Instapot Recipes for Beginners and Busy People To Make Dinner a Breeze

Published December 28, 2020
Updated February 17, 2026
Sweet Potato Chili instapot recipes for beginners
Photo by Kaitlin Eckstein

Its dinnertime and you just got home from work, and you are faced with the 6 pm dinnertime frenzy of how to feed your family quickly and easily. An instapot (short for instant cooking) may not take away all the mealtime stress, but it can hopefully take some of the stress out of dinner hour by helping you get dinner on the table a bit faster.

If you are fortunate to have been given an instapot as a gift or are thinking about purchasing one, we have complied a list of our favorite instant pot recipes to inspire you. Take a look at these mouth-watering recipes including chili, soups, stews, beans, fillings for tacos and enchiladas and even honey sesame chicken.

An instapot is not required for the recipes below, the recipes include traditional cooking methods as well. Remember, you can certainly provide healthy, family-friendly recipes with or without fancy cooking equipment. We hope these recipes inspire you with some easy, healthy dinner ideas.

Instapot Recipes for Beginners

Sweet Potato Chili instapot recipes for beginners

This Beef and Sweet Potato Chili recipe is a great place to start for instapot cooking for beginners.  Who doesn’t like a warm bowl of chili on a cold winter evening? Beef and Sweet Potato Chili. Perfect for a chilly day! Get it? Chilly, chili? Okay, okay, that wasn’t that good. But this recipe sure is! Once you try it, you’ll be craving it all winter. Packed with all the goods – protein, carbs, and vegetables – it’s a filling meal, too. And easy! This beef and sweet potato chili recipe is made completely in the Instant Pot, so you know it will come together easily and quickly. Click here for the complete Beef and Sweet Potato Chili Recipe.

warm soup for winter

This vegan, budget-friendly soup can be made in one cooking vessel (the instapot), reducing the number of dishes to clean up!  You can also use pantry staples so it works for a last minute recipe to get a warm, satisfying dinner on the table. Click on the tasty White Bean Soup Recipe.

easy soup instapot recipes for beginners

Making Chicken Enchilada Soup doesn’t have to be a ton of work! Actually, this recipe is very hands-off, and budget-friendly! Chicken Enchilada Soup is loaded with flavor, fiber and protein! It is an easy one-pot recipe that the whole family will love! Get started with one of these instapot recipes for beginners by starting with our fabulous Chicken Enchilada Soup Recipe.

Salsa Verde Chicken Enchiladas

Salsa Verde Chicken Enchiladas is a tasty recipe that is a welcome addition to a family meal. You can make it ahead for a quick weeknight meal. You may be wondering what is salsa verde? Traditional salsa and is red because of the tomatoes.  With salsa verde, tomatillos are used instead of tomatoes. The tomatillos tend to give the salsa a tangy, zesty flavor and pairs so nicely with the chicken in this Salsa Verde Chicken Enchiladas Recipe.

back to school Healthy Baked Beans

Healthy Baked Beans are not difficult to make and they are so much tastier and healthier than traditional canned baked beans. Once you make homemade healthy baked beans, you will never go back to canned baked beans. They are so easy to make, all you need is olive oil, Vidalia onions, Worcestershire sauce, tomato sauce, liquid smoke, dijon mustard, maple syrup and cannellini beans. See the complete Healthy Baked Beans Recipe.

honey sesame chicken

Honey Sesame Chicken is the perfect combo of sweet and spicy. Although this recipe had yet to win an official award, it is definitely an award-winning recipe in our minds.  This recipe is a standard that we use for cooking demonstrations because it is so easy and people LOVE it. Here is our favorite Honey Sesame Chicken Recipe.

We hope that you enjoy these recipes.  Please let us know what you think of these recipes in the comments section below. For more recipe inspiration, sign up for our newsletter by filling out the form below for tips and updates. Also, follow us on our social media platforms including Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest.

Klara Knezevic has over a decade of experience in the nutrition field and currently serves as the CEO and co-owner of Rebecca Bitzer and Associates. Klara is passionate about sharing practical nutrition tips to help you feel confident in the choices that you make. Coauthor of Cooking with Food Sensitivities Survival Guide and Nourished: 10 Ingredients to Happy, Healthy Eating.

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