Yes, I have hundred of free Paleo recipes in my index, but are you looking specifically for Instant Pot recipes? If so, it’s your lucky day, ’cause I have a ton for you to choose from!
After reading Marie Kondo’s The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up and joining the cult of KonMari, I was determined to dump or donate all of my kitchen appliances that no longer spark joy. I happily rounded up the bread machine, toaster, and panini maker that have been languishing in my appliance graveyard (a.k.a. our garage), and dropped them off at Goodwill. From now on, I’m keeping only those kitchen gadgets that I actually use on a regular basis.
Believe it or not, there are only a handful that are making the cut—and even though I don’t like to play favorites, the one appliance that clearly deserves a permanent place on the counter (and in my heart) is my Instant Pot. My excuse is that it’s a 7-in-1 appliance (or 10-in-1 now!), so it’s replacing a bunch of other appliances—but to be honest with you, I pretty much use my Instant Pot only for one thing:
COOKING UNDER PRESSURE.
You’ve heard me say it before: pressure cooking is a gamechanger—especially for home cooks with hectic schedules like mine. When I’m pressed for time but craving foods that usually take forever to prepare (like bone broth, tough cuts of meat, braised winter vegetables), I turn to my pressure cooker. Plus, there’s the added bonus of saving money because I can turn cheaper braising cuts like brisket and shanks into simple weeknight meals. In fact, even when I do have enough time to use a slow cooker, I’ll whip out my Instant Pot ’cause when it’s done cooking, this smart little appliance naturally depressurizes and keeps my food warm until I’m ready to eat. No fuss, no muss!
Although I also own a stovetop pressure cooker, my electric Instant Pot gets the most use. It’s basically foolproof, and I never have to babysit it. Even if it’s sweltering hot, I can quickly whip together a savory stew without heating up my kitchen, which means it’s perfect for year-round cooking.
[One thing to note: The Instant Pot cooks at a slightly lower pressure (11.6 psi) than my stove top pressure cooker (15 psi), but that just means adding a few minutes to the cooking time. My general rule of thumb is to increase cooking times by 7 to 15% when using my Instant Pot for a pressure cooker recipe.]
My three favorite time-saving Instant Pot hacks:
- When our family is about to sit down to dinner, I start cooking another meal—usually a stew—in the Instant Pot. By the time we’re done eating, the stew is finished cooking, which means I can store it in the fridge for later—and do the dishes just once.
- Tired of waiting for bone broth to cook? Throw the ingredients for bone broth into your Instant Pot before heading off to bed. By the time you wake up, you can strain and store the broth for later. Bonus: no stink!
- Before tossing it into your Instant Pot, make sure to cut your meat into uniform pieces to ensure even
cooking. Also, it goes without saying that smaller cubes cook faster than bigger chunks (so I’m totally not going to say it).
Many of my readers have asked that I write an Instant Pot FAQ, but why re-invent the wheel? If you have questions about cooking times, turn to these charts by Hip Pressure Cooking. I also love these fun videos at Pressure Luck!
My favorite Instant Pot models
Looking for a deal on the Instant Pot? I regularly update this Instant Pot Deals page with the latest sales and discounts! (Note that if you buy an Instant Pot through one of my Amazon links, I’ll receive a small commission—but without costing you an extra cent!)
Ready to start pressure cooking? Put on an apron and let’s go!
My favorite Whole30 Instant Pot recipes:
Instant Pot Kalua Pig
Craving Hawaiian kalua pig? You can get it in your belly in just 2 hours using a pressure cooker. TWO HOURS. And I hate to say it, but I think it tastes even better than my slow cooker version. Really.
Instant Pot (Pressure Cooker) Chicken Pho
This bowl of goodness will taste as good or better than the pho at your local Vietnamese noodle joint!
Instant Pot Magic Pork
This simple and Whole30-friendly weeknight Instant Pot Magic Pork has a high flavor to effort ratio! You can make it ahead and freeze the leftover, too!
Instant Pot Mashed Sweet Potatoes
Need a new way to jazz up sweet potatoes? Try this spicy, sweet, and savory Instant Pot Mashed Sweet Potatoes recipe—from start to finish, it can be made in just 30 minutes! Perked up with a dash of cayenne pepper, lime juice, and fresh cilantro, this vegan, Whole30, and paleo mash goes well with everything!
Instant Pot Sausage and Kale Soup
Packed with veggies and protein, this Whole30-friendly, paleo, and low carb soup will be a family favorite on busy weeknights!
Instant Pot Chicken Saag
Chicken Saag is a classic Indian dish featuring tender chicken cooked in a creamy-spicy spinach sauce.
Instant Pot Cheater Pork Stew
This Whole30-compliant Instant Pot pork and cabbage stew is so easy and delicious to make from pantry staples, it almost feels like you’re cheating in the kitchen!
Instant Pot Cooker Crispy Potatoes
Now that potatoes are back on my plate (seriously: they’re even Whole30-compliant, people), this is my favorite and quickest way to cook them!
Instant Pot Cauliflower Colannon
Cauliflower colcannon is a healthy and keto-friendly twist on the traditional Irish dish of mashed potatoes and cooked greens! No one will notice that the potatoes have been replaced with creamy puréed cauliflower—they’ll just scoop up seconds and thirds!
Instant Pot Chinese Beef Stew
Instant Pot Chinese Beef Stew is an easy and flavor-packed stew that combines beef chuck roast, All-Purpose Stir-Fry Sauce, and tender daikon and carrots. If you plan ahead, you can cook this Whole30-friendly beef stew on a busy weeknight or make it ahead to reheat during the week!
Instant Pot Zucchini Bolognese
This simple and quick Whole30-friendly Instant Pot Zucchini Bolognese recipe is a riff on Meghan Markle’s original version, but a whole lot meatier!
Instant Pot Garlic Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes
This Whole30 and keto garlic cauliflower mashed potatoes recipe is nomtastic and super easy to make in the Instant Pot or on the stovetop. No one will suspect that you’re serving low carb mashed cauliflower instead of mashed potatoes!
Instant Pot Meat Sauce
This simplified Sunday Gravy meat sauce is easy to make in an Instant Pot with just a few paleo pantry staples. This Whole30-, paleo-, and keto-friendly meat sauce recipe is a fantastic make-ahead dish, and perfect for serving over vegetable noodles. It’s a healthy and easy “spaghetti and meat sauce” that you can enjoy anytime!
Instant Pot Ground Beef Chili
This budget-friendly weeknight supper feeds a crowd and is Whole30-friendly, too!
Instant Pot (Pressure Cooker) Spicy Pineapple Pork
My Instant Pot (Pressure Cooker) Spicy Pineapple Pork is the homemade version of the same popular Nom Nom Paleo hot bar dish at Whole Foods Market! This Whole30-friendly pork stew is savory, pineapple-y, moderately spicy and so dang easy to make in a pressure cooker!
Instant Pot Butternut Squash Soup
This Instant Pot Butternut Squash Soup is super easy to make, super bacon-y, and Whole30-friendly! Plus, it’s perfect for fall or winter!
Instant Pot Vegetable Soup
Instant Pot Vegetable Soup is one of my favorite Whole30-friendly vegetable side dishes because it’s hands-off, delicious, and healthy. Plus, I clean out the fridge when I make this comforting soup!
Instant Pot Magic Short Ribs
Instant Pot Magic Short Ribs is the easiest way to make fork-tender, Italian-inspired, Whole30-friendly beef short ribs that your whole family will enjoy!
Instant Pot Atakilt Wat (Ethiopian Cabbage Stew)
Atakilt Wat is a tender, aromatic Ethiopian vegetable stew with cabbage, potatoes, and carrots simmered in a delicious sauce flavored with turmeric and cumin. The mild seasoning makes it a perfect side dish to balance the fiery meat dishes that are popular in Ethiopian cuisine.
Instant Pot (Pressure Cooker) Cream of Mushroom Soup
If you’re an umami evangelist like me, you’ll love this recipe for Instant Pot Cream of Mushroom Soup. Grab a few simple ingredients, and you’ll soon have a comforting bowl of soup that’ll make your taste buds sing.
Instant Pot Cowboy Chili
In the mood for a hearty, healthy, Whole30-friendly beef chili recipe packed with cubes of tender chuck roast that you can set and forget in your Instant Pot? Look no further than my Instant Pot Cowboy Chili!
Instant Pot Oxtail Stew
You can pressure cook fork-tender oxtails in your Instant Pot and they taste unbelievable!
Instant Pot Vietnamese Pork Stew
This easy Whole30-friendly Instant Pot Vietnamese Pork Stew is a streamlined version of the classic braised dish, thit ko tàu, caramelized pork belly cooked in coconut water. It’s one of my favorite umami-packed stews that can be made faster and easier in a pressure cooker!
Instant Pot (Pressure Cooker) Orange Duck + Gravy
Instant Pot Orange Duck + Gravy takes just a fraction of the time it would take to roast it in the oven—and best of all, it’s a perfect make-ahead recipe; just crisp up the cooked duck legs and reheat the gravy when you’re ready to serve!
Pressure Cooker Indian Curry Lamb Spare Ribs
If Indian curries are your jam, make these curried ribs today!
Instant Pot Mexican Beef
One of my all-time favorite beef stews!
Pressure Cooker Grass Fed Beef Back Ribs
Got beef back ribs? And a pressure cooker? Then make some tender, finger-lickin’ ribs in no time at all!
Instant Pot Spaghetti Squash
This noodle imposter can be made in a flash in your pressure cooker. I normally make spaghetti squash ahead of time and keep it in my fridge for instant veggie gratification.
Pressure Cooker Porcini and Tomato Beef Short Ribs
Mushrooms + tomatoes + short ribs = umami explosion. If you haven’t tried this recipe, what are you waiting for?
Quick Instant Pot Bone Broth
As soon as anyone in my family complains about feeling under the weather, I grab some frozen bones from the freezer and make a batch of pressure cooker bone broth—pronto. You can, too!
Instant Pot Bo Kho
This flavor-packed Vietnamese beef stew is comfort in a bowl.
Instant Pot Lemongrass + Coconut Chicken
Try this umami-packed Thai-inspired chicken stew tonight! It’ll only take 30 minutes!
Pressure Cooker Thai Beef Stew
So easy and delicious, with a blast of Asian flavors. This one will be a weekday staple!
Instant Pot Lamb Shanks
This recipe is incredibly satisfying and comforting. The tender meat falls right off the bone. And I’m getting hungry just writing about this dish.
Instant Pot Salsa Chicken Tacos
A family favorite for Taco Tuesday—or Wednesday, or Thursday, or Friday…
Pressure Cooker Summer Italian Chicken
This is a quick blast of summer, with tender chicken, juicy cherry tomatoes, fragrant fresh herbs, and buttery, briny green olives.
Instant Pot Hard “Boiled” Eggs & Lazy Devils
In 20 minutes from start to finish, you’ll get a batch of perfectly cooked and easily peeled eggs!
Instant Pot Curried Cream of Broccoli Soup
My favorite way to cook soup in a pressure cooker!
Pork and Napa Cabbage Soup
I’ve added Instant Pot instructions for this umami-packed stovetop recipe!
Pressure Cooker Beef Stew
So easy, tasty, and freezable. Make it now!
Instant Pot (Pressure Cooker) Chicken and Gravy
This slow cooker classic just got a modern pressure cooker update!
Pressure Cooker (Instant Pot) Korean Short Ribs
Behold: Instant Pot Korean Short Ribs! It turns out that my classic recipe for this deeply flavorful, Asian-inspired dish is even easier in an Instant Pot!
Instant Pot (Pressure Cooker) Carnitas
I’ve perfected a porktastic Instant Pot Carnitas recipe that will rival what you’d order at your favorite taqueria!
Instant Pot Beets
When you use a pressure cooker to steam beets in an Instant Pot, you can have fork-tender, finger-staining vegetables in 30 minutes, from start to finish!
Pressure Cooker Braised Kale and Carrots
My kids happily eat this nutrient-packed veggie side dish without any complaints. ’Nuff said.
Instant Pot Yankee Pot Roast
My Instant Pot Yankee Pot Roast is a delicious, Whole30-friendly fall supper! Leftovers freeze well so it’s a perfect meal for busy families!
Pressure Cooker Mocha-Rubbed Pot Roast
My pal Steph Gaudreau is responsible for this fabulous recipe—I just made it quicker to get into your mouth.
Instant Pot Autumn Mash
One of my all-time favorite Thanksgiving side dishes is Roasted Garlic Autumn Root Vegetable Mash. And now, I can make it using my Instant Pot!
Now, GO PRESSURE COOK SOMETHING!
And when you’re done, go check out the hundreds of other Paleo recipes on my blog, too! I’ve updated my Recipe Index to include special Pressure Cooker/Instant Pot and Slow Cooker categories, so remember to bookmark this master list, and check back, ’cause I update it whenever I post a new recipe!
Looking for more recipe ideas? Head on over to my Recipe Index. You’ll also find exclusive recipes on my iPhone and iPad app, and in my cookbooks, Nom Nom Paleo: Food for Humans (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2013) and Ready or Not! (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2017)!
