35 Cold-Weather Instant Pot Recipes That Are Quick, Easy, And Most Of All, Comforting

    From cozy soups and stews to fall-off-the-bone meats, here's how to use your Instant Pot this autumn.

    Hannah Loewentheil
    by Hannah Loewentheil

    BuzzFeed Staff

    By now, your Instant Pot is probably one of the most coveted appliances in your kitchen. And if you're anything like me, you use it especially often come fall and winter. If you're looking for some inspiration, here are some delicious and comforting cozy weather foods to make in your handy dandy, time-saving Instant Pot.

    1. Instant Pot Chicken Ramen

    Fox and Briar / Via foxandbriar.com

    Forget those instant ramen packs. This recipe calls for yakisoba noodles, lots of veggies, and a rich broth made with chili garlic sauce, soy, and oyster sauce.

    Recipe: Instant Pot Chicken Ramen

    2. Instant Pot Butter Chicken

    Little Sunny Kitchen / Via littlesunnykitchen.com

    This 30-minute meal is a serious crowd pleaser. Sort of like a cousin to chicken tikka masala, this chicken is equally as creamy and decadent, made with tomato sauce, cream, and lots of spices.

    Recipe: Instant Pot Butter Chicken

    3. Instant Pot Lasagna

    Space Ships and Laser Beams / Via spaceshipsandlaserbeams.com

    Everyone loves lasagna, but it can be a hassle to put together and bake in the oven. Enter: the Instant Pot. Just layer all your ingredients — including no-boil lasagna noodles — in a lasagna pan. Cover it with foil and cook for 25 minutes.

    Recipe: Instant Pot Lasagna

    4. Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup

    An Instant Pot filled with shredded chicken, egg noodles, diced carrots, and parsley in broth.
    Number 2 Pencil / Via number-2-pencil.com

    Just dump the ingredients — diced veggies, whole chicken, and egg noodles — into the Instant Pot and wait for the most flavorful chicken noodle soup, which you can eat immediately or freeze for later.

    Recipe: Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup

    Eat Well 101 / Via eatwell101.com

    This lower-carb alternative to pasta is still so comforting, especially when it's cooked in hearty Bolognese. Of course, get creative and try it with your favorite pasta sauce.

    Recipe: Instant Pot Spaghetti Squash with Meat Sauce

    Foodie's Terminal / Via foodiesterminal.com

    For a restaurant-quality meal without leaving the house or ordering take out, don't miss this DIY pad Thai. Made with easy-to-find ingredients, the sauce is an irresistible mix of sweet and savory.

    Recipe: Instant Pot Chicken and Shrimp Pad Thai

    7. Instant Pot Carnitas

    Lemon Blossoms / Via lemonblossoms.com

    Carnitas are a treat, but they can take a very long time to make in the oven or the slow cooker. But in a pressure cooker, this shredded, tender pork becomes a feasible weeknight meal. You can make it from start to finish in just over an hour.

    Recipe: Instant Pot Carnitas

    8. Instant Pot Butternut Squash Soup

    Gimme Some Oven / Via gimmesomeoven.com

    This vegetarian-friendly soup recipe made with squash, apple, onion, and carrot is so comforting. Try garnishing your bowl with anything from coconut milk or sour cream to pepitas and croutons.

    Recipe: Instant Pot Butternut Squash Soup

    9. Instant Pot Baked Ziti

    Together As Family / Via togetherasfamily.com, Together as Family / Via togetherasfamily.com

    Pour cream, chicken broth, pasta, crushed tomatoes, and basil into the Instant Pot and don't even worry about stirring. Once the baked ziti is done, toss in some Parmesan cheese and chow down.

    Recipe: Instant Pot Baked Ziti

    10. Vegetarian Instant Pot Thai Green Coconut Curry

    A bowl of Vegetable green curry with zucchini, peppers, and squash over rice with cilantro.
    Wholesome Delicious / Via wholesomelicious.com

    Whether you're trying to cut back on meat or just want to try something new, this veggie-packed, Thai-inspired curry is a great addition to your dinner rotation. It's made with coconut milk, fish sauce, green curry paste, and whatever vegetables you have on hand.

    Recipe: Instant Pot Thai Green Coconut Curry

    11. Instant Pot Beef and Broccoli

    Chunks of beef and broccoli with sesame seeds over a bed of rice.
    365 Days of Crock Pot / Via 365daysofcrockpot.com

    This Chinese-inspired favorite has never been easier to make right at home. For the most flavorful beef, brown it quickly in the Instant Pot using the sauté setting before you add the rest of the ingredients.

    Recipe: Instant Pot Beef and Broccoli

    12. Instant Pot Chicken Cacciatore

    Salt and Lavender / Via saltandlavender.com

    Treat yourself to a fancy Italian-inspired dinner at home with the help of your pressure cooker. It looks like it takes all day, but in reality you can whip it up in just 30 minutes.

    Recipe: Instant Pot Chicken Cacciatore

    13. Instant Pot Chicken Pot Pie Soup

    The Bettered Blonde / Via thebetteredblondie.com

    If you want to make this into a more traditional chicken pot pie, you can use store bought pie crust of biscuit dough as a topping.

    Recipe: Instant Pot Chicken Pot Pie Soup

    14. Instant Pot Creamy Garlic Parmesan Chicken Pasta

    Instant pot creamy Parmesan chicken pasta.
    Eat Well 101 / Via eatwell101.com

    You don't need any fancy ingredients to whip up this seriously decadent pasta. Chicken breast, your favorite noodles, heavy cream, Parmesan, and chicken broth gets you most of the way there.

    Recipe: Instant Pot Creamy Garlic Parmesan Chicken Pasta

    15. Instant Pot Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

    iFood Real / Via ifoodreal.com

    A true drop-and-go dinner, you can prepare this soup ahead of time (just leave out the dairy), freeze it in little baggies, and simply pop it into the Instant Pot when you're ready.

    Recipe: Instant Pot Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

    16. Instant Pot Bolognese

    The Chunky Chef / Via thechunkychef.com

    Make a big batch of this delicious and hearty Bolognese at the beginning of fall. It freezes wonderfully, so you can save it for lazy nights.

    Recipe: Instant Pot Bolognese

    17. Instant Pot Bruschetta Chicken Pasta

    The Girl On Bloor / Via thegirlonbloor.com

    This one-pot pasta recipe is light enough to make while the weather is still mild, but comforting enough to make all year long. It's a true one-pot meal that comes together in half an hour.

    Recipe: Instant Pot Bruschetta Chicken Pasta

    18. Instant Pot Ground Turkey Lettuce Wraps

    Sweet Peas and Saffron / Via sweetpeasandsaffron.com

    If you're not a big fan of lettuce wraps, you could also serve this over rice, quinoa, lo mein noodles, or pretty much any grain!

    Recipe: Instant Pot Ground Turkey Lettuce Wraps

    19. Instant Pot Chicken Tacos

    Kristine's Kitchen Blog / Via kristineskitchenblog.com

    Taco Tuesday really should be a weekly occasion, and this melt-in-your-mouth shredded chicken should be a recipe you return to. Just add to tortillas with your favorite taco toppings like guacamole, slaw, and jalapeños.

    Recipe: Instant Pot Chicken Tacos

    20. Instant Pot French Onion Soup

    Platings and Pairings / Via platingsandpairings.com

    The only cooking required that can't be done in the Instant Pot is making the cheesy bread toppings, which you can make by topping sliced baguette with shredded Gruyère cheese and broiling until bubbly and melted.

    Recipe: Instant Pot French Onion Soup

    Striped Spatula / Via stripedspatula.com

    Classic mac 'n' cheese gets an upgrade from crispy crumbled bacon and decadent gouda cheese. It's slightly smoky, incredibly creamy, and straight-up comforting.

    Recipe: Instant Pot Bacon and Gouda Mac 'n' Cheese

    22. Instant Pot Beef Stew With Mushrooms

    Foodness Gracious / Via foodnessgracious.com

    Recipe: Instant Pot Beef Stew With Mushrooms

    Full Of Plants / Via fullofplants.com, Full of Plants / Via fullofplants.com

    This vegan meal will be a crowd-pleaser, even among meat lovers. Tender cauliflower is the perfect vessel for enjoying this indulgent sauce made with crushed tomatoes, non-dairy yogurt, and tons of spices.

    Recipe: Instant Pot Cauliflower Tikka Masala

    24. Instant Pot Pesto Zuppa Toscana

    Half Baked Harvest / Via halfbakedharvest.com

    Loaded with bacon, potatoes, spicy Italian sausage, and kale, this nourishing soup will stick to your bones and make you feel good.

    Recipe: Instant Pot Pesto Zuppa Toscana

    25. Instant Pot Cashew Chicken

    Fit Foodie Finds / Via fitfoodiefinds.com

    Skip the take-out tonight and whip up this Chinese-inspired cashew chicken. It's so much easier than you might expect.

    Recipe: Instant Pot Cashew Chicken

    26. Instant Pot White Bean Stew

    Two bowls of white beans in a tomato-based sauce topped with fresh herbs and sliced bread.
    Rainbow Plant Life / Via rainbowplantlife.com

    Serve this Tuscan-inspired stew with a baguette or sourdough to sop up all the tomato-y beans.

    Recipe: Instant Pot White Bean Stew

    27. Instant Pot Beef Pho

    A bowl of pho with noodles, sliced rare beef, jalapeños, and basil.
    Went There 8 This / Via wenthere8this.com

    This Vietnamese soup is easier than you might imagine to make at home. You just need a few spices and seasonings — like fish sauce, cinnamon, and coriander — to get the flavor of the broth right. This version is made with beef, rice noodles, jalapeño, bean sprouts, and fresh basil.

    Recipe: Instant Pot Beef Pho

    28. Instant Pot Lasagna Soup

    The Recipe Well / Via therecipewell.com

    If you're craving lasagna but don't want to go through the pain of assembling it, this soup is the solution. It's loaded with all the stuff you love: beef or turkey, noodles, tomatoes, ricotta, and mozzarella.

    Recipe: Instant Pot Lasagna Soup

    29. Instant Pot BBQ Pulled Pork

    Le Creme de la Crumb / Via http://ps://lecremedelacrumb.com

    Pulled pork is a recipe that knows no season. It tastes delicious any time of year served on a soft brioche bun with some tangy slaw and baked beans on the side.

    Recipe: Instant Pot BBQ Pulled Pork

    30. Instant Pot Turkey Chili

    iFood Real / Via ifoodreal.com

    It's officially chili season. Take advantage with this filling, protein-packed recipe made with ground turkey, canned or frozen corn, and a blend of kidney beans, cannellini beans, and pinto beans.

    Recipe: Instant Pot Turkey Chili

    31. Instant Pot Lo Mein

    Yellow Thyme / Via yellowthyme.com

    The next time you're feeling lazy and are tempted to order in, try making this comforting Chinese restaurant favorite at home. The noodles and veggies are pressure cooked in the sauce, so you don't even have to boil water on the stove.

    Recipe: Instant Pot Lo Mein

    32. Instant Pot Cabbage Roll Soup

    Homemade Interest / Via homemadeinterest.com

    When the temperature drops, count on this cabbage soup to warm you up. It's made with cabbage and ground beef in a deep tomato broth.

    Recipe: Instant Pot Cabbage Roll Soup

    33. Instant Pot Meatloaf

    Tastes Better From Scratch / Via tastesbetterfromscratch.com

    Thanks to your Instant Pot, you can make the meatloaf and a side of creamy mashed potatoes at the same time. That means there's no dirtying extra dishes and no juggling the stove-top and oven.

    Recipe: Instant Pot Meatloaf

    34. Instant Pot Honey Sesame Chicken

    A bowl of sticky, glazed sesame chicken with broccoli over rice.
    Two Peas and Their Pod / Via twopeasandtheirpod.com

    There's something irresistible about sesame chicken. Perhaps it's the sticky, thick glaze or the perfect combination of sweet and savory, but I could make this meal once a week without ever getting sick of it.

    Recipe: Instant Pot Honey Sesame Chicken

    35. Instant Pot Vegan Eggplant Lentil Sweet Potato Curry

    Instant Pot Vegan Eggplant Lentil Sweet Potato Curry
    Vegan Richa / Via veganricha.com

    There's no meat in this recipe, but it's still surprisingly filling thanks to lentils and tons of veggies. You can follow the recipe and use a mixture of eggplant and sweet potato, or opt for whatever vegetables you have on hand.

    Recipe: Instant Pot Eggplant Lentil Sweet Potato Curry