Food and Recipes Recipes Our Favorite Instant Pot Recipes of All Time By Zoe Denenberg Zoe Denenberg As a professional baker, Zoe Denenberg has spent the past two years traveling across the country—from Alabama to Hawai'i—working in farm-focused pastry kitchens. She has written about food, travel, and culture for Southern Living since 2019. See more of Zoe's work at https://zoedenenberg.wixsite.com/portfolio and follow her on Instagram. Southern Living's editorial guidelines Updated on July 18, 2022 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Photo: Caitlin Bensel; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis; Food Styling: Rishon Hanners Over the years, we've learned plenty of Instant Pot hacks, confirming our suspicions that Instant Pots are much more versatile than one may expect. The Instant Pot has become integral in whipping up a variety of our favorite recipes, from quick sautés to slow-cooked stews. The major take-away? Instant Pot cooking is quick, easy, and will convince your guests that you've got some serious kitchen chops. This popular pressure cooker is an ideal device for novice cooks who are just entering dinner party territory or busy parents looking to make a praise-worthy dinner in a matter of minutes. Most of these recipes will be ready in under an hour thanks to this trusty kitchen tool. We've collected a few of our favorite Instant Pot recipes that'll help you enhance your Instant Pot skills. From Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup that tastes just as good as Nana's to a stunning Instant Pot Pork Tenderloin worthy of a prime spot on the dinner party spread, these recipes will carry you from weeknights to special occasions with ease. These no-fuss recipes result in such delicious, multi-faceted dishes, they'll even convince Mama to hop on the bandwagon and add this new appliance to her Christmas wish list. After the cooking is done, just be sure to give your Instant Pot a good clean. 01 of 41 Instant Pot Chicken Thighs Jennifer Causey Recipe: Instant Pot Chicken Thighs Take one-pan cooking to a new level with this Instant Pot Chicken Thighs recipe. Succulent chicken thighs and a quick, bright sauce come together in a snap—all in your Instant Pot. 02 of 41 Instant Pot Ribs Antonis Achilleos; Prop Stylist: Audrey Davis; Food Stylist: Karen Schroeder-Rankin Recipe: Instant Pot Ribs Looking for fall-off-the-bone, rich, and tender baby back ribs? Look no further than this simple Instant Pot recipe. 03 of 41 Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup Victor Protasio; Food Stylist: Rishon Hanners; Prop Stylist: Sarah Elizabeth Cleveland Recipe: Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup Once you've tried out this recipe, you'll be whipping up a batch of this soulful Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup every week. 04 of 41 Instant Pot Meatloaf Alison Miksch; Prop Styling: Sarah Elizabeth Cleveland; Food Styling: Melissa Gray Recipe: Instant Pot Meatloaf Southerners know it's best not to mess with Mama's meatloaf, but we have to say, this recipe provides an exception to that rule. It doesn't get much easier than this. 05 of 41 Instant Pot Crack Chicken Caitlin Bensel; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis; Food Styling: Rishon Hanners Recipe: Instant Pot Crack Chicken Bring new life to boneless, skinless chicken breasts with this simple, extra-Southern recipe. Serve addictive Crack Chicken on toasted hot dog buns or, for a healthier twist, package it in lettuce cups. 06 of 41 Instant Pot Mississippi Roast Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Kathleen Varner; Food Styling: Maggie Ruggiero Recipe: Instant Pot Mississippi Roast The secret ingredient to this flavor-packed roast? Ranch seasoning. Supremely elegant Mississippi Roast will impress all your dinner party guests, and the leftovers will be just as good for dinner tomorrow night. 07 of 41 Instant Pot Beef and Barley Soup Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Cindy Barr; Food Styling: Tina Bell Stamos Recipe: Instant Pot Beef and Barley Soup Talk about instant comfort. This hearty Beef and Barley Soup will be a new fall dinnertime staple. 08 of 41 Instant Pot Hard Boiled Eggs Antonis Achilleos Recipe: Instant Pot Hard Boiled Eggs We've found the hands-down best (and also easiest) technique to make hard boiled eggs. Hint hint: It involves a bit of help from your Instant Pot. 09 of 41 Instant Pot Pork Tenderloin Caitlin Bensel; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis; Food Styling: Rishon Hanners Recipe: Instant Pot Pork Tenderloin This bright, citrusy pork tenderloin will impress all the neighbors at your next dinner party. It's fancy enough to serve at a holiday feast—but nobody will suspect just how simple it actually is. 10 of 41 Instant Pot Vegetable Soup Alison Miksch; Prop Styling: Sarah Elizabeth Cleveland; Food Styling: Melissa Gray Recipe: Instant Pot Vegetable Soup Packed full of hearty veggies and fresh herbs, this vegetable soup will be a new family favorite. 11 of 41 Instant Pot Double Chocolate Cheesecake Southern Living Recipe: Instant Pot Double Chocolate Cheesecake Dessert in your Instant Pot? A stunning Double Chocolate Cheesecake, no less? Sign us up. 12 of 41 Instant Pot Chicken Wings Alison Miksch; Prop Styling: Sarah Elizabeth Cleveland; Food Styling: Melissa Gray Recipe: Instant Pot Chicken Wings Looking for something simple, but homemade to serve for gameday? These Instant Pot Chicken Wings will be crowd favorites. 13 of 41 Instant Pot Potato Soup Caitlin Bensel; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis; Food Styling: Rishon Hanners Recipe: Instant Pot Potato Soup Rich, creamy, and supremely satisfying, this Instant Pot Potato Soup exudes comfort. Garnish with all your favorite baked potato toppings. 14 of 41 Instant Pot Meatballs Photography: Caitlin Bensel, Prop Styling: Audrey Davis, Food Styling: Rishon Hanners Recipe: Instant Pot Meatballs Cocktail meatballs are a staple in all of our party spreads, and thanks to the Instant Pot, they just got a whole lot easier. 15 of 41 Instant Pot Black-eyed Pea Soup Alison Miksch; Prop Styling: Sarah Elizabeth Cleveland; Food Styling: Melissa Gray Recipe: Instant Pot Black-eyed Pea Soup Set yourself up for success and cook up this fresh, healthy soup for dinner. Rumor has it that black-eyed peas and greens bring luck and prosperity. 16 of 41 Pressure-Cooker Beef-and-Bean Chili Jennifer Causey; Prop Styling: Ginny Branch Stelling; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall Recipe: Pressure-Cooker Beef-and-Bean Chili We've tried our fair share of chilis, but this beef-and-bean number may just take the cake. 17 of 41 Instant Pot Lemon Chicken Photographer: Jennifer Causey, Food stylist: Margaret Monroe Dickey Recipe: Instant Pot Lemon Chicken This bright, healthy supper is easy enough for a weeknight but pretty enough for when Mama comes over for dinner. 18 of 41 Instant Pot Potato Salad Photography and Styling: Karen Rankin Recipe: Instant Pot Potato Salad We upgraded this classic Southern side dish with the ease of your Instant Pot. 19 of 41 Instant Pot Egg Bites Photography: Caitlin Bensel, Food Styling: Margaret Dickey, Prop Styling: Kay E Clarke Recipe: Instant Pot Egg Bites This low-carb breakfast is the perfect grab-and-go option for busy weekday mornings. 20 of 41 Instant Pot Corn On The Cob Photography: Caitlin Bensel, Food Styling: Margaret Dickey, Prop Styling: Kay E Clarke Recipe: Instant Pot Corn On The Cob Sweet summer corn can be enjoyed countless ways, and this quick-fix recipe is our new favorite. 21 of 41 Instant Pot Fried Chicken Photography: Caitlin Bensel, Prop Styling: Audrey Davis, Food Styling: Rishon Hanners Recipe: Instant Pot Fried Chicken This new way to make fried chicken is actually gluten-free and lighter than the old-school version. 22 of 41 Instant Pot Country-Style Ribs Caitlin Bensel; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis; Food Styling: Rishon Hanners Recipe: Instant Pot Country-Style Ribs Even though the Instant Pot speeds up the actual cooking time for these country-style ribs, be sure to season them the night before for the best flavor. 23 of 41 Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup Southern Living Recipe: Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup This dinnertime favorite has tons of flavor, and crispy tortilla strips on top add just the right amount of texture. 24 of 41 Instant Pot Red Beans and Rice Antonis Achilleos; Prop Stylist: Kay E. Clarke; Food Stylist: Margaret Monroe Dickey Recipe: Instant Pot Red Beans and Rice With the help of your Instant Pot, anyone can cook up this classic, Louisiana Creole dish. 25 of 41 Instant Pot Chicken Cacciatore Photographer: Jennifer Causey Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall Prop Stylist: Claire Spollen Recipe: Instant Pot Chicken Cacciatore This hearty dish is absolutely decadent when you're craving pasta. 26 of 41 Instant Pot Soft-Boiled Eggs Caitlin Bensel; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis; Food Styling: Rishon Hanners Recipe: Instant Pot Soft-Boiled Eggs The Instant Pot makes getting perfectly jammy, soft-boiled eggs easy. 27 of 41 Instant Pot Rabbit Stew Caitlin Bensel; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis; Food Styling: Rishon Hanners Recipe: Instant Pot Rabbit Stew Our Test Kitchen professionals couldn't stop raving about how perfectly tender the meat in this stew is after cooking in the Instant Pot. 28 of 41 Instant Pot Jambalaya Photographer: Jennifer Causey Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall Prop Stylist: Heather Chadduck Hillegas Recipe: Instant Pot Jambalaya This signature Southern dish has never been easier thanks to the Instant Pot. 29 of 41 Instant Pot BBQ Chicken Photographer: Antonis Achilleos, Prop Stylist: Kay E. Clarke Food Stylist: Margaret Monroe Dickey Recipe: Instant Pot BBQ Chicken This tender, juicy chicken features a homemade barbecue sauce that kids and adults will love. 30 of 41 Instant Pot Cranberry Sauce Photo: Greg Dupree Recipe: Instant Pot Cranberry Sauce Homemade cranberry sauce is coming right up—in just five minutes. It'll take you almost as long to get that temperamental can opener to do its job. Now you tell us which endeavor is better worth the effort. 31 of 41 Instant Pot Mashed Sweet Potatoes Photography: Caitlin Bensel, Food Styling: Rishon Hanners Recipe: Instant Pot Mashed Sweet Potatoes You'll achieve creamy, rich, and flavorful mashed sweet potatoes in a fraction of the time when you call on your trusty Instant Pot to handle the load. To give a dose of unexpected flavor, try cooking the sweet spuds in apple cider rather than water. 32 of 41 Instant Pot Pumpkin Cheesecake Photographer: Greg DuPree, Food Stylist: Emily Neighbors Hall Prop Stylist: Christine Keely Recipe: Instant Pot Pumpkin Cheesecake We're warning you, there will be zero leftovers with this decadent pumpkin dessert. It's just the right size for slicing and serving with a cup of coffee. Cover up any imperfections by dressing the top with a fluffy cloud of whipped cream. Sprinkle with pumpkin pie spice for good measure. 33 of 41 Instant Pot Collard Greens Photographer: Antonis Achilleos, Prop Stylist: Kay E. Clarke Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall Recipe: Instant Pot Collard Greens You no longer have to wait hours for your greens to simmer on the stovetop. 34 of 41 Instant Pot Chicken Pot Pie Photographer: Will Dickey Prop Stylist: Missie Crawford Food Stylist: Erin Merhar Recipe: Instant Pot Chicken Pot Pie This rich chicken and vegetable combination is topped with buttery buttermilk biscuits. 35 of 41 Instant Pot Chili Mac Photography and Styling: Caitlin Bensel Recipe: Instant Pot Chili Mac Chili meets mac-and-cheese in this recipe. Don't worry, it doesn't pack a punch it terms of spice so it's good for the whole family. 36 of 41 Instant Pot White Chicken Chili Photographer: Greg DuPree; Food Stylist: Rishon Hanners; Prop Stylist: Christina Daley Recipe: Instant Pot White Chicken Chili Swap out beef for chicken in this winter chili recipe. Add crunchy tortilla strips on top for a crispy finish. 37 of 41 Instant Pot Vegetable Soup Alison Miksch; Prop Styling: Sarah Elizabeth Cleveland; Food Styling: Melissa Gray Recipe: Instant Pot Vegetable Soup Use a mix of fresh and frozen vegetables in this tried-and-true recipe. 38 of 41 Instant Pot Peach Cobbler Photographer and props: Jennifer Causey Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall Recipe: Instant Pot Peach Cobbler This peach cobbler is every hostess' dream thanks to the ease and quickness of the Instant Pot recipe. 39 of 41 Instant Pot Spaghetti and Meatballs Photography: Caitlin Bensel, Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall Recipe: Instant Pot Spaghetti and Meatballs This spaghetti and meatballs recipe is as good as it gets, and saves us time in the kitchen. 40 of 41 Instant Pot Creamy Root Vegetable Soup Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Rishon Hanners; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis Recipe: Instant Pot Creamy Root Vegetable Soup Carrots, parsnips, and sweet potatoes create the orange glow of this delicious winter soup. 41 of 41 Instant Pot Chicken and Dumplings Caitlin Bensel; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis; Food Styling: Rishon Hanners Recipe: Instant Pot Chicken and Dumplings An extra-comforting meal for cold winter nights, Instant Pot Chicken and Dumplings comes together in just 40 minutes. 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