconut Soup An Instant Pot vegan soup recipe featuring vibrant orange sweet potatoes and creamy coconut milk. Delicious, healthy, and easy to make.

• Pumpkin Soup - This Instant Pot Vegan Pumpkin Soup is a quick and easy weeknight meal, perfect for fall and winter. Vegan. Gluten-Free. Ready in just 15 minutes. A great way to enjoy the true fall flavors as this Pumpkin Soup is made without coconut milk.

• Bean Soup With Pesto This Instant Pot Bean Soup with Pesto is made with chickpeas and tomatoes. It’s vegetarian-friendly, super delicious and cooks up quick in your pressure cooker.

Instant Pot Desserts & Sweets

• Homemade Churros Bites - These Itsy bitsy teeny weeny homemade churros bites – churros muffins are coated in cinnamon sugar and are kind of like a cross between a muffin and a donut hole. One huge difference is these are baked in Instant- pot and not fried. It’s a perfect way to use the egg bite molds addon for Instant Pot. Do you love store-bought churros, but are afraid of it being deep fried, the quantity of sugar and the added preservatives? Fear not as these bites will give you the same test minus the frying and controlling the sugar and ingredients going into it. A win-win in all combinations.

• Coconut Pumpkin Halwa, also called as Kaddu ka Halwa is an Indian pumpkin dessert made with pumpkin, sugar, ghee, coconut and nuts. It can be cooked in a pressure cooker on the stovetop or Instant pot and takes less than 30 minutes to make this delicious dessert!

• Baked Apples - Looking for a healthy treat. Well, you have found it. These Instant Pot Baked Apples comes together with 5 mins of cook time and 4 pantry staple ingredients. Healthy has never tasted so good. Suitable for Vegan and Gluten-Free diets.

• Banana Bread Recipe is so easy and utterly delicious. It is perfect for the holiday season, ready to bake and gift. This Banana Bread drizzled with Quick Cinnamon Glaze is an ideal Dessert Dream.

• Rice Pudding - A delicious comfort dessert made with rice and coconut milk. Sweetened with dates and maple syrup and garnished with almonds and raisins. It’ just simply yum. Super easy to make in the Instant Pot, just dump-set-go. Vegan. Gluten-Free.

• Pumpkin Applesauce - If you’re new to the Instant Pot, or even a veteran, this Pumpkin Applesauce is a great place to start. You wash, peel and cube the apples. Place them in the Instant Pot with a few other simple ingredients, and let them cook on manual for 5 minutes!

 

• Cranberry Orange Bundt cake -This  Cranberry Orange Bundt cake is gluten-free and is simply bursting with flavor. Wonderful combination of fresh tart Cranberries and lightly sweetened Orange creates a moist and delightful cake. We’re not kidding when we say that you won’t be able to get enough of this Cake. The perfect Cake for breakfast, snacking or dessert.  Perfect recipe for all new Instant-pot owners!