20 Instant Pot Recipes You Need to Try This Instant

If you got an Instant Pot as a holiday gift—or if you went out and bought one for yourself—you’ll be happy to learn that you can make Nutrisystem-friendly meals in a snap using your new kitchen toy. According to the manufacturer, Instant Pot speeds up cooking by two to six times using up to 70 percent less energy.

The Instant Pot is the Swiss Army Knife of kitchen tools. It’s the next generation pressure cooker, but it also sautés and acts like a slow cooker, rice cooker, steamer, yogurt maker and a food warmer. If there’s ever an attachment that slices and dices or sends your shopping list to a grocery delivery service, you’ll be able to call it your own personal chef.

We’ve developed 20 delicious and healthy Instant Pot recipes that make good use of this versatile appliance:

1. Instant Pot Beef Stew >

In less than an hour, you’ll be digging into a bowl full of tender veggies, hearty beef and savory broth. Our beef stew is the perfect dish to warm you up this season! Click here for the full recipe! >

2. Simple and Spicy Instant Pot Carnitas >

Choose your protein—chicken, pork or beef—and add garlic, Mexican spice and fire-roasted tomatoes to your Instant Pot for instant, South-of-the-Border flavor. Avocado adds a dose of monounsaturated fat—the one that’s extra good for you—and this dish is garnished with pico de gallo and chopped cilantro. This recipe makes four, two-tortilla servings at just 306 calories per serving. On Nutrisystem, this Instant Pot recipe counts as two PowerFuels, one SmartCarb and one Extra. Get the full recipe here! >

3. Tomato Basil Frittata >

You’ll bounce out of bed to enjoy this egg-based breakfast made with cheddar cheese, tomatoes, spinach and hash browns that’s ready in just 20 minutes… And so will your entire family! This recipe makes enough for eight servings. Whatever you don’t eat, you can save for later in the week. One serving is only 115 calories and counts as one PowerFuel and one Extra. Check out the full recipe right here! >

4. Rotisserie Chicken >

With your Instant Pot, you don’t need a rotisserie, nor do you need to spend extra money to buy a ready-made chicken at the grocery store. All you have to do is use the “sauté” setting on the appliance, add one whole chicken, garlic powder, paprika, dried herbs (your choice) and some low-sodium chicken broth and olive oil. After the skin is golden brown, use your Instant Pot as a pressure cooker. Your “rotisserie” chicken will be done in 25 minutes! One two oz. serving of chicken is 116 calories and counts as one PowerFuel. Pair it with a large salad and a whole grain roll and your Flex meal is complete. Click here for the full recipe! >

5. Instant Pot Pasta e Fagioli Soup >

This soup is a hearty, satisfying, nutritious meal, bursting with flavor and warm comfort on a cold day. Don’t let the lengthy ingredients list daunt you. Once you get your veggies diced—or you get your already prepared vegetables out of the fridge—it takes no time to make. Imagine yourself sitting down to tuck into this steaming tomato-chicken broth-based soup rich with vegetables, beans, ditalini pasta and chicken, spiced with red pepper flakes, Italian seasoning, pepper, thyme, bay leaves and rosemary. The recipe makes six servings, each 303 calories. On Nutrisystem, a serving counts as one PowerFuel, one Smart Carb, one Vegetable and one Extra. Get the full recipe here! >

6. Instant Pot Chicken Creole >

It’s easy to whip up this traditional dish from Louisiana’s Big Easy using the slow cooker setting of your Instant Pot. Six hours before you plan to eat, place one pound of boneless chicken breast in the pot with onions, minced garlic, bell peppers, carrots, tomato, Creole seasoning, some broth and cayenne pepper for a real bayou flavor. When it’s done, shred the chicken and serve over cooked brown rice. This recipe serves six. Each serving is 262 calories and counts as one SmartCarb, one PowerFuel, one Vegetable and one Extra. Check out the full recipe right here! >

7. Instant Pot Salmon with Chili-Lime Sauce >

You’re going to wonder how anything that tastes this good can be good for you, but it is. Salmon is rich in heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids that help douse dangerous inflammation in your body, which can contribute to heart disease, cancer, Alzheimer’s and arthritis. Salmon is also an excellent source of lean protein, as is the cup of chickpeas in this recipe, which are blended with raw vegetables such as zucchini, asparagus, bell peppers or broccoli. And did we mention Chili-Lime Sauce? That mix of chili powder, garlic, honey, lime juice and other flavorful ingredients makes the meal. The recipe makes two servings, and each clocks in at just 342 calories. One serving counts as one SmartCarb, one PowerFuel, half a Vegetable and three Extras. Click here for the full recipe! >

8. Easy Instant Pot Herb Roasted Potatoes >

In the world of side dishes, this delicious Instant Pot recipe reigns supreme. Imagine roasted potatoes done to perfection in seven minutes! You’ll need three cups of baby potatoes and a mix of herbs like thyme, rosemary, marjoram, oregano, some garlic powder and water. After sautéing briefly, use the pressure cooker setting to finish. Three cups of potatoes make six servings at 99 calories each. On Nutrisystem, this side counts as one SmartCarb and one Extra. Get the full recipe here! >

9. Instant Pot Key Lime Cheesecake >

This isn’t the only cheesecake on the Nutrisystem diet, but it might become your favorite. It’s a satisfying cream cheese-ricotta style cake with a kicked-up lime flavor thanks to two whole limes zested and juiced, and sweetened with stevia, an all-natural plant-based sweetener. You’ll need a mixer or a fork to work the ingredients together, but the rest is all Instant Pot. Best of all, this Instant Pot recipe is only 157 calories a serving and the recipe makes five servings, which each count as one PowerFuel and three Extras. Check out the full recipe right here! >

10. Instant Pot Rice Pudding >

It’s up to you what you want to call this. It could be breakfast, dessert or your afternoon snack. Made with brown rice, raw cranberries, skim milk, light coconut milk, with a sprinkle of cinnamon and stevia, this 152-calorie bowl of comfort counts as one SmartCarb and one Extra. Click here for the full recipe! >

11. Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken Lettuce Wraps >

Buffalo chicken lover? You need to bookmark this recipe. Shredded buffalo chicken is cooked to perfection with this help of an instant pot and served atop a lettuce wrap for a spicy and hearty meal. Complete with a homemade blue cheese dressing, this diet-friendly instant pot recipe has all the flavors of your favorite buffalo chicken dish without the added calories! Get the full recipe here! >

12. Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup >

Featuring tender shredded chicken, crispy tortilla strips and crunchy veggies, this Mexican-inspired tortilla soup is sure to be your family’s number one dinner pick! Double up this healthy chicken soup recipe if you’re meal prepping for the week ahead. One serving contains 434 calories and counts as one SmartCarb, two PowerFuels, three Extras and one Vegetable serving. Check out the full recipe right here! >

13. Instant Pot Ground Beef Sloppy Joe >

There’s nothing like warm, homemade sloppy joes served over fresh whole grain bun. We’ve put a healthy spin on a childhood classic that is sure to take you right back to family dinners at home. One serving of this Instant Pot Ground Beef Sloppy Joe recipe contains 176 calories. If you’re on the Nutrisystem weight loss plan, you can log it into your NuMi app journal as one PowerFuel and two Extras. Click here for the full recipe! >

14. Instant Pot Chicken Pad Thai >

Skip the stir fry and grab your Instant Pot! If you’re tired of the same old Instant Pot Chicken recipes, this tasty twist on a Thai classic is sure to keep things interesting. One serving contains 320 calories and can be logged as one SmartCarb, two PowerFuels, one Extra and half of a Vegetable serving in your NuMi app journal. Get the full recipe here! >

15.  Instant Pot Smoked Brisket >

This succulent smoked brisket tastes like it’s been braised for hours. Our brisket recipe not only fits the comfort meal bill, but it also fits into your Nutrisystem program and busy lifestyle. One serving contains just 139 calories and counts as one PowerFuel and one Extra on the Nutrisystem meal plan. Check out the full recipe right here! >

16. Instant Pot Broccoli Potato Chowder >

While most chowder recipes take over an hour to prep and prepare, ours is ready in just about 30 minutes. But just because we’ve shortened up the cook time, that doesn’t mean we’ve shorted you on the flavor. This delicious Instant Pot soup recipe features fresh onions, minced garlic, light butter, low-sodium chicken broth, black pepper, paprika and last not but certainly not least, crispy low-sodium turkey bacon. One serving contains 230 calories and counts as one SmartCarb, one PowerFuel, one Extra and one Vegetable on the Nutrisystem program. Click here for the full recipe! >

17. Instant Pot Green Chile and Chicken Mac and Cheese >

If you want an easy, cheesy bowl of mac and cheese with a little kick and some extra protein, our Instant Pot Green Chile and Chicken Mac and Cheese recipe is a dish you have to try! It makes eight satisfying, smart-sized servings. Clocking in just under 200 calories per bowl, you can log this meal as one PowerFuel and one SmartCarb in your NuMi app. Get the full recipe here! >

18. Stuffed Meatballs and Marinara Sauce >

Forget frozen meatballs made in the Instant Pot. Homemade meatballs are healthier and tastier! Our mozzarella stuffed meatballs are made with a mixture of lean ground beef, breadcrumbs, grated parmesan cheese, egg, oregano, garlic powder and black pepper. Stuffed with melty mozzarella, each serving contains 280 calories and counts as two PowerFuels, two Extras and half of a Vegetable. Check out the full recipe right here! >

19. Instant Pot Sweet Potato Shepherd’s Pie >

Homemade shepherd’s pie gets a healthy makeover with an Instant Pot, a creamy mashed sweet potato topping and lean ground turkey. One serving of this Instant Pot Sweet Potato Shepherd’s Pie contains 236 calories. It counts as one SmartCarb, one PowerFuel, one Extra and half of a Vegetable serving, making it the perfect comfort food Flex meal for your Nutrisystem weight loss plan. Click here for the full recipe! >

20. Instant Pot Pot Roast >

You can have this Sunday night special meal any old time since the Instant Pot makes it ultra-easy and quick to prepare. Loaded with flavor from garlic, Italian seasoning, onions and black pepper, it’s equally loaded with nutrients since you’re adding carrots and potatoes to the dish. This recipe calls for two pounds of lean beef, such as rump roast, eye of round or bottom round. The cooking method is what turns these normally tough cuts into tender, juicy morsels luxuriating in a rich tomato-laced gravy. Only 359 calories, this dish counts as one SmartCarb, two PowerFuels, one Vegetable and two Extras on the Nutrisystem program. Get the full recipe here! >