80+ of the Best Easy and Cheap Instant Pot Recipes for Dinner
Easy and cheap Instant Pot recipes are a fabulous way to save both time and money! Feed your family well without going over budget with these tasty options!
When you’re trying to save money on groceries but still need quick and easy ways to feed your family, these cheap Instant Pot recipes are just the ticket!
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When my husband and I first began our debt payoff journey, we had to find ways to cut our expenses so we would have more money to put toward our debt.
One of the ways we did that was by slashing our grocery expenses. I started meal planning each week, began cooking the majority of our meals at home, and used coupons.
All of those things made a big dent in our grocery bill, freeing up money to put toward our goals.
Once we started having kids, we still needed to keep our grocery budget low, but it was a little harder for me to make as much food as before, simply because of other responsibilities.
I didn’t realistically have time to clip coupons and go to multiple stores every week anymore, and I couldn’t make every loaf of bread from scratch.
Quick and Easy Instant Pot Meals
As our family has grown, it has become even more important to be able to make quick and easy meals during the week, so that we can have dinner on the table without going through the drive-thru or ordering pizza all the time.
We still have a relatively low grocery budget, thanks to the power of meal planning and having simple meals we can prepare!
A couple of years ago, I invested in an Instant Pot, and I’ve been loving it ever since! I’ve been surprised at the many ways my Instant Pot saves me money.
Many of our favorite slow cooker meals have been converted to be made in the pressure cooker, which is a fabulous way to save time! And with so many frugal meal options, it’s easy to save money with an Instant Pot, too!
Cheap Instant Pot Recipes for Dinner
Having an arsenal of frugal Instant Pot meals at your fingertips can really help to save your grocery budget without requiring a lot of effort on your part!
This list includes several different budget-friendly options, separated by category, so you’re sure to find several ideas that your family will love!
Frugal Instant Pot Chicken Recipes
Chicken breasts go on sale often, making them a budget-friendly meat to include in your dinners! You can often use just one or two chicken breasts to feed an entire family when it isn’t the main feature of a meal.
Pressure Cooker Chicken and Dumplings
Instant Pot Mississippi Chicken
Instant Pot Spanish Chicken and Rice
Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken Pasta (from We Are Not Martha)
Pressure Cooker Chicken Fettucine Alfredo
Pressure Cooker Balsamic Ginger Chicken (from This Old Gal)
Taco Chicken in the Instant Pot
Creamy Instant Pot Chicken and Rice
Chicken Cacciatore in the Instant Pot
Instant Pot Cheesy Chicken, Broccoli, and Rice
Instant Pot Chicken and Dumplings with Bisquick
Instant Pot Chicken and Noodles
Instant Pot Chicken Rice a Roni
Instant Pot Chicken and Stuffing
Instant Pot Chicken Fried Rice
Instant Pot Chicken and Dumplings with Canned Biscuits
Instant Pot French Onion Chicken and Rice
Frugal Instant Pot Pork Recipes
Less expensive cuts of pork, such as country style ribs or pork shoulder, are a tasty way to include “the other white meat” in your meal plan.
Pressure Cooker BBQ Country Style Ribs
Instant Pot Pulled Pork (from Confessions of a Mommyaholic)
Instant Pot Ground Pork Casserole (from Mommy Kat and Kids)
Instant Pot Macaroni and Cheese with Ham
Creamy Instant Pot Tortellini with Sausage
Instant Pot Pork Chops and Gravy
Instant Pot Pork Chops and Rice
Frugal Instant Pot Beef Recipes
Some cuts of beef can be expensive, but ground beef is usually a more budget-friendly way to incorporate beef into your meals.
Instant Pot Cheeseburger Macaroni
Instant Pot Hamburger Stroganoff (from Julie’s Eats and Treats)
Chili Mac in the Pressure Cooker
Instant Pot Beef and Noodles (from Recipes that Crock)
Instant Pot Beef Enchilada Pasta
Instant Pot Pepperoni Pizza Tortellini
Instant Pot Cheesy Ground Beef and Potatoes
Instant Pot Enchilada Tortellini
Instant Pot Hawaiian Sloppy Joes
Dolly Parton’s 5-Layer Dinner in the Instant Pot
Frugal Instant Pot Meatless Recipes
Having meatless meals is a great way to reduce your grocery expenses, as meat is typically more expensive than vegetables, grains, potatoes, etc.
Instant Pot Greek Chickpeas with Quinoa
Parmesan Basil Risotto in the Instant Pot
Instant Pot Kung Pao Chickpeas
Instant Pot Mac and Cheese (from Build Your Bite)
Instant Pot Lentil Sloppy Joes
Instant Pot Cauliflower Chickpea Curry (from Food Faith Fitness)
Creamy Instant Pot Cauliflower and Pasta Alfredo (from Rebooted Mom)
Frugal Instant Pot Soup, Stew, and Chili Recipes
Soups can be a great way to save money, especially if you make soup with leftovers or the ingredients you have on hand! You can stretch your grocery budget and reduce food waste while still feeding your family well.
I also have some tips for making the best Instant Pot soups using the recipes you already know and love!
Taco Soup in the Pressure Cooker
Pressure Cooker Sweet Potato, Chickpea, and Red Lentil Soup (from Super Golden Bakes)
White Chicken Chili in the Pressure Cooker
Instant Pot Ground Beef Stew (from Cooking with Karli)
The Most Delicious Chili in the Pressure Cooker
Instant Pot Stuffed Pepper Soup (from Salt and Lavender)
BBQ Chicken Chili in the Instant Pot
Pressure Cooker Vegetable Beef and Rice Soup (from Pressure Cooking Today)
Instant Pot Italian Sausage Stew (from Raising Generation Nourished)
Instant Pot Italian Sausage and Lentil Soup
Instant Pot Pinto Beans and Cornbread
Instant Pot Broccoli and Potato Soup
Instant Pot Bean with Bacon Soup
Instant Pot 15 Bean Soup with Ham
Frugal Instant Pot Meatless Soup, Stew, and Chili Recipes
Many soups, stews, and chilis can also be made without meat! Adding more vegetables or some grains, potatoes, or pasta is a great way to bulk up a soup without the cost of meat.
Instant Pot Minestrone (from Creating My Happiness)
Pressure Cooker Sweet Potato, Chickpea, and Red Lentil Soup (from Super Golden Bakes)
Instant Pot Mushroom Barley Soup (from Midlife Healthy Living)
Creamy Instant Pot Potato Soup
Instant Pot Black Bean Soup (from A Pinch of Healthy)
Instant Pot Potato Curry (from A Virtual Vegan)
Instant Pot Butternut Squash Soup (from Curry Trail)
Instant Pot Corn Chowder with Potatoes
Instant Pot Chipotle Pumpkin Vegan Chili (from Mother Would Know)
Instant Pot Chickpea and Sweet Potato Stew (from Skinnytaste)
Instant Pot Cheesy Cauliflower Soup
Instant Pot Sweet Potato Chili
So Many Inexpensive Options!
Whether you prefer hearty, meaty dishes or vegetarian dishes, there are SO MANY options for cheap Instant Pot meals for your family’s next dinner!
Put your Instant Pot to work and save yourself some time and money by adding some of these inexpensive dinner ideas to your meal plans in the coming weeks!
More Easy Instant Pot Dinner Inspiration:
- 40+ Instant Pot Weeknight Dinner Ideas
- The Best Instant Pot Pasta Recipes
- Easy Instant Pot Olive Garden Copycat Recipes
- Instant Pot Frozen Meatballs Recipes
My husband was crazy about it and is excited I am cooking more.
Thank you for sharing these recipes! These dishes look amazing! This is very useful and I can’t wait to try them.
Thank you, Dianne! I hope you enjoy them. 🙂
I just came across this article. This is amazing and a very big help for me. Thank you!
Wow!! What an amazing roundup. I found my meals for the next few weeks. Can’t wait to try these all. I love using my Instant Pot. Thanks so much for this.
I’m glad you found it helpful–enjoy! 🙂
These cheap Instant Pot recipes are just the ticket!