18 Best Healthy Instant Pot Recipes

By Carl Hanson
We love our Instant Pot®. Meals that often take hours to slowly simmer are ready in mere minutes. It's like living ever so slightly in the future. So yes, getting dinner on the table fast is a must. But we also want meals that are healthy for the family, not just delivered quickly. And on that score, the Instant Pot is there for you, too. We've pulled together some of our favorite healthy Instant Pot recipes, from simple soups, savory stews, and hearty salads to salmon and chicken dinners, all ready on the quick.
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Instant Pot Spicy Black Bean Soup (Vegan)

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Dry black beans, garlic, yellow bell peppers, and Hatch chile peppers hit the Instant Pot with vegetable broth and seasonings. "This recipe works perfectly," says Buckwheat Queen. "It's chock full of flavor."

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Instant Pot® Keto Chicken and Kale Stew

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"Try this quick, easy, and incredibly tender chicken stew cooked with diced tomatoes,' says Fioa. "I added chopped kale for extra green power! Serve over cauliflower rice for a complete and perfect keto meal."

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Instant Pot® Warm Vegetarian Farro Salad with Cauliflower, Pistachios and Cranberries

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Farro, cauliflower, cranberries, and pistachios combine in this healthy grain salad. "This warm vegetarian farro salad is gourmet, simple and tasty, all in one dish," says Fioa.

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Instant Pot® Frozen Salmon

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This simple steamed salmon goes from frozen to finished in a flash! "Salmon doesn't get much easier than this," says thedailygourmet. "This turned out so moist and I like how it can be seasoned to individual preference."

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Instant Pot® Red Thai Curry Chicken

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"Thai red curry chicken is a quick and delicious soup with chicken, onions, and bell peppers," says Jessica DiPonziano. "Enjoy hot with jasmine rice. If you like, add Thai basil leaves."

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Instant Pot® Turkey Chili

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Lots of healthy stuff in this chili -- ground turkey, jalapeno pepper, fire-roasted diced tomatoes, kidney beans, tomato sauce, unsweetened cocoa powder, cinnamon, chipotle pepper, adobo sauce, and seasonings. "It doesn't get easier than this!" says France C. "Brown some meat, then toss in the rest of the ingredients and hit start! The cocoa powder and cinnamon really transform the dish!"

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Vegan African Peanut Stew in the Instant Pot®

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Sweet potatoes, crushed tomatoes, collard greens, red bell peppers, peanut butter, a little minced ginger root, and garlic. "One of my go-to favorites; hubby would eat it weekly, and he's not vegan," says Dea. "Serve with cilantro and chopped peanuts."

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Instant Pot® Chicken Posole Verde

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You'll make a quick salsa verde with tomatillos, poblano pepper, jalapeno pepper, cilantro, lime juice, and garlic. Add the salsa to the Instant Pot along with sauteed chicken, seasonings, hominy, and chicken broth, and set the timer for 20 minutes. Garnish this flavorful soup with avocado slices, lime wedges, sliced radishes, and jalapeno slices. "This was really good," says GANDWISH. "I do recommend actually chopping the tomatillos prior to putting them in the blender — it will work better that way! It had great flavor but not too spicy."

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Instant Pot® Steel-Cut Oats

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"Steel-cut oats and the Instant Pot are two of my favorite 'discoveries' from the last 10 years," says MoMosGoGo. "Top with ground flax seed, hemp seed, cinnamon, fruit, honey, syrup, vanilla extract, nut butter, etc."

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Instant Pot® Vegan Bulgogi

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Cooking mushrooms helps unlock nutrients, including properties thought to be beneficial to the immune system. Here mixed marinated mushrooms cook in an Instant Pot with Asian pear, sesame oil, tamari, and aromatics in this savory vegan version of Korean bulgogi.

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Instant Pot Vegan Vegetable and Barley Soup

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"Barley, zucchinis, carrots, tomatoes, and corn combine to make this hearty, versatile, filling vegan soup that is just so easy to make in your Instant Pot®," says Fioa.

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Instant Pot® Vegan 15-Bean Soup

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Ten minutes to prep, and 45 minutes to cook. If you like, add some chopped spinach or other greens at the very end. "This vegan version of the traditional 15-bean soup is the perfect comfort food," says Fioa. "Hearty and rich, this tasty soup is so easy to make in your Instant Pot®."

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Instant Pot® Vegan Tex-Mex Bowls

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"Dried beans, rice, and homemade salsa cook together and are served over lettuce then topped with avocado and vegan Cheddar for your taco Tuesday," says Buckwheat Queen. "A complete meal using from-scratch ingredients, this recipe does not add any salt; it doesn't need it. You can cook the beans the night before if you prefer."

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Instant Pot Vegan Cabbage Detox Soup

Fioa
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This vegan soup isn't just for detoxing. With cabbage, vegetable broth, diced tomatoes, carrots, celery, onion, garlic, apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, and sage, it's "simple and very tasty," says Hil. "I was surprised the vinegar was not too strong, but it really wasn't. Makes a wonderful, light meal."

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Instant Pot® Khichdi

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"Two types of legumes, brown basmati rice, and goda masala are cooked in an Instant Pot® for a traditionally flavored Indian classic," says Buckwheat Queen. "Goda masala is a coconut-based seasoning, which gives this dish a fragrant and tasty edge. Khichdi is easy to digest, so it is nice for detox or when you want something light. Leftovers warm up nicely with a touch of water. This is a simple recipe; some cooks like to add vegetables to the saute."

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Instant Pot® Buckwheat Minestra

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"This is a vegan soup that I make at least 3 times a month," says Buckwheat Queen. "We love it that much. It makes a large quantity. I usually freeze half. During fall and winter, I use pumpkin or butternut squash. In the summer, I use green zucchini. I add lots of flavorful ingredients, so we never add salt."

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Instant Pot® Brown Rice

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"I haven't cooked rice on the stove since buying my electric pressure cooker!" says LauraF. "It's so easy and you can vary it up however you like; add spices or seasonings before cooking or fold in nuts and dried fruit after cooking."

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Dry Red Beans in the Instant Pot®

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"I don't buy canned beans anymore," says LauraF. "I use my pressure cooker to cook them from dry every time. I don't even have to think about soaking them ahead of time, since that's not needed. If you do decide to soak, check your appliance manual because cooking time will be shorter." Cooked beans freeze well! Pour cooled beans into an airtight container with some of the cooking liquid. Leave room at the top for expansion; cover with the lid and freeze. Or pour into a heavy-duty zip-top bag with some of the cooking liquid. Seal and place on a plate to freeze flat. Once frozen, the flat bags are easier to store.

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