21 Easy, Stress-Free Instant Pot Recipes For Spring (2024)

Think beyond hearty soups and stews.

Hannah LoewentheilPublished on April 25, 2019
21 Easy, Stress-Free Instant Pot Recipes For Spring (2)

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You've probably been using your Instant Pot all winter long, but just because the temperatures are rising doesn't mean it's time to put this handy appliance away. Here are a bunch of lightened-up Instant Pot recipes for spring time.

Eating Instantly / Via eatinginstantly.com

Spring peas and asparagus meet creamy, rich risotto....but without any pesky stove stop stirring necessary. Get the recipe here.

Boulder Locavore / Via boulderlocavore.com

Even if you can't swing a trip to NOLA this weekend, you can whip up this homemade jambalaya in under an hour. Just cook the shrimp, brown the sausage, and sauté the vegetables, then toss everything into the Instant Pot and wait. Get the recipe here.

Crayons and Cravings / Via crayonsandcravings.com

Use your Instant Pot to cook the pasta and you won't even have to boil water to whip up this fancy-tasting meal. Get the recipe here.

Savory Tooth / Via savorytooth.com

Tossed in a dry seasoning of paprika, garlic powder, and cumin, this pulled pork is super tender and so flavorful. Serve it in sliders, tacos, or even on top of rice. Get the recipe here.

Half Baked Harvest / Via halfbakedharvest.com

You literally won't believe you can make this sticky, sweet-and-savory Korean chicken in twenty minutes. After all, you'd be waiting for your delivery food for longer than that. Get the recipe here.

7. White Bean Chicken Chili

21 Easy, Stress-Free Instant Pot Recipes For Spring (3)

A Saucy Kitchen / Via asaucykitchen.com

The birds are chirping and the sun is out, which means we're well past hearty beef chilli season. This lighter white chicken version is the perfect seasonal replacement. Get the recipe here.

Winter might be over, but there are still plenty of chilly spring nights that call for chicken soup. Plus, we all know tortellini is the best kind of noodle. Get the recipe here.

I Wash You Dry / Via iwashyoudry.com

Not only does cooking carnitas in the oven take a long time, but its fairly intensive. To prepare this Instant Pot version, just sear the pork on all sides, add a handful of spices, and let them cook for about 80 minutes. Get the recipe here.

Eating Instantly / Via eatinginstantly.com

What does it take to turn a bowl of quinoa, chicken, and vegetables from meh to wow? Garlic, Dijon mustard, and a bit of honey go a long way. Get the recipe here.

11. Panang Curry

21 Easy, Stress-Free Instant Pot Recipes For Spring (4)

Paint The Kitchen Red / Via paintthekitchenred.com

Made with coconut milk, Panang curry paste, chicken, and Asian vegetables, this creamy curry will quickly become your new weeknight standby dinner. Get the recipe here.

12. Cuban Black Beans

21 Easy, Stress-Free Instant Pot Recipes For Spring (5)

The Natural Nurterer / Via thenaturalnurturer.com

Turn this flavorful, Mexican bean and vegetable medley into a satisfying meatless meal by serving it in quesadillas, tacos, or burrito bowls. Get the recipe here.

Savory Tooth / Via savorytooth.com

Are you afraid of cooking fish at home? Here's the solution. Season your salmon fillets with salt and pepper, set your Instant Pot to five minutes, and prepare to chow down. Get the recipe here.

14. Italian Wedding Soup

21 Easy, Stress-Free Instant Pot Recipes For Spring (6)

Go Go Gourmet / Via gogogogourmet.com

Pro tip: Save time and money on this cozy soup by starting out with frozen co*cktail meatballs. Get the recipe here.

Kitchen At Hoskins / Via kitchenathoskins.com

You can make this fried rice with whatever kind of grains you like best from quinoa to brown rice. We love making a big batch on Sunday night and eating the leftovers throughout the week. Get the recipe here.

16. Chili Garlic Noodles

21 Easy, Stress-Free Instant Pot Recipes For Spring (7)

Pinch of Yum / Via pinchofyum.com

Toss all of the ingredients into your Instant Pot and wait for dinner to cook itself. You can also add protein like shrimp, chicken, or beef. Get the recipe here.

Le Creme de la Crumb / Via lecremedelacrumb.com

You can season the chicken and potatoes in your favorite herbs and spices, then cook them at the same time. In just minutes your main course and side dish will be ready to eat. Get the recipe here.

Number 2 Pencil / Via number-2-pencil.com

Loaded with chicken, rice, black beans, tomatoes, and spices, this protein-packed meal will leave you feeling happily full. You can always substitute quinoa for the rice, and if you want to keep dinner meatless, just leave out the chicken all together. Get the recipe here.

A Spicy Perspective / Via aspicyperspective.com

You'll want to eat this spicy, creamy sauce made with mayonnaise, Thai sweet chili sauce, lime juice, and Sriracha on just about everything. Get the recipe here.

Eazy Peazy Mealz / Via eazypeazymealz.com

Cooking lasagna in the oven can be time consuming, but this Instant Pot version gives you perfectly cooked, cheesy lasagna in under an hour. Get the recipe here.

21. Chicken Pho With Rice Noodles

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Little Spice Jar / Via littlespicejar.com

If you're looking for a seriously impressive recipe that's actually doable, this homemade from-scratch chicken pho is for you. It gets tons of flavor from a spice mixture of star anise, cloves, cinnamon, black peppercorns, and cardamom. Get the recipe here.

For more Instant Pot recipes and hacks, check out these posts:

14 Instant Pot Tips For Beginners

16 Instant Pot Recipes You Can Make With Just Five Ingredients

21 Easy Instant Pot Recipes That’ll Basically Cook Themselves

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    21 Easy, Stress-Free Instant Pot Recipes For Spring (2024)

    FAQs

    What foods should not be cooked in an Instant Pot? ›

    In fact, there are a handful of foods that just shouldn't be pressure-cooked. Among them are dairy and fried foods, as well as burgers and steaks.

    Is there anything you can't cook in an Instant Pot? ›

    In general, seafood such as fish, oysters, shrimp, muscles and clams are just too delicate for pressure cooking and slow cooking modes. They are foods that are meant to be cooked quickly at just the right temperature, which is hard to do with an Instant Pot.

    What liquids are best for Instant Pot? ›

    Just as I recommend swapping out the water in a cornstarch slurry for something with a bit more oomph, you can replace the water in Instant Pot recipes with broth (or Better Than Bouillon, which has more flavor than true broth), soy sauce, fish sauce, wine, beer, or juice. (Do not add spirits; the fumes may ignite.)

    Can you make everything in an Instant Pot? ›

    In general, Instant Pots do so much more than just pressure cooking and can be used as a rice cooker, slow cooker, steamer yogurt maker, sauté pan, and a meal warmer.

    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.

    What happens to milk in pressure cooker? ›

    If there's one food group you should avoid in the Instant Pot, it's dairy. The high heat and pressure can cause milk and cheese to curdle, separate or clump together.

    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.

    Is Instapot worth it? ›

    Yes, the Instant Pot is widely considered an effective and versatile pressure cooker. Many users find it worth the price due to its convenience, time-saving features, and ability to perform various cooking functions in one appliance.

    Do Instapots make meat tender? ›

    The pressure cooker can tenderize the most stubborn cut of meat and turn tough chewy fibers into gelatin, but a few wrong moves can turn meat into a shriveled tasteless lump. Here are my do's and don'ts for getting the most flavor out of your pressure cooked meat. DO brown or broil it.

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