15 Vegan Instant Pot Recipes That Make Weeknight Cooking a Breeze

Justina Huddleston · Dec 28, 2017

For many of us, 2017 was a doozy, but we here at Brit + Co are ready to hit refresh in 2018! Follow our Hit Refresh series through January for new ideas, hacks, and skills that will help you achieve (and maintain!) those New Year’s resolutions.

When we first heard about the Instant Pot, we immediately wondered how it could be used to more easily put healthy vegan meals on the table. Recipes made with pulses, a vegetarian protein staple, are a perfect fit for high-pressure cooking, and dried pinto beans become tender in less than half the time when they're made in an Instant Pot. One of the big downsides of vegan cooking is that it can be time-consuming, which is reason enough to cave in and get one of these gadgets. Anything that'll make preparing healthy meals easier and faster is a huge plus! From steamed dumplings to lentil curry, these 15 meals will make you more than happy to dedicate some counter space to a pressure cooker.

Instant Pot Cilantro Lime Brown Rice: Brown rice takes forever to cook on the stovetop, and it's hard to get the texture just right. The Instant Pot makes it easy, so you can have a healthy side with your dinner with almost no extra effort. (via Tiny Kitchen Capers)

Instant Pot Quinoa Lentil Superfood Soup: Even though coconut milk makes this soup *taste* creamy and rich, it's still healthy! Add a variety of veggies, lentils, quinoa, and finely chopped kale and cilantro to the pot and cook until tender and fragrant. (via Simply So Good)

Instant Pot Parsnip and Chive Soup: Earthy, sweet parsnips are cooked in the Instant Pot then blended with cashews to make this silky soup. Chives on top add a hit of allium flavor that helps cut through the richness. (via Nyssa's Kitchen)

Instant Pot Asian Steamed Dumplings: Making these dumplings in your pressure cooker is faster than ordering them for delivery. You can nestle your bamboo steamer right in the machine, and the dumplings cook up in minutes. (via Healthy Slow Cooking)

Instant Pot Lentil Curry: One-pot lentil curry is a great meal to master if you constantly find you're too crunched to cook dinner. Serve it with rice or some warmed pita bread if you don't have time to make a side dish. (via Well Plated)

Instant Pot Lentil Gumbo: If a trip to New Orleans isn't in your near future, this 10-minute lentil gumbo should tide you over. Don't skip the okra — it loses its "slime" as it cooks, and helps thicken the broth. (via Cotter Crunch)

Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes: It's funny how many different ways there are to cook something so simple. Mashed potatoes can be hard to get *just* right, but even without dairy or oil they're creamy and not at all dry when made in the Instant Pot. (via Veggies Save the Day)

Instant Pot Paleo Cauliflower Mushroom Risotto: Riced cauliflower keeps this risotto low-carb. It still gets creamy like the real thing, and its flavor is boosted by umami-rich mushrooms. (via What Great Grandma Ate)

Instant Pot Pulled BBQ Jackfruit: Barbecue lovers, rejoice! Jackfruit smothered in a sweet and tangy sauce takes on the texture of pulled pork in this easy, flavorful recipe. (via Nora Cooks)

Instant Pot Pumpkin Walnut Chili: Instead of just beans, this vegan chili is filled with all sorts of good-for-you ingredients, including nuts, grains, and of course pumpkin. All become tender, saucy, and infused with flavor in the pressure cooker. (via Pinch of Yum)

Instant Pot Tempeh Tajine: Meaty tempeh makes this dish one that's perfect for warming you up on cold nights. It's chock-full of veggies to keep you healthy, and the addition of prunes and dried apricots adds an intriguing sweetness to the dish. (via The Blue Bride)

Instant Pot Maple Bourbon Sweet Potato Chili: Bourbon adds a bit of a kick to this chili, while maple syrup brings a hint of sweetness that helps mellow out the heat. Top each bowl with crispy tortilla chips for a little crunch with each bite. (via My Darling Vegan)

Instant Pot Garbanzo Bean Soup: Dried garbanzo beans are a cost-effective base for a healthy meal, and they're no match for your pressure cooker. Even if you forget to soak them, you can still get this soup on the table in less than an hour. (via Sprouting Zen)

Instant Pot Refried Beans: Refried beans are a total lifesaver for vegans on-the-go. Make a big batch in your Instant Pot on the weekend, then use them all week to make filling burritos, tacos, and tortas. (via Nora Cooks)

Instant Pot Vegan Shepherd's Pie: If you're craving shepherd's pie, this is the recipe for you. It swaps beef for lentils and mashed potatoes for a heartier topping of polenta to keep you satisfied and full. (via The Veggie Chick)

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Justina Huddleston

Justina Huddleston is a food writer living in Los Angeles. When she's not busy writing, she spends her time in the kitchen creating both virtuous and decidedly junky vegan food. Buffalo chickpea pizza, anyone? She's also been known to eat a plain block of tofu or beans straight out of the can for lunch, but somehow those culinary adventures don't make it to her Instagram. You can follow Justina on Twitter or see what's cooking in her kitchen on her blog, A Life of Little Pleasures.

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