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A year ago my wife bought an instant pot and it has been a total game changer for our meal prepping.
We still love using our crockpot to meal prep, but honestly, meal prepping with an instant pot might be better. They work faster, are easier to clean, and you don’t have to plan ahead nearly as much.
We wanted to share our favorite instant pot meal prep recipes so that you can save time, money, and eat healthy!
If you’re new to meal planning, be sure to check out our ultimate beginner’s guide to meal prepping and these meal planning apps.
Want to pick up our favorite meal prep containers for keeping food fresh?
This is the Utopia kitchen glass container set. These are microwave safe, oven safe, freezer safe, and dishwasher safe. Whip up your favorite meal prep and store them in these long-lasting containers!
42 Instant Pot Meal Prep Recipes
Meal prepping with an instant pot is one of the best ways to cook a bunch of food at once! We’ve got some great recipes for you today that you can use for your next instant pot meal prep. If you aren’t sure if an instant pot is for you, check out our guide on instant pot vs. air fryer.
If you want some more easy meal prep ideas, check out our list of one pot meals and sheet pan dinners. Once you’re done cooking, make sure you clean your instant pot the right way!
If you’re new to using an Instant Pot, don’t feel overwhelmed! These recipes make it easy.
Plus read these tips on how to use it:
How The Timer On An Instant Pot Works
How To Fix The Dreaded C6L Error On Your Instant Pot
Instant Pot Vegetarian Recipes
Instead of letting your veggies go to waste, turn them into delicious vegetarian meal-prep recipes. Check out these healthy instant pot meal prep recipes that I collected from my favorite food blogs!
1. Instant Pot Spinach Mushroom Pasta
The hardest and the most time-consuming thing that you’ll have to do in preparing this delicious pasta dish is chopping. Everything else will be done in about 15 minutes. Use fresh mushrooms and spinach to get the best flavor while you’re adding all those nutrients.
2. Instant Pot Sweet Potato, Lentil, and Chickpea Soup
This one-pot recipe is packed with healthy carbs from sweet potato, lentils and chickpeas, and is the perfect meal if you’ve been sweating it out in the gym. Check it out – it’s vegan, gluten free, and is a great Sunday meal prep. This is a great post-workout dish that’s quick and delicious.
3. Instant Pot Creamy Vegan Corn Chowder
Love chowders but avoiding dairy? Try this delicious vegan chowder that demands nothing but the most humble ingredients in your pantry. You can use almond or oat milk to achieve the same creamy texture you’d expect from a chowder, and you won’t miss the heavy cream.
4. Instant Pot White Bean Soup
This white bean soup takes you into a state of comfort all while packed with healthy, nutritious ingredients making it the perfect soup for any meal or snack. Not to mention this soup is vegan, gluten free, low in sodium and it also freezes very nicely.
5. Low-Carb, Keto Broccoli Cheese Soup
Vegetarian recipes that are also keto-friendly are hard to come by, but not impossible to find. This creamy broccoli cheese soup recipe is an instant pot meal prep recipe that is warm and satisfying. To make this dish completely vegetarian, just replace the chicken broth in the recipe with any vegetable stock.
6. Creamy Instant Pot Mac and Cheese
Mac and cheese is a classic favorite for kids and adults alike. You have to try this double-cheese recipe that calls for Sriracha! Use vegetable stock in the recipe to fix yourself some vegetarian macaroni and cheese. It’s easy to make, and it’s absolutely delicious.
7. Spicy Instant Pot Cilantro Lime Rice with Black Beans and Corn
Go gluten-free with this delicious one-pot recipe with a Mexican twist. The sweetness of the corn, along with the freshness of the cilantro and rice, is balanced out by the fresh lime juice. This instant pot meal prep recipe is easy to store in containers to meet your meal prep needs for the whole week.
8. Celeriac Soup (Paleo + Whole30)
If you’ve been trying to follow an entirely plant-based Paleo or Whole30 plan but have run out of ideas, here’s one for you. This is a creamy, delicious soup recipe. The hero of the dish is the unique celeriac. It belongs to the celery family and has an edible stem. Don’t miss this comfort food recipe.
9. Carrot Ginger Soup (Vegan, Paleo + Whole30)
This recipe is not only vegan but also a perfect fit for your Whole30 or paleo diet plan. But even the non-vegans and the not-so-diet-conscious people in the house will love it too. It is packed with the punch of ginger and the sweetness of carrots, and it looks oh-so-inviting!
Instant Pot Meal Prep for Beef & Pork
Pork and beef meal prep recipes are easy to get right because these proteins are cooked in their own juices, making them extra tender. Pair with your favorite quick veggies or choose a one pot option, and you can easily meal prep a week’s worth of meals. Take a look at my favorite instant pot recipes prepared with beef and pork.
Most of these are cheap recipes, but if you want to splurge a little bit, here is an awesome ribeye steak recipe and for more instant pot recipes go to the site One Pot Dish Recipes.
10. Instant Pot Pressure Cooker Pulled Pork
Repeat after me, “Meal prep does not have to be boring.” Here’s an instant pot meal prep recipe that has you thinking you’re at your favorite barbecue joint. Put this in between burger buns or serve with some low carb tortilla chips,and your lunch is served!
11. Meal Prep Maple Mustard Instant Pot Pork Tenderloin
The sweetness of maple syrup, the punch of dijon mustard, and the comfort of baby carrots all teamed with flavorsome tenderloin: how delicious does that sound? It’s comfort food that’s good enough for date-night. Throw the ingredients in the instant pot, and you will have one of the easiest meal prep recipes.
12. Beanless Instant Pot Chili
Traditional Texas chili never calls for beans. Following this advice, this chili is a great low-carb dinner option. Top with your favorite toppings, such as greek yogurt, green onions, cheddar cheese or avocado. It’s an instant pot meal prep recipe that you will love to make and take with you to work or dig into at the end of a busy day.
13. Instant Pot Beef Stroganoff
Beef stroganoff is another comfort food that’s great to come home to, and with a little prep in advance, you’ll have it ready to go. Plus, with your instant pot, it will be ready with very little effort. It’s sure to become one of your all-time favorite meal prep recipes.
14. Meal Prep Carnitas Burrito Bowl
Add a touch of color, crunch and flavor to your meal prep regime with this delicious burrito bowl recipe. It is freezer-friendly, so you can stash it away and have it later. The recipe calls for a batch of pork carnitas; you can use leftover carnitas for the preparation, or make a fresh batch in your instant pot. It’s a complete meal that’s also gluten-free!
15. One Pot Vietnamese Beef Stew
One-pot recipes are a blessing during a busy work week, and this Vietnamese beef stew is perfect proof of that. The recipe calls for the use of some delicious aromatics that are commonly used in oriental cooking, like kaffir lime leaves and star anise. These strike a beautiful balance as they cut the richness of the beef. You can always sub lime zest for the kaffir lime leaves and get a similar result!
16. Instant Pot Cajun Rice and Sausage
No one does one-pot rice recipes better than the people of Louisiana. So take a leaf out of their page and add this traditional dish to your meal prep recipe list. This cajun rice with sausage is full of bold flavors. The key here is the cajun spice mix, which you can make yourself or buy at the store. Either way, the recipe will turn out great.
17. Irish Beef Stew
Most people get intimidated by the list of ingredients needed in Irish Beef stew, but when you’re cooking it in the instant pot, it is as good as throwing everything in and forgetting all about it. You’ll be done in 5-6 steps, after which you can relax, while the stew prepares itself.
18. Easy Instant Pot Pressure Cooker Spinach Lasagna
Cooking lasagna in an instant pot may sound like a purist’s nightmare, but when you’re meal-prepping, you can improvise without compromising on taste. You cannot go wrong with wine and four kinds of cheese, and the spinach ups the health factor.
19. Instant Pot Pot Roast
Pot roast – the name says it all! With the delicious goodness of beef, vegetables and aromatics, you get so much out of a single dish. This is a super easy instant pot meal prep recipe you have to try when you’re feeling too busy to cook.
20. Instant Pot Keto Zuppa Toscana
This Zuppa Toscana or Tuscan soup is the best way to finally try kale, and as a bonus, its keto! This creamy soup with bacon and sausage will get a much-needed balance with all the greens. It’s also perfect for low-carb eaters. Soup is always one of my meal prep favorites, since it’s a cinch to reheat.
21. Pressure Cooker Keto Bo-Ssäm Pork and Noodles
Popular YouTube channels may have given you the impression that Korean cuisine is nothing but Ramen, Kimchi and cheese. But in reality, it uses all kinds of delicate flavors, just like other Asian foods. Try this beautiful Bo-Ssäm, and you’ll discover the beauty of Korean food – in an instant pot!
22. Instant Pot Raspberry Chipotle Pulled Pork
Keto can be challenging because you have to cut down on all things sweet – except for the occasional helping of berries. Why not take advantage of that and try this unique recipe for your instant pot meal prep schedule? This Mexican-style pork preparation can be served with cauliflower rice or as paleo tacos.
Instant Pot Meal Prep Recipes with Chicken & Turkey
Turkey and chicken recipes are the best way to add lean protein to your diet. Here are all my favorite protein-packed instant pot meal prep recipes made with chicken and turkey.
23. Spicy Instant Pot Peanut Noodles
Add a variety of flavors to your life – and your lunch box – with this delectable chicken and noodles recipe. It’s one of those recipes that your heart craves on a cold night; though it’s perfectly understandable if you want to demolish a plateful of this Thai dish at any other time of the year. This instant pot meal prep dish is amazing leftover, cold or hot.
24. Instant Pot Colombian Chicken Potato Soup
Potato soup is all about comfort, and this chicken and potato soup feels like home. It’s a light, dairy-free take on ajiaco, a popular recipe in Columbia. Put everything in an instant pot, and it’s ready in no time! Instant pot meal prep recipes for soup are perfect for stocking up for the whole week.
25. Instant Pot Chicken Tikka Masala
Love Indian food but trying to ditch the takeout? Try whipping up a batch of chicken tikka masala in your instant pot. The key player in this recipe is the spice mix that packs exotic flavors. Visit an Indian spice store in your neighborhood – you won’t regret the trip.
Make a smooth and delicious sauce by using one of the best blenders for Indian food
26. Instant Pot Turkey Chili Recipe
If you’re in the mood to undermine the Texans’ advice about not putting beans in chili, here’s a different recipe you can try. What’s more, it even replaces beef with the lean meat of turkey. It’s full of proteins from both plant and animal sources. A batch of this chili is perfect for your Sunday meal prep.
27. Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken Chili
Buffalo-style chicken is all about spicy and tangy deliciousness. With this instant pot meal prep recipe, you can make something Whole30-friendly with the same flavors. Buffalo sauce is easy to find in stores; just check the label and ensure it doesn’t have anything that throws you off your diet.
28. Instant Pot Tuscan Chicken Stew
Add the flavors of Italy to your weeknight meals with this Tuscan chicken stew that you can stir up in your trusty instant pot. Make sure to use chicken thighs instead of breast pieces in this stew so that you can enjoy tender, juicy protein. A dash of balsamic vinegar at the end will really bring the dish together.
29. Instant Pot Cilantro Lime Chicken
Lime and cilantro together make a combination that adds a burst of freshness to your meal. This instant pot recipe is perfect for a delicious dinner with the family or to pack in your lunchbox. It’s a healthy dish with no sugar, dairy or gluten. If you don’t have ghee, cook it with avocado oil.
30. Instant Pot Honey Balsamic Chicken Meal Prep
This easy instant pot recipe is bursting with flavor. Roast your favorite veggies in the oven while the chicken cooks away in the instant pot, and you have everything you could ask for in one meal. The balance of sweetness and acidity from the honey and balsamic vinegar really keeps you going back for more!
Seafood Instant Pot Recipes
Fresh, delicious and packed with omega 3, seafood can turn any meal into something you and your family will want to dive into. Check out my favorite instant pot meal prep recipes with seafood, especially if you are watching your intake of animal proteins.
31. Instant Pot Jambalaya
This Louisiana rice recipe is a true melting pot, with French, Spanish, Caribbean and American influences. This seafood Jambalaya recipe replaces traditional rice with cauliflower rice to cut out the carbs. While the chicken will add body, you can skip it, too.
32. Instant Pot Sushi Rice (+ Sushi Bowls)
Love poke bowls? Here’s a recipe that deconstructs sushi to give you sushi bowls you can eat throughout the week. This is a great instant pot meal prep recipe that adds variety to your usual menu. With flavorful elements like edamame and nori, paired with fresh seafood, you will look forward to your meals!
33. Instant Pot Shrimp Fried Rice
At the end of a rough day, when you’re craving your favorite takeout fried rice, you’ll be glad you prepped this dish in advance. This shrimp fried rice recipe only takes a little time to make, and it is tasty reheated, even from frozen.
34. Pressure Cooker Crustless Crab Quiche
Are you tired of soups and rice? Then, check out this easy quiche recipe with crab. You don’t really need to get a whole crab and do all the hard work of deshelling it. Crabmeat and its imitations are readily available in the seafood section of most supermarkets. This is a simple yet exciting instant pot recipe!
35. Salmon & Veggies With Lemon Butter Sauce
Seafood, lemon and butter… Take any two out of the three, and you will have an incredibly delicious flavor combo. Now, imagine the level of deliciousness when you put all three of them together! This instant pot meal prep recipe, cooked with your favorite veggies, is the perfect addition to your weekly meals.
36. Instant Pot Lemon Shrimp Risotto With Vegetables and Parmesan
Lemon and seafood make the perfect combination. When you add this classic combo to the starchy, creamy risotto, it’s comfort food meets delicacy at a five star restaurant that you’ll really love. Don’t forget to top it off with a generous amount of freshly grated parmesan cheese!
Instant Pot Breakfast Ideas
Meal-prepping for breakfast can allow you to reserve your mornings for coffee, deep breaths and prepping for your day ahead. So take a look at these amazing instant pot breakfast meal prep recipes to take the stress out of your morning.
37. Superfood Instant Pot Oatmeal in a Jar
This vegan oatmeal breakfast meal has berries, fruits, nuts and plant-based milk. Make it in your instant pot and divide it into mason jars for a perfect, creamy, nutritious breakfast-to-go on a morning no matter your mood.
38. Healing AIP Breakfast Porridge
Looking for an AIP-approved breakfast option? Check out this porridge. Besides the fact that it is a wholesome option, this instant pot meal prep recipe is made with healthy fruits and vegetables. The sweetness of the fruit toppings, suspended in the cinnamony, salty, coconut base, is definitely delicious.
39. Quinoa Berry Breakfast Bowl
Most people are taken by surprise when I tell them that quinoa can be paired with fruit, maple syrup and all things sweet. If you aren’t yet convinced, try this quinoa berry breakfast bowl in the instant pot. Make sure to whip up an entire batch to have all week. Don’t forget the cinnamon, and try a dash of pumpkin pie spice if you’re in a fall mood.
40. Best Ever Instant Pot Breakfast Casserole
If you’re looking for a savory option then take the bacon and eggs to the next level and make a pot of delicious breakfast casserole topped with cheddar cheese. It will fill your belly till the lunch hour; no more loud growls in the empty belly in the middle of the important presentation or meeting!
41. Savory Instant Pot Breakfast Quinoa
Start the day with a punch of fiber, iron, protein and good fats, all guaranteed to keep you full longer. Just fix a large batch of this egg-and-quinoa delight for the family in your instant pot, and your breakfast meal prep will be done for the week. Add any of your favorite greens, from spinach to kale and you’re getting in all the extra nutrients you’ll need.
42. Instant Pot Breakfast Burritos
Burritos in an instant pot? Turns out, it’s possible! Burritos are truly versatile; you can stuff them with anything you want, from ham to spinach. Keep them stashed and devour one on your way to work. Here’s an instant pot breakfast burrito recipe that can double as a quick lunch, too!
Final Thoughts: Meal Prepping with an Instant Pot
These instant pot meal prep recipes are cheap and easy to make. Throw in a few ingredients into your instant pot, and you’ll be set for the week. These are easy to reheat and serve and are all packed with nutrients and flavors. What more could you need?
Richmond Howard started Meal Prepify in 2019 and has helped over a million people learn how to meal prep, get better at meal planning, and create a kitchen they love to use. He’s an avid home chef and loves to bbq, grill out, and make awesome food for family and friends. He’s been featured on MSN, Renaissance Periodization, and Good Financial Cents.