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10 Never-Fail Instant Pot Family Favorites

Meghan Splawn
Meghan Splawn
Meghan was the Food Editor for Kitchn's Skills content. She's a master of everyday baking, family cooking, and harnessing good light. Meghan approaches food with an eye towards budgeting — both time and money — and having fun. Meghan has a baking and pastry degree, and spent the first 10 years of her career as part of Alton Brown's culinary team. She co-hosts a weekly podcast about food and family called Didn't I Just Feed You.
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published Jan 10, 2023
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Credit: Joe Lingeman

Our Instant Pot has become the best tool for getting family dinners on the table every night of the week. Not only does the electric pressure cooker cook dinner in a flash, but the Instant Pot’s slow cooker function also makes it easy to make big-batch dinners in advance. Here are 10 of my family’s favorite Instant Pot dinner recipes right now!

1. How To Make Instant Pot Spaghetti

You might have read about how much we love this classic-turned-Instant Pot recipe already. If you haven’t, its worth noting that this makes your basic spaghetti and meat sauce easy and luxe with zero extra effort.

Credit: Lauren Volo

2. Pressure Cooker Italian Beef Sandwiches

Don’t sleep on these Italian Beef Sandwiches like I did. Assuming they required too many ingredients, I missed out on these for months. These are the most-requested Instant Pot dinner in my house right now!

Credit: Joe Lingeman

3. Instant Pot Meatloaf and Mashed Potatoes

This hearty dinner is a complete one-pot meal. The potatoes and meatloaf cook together in the Instant Pot in no time flat.

Credit: Kimberley Hasselbrink

4. Pressure-Cooker Hawaiian Kalua Pig

This is the first recipe I send folks when they get a new Instant Pot for family dinners. The recipe itself is so simple, and the leftovers are a gift for building multiple meals. It will also teach you the basics of using your IP.

Credit: Joe Lingeman

5. Instant Pot Macaroni and Cheese

You will never buy boxed mac and cheese again with this recipe. Seriously, it takes less time to make this than it does to boil water.

Credit: Joe Lingeman

6. Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas

We make this slow cooker recipe a lot when we have other people over for dinner. You can slow-cook it in the Instant Pot or shortcut the recipe by using the manual function and cooking for 35 minutes on high.

Credit: Joe Lingeman

7. Instant Pot Baked Ziti

Baked pasta is beloved in our family, but it can take a long time to make and cook. This Instant Pot riff cooks in way less time but has the same textures and flavors.

Credit: Joe Lingeman

8. Instant Pot Weeknight Chicken and Rice Burrito Bowls

This is a one-pot dinner at it’s finest — protein, veggies, and rice all get cooked at the same time in under 20 minutes. Top with cheese and sour cream and dinner is done.

Credit: Joe Lingeman

9. Instant Pot Turkey Chili

Every family needs a good go-to chili recipe. This is ours, and chili tastes even better from the Instant Pot than it does after a long, slow cook on the stove.

Credit: Joe Lingeman

10. How To Make Butter Chicken in the Instant Pot

I’ve often called this butter chicken “starter curry” because it’s mild enough for my spice-averse preschooler and vibrant enough for adults. Serve over rice for a better-than-takeout dinner.

This post was originally published on Kitchn. Read it there: 10 Never-Fail Instant Pot Family Favorites