20 easy comfort food meals to make in the Instant Pot

In just over a decade, the Instant Pot has become a beloved staple appliance in kitchens worldwide. While features and settings vary between Instant Pot models, overall this tool has the power to prepare everything from rice and slow-cooked stews to sous-vide chicken—and all at a speed that’s faster than the traditional cooking method. The Instant Pot is an excellent resource for preparing comfort foods; if you need some inspiration, you’ll find it here.




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Instant Pot Mac and Cheese

Above and beyond the variety you’ll find in a box, The Salty Marshmallow’s Instant Pot mac and cheese recipe is creamy and full of flavour. It is recommended to use chicken broth for maximum flavour if you don’t have a low-sodium option; however, you will want to skip adding salt. Using a mix of cheeses (like sharp cheddar and mozzarella) will diversify the flavour too.




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Instant Pot Oats (Fast, Creamy Oatmeal)

Your Instant Pot can be used for more than just savoury dinner dishes; it’s also a great tool when it comes to preparing thick, mouth-watering oatmeal. Minimalist Baker’s recipe for Instant Pot oatmeal takes just 20 minutes. It is recommended to add fruit, nuts, or seeds, as well as nut butter or maple syrup for added taste when the oatmeal is complete. You can adjust your toppings to suit your taste and cravings for the day.




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Instant Pot Chili

One of the significant benefits of an Instant Pot is that you can toss your ingredients in, and not have to worry about a thing until the dish is ready. This Instant Pot chili only takes 20 minutes to cook under pressure; after that, you can wait for the pressure to release or release it manually. Dinner at the Zoo suggests using 90% lean ground beef to maintain flavour without a lot of grease (turkey or chicken are also suitable) and notes that the type of beans used can be swapped to suit your taste.




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Instant Pot Butter Chicken

Butter chicken is delicious, but some recipes can be challenging to prepare. This recipe from Little Sunny Kitchen is guaranteed to be simple and delicious. The recipe includes chicken, tomato sauce, cream and a mix of spices (cumin, turmeric, and chili powder, to name a few). It is suggested that you stir more butter in the sauce after pressure-cooking for a creamier texture.




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Best Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes

Making mashed potatoes has never been so easy. According to Pinch of Yum’s recipe, potatoes can be peeled or unpeeled when placed in the Instant Pot. In addition to the potatoes (russet, Yukon, or red), you’ll need salt, butter, herbs, garlic, sour cream or cream cheese, and broth and parmesan are optional. You can use a potato masher or wooden spoon to mash; however, an electric hand-mixer is suggested if you want them really smooth and fluffy.




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Best Ever Instant Pot Beef Stew

This recipe from The Salty Marshmallow includes all the traditional stew ingredients, including beef, potatoes, carrots and onions. For best results, the recipe suggests searing the meat before putting it in the Instant Pot with the rest of the ingredients for enhanced flavour. For optimal thickening, the corn starch and water on the ingredient list should be added when the stew is hot and not after it has had time to cool down.




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Instant Pot Apple Crisp

The smell of this apple crisp baking in the Instant Pot is almost as wonderful as the taste. This recipe from Tastes Better from Scratch features a mix of crumb topping and apple filling, calling for Granny Smith apples, old-fashioned rolled oats, and brown sugar, among other ingredients. Since the Instant Pot doesn’t create crispiness on the exterior, you can spoon helpings into oven-safe dishes and broil for a minute or two in the oven.




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Instant Pot Mushroom Risotto

Risotto is undeniably delicious, but the stirring required to prepare it can feel time-consuming. From sautéing the mushrooms and adding the rice to pouring in the broth and wine, Simply Recipes’ entire recipe is made right in the Instant Pot—with the added advantage that you can complete three-quarters of the recipe up to two hours ahead of time and finish prepping it just before your meal; this makes timing out a dinner more manageable than ever.




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Instant Pot Spaghetti Bolognese

Usually, making spaghetti Bolognese would require preparing pasta and sauce separately, which takes more time and cleanup than this Instant Pot recipe from Corrie Cooks. You’ll need spaghetti, beef, crushed tomatoes, onion, and broth to make this recipe. If you want to boost the nutrients in this dish, you can easily add extra veggies such as celery or carrots.




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Instant Pot Queso Dip

Looking to take nacho night to the next level? This queso dip is the way to go. According to Cooked by Julie’s recipe, you’ll need fresh onions and tomatoes, cream cheese, heavy cream, cheddar and mozzarella cheese, among a handful of other ingredients. If you are serving this at a party, you can keep the queso dip in the Instant Pot for hours; simply leave it on the warm setting.




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Instant Pot Teriyaki Chicken

Five Heart Home’s teriyaki chicken recipe can be used in a wide range of dishes, from rice and quinoa bowls to tacos and sandwiches. The ingredients include soy sauce, honey, and rice vinegar. If you only have frozen chicken at home, never fear; all you need to do is adjust the cooking time. You can also opt for chicken breast instead of thighs if that is your preference.




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Instant Pot Gooey Cinnamon Rolls

Cinnamon rolls are not only a delicious treat but an impressive dessert to serve up at any gathering or brunch. This Food Network Kitchen recipe makes enough servings for eight. After making the dough and the filling, which include flour and cinnamon (among other common ingredients), and combining them in rolls, place them in the Instant Pot and let the machine work its magic. Just remember that this recipe will require time for the dough to rise, so it’s best if you plan ahead.




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Instant Pot Baked Beans

Upgrade your barbecue side dish by swapping out the can of prepared baked beans for warm homemade baked beans prepared directly in the Instant Pot. This Tastes Better from Scratch recipe is often made with navy beans or pinto beans, but great northern beans also fit. You don’t need to worry about soaking the dry beans overnight; the water and beans can go into the Instant Pot simultaneously.




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Instant Pot French Onion Soup

This Well Plated recipe for French onion soup is not only easier to make than the traditional soup, but it is healthier as well. The main ingredients required to prepare this soup are onions, butter, red wine and bone broth—similar to a traditional recipe, but with lightened amounts. For example, it is noted that using a cheese such as gruyere is key since it packs a lot of flavour in a small amount.




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Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup

Chicken noodle soup is considered by many to be the ultimate comfort meal. This recipe by Jo Cooks includes chicken, egg noodles, carrots, and celery as its main ingredients. The chicken is cooked in the Instant Pot to prepare a broth, and noodles are boiled separately to avoid a mushy texture.




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Instant Pot Chicken Quesadilla

Part of what makes a chicken quesadilla so delicious is the rich flavours the chicken and other ingredients hold before they’re put in a tortilla. This recipe from Living Smart and Healthy brings chicken, bell peppers, and spices to the traditional cheese and tortilla ingredients. It is recommended that if you are using chicken breasts instead of chicken thighs, you should cut the pieces thin since they will cook faster.




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Instant Pot Polenta Cacio e Pepe

Polenta will become a staple dish in your home once you discover this recipe. Following Bon Appétit’s recipe, after whisking the polenta and water together, you’ll cook at high pressure and be all set. It is recommended to top the recipe with extra pecorino or parmesan cheese and pepper when the dish is finished cooking.




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Instant Pot French Fries

You might think you need a deep fryer to make restaurant-quality french fries at home, but an Instant Pot can do this as well. This recipe from Corrie Cooks uses paprika, salt, and pepper to add a touch of flavour. While the potatoes can be cut into different sizes and shapes, the ¼ inch size is perfect for getting evenly cooked fries in the Instant Pot air-fry mode.




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Instant Pot Artichoke and Spinach Dip

The great thing about this spinach and artichoke dip is that it can be used for pasta after the fact, too. A few of the key ingredients in Adventures of a Nurse’s recipe are frozen spinach, artichoke hearts, parmesan, and mozzarella. After the broth is prepared and artichokes are drained, the only step is to add all of the ingredients to the Instant Pot.




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Instant Pot Brownies

This recipe from The Foodie Eats shares an important benefit to baking with an Instant Pot: reducing heat in the home. Those craving brownies who don’t want to turn on the oven and heat up their whole kitchen will find a delicious result in this recipe. It calls for all the classic brownie ingredients, including cocoa and flour, and a gluten-free version is just as exquisite.




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