Check out these 25 Instant Pot dump recipes for the ultimate list of easy weeknight dinners you can make in your Instant Pot.
If you tried our Apple Spice Instant Pot dump cake that I shared a while and are looking for more dump recipes to make with your electric pressure cooker, then you’re definitely in the right place.
You will love these dump and go dinner recipes.
They are the easiest recipes to make, and are perfect for weeknight dinners when I’m running low on time and energy.
Related: 5-Minute Prep Instant Pot Meals – 16 Instant Pot dinner recipes so easy to prepare you can have your Instant Pot started in less than 5 minutes.
So, first – bookmark this page. Then, when you need a simple, family-friendly pressure cooker meal that practically makes itself, come back and try these dump recipes. These are truly the easiest, no-fuss, Instant Pot dump dinners you can find.
I love them because being able to add the ingredients to my Instant Pot and walk away while it makes our dinner frees me up to take care of other things, like helping the kids with homework, or unloading the dishwasher, without the stress of trying to do everything at once.
These dump and start dinners are also the perfect recipes to start with if you’re still getting comfortable with using your Instant Pot.
Instant Pot Dump Dinners for Easy Weeknight Cooking
Scroll through to the bottom to see all 25 recipes. And be sure to check out our other Instant Pot recipes before you go!
True Dump-and-Go Recipes
The recipes in this section are true dump recipes. As in, you put the ingredients in the Instant Pot, close the lid, push the start button, and wait for your dinner to finish.
1. Instant Pot Garlic Sesame Chicken:
Garlic sesame chicken is a traditional Asian recipe that is full of delicious, sticky, flavor.
View this recipe at Sweet and Savory Meals.
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2. Instant Pot Swedish Meatballs:
A few convenience foods, like frozen meatballs and condensed soup, make this a really easy dump and go recipe for your Instant Pot. Add some peas and you’ve got a full dinner!
View this recipe at The Eyes of a Boy.
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3. Instant Pot Salsa Chicken:
Mix this easy cooked chicken with fresh taco ingredients for a delicious, easy dinner!
View this recipe at Skinny Taste.
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4. Instant Pot Chicken Pasta:
I love this instant pot chicken pasta recipe. It will surely enter your weekly dinner rotation. It’s easy and delicious and takes no more than 25 minutes to make.
View this recipe at Simple Living Recipes
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5. Dump and Start Instant Pot Alfredo:
If your family is a fan of rich, creamy Alfredo, then this easy recipe is a must-try.
View this recipe at Cooking with Karli
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6. Mississippi Pot Roast:
Mississippi pot roast uses ranch dressing to set it apart from your typical pot roast. Plus, cooking it in your electric pressure cooker means you won’t have to remember to start a crock pot before you head off to work. Ready to give it a try?
View this recipe at Recipes that Rock.
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7. Instant Pot Mac and Cheese:
Of course, a collection of easy weeknight dinners wouldn’t be complete without a Macaroni and Cheese recipe.
View this recipe at This Old Gal
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8. Instant Pot Ham Hock Bean Soup:
I love using my Instant Pot to cook beans. I actually make this using smoked turkey legs instead of a ham hock, but either way it’s delicious.
View this recipe at Simply Happy Foodie
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9. Honey Balsamic Chicken Instant Pot Recipe:
Here’s another kid-friendly Instant Pot dump recipe. In fact, you’ll also find 9 other healthy chicken Instant Pot recipes here:
View this recipe at The Creative Bite.
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10. Instant Pot Orange Ginger Chicken:
Serve this orange chicken over rice and veggies for an easy dinner under 30 minutes.
View this recipe at Our Best Bites.
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11. Easy Instant Pot Beef Gyros:
Make your tzatziki sauce ahead of time to keep things simple on dinner night. Then, all you’ll need to do is focus on your beef on dinner night, and then wrap all that goodness in a delicious pita!
View this recipe at 365 Days of Crockpot.
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12. Instant Pot Chicken and Wild Rice Soup:
Do you cut up your carrots and celery on the weekends? I started doing that a few years ago and it really helped make recipes like this one come together faster. Once your veggies are chopped, you’ll be all set to dump your ingredients and push start!
View this recipe at The Kitchen Magpie.
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13. Instant Pot Dr. Pepper Pulled Pork:
My husband has been making Dr. Pepper pulled pork for years. It’s definitely a favorite at our house, and it makes an easy potluck dish as well. I’m thrilled that we can now make this recipe in our Instant Pot in about an hour, as opposed to 5-6 hours in the slow cooker.
View this recipe at Recipe from Adventures of a Nurse.
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14. Instant Pot Corned Beef and Cabbage:
Corned beef cooks up beautifully in the Instant Pot. Give a go with this easy recipe:
View this recipe at What’s in the Pan.
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Saute First – Then Dump and Push Start
The recipes in this section require using the saute function on your Instant pot before dumping everything in and pushing start. So, yes, you may have to brown the meat first, or saute the onions and veggies.
Don’t let this scare you off from these recipes. I used the saute function for the first time on my Instant Pot last night after avoiding it for months. And, while it is another step, it’s still super easy!
Trust me. I’m a lazy cooker, and if it was too much “work” then I would NOT have included these recipes on this list.
Since you’re sauteing right in the Instant Pot, you’re still keeping dishes to a minimum and in most cases it only adds an additional five minutes or so.
When you finish sauteing, you can just dump and go and wait for your dinner.
Scroll through to see all of the Instant Pot dump recipes in this list.
15. Instant Pot Chicken Pot Pie Casserole:
Here’s another family favorite that you can make in your electric pressure cooker:
View this recipe at Adventures of a Nurse.
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16. Instant Pot Pizza Pasta:
This easy pasta recipe is a huge hit with the kids.
View this recipe at Family Fresh Meals.
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17. Instant Pot Taco Pasta:
This recipe is so quick and easy, and with only 6 ingredients, it’s a true weeknight winner.
View this recipe at Foody Schmoody Blog.
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18. Hamburger Stroganoff Instant Pot Recipe:
You can make Beef Stroganoff easily in your pressure cooker using ground beef.
View this recipe at Julie’s Eats and Treats.
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19. Instant Pot Chicken Pesto Pasta Recipe:
The chicken and pasta in this recipe cook up fast in your Instant Pot. Just add your favorite store-bought pesto to finish it off!
View this recipe at Food Lovin Family.
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20. All in One Instant Pot Chicken and Brown Rice:
View this recipe at Super Healthy Kids.
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21. Pressure Cooker Barbacoa:
View this recipe at Gluten Free Pressure Cooker.
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22. Veggie-Packed Instant Pot Spaghetti:
My kids can be picky when it comes to veggies, so I’m always glad to find recipes with hidden servings of vegetables.
View this recipe at Slow Cooker Gourmet.
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23. Instant Pot Picadillo:
View this recipe at Skinny Taste.
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24. Instant Pot Chicken Black Bean and Rice Burrito Bowls:
View this recipe at Cook Fast Eat Well.
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25. Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup:
View this recipe at Crunchy Creamy Sweet.
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I think you’ll also love these Instant Pot recipes:
-> 5-Minute Prep Instant Pot Meals
-> Apple Spice Instant Pot Dump Cake
Tips for Keeping Dinner Simple
I hope these recipes give you some new go-to weeknight dinner ideas.
Here are a few simple tips to keep dinnertime easy.
- You can use frozen meat in your Instant Pot. So, no worries if you forgot to thaw something out ahead of time! Check the individual recipes for time adjustments for frozen meat versus thawed.
- Grabbing pre-chopped veggies from the produce section is a great time-saver for busy nights. And, you can freeze them in freezer storage bags to pull out and use whenever you need them.
- Keep leftovers in individual servings in the freezer to use in a pinch.
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Deborah
Saturday 20th of April 2019
Will these recipes work in the 3 qt. mini Instant Pot or are they for the 6 qt. pot?
Chrissy
Saturday 20th of April 2019
Hi Deborah! These are primarily made in the 6qt Instant Pot, but you may still want to check the individual recipes to see if they have info on how to change the recipes for your 3 qt.
tom
Tuesday 19th of February 2019
Would not advise cooking Spaghetti in this pot, I did this and the spaghetti stuck to the bottom and ruined it all besides cooking spaghetti is easy on the stove. Makes great mashed potatoes and stews.
Sherri
Thursday 21st of February 2019
If you don't make spaghetti with the instant pot, you are missing out. Sounds like you didn't put the spaghetti noodles on top of the sauce. Recipes are very specific about that.
Dawn
Sunday 17th of February 2019
I am so glad I found your post on Pinterest! I just got the Instant Pot about a week ago and have been looking for ideas to try. It seems like a totally different way of cooking from what I usually use. I was almost overwhelmed by it so I haven't taken it out of the box yet. I have multi cookers, crockpots, love my cast iron and stainless steel but never used a pressure cooker.
These recipes make it look easy and I am trying the pizza pasta one for dinner tomorrow night (I already have a roast for tonight.) Thank you :)
Mandy
Sunday 18th of November 2018
I just stumbled upon your site from Pinterest. Thanks to this post, two of your meals are now on this months meal plan. Can't wait to try the Alfredo and the Ham and Bean Soup! Thank you for a wonderful list. I especially appreciate the pictures. 😁