Healthy Instant Pot Dinner Recipes (2024)

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These healthy Instant Pot dinner recipes are some of my favorites! I love cooking a healthy meal for my family and being able to walk away from the Instant Pot while it’s doing its magic–it makes dinner time less stressful for me.

The Instant Pot can make dinner time quick and easy.Finding recipes that are healthy, delicious, and quick can seem impossible. Never fear, these healthy Instant Pot dinner recipes will change all of that.

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Now, you can peruse this list, pick out some tasty options, and be on your way to a meal plan that takes no time at all!

How are these healthy Instant Pot recipes?

These recipes are everything from Weight Watchersto 21 Day Fix–all in one list, and their common component: the Instant Pot. This one little appliance can totally transform your kitchen. I love that I can start a meal and walk away, and the Instant Pot will just beep when it’s done cooking.

I don’t use artificial sweeteners of any kind in my recipes, and I prefer to use whole grain ingredients when necessary. These healthy Instant Pot dinner recipes are made using real food ingredients, and your entire family will love them.

Instant Pot Meal Prep?

My Instant Pot makes life easier by cooking all of my essentials for weekly meal prep in a snap. Weeknight dinners are healthy and fast, and I can even make desserts in the blink of an eye.

And while these healthy Instant Pot dinners are quick, they’re not short on flavor.

The great thing about using the pressure cooker is that it locks in all of that flavor and moisture during the cooking process. Nothing gets dried out or ends up tasteless and I don’t have to add a bunch of extra calories trying to remedy those problems!

25 Healthy Instant Pot Dinner Recipes

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Crack Chicken

This healthy Crack Chicken recipe is pretty much the most popular recipe on my blog at any given time. People love the crack chicken they’ve seen on Pinterest, but this is a lightened up version that they feel good about eating! You can eat it in a pita or even on top of a salad! And it makes a great dip too!

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Instant Pot Orange Chicken

Don’t give into the cravings! Why order out when you can make this super easy (and healthy!) Instant Pot dinner? Orange Chicken is delicious, and your kids will love it too! Pair it with some brown rice for a delicious and healthy dinner. You can find more Asian-flavored recipes right here:

  • Drunken Noodles
  • Pad Thai
  • Beef Pho
  • Teriyaki Meatballs
  • Chicken Lo Mein
  • Healthy Bang Bang Shrimp
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Frittata Recipe

I love making these frittatas for breakfast prep for the week! Cook them in the Instant Pot and then put them in the fridge for a pretty easy to eat grab and go breakfast.

Here are more delicious Instant Pot egg recipes that you can use for breakfast or dinner:

  • Fajita Casserole with Eggs
  • Egg Salad
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Spaghetti Squash Taco Boats

This is one of my newest and most popular recipes! Such an easy way to make dinner, and I love that everyone in the family can customize their toppings in these taco bowls!

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Sweet Potato Chili

This spicy sweet potato chili is a crowd favorite when I make it! My boys love the sweet spice and I love how filling it is. You can easily tone down the spice if your family prefers a more mild version.

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Buffalo Chicken Bites

You definitely don’t have to cave into your cravings for buffalo wings when you can make these healthy buffalo chicken bites! If you like this recipe, you’ll probably love my favorite healthy Buffalo Chicken Dip and this

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Chicken Burrito Bowl

This is such an easy meal for busy nights! Dry rice, dry beans, and frozen chicken–dump it all in the Instant Pot and enjoy this burrito bowl! You can top it with veggies or eat it like a burrito.

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Beef Pho

This recipe is a little bit of work, but it’s delicious like authentic Pho! You’re going to love it, and so will the rest of your family.

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Beef Gyros

No need to go out when you can make these healthy beef gyros at home! Whatever you do, don’t skip the veggies I recommend for toppings–they compliment the meal perfectly!

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Lentil Tacos

I am not a huge fan of eating meat every day, so these lentil tacos are perfect for our family’s meatless meals!

Instant Pot Beef Stew

My friend Karen has this delicious and super easy beef stew recipe that I had to share with you! I hope you love it as much as we do.

Instant Pot Lasagna

Another super popular recipe on my blog! I love how the spinach compliments this meal, and how easy it is to pull together and walk away from while it’s cooking.

Pad Thai

Another great recipe that is perfect for when you’re craving asian food! I love this pad thai recipe and often make it with boneless & skinless chicken thighs.

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Chipotle Chicken

This copycat Chipotle Chicken recipe is spicy!! I lightened it up a little and kept the heat–I hope you like it! I love making this marinade and adding it to chicken before I freeze it, so then when I defrost the chicken it soaks up the marinade.

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Spanish Chicken with Cauliflower Rice

This is such an easy recipe! My kids love the “rice” and don’t mind that it’s cauliflower.

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Mac and Cheese

SO easy and delicious! I love adding extra veggies into this recipe, like broccoli! It’s delicious right out of the pot!

Cilantro Lime Chicken Drumsticks

Whether you’re using this recipe to make drumsticks or using it as a marinade for chicken breasts, your entire family will love the taste!

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Instant Pot Goulash

Hands down, this is our family’s favorite healthy instant pot dinner recipe! I often double up on the veggies, even using a food processor to hide them if I need to!

Instant Pot Spaghetti

I’ll never boil noodles and sauce separate again after making spaghetti this way!

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Mushroom Risotto

SO easy and delicious. If you don’t like the mushrooms, feel free to leave them out!

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Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes

These are the perfect holiday side dish! I love eating these with meatloaf or turkey breast.

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Easy Instant Pot Swedish Meatballs

SO easy. And if you’re short on time, skip making meatballs out of these and just chop up the ground beef/turkey and serve that way!

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Beef Stroganoff

I’m usually not a huge fan of beef stroganoff, but this lighter version gets a thumbs up from my entire family!

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Enchilada Bake

SUCH an easy recipe! And I love that you can customize the toppings for everyone around the table.

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Quinoa Tacos

This vegan taco recipe is perfect for the meatless days in your life!

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Mini BBQ Meatloaf Bombs

If you’re short on time, you can dice the onion and mix it in with the mini meatloaves instead of wrapping these up!

Looking for more? You can find all of my healthy Instant Pot dinner recipes right here: Healthy Instant Pot Dinner Recipes

And for dessert…

Need a healthy Instant Pot dessert recipe? You might love these:

  • Instant Pot Key Lime Custard bites
  • Instant Pot Lava Cake
  • Instant Pot Cheesecake

If you’re looking for a delicious non-Instant Pot dessert, you can’t go wrong with these delicious Wonder Whip recipes. I’ve whipped up fruit varieties like lemon meringue and key lime pie, as well as chocolate peanut butter or chocolate mint flavors that totally crush those sweets cravings! You can check out all the dessert Wonder Whip recipes I love right here (there’s something like 14 different varieties in there now…all super easy to make and tasty).

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Becca Ludlum

Healthy recipe creator, self-confessed food snob, and certified Level 1 Precision Nutrition Coach. I create healthy recipes with minimally processed ingredients, but have never turned down a homemade brownie. ;)

Healthy Instant Pot Dinner Recipes (2024)

FAQs

Are Instant Pot meals healthy? ›

While it might not be the best option out there for nutrient retention, you should never feel bad about making a home-cooked meal in your Instant Pot, as there is no "perfect" preparation method for food.

Are instant pots healthy to use? ›

Cooking in an “instant pot” or pressure cooker is a great method for preparing your food on many levels — including the nutritional level, according to registered dietitian Beth Czerwony, RD. “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.

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.

Why did Instapot 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 are the side effects of pressure cooker food? ›

Disadvantages of cooking food in a pressure cooker

Plus, most pressure cookers are made of aluminum that may leach into your food when the cooker is overheated. Exposure to high levels of aluminum has been linked to neurotoxicity (damage to the brain or peripheral nervous system).

What are the disadvantages of pressure cooking? ›

Advantages of pressure cooking include reduced cooking times and retention of nutrients, plus it's a great way to make energy-efficient, one-pot meals. The downsides include problems with foods that have different cook times and not being able to check the progress of the food cooking.

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.

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.

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.

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.

How healthy are cook ready meals? ›

Maybe you don't know how to cook or just don't enjoy it. Whatever your reasons, ready meals aren't always as nutritious as cooking a meal from scratch. This is because they don't always provide your body with the nutrients it needs to stay healthy. Ready meals can be high in salt and fat and low in other nutrients.

Is Instant Pot Safer Than pressure cooker? ›

With stovetop cookers there's still a small risk of pushing the pressure too high and blowing the thing up, but the Instant Pot doesn't have that danger. And it also has different pressure modes, so you can set it at low pressure for things like soup and high pressure when you're in a hurry.

What's healthier Instant Pot or air fryer? ›

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. Yes, you can make healthy and oil-free recipes using Instant Pot, but you can also use it to make cakes and junk food.

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