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Home Recipe Round-Ups

15+ Instant Pot Dump-and-Go Recipes

Carla from Thriving Home
By: Carla from Thriving HomePosted: 8/31/24Updated: 10/7/24

This post may contain affiliate or sponsored links. Please read our disclosure policy.

No pre-cooking involved for these delicious Instant Pot dump-and-go recipes. Just dump in the ingredients, press a button, and dinner is (pretty much) done! We’ll also show you how to prep each of these as freezer meals that can go straight from the freezer to the Instant Pot.

My top picks are the Jambalaya, Spaghetti, and the Beef Stew.

collage of various dump and go instant pot recipes. this …


 
Table of Contents
  • What Is a “Dump-and-Go” Recipe?
  • Pros and Cons of Dump-and-Go Meals
  • 15+ Instant Pot Dump-and-Go Recipes
  • FAQs

What Is a “Dump-and-Go” Recipe?

We define it as a meal that requires no cooking techniques on the front end. You simply dump the ingredients in the Instant Pot, pop on the lid, and pressure cook. The same concept applies to our dump-and-go slow cooker recipes.

In its best form, a “dump-and-go” recipe is a lifesaver for busy days!

ingredients dumped into an instant post, including sausage, chicken, broth, and vegetables.

Pros and Cons of Dump-and-Go Meals

The Bad News:

Oftentimes dump-and-go Instant Pot meals can taste… meh. They lack flavor, texture, and oftentimes provide incorrect cooking times and come out dry.

The Good News:

We’ve tested hundreds of Instant Pot recipes over the years and even published our popular cookbook From Freezer to Cooker filled with Instant Pot recipes. We’ve pulled together several of our very best dump and go meals that we know work.

You may have to do a little work on the back end after the meal pressure cooks (i.e. broil for a few minutes, thicken a sauce, shred the meat), but it shouldn’t take long. Pinky swear!

Seasoned chicken thighs being added into an Instant Pot that has sauteed veggies in it.

15+ Instant Pot Dump-and-Go Recipes

Alright, you’ve heard our best tips and tricks regarding dump and go meals. Now it’s time to get pressure cooking! (You can also try our crock pot dump-and-go meals too.)

A platter of honey bourbon chicken served on top of rice with stir-fried veggies.

Instant Pot Honey Bourbon Chicken

A little sweet and a little spicy, this easy chicken recipe is BIG on flavor and takes just minutes to throw in the slow cooker. Stir fry some veggies while it cooks and then serve it all over rice. A reader favorite!  Or you can make Crockpot Honey Bourbon Chicken instead.

Instant Pot Honey Bourbon Chicken
Ladle of Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup held above the Instant Pot with soup

Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup

This dump-and-go Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup couldn’t be easier. With just a few quick steps, this mouth-watering, healthy soup is perfect for any weeknight. The longest part is waiting for the pot to build pressure.

Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup
French dip sandwiches on a tray with a bowl of au jus.

Instant Pot French Dip Sandwiches

Instant Pot French Dip will become your new best sandwich friend on a busy night. Pressure cook your roast to perfection in our flavorful sauce. You’ll end up with fall-apart, shredded beef and an au jus you may just want to drink.

Instant Pot French Dip Sandwiches
Instant Pot spaghetti with meat in bowls with fresh basil on the side.

Instant Pot Spaghetti (With or Without Meat)

Only 3 ingredients make up this whole wheat Instant Pot Spaghetti recipe that your family will love. You’ll have a nutritious dinner done in about 15-20 minutes and will only dirty up one pot! You can make it with our optional meat sauce (delicious!) or no meat at all.

Instant Pot Spaghetti
Shredded Beef Nachos on a pan with toppings ready to be served.

Shredded Beef Nachos

Hello game day meal! With just a few simple ingredients, you can make a batch of flavorful shredded beef in the crockpot or Instant Pot ahead of time. Then, use it on these amazing Shredded Beef Nachos whenever you want.

Shredded Beef Nachos
BBQ chicken sliders lined up on a wooden cutting board.

Instant Pot BBQ Chicken Sliders

With 3 simple steps, you’ll have finger-licking good BBQ Chicken Sliders. The perfectly seasoned, shredded chicken breasts are served on mini buns and topped with BBQ Sauce to make an easy weeknight meal or a scrumptious meal for groups of people.

BBQ Chicken Sliders
Steak chili in a bowl with toppings to the side.

Instant Pot Steak Chili

This easy Instant Pot Steak Chili that’s made with stew meat is hearty, mouthwatering, and deeply flavorful. You’ll cook everything right in the Instant Pot and end up with a delicious meal ready in about an hour.

Instant Pot Steak Chili
Finished Instant Pot vegetarian tortilla soup with lime slices, tortilla chips, and fresh cilantro stems on top ready to be served.

Instant Pot Tortilla Soup

This dump-and-go Instant Pot Tortilla Soup is one of the easiest, healthiest soups you’ll ever make. Almost every ingredient comes straight from your pantry!

Instant Pot Tortilla Soup
Three carnitas tacos on a plate with toppings in bowls in the background.

Instant Pot Crispy Carnitas

Instant Pot Carnitas can be prepped in minutes and yield flavorful, tender pork every time. This recipe will feed a large number of people or make great leftovers. Give it a quick broil for that deliciously desired crisp.

Instant Pot Crispy Carnitas
A bowl of pizza soup with shredded Parmesan on top.

Pizza Soup

Two of our favorite meals–pizza and soup–come together in this gluten-free, dairy-free Pizza Soup recipe to create a meal that’s healthy, filling, and incredibly tasty. It’s absolutely delicious and can be prepped as a freezer meal.

Pizza Soup
Chicken parmesan sliders on a cutting board.

Chicken Parmesan Sliders

This is hands-down one of my favorite kid-friendly meals on a busy night. By far one our easiest weeknight crockpot meals.

Chicken Parmesan Sliders
A spoon scooping mac and cheese out of a pan.

Instant Pot Mac and Cheese

This easy Instant Pot Mac and Cheese recipe takes just 6 main ingredients and 18 minutes from start to finish, dirties only one pot, and tastes creamy and delicious! Plus, it’s made with all real food ingredients (see ya, Kraft).

Instant Pot Mac and Cheese
Jambalaya in a bowl served over rice with slices of crusty bread on the table around it.

Instant Pot Jambalaya

Our 3-step Instant Pot Jambalaya recipe is incredibly flavorful and so easy! Serve this dump-and-go meal over brown rice for a healthy, gluten-free, dairy-free dinner. Freezing instructions included.

Instant Pot Jambalaya
Three shredded beef tacos served on a plate with bowls of lettuce, salsa, and shredded cheese next to it.

Shredded Beef Tacos

With 5 main ingredients, you can have a batch of Shredded Beef Tacos into your crockpot or Instant Pot in minutes. The Mexican shredded beef packs so much flavor and will fall apart after cooking. Say “holá” to a new weeknight favorite in your home!

Shredded Beef Tacos
Pulled Pork sandwich and coleslaw on a plate with a small bowl of homemade BBQ sauce next to it.

Instant Pot Pulled Pork Sandwiches

A pork shoulder is one of the best cuts of meat to slow cook all day. Add in some seasoning and BBQ sauce for a comforting meal for a large group (or be prepared for leftovers). Serve with our 5 Ingredient Coleslaw.

Instant Pot Pulled Pork
Mexican Chicken served in a white bowl with avocado chunks, shredded cheese, and chopped cilantro on top.

Instant Pot Mexican Chicken

This budget-friendly, comforting Instant Pot Mexican Chicken is a one-pot wonder just like our Crockpot Mexican Chicken. Serve the creamy, shredded chicken mixture over Brown Rice or Instant Pot Cilantro Lime Rice with your favorite Mexican toppings for a nutritious meal the whole fam will enjoy.

Instant Pot Mexican Chicken
BBQ shredded beef sandwich on a plate with corn on the cob and grapes.

Instant Pot BBQ Beef Sandwiches

Get ready to savor the ultimate comfort food with our Instant Pot BBQ Shredded Beef recipe! This mouthwatering dish is a game-changer, combining tender, fall-apart beef infused with smoky barbecue flavor. Slab it on a toasty bun for weeknight dinner or gathering. Just set it, forget it, and let your Instant Pot do the magic!

Instant Pot BBQ Beef Sandwiches

FAQs

Can you cook a frozen meal in the Instant Pot?

Yes, cooking a frozen meal in the Instant Pot is safe! Read our best tips for freezing and cooking Instant Pot freezer meals.

What should I do if I get the burn notice?

Sometimes food can get stuck to the bottom of the Instant Pot when it’s coming to pressure and you’ll see the dreaded burn notice. But don’t worry! It’s fixable. Gentle stir the ingredients around and add a little water or broth to the bottom of the pot. If something is sticking to the bottom, be sure to scrape it off with a spatula. Lock and seal the lid and try again.

Dump and go freezer meal email cta.

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With this list of Instant Pot dump-and-go recipes close, a delicious, weeknight dinner will always be doable. You’ve got this!

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