31 Instant Pot Dinner Recipes to Make in October

These 31 recipe ideas for the Instant Pot are perfect for whipping up homemade dinners on the fly this month!

Happy October!

For our tenth installment of our 31 Days Series, we’re simplifying with the all-in-one magical unicorn workhorse Instant Pot. If you’re a little late to the party, the Instant Pot is the newfangled version of the pressure cooker, and if you don’t have one yet, you likely have major appliance envy, because this baby is the Beyoncé of kitchen appliances.

I’m telling you now…there isn’t a single appliance I’ve loved more since I got my Instant Pot last year than this and my friends and family can all vouch for this because I think they’re sick of hearing me talk about its virtues. And if you don’t believe me, believe Amazon, where it was the #3 best-selling product on 2017’s Amazon Prime Day.

But really, it does it all. The thing I love about it most is you can actually sear meats, chicken, vegetables in it before using the slow cooker or pressure cooker function so you get all that good flavor and don’t have to dirty any extra pots! It’s the true one and done.

It’s user-friendly, often cuts our average cooking duration in half, makes perfectly peelable hard boiled eggs!!!!, and it is a powerful force when it comes to weekly meal planning. What’s not to be totally smitten with? Things are getting pretty serious and all of our other appliances are getting jealous, but we #cantstopwontstop now.

If you don’t have yours yet, here’s an affiliate link, but seriously…this isn’t a sponsored post, I just love this machine and I don’t know anyone else who’s bought it who doesn’t love it too.

**UPDATED: I JUST received an e-mail that tomorrow, Oct. 2, 2017, you can get the Instant Pot for $30 off — that’s just $69!!!! — at the one day sale on Amazon!

Click here to buy the Instant Pot Duo 7-in-1 Multi-Use Programmable Pressure Cooker, 6 Quart (limit of 5 for the sale price on Oct. 2, 2017)

Instant Pot, we love you. Thank you for making our lives eternally easier and our kitchen sink considerably emptier.

To see all of this year’s 31 Days Series, check them out here:

31 Days of Healthy Comfort Food Recipes to Make in January

28 Days of Lighter Pasta Recipes to Make in February

31 Days of Weeknight Chicken Dinners to Make in March

30 Days of Healthier Salads that Make a Meal in April

31 Days of Sheet Pan Dinners to Make in May

30 Days of Easy Grilling Recipes to Make in June

31 Summer Slow Cooker Recipes to Make in July

31 Days of Summer Produce Recipes to Make in August

30 Dinners to Make When There’s No Time to Cook in September

Here’s how to make meal planning your month of meals a snap.

First, download this free printable weekly meal planner/to-do list to fill in, tape to the fridge, take to the grocery store, or use for reference next year when you can’t remember what the heck were your fave recipes from this one.

And then sign up for your free weekly meal plan and prep list here.

You get the idea. Now get cooking!

October 1: Butternut Squash Beef Stew (Instant Pot, Pressure Cooker or Slow Cooker)

FoodieCrush

This cozy beef stew is precisely the thing we want to warm up with on a chilly autumn night. It’s loaded with healthy veggies, and is ready in a mere 40 minutes, so you feel like you’re eating something that’s been cooking low and slow all day, without actually having to wait all day! Win, win.

October 2: Butternut Cauliflower Soup (Slow Cooker + Instant Pot)

Peas & Crayons

You can make this velvety soup in less than 30 minutes, and using pre-cut veggies really makes the prep a breeze.

October 3: Pressure Cooker Mexican Pulled Pork (Carnitas)

Simply Recipes

This super flavorful pork gets a kick from a generous spice rub, and is then cooked in fresh pineapple or orange juice until it’s fork-tender. It’s perfect for tacos, burritos, enchiladas, salad bowls—you name it!

October 4: 30-Minute Instant Pot Creamy Chicken Pasta

The Butter Half

Everything you want for dinner is accounted for in this effortless and versatile dish that’s perfect for kids and adults alike.

October 5: Comforting Beef Barley Soup (Instant Pot)

Little Spice Jar

Loads of veggies, tender beef, and nutty barley make this hearty soup a fall recipe you’ll definitely want in regular rotation.

October 6: Instant Pot Pho

Lexi’s Clean Kitchen

Veggies, protein, and herbs are all added to this incredibly rich and aromatic bone broth, making for a heavenly and healthy bowl of pho guaranteed to both fill and warm you up on the coldest of nights. It’s also a killer antidote for a stubborn case of the sniffles!

October 7: Instant Pot Chicken Tikka Masala

Savory Tooth

This popular Indian dish is lightened-up and made dairy-free, so you can enjoy all of the flavors you love, without worrying about calories. Serve it alongside some basmati or cauliflower rice and naan, and you’ll never bother with takeout again!

October 8: Instant Pot Chipotle Chicken Bowls with Cilantro Lime Quinoa

Skinnytaste

These easy-to-make bowls are healthy, fun to make, and completely customizable with whatever taco or burrito fixins you love, and the cilantro lime quinoa is a game changer!

October 9: Vegetarian Portobello Pot Roast

Gimme Some Oven

Meaty portobello mushrooms sub in for beef in this deceptively delicious, comforting “pot roast” that both vegetarians and carnivores will devour.

October 10: One Pot Teriyaki Rice with Chicken & Vegetables 

Life Made Sweeter

Our weeknights run on one pot meals, and this one covers all the bases (starch, protein, and veggies). Not to mention it’s loaded with awesome flavors!

October 11: Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken Soup

Jelly Toast

Your beloved game day wings get “soupified” in this soul-soothing recipe, and we’ve gotta say it gives them a run for their money!

October 12: Instant Pot Chipotle Brisket

Fed and Fit

All you need are a few ingredients to make this irresistible, chipotle-seasoned brisket. Serve with your favorite grain and veggie, or a nice salad, and you’ll be in brisket bliss.

October 13: Instant Pot Creamy Tomato Soup with Crispy Parmesan Chickpeas

Peas & Crayons

Move over, Campbells, this dreamy, creamy tomato soup is everything we want in a tomato soup. And don’t even get us started on those totally addictive crispy parmesan chickpeas we can’t stop snacking on!

 

October 14: Instant Pot Easy Mac and Cheese

CenterCutCook

Fact: We’ll never, ever be too old for mac and cheese, and while we’re certainly not above the boxed stuff, this Instant Pot version gives us the best of both worlds—homemade, yet ridiculously easy (and super cheesy).

October 15: Beef and Guinness Stew

Cafe Delites

They say Guinness is good for you, and we agree, especially when it’s added to a rich, beefy stew like this one! You’ll be in comfort food heaven once you try a bite of its rich and savory Guinness-spiked gravy.

October 16: Instant Pot Cheesy Southwestern Lentils & Brown Rice

Platings and Pairings

Hearty lentils, brown rice, and Southwestern spices tango in this filling vegetarian bowl that gets topped with gooey mozzarella and cheddar cheese. We see you, Meatless Monday.

October 17: Pressure Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup

Kitschen Cat

This yummy soup is made with easy pantry staples, cooks in just 10 minutes, and makes killer leftovers for the week. ¡We’ll say Olé to that!

October 18: Pressure Cooker Balsamic Roast Beef

Add a Pinch

Balsamic vinegar lends a tangy, complex flavor boost to this tender and juicy beef, which is the perfect comfort food meal on a brisk fall day.

October 19: Spicy Instant Pot Carrot Soup

Pinch of Yum

This spicy and unbelievably creamy soup just has seven ingredients, and is flavored with coconut milk, red curry paste, and peanut butter. Bonus: It’s good for you too!

October 20: 4-Ingredient Instant Pot Chicken Chile Verde

Two Peas and Their Pod

With only four ingredients and just 25 minutes, it just doesn’t get simpler than this chicken chile verde. Perfect for tacos, burritos, quesadillas, enchiladas, and salads, it’s an easy, slam-dunk dinner you can throw together on even the busiest of nights.

October 21: Instant Pot Chili

Plated Cravings

Gear up for the big game with this classic beef and bean chili, which you can have on your table in no time.

October 22: Instant Pot Hearty Chicken Soup

Boulder Locavore

Chicken soup seems to be one of those magical cure-all recipes, and this recipe is definitely one you’ll want to have in your arsenal once cold and flu season rolls around. It gets nice kick from apple cider vinegar, jalapeño, ginger, and plenty of garlic, making for a wonderfully aromatic, soul-warming soup.

October 23: Instant Pot Golden Lentil & Spinach Soup

Kitchen Treaty

This hearty and healthy vegetarian soup gets its pretty golden hue from anti-inflammatory superstar, turmeric, and it takes just 12 minutes from pot to bowl!

October 24: Pressure Cooker Ropa Vieja

A Calculated Whisk

You’d never believe this traditional Cuban beef dish didn’t spend all day cooking. It’s loaded with flavor from awesome spices, capers, and pimiento peppers, and happens to be naturally free of gluten and dairy.

October 25: Slow Cooker Tortellini Soup with Sausage and Kale

FoodieCrush

Cheesy tortellini, leafy kale, Italian sausage, and an herb-infused broth are married together in this cozy soup, and hanks to the Instant Pot’s slow cooker function, you can have a bowl on your table in no time.

October 26: Instant Pot Chicken Enchilada Soup

A Saucy Kitchen

With all of the flavors you love from enchiladas, this cozy, spicy, and filling soup gets some extra protein from fluffy quinoa, and hits all the right notes. Top with your favorite fixings and dinner is served!

October 27: Vegetarian Lentil Tortilla Soup (Instant Pot + Slow Cooker)

Peas & Crayons

You’ll feel like you’re eating the rainbow when you slurp a spoonful of this hearty tortilla soup. It’s packed with healthy veggies, lentils, and seasonings, and is super flavorful whether you’re vegetarian or not.

October 28: Instant Pot Chicken Cacciatore

Lexi’s Clean Kitchen

Tender, fall-off-the-bone chicken and veggies are cooked in a tangy balsamic-tomato sauce for a healthier version of this Italian favorite that you can serve over pasta, polenta, or rice.

October 29: Instant Pot Red Beans and Rice

A Pinch of Healthy

This classic New Orleans dish is wonderfully hearty and comforting, and best of all, you don’t have to wait forever for your beans to soak, or your rice to cook!

October 30: Instant Pot One-Pot Spaghetti with Meat Sauce

Skinnytaste

Spaghetti is one of those comfort foods we could eat any week, any month of the year. It’s a hearty classic that makes great leftovers and is easy, especially thanks to this Instant Pot recipe, which just takes 15 minutes from beginning to end. Best of all? You don’t have to wait for water to boil, since your noodles cook directly in the Instant Pot, along with everything else.

October 31: Slow Cooker Chicken Bacon Corn Chowder

Cafe Delites

Chowders tend to be heavy, but this one has a few adjustments that make it lighter, without sacrificing flavor, and it can be done in the slow cooker or the Instant Pot.

This recipe round-up was curated  and written by FoodieCrush contributor Hayley Putnam of Seven Day Weekend. Follow her foodie tastes and other flights of fancy on Pinterest and Instagram.

Thanks for stopping by and visiting FoodieCrush. Have something to say or a recipe round-up request to make your dinnertime meal making easier? I’d love to hear from you. Email me at [email protected] or let me know in the comments below.

As always, thank you for reading and supporting companies I partner with, which allows me to create more unique content and recipes for you. All opinions are always my own.  

Thanks for reading and subscribe to FoodieCrush to have each post delivered straight to your e-mail box.

Craving more life balance, less stress, and better health? Check out my Nourished Planner, the daily planner to help create simplicity and under-schedule your life.

Follow me on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter for more FoodieCrush inspiration.