Healthy Instant Pot Recipes (2024)

Your favorite healthy Instant Pot Recipes all in one spot. Breakfast, lunch, dinner…the only thing I still need to work on is dessert to add to the list.

Healthy Instant Pot Recipes (1)

Can you tell I’m absolutely in love with my Instant Pot? I’m going to be totally honest with you. I didn’t buy it forever because I felt like that was just one of those new “trendy” things nobody needs in the kitchen. After seeing recipes pop up everywhere I got super curious however. I figured I could always resell it if it wasn’t my jam. I bought it and now I’m NEVER looking back! How awesome is this magical pot?! Seriously! I love it so much it shares a shelve with my Vitamix! and KitchenAid Stand Mixer Imagine!?!!

Why get an Instant Pot?

It’s an amazing gadget and in my case used just as much as my Vitamix blender. A great feature is the “set it and forget it”. No need to babysit the food during cooking process. You can pick up and clean your kitchen or do the laundry while dinner “cooks itself”. Many think it’s much faster to cook stuff in the Instant Pot or a stove top pressure cooker but I’ll be completely honest with you. I did experience that for some specific things such as legumes only. You save a little time but for most it takes the same as cooking in a regular pot because the Instant Pot takes time to come to pressure and to depressurize. The number 1 advantage is definitely not time saving.

In my opinion there are two advantages that share spot number 1 of the reasons you absolutely need an Instant Pot. The fact that you don’t have to babysit your food and grains cooked to absolute PERFECTION!!! I still can’t believe how absolutely AMAZING quinoa is cooked under pressure. I’m half Peruvian and my mom used to put quinoa in my baby food. I’ve had a fair amount of quinoa in my life cooked in all kinds of different ways as you might imagine and was still mind-blown when I had my first bite of Instant Pot Quinoa.

Since there is no water evaporation you cook the quinoa in less water. The water is all completely absorbed and then it finishes cooking with just the steam that doesn’t escape from the pot. The result: the most perfect quinoa you have tried in your life!!!

Other advantages are most healthy Instant Pot recipes are “one pot meals” leaving only a small amount of dishes for you to wash. In almost all my healthy Instant Pot recipes I use only the pot itself, a cutting board and a sharp knife.That’s it. Best example is this One Pot Chicken and Rice Recipe. And since the insert of the Instant Pot is stainless steel it is an extremely safe material to cook your food in AND it’s super easy to clean and maintain.

Healthy Instant Pot Recipes for Every Occasion

Instant Pot Steel Cut Oats

Healthy Instant Pot Recipes (2)

Start your day with delicious Instant Pot Steel Cut Oats! Top with 4 different flavor combos to change it up every morning. Raspberry, white chocolate chia. Almond butter, cherry. Strawberry, dark chocolate, hazelnut. Or Peach, blueberry, pecan. A nutrient dense breakfast full of flavor!

Instant Pot Sweet Potatoes

Healthy Instant Pot Recipes (3)

Enjoy Instant Pot Sweet Potatoes with poached eggs for either breakfast, lunch or dinner. It’s super easy and a delicious power meal to fuel your day. The Instant Pot cooks root vegetables much faster than a regular pot and thus this healthy Instant Pot recipes is one of those that have the “fastness” advantage point.

Instant Pot Quinoa

Healthy Instant Pot Recipes (4)

Cook Instant Pot Quinoa once and you’ll never want to cook it any other way. The grain cooks to its absolute perfection in the Instant Pot. Add some fresh raw veggies and avocado, cook some eggs at the same time in the same pot as the quinoa and voilá you just made yourself a delicious and nutritious lunch in half an hour.

Instant Pot Chicken and Rice

Healthy Instant Pot Recipes (5)

Instant Pot Chicken and Rice is the best way to bring dinner on the table in no time and without much actual work in the kitchen. Feed the whole family without spending much time away from them to prepare their food. How awesome is that??

Instant Pot Chili

Healthy Instant Pot Recipes (6)

Feed a large crowd by making Instant Pot Chili. A healthy meal for loads of people without getting your kitchen dirty and welcome everyone when not in stress running around in the kitchen. I love meals that cook themselves when I’m welcoming my guests.

That is a wrap for now but watch out for more recipes to come and the list getting more and more extensive ;)

Healthy Instant Pot Recipes (2024)

FAQs

Is there anything you should not put in the Instant Pot? ›

Not to burst any Instant Pot bubbles, but there are a few things you're better off cooking a more traditional way.
  1. Deep-Fried Anything. ...
  2. Cookies. ...
  3. Yogurt. ...
  4. Creamy Sauces. ...
  5. Bread. ...
  6. PIN IT FOR LATER:
  7. Follow Delish on Instagram.
Jan 30, 2018

What foods should not be cooked in a pressure cooker? ›

Here are six things you should always avoid cooking in a pressure cooker.
  1. Dairy products. Foods containing dairy, like milk, cream, or yogurt, should not be pressure-cooked. ...
  2. Fried foods. Cooking fried foods is a strict no no, when it comes to pressure cookers. ...
  3. Quick cooking vegetables. ...
  4. Cakes and bakes. ...
  5. Eggs in the shell.
Jul 23, 2023

Why do Instant Pot recipes say do not stir? ›

As explained by Kitchn, stirring the pasta with the liquid before locking the appliance and setting it to pressure cook will cause the dish to go sticky and gummy as it cooks, due to the way pasta releases starch under pressure.

Does Instant Pot count down when cooking? ›

The instant lot will count down from the time you set it. to. When the time is up, the pot will automatically turn. over to keep warm and will display an L0:00.

Why potatoes should not be cooked in pressure cooker? ›

Mostly we boil potatoes in a pressure cooker, but like rice, potatoes also contain a lot of starch. This is the reason why boiling or cooking in this pressure cooker is not considered good for health. If you still plan to use cooker for the same, add a lot of water and wash them thoroughly post cooking.

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.

Why is a pressure cooker unhealthy? ›

Pressure cooking can reduce heat-sensitive nutrients (e.g., vitamin C, folate) and bioactive phytonutrients, such as betacarotene, glucosinolates (helpful compounds found in cruciferous vegetables) and omega-3 fatty acids, that are beneficial for human health.

Is pressure cooking not healthy? ›

Is pressure cooking safe? So far, science says yes. 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.

Is pressure cooking the healthiest? ›

While nutritionists agree the pressure cooking style preserves a higher level of nutrient retention, many others also agree this method of food preparation allows for better taste and texture, too.

Why does Instapot say burn food? ›

The Instant Pot's burn message simply means that your Instant Pot has detected that its inner pot has gotten too hot. There may be a slight amount of burned food at the bottom of your pot, but not enough to ruin whatever you're cooking.

How long do instant pots last? ›

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 dishes are safe in a pressure cooker? ›

Suitable heat-proof containers

As the name suggests, heat-proof containers should be heat or ovenproof- this includes high-temperature silicone, heat-proof glass (like pyrex), ceramic, stainless steel, aluminum and even copper! The forms should not be plastic or any glass that is not tempered.

What foods should be pressure cooked? ›

Really there isn't much you can't cook in a pressure cooker. Though the best is tough and cheaper cuts of meat. Stews,chili and long cooking sauces like spaghetti sauce,because it cuts down cooking time.

Does cooking vegetables in pressure cooker destroy nutrients? ›

In fact, a 1995 study found that pressure cooking preserved nutrients in food more than other cooking methods. Another study measured levels of Vitamin C and B-Vitamins in food and found these levels of vitamin retention (the amount remaining in food after cooking):

Can you cook everything in a pressure cooker? ›

You can cook most food in a pressure cooker. However, most people use it to cook food that takes a long time to cook with conventional methods.

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