The Best Instant Pot Recipes for Weeknight Dinners
After years of pressure cooking, here are the recipes that will make your Instant Pot your most-used appliance.
The Instant Pot has revolutionized weeknight cooking. After hundreds of meals made in mine, here are the recipes I return to most often.
Pulled Pork
4-pound pork shoulder, 1 cup broth, 1 onion, garlic, cumin, chili powder. Pressure cook on high for sixty minutes, natural release fifteen minutes. Shred and return to pot with sauce. This makes enough for tacos, sandwiches, and rice bowls throughout the week.
The Instant Pot Duo at ninety dollars handles this perfectly.
Perfect Rice
One cup rice, one cup water, pinch of salt. Pressure cook on high for ten minutes, natural release ten minutes. Fluff with fork. This works for any white rice—jasmine, basmati, long grain. The Instant Pot rice function is more consistent than any rice cooker.
Black Beans
One pound dried black beans, four cups water, one teaspoon salt. Pressure cook on high for thirty minutes. No soaking needed. These are infinitely better than canned and cost a fraction.
Chicken and Dumplings
Chicken breasts, broth, vegetables, and a simple dumpling mixture on top. Pressure cook chicken first, then add vegetables and dumplings. The steam cooks the dumplings perfectly.
Tips for Instant Pot Success
Always use the sauté function to brown meat before pressure cooking—this adds enormous flavor. Don't overfill past two-thirds. Use natural release for meats, quick release for vegetables.
The [Instant Pot Accessories Kit](https://springform pan) includes helpful extras like a steam rack and extra sealing rings.
Related: Read our full Best Instant Pot to Buy in 2026: Top 5 Models Tested & Reviewed for detailed product comparisons and recommendations.