20 Money Saving Instant Pot Dinner Recipes

These Instant Pot Dinner Recipes are ones I have collected from some blogger friends, and some of my recipes, to provide you with inexpensive dinner recipes you can make in your Instant Pot. Let this collection of best money saving Instant Pot dinner recipes become a valued resource as you plan and shop for family mealtime options. These are delicious, cheap pressure cooker recipes to help you save money on groceries.

The convenience of an Instant Pot is on full display with these economical recipes that will win you points in the budget savvy and family favorites categories.

TIP: Anytime you see your favorite meats, such as ground beef, turkey, pork and any seafood items on sale, try to stock up and keep them frozen. Your pressure cooker is amazing at cooking frozen foods when you’re running short on time and forget to take something out to thaw.

Don’t forget to forage your farmer’s markets and roadside stands for fresh seasonal ingredients that will always cost only a fraction of what you’ll pay in a brick and mortar establishment. Common pantry items like rice, pasta, canned soups, tomatoes, beans and vegetables as well as cheese, potatoes, onions, garlic and seasonings are all main-stays in these money-saving dinner recipes.

A hearty soup that uses leftover ham and any kind of potatoes that you have in your pantry. You don’t even have to peel them!
Instant Pot Potato Ham Chowder by Retro Recipe Box

This economical protein-packed Mexican-flavored meal is made flavorful by pressure cooking dried black beans and brown rice in an Instant Pot. Salsa, frozen corn and vegetable broth along with a host of spices cooks all at once for an outrageously tasty meal.
Instant Pot Mexican Rice And Beans by Garden In The Kitchen

Ground beef, onions and garlic are sautéed in your Instant Pot before opening cans of pantry staples of beans, tomatoes and tomato paste. You’ll need some water and seasoning spices, too. Let your pressure cooking do the work of turning this chili recipe into a hearty meal that you can serve as is or over rice. Top with shredded cheese.
Instant Pot Five Can Chili by Street Smart Nutrition

Brown lentils need no soaking and will pressure cook to tenderness in about 7 minutes in a base of vegetable stock. Add flavor with onion, garlic, carrots, paprika, cumin and a can of chopped tomatoes. Top with sour cream when ready to serve. Crusty bread on the side is always appreciated.
Instant Pot Lentil Soup by Simply Happy Foodie

Economical cube steak becomes a tender beef meal when pressure cooked. This Instant Pot dinner is practically dump and go. Use onion, mushrooms and beef stock. Salt, pepper and a smidge of cayenne for a hint of spicy warmth will bring this meal to praise-worthy status. Browning of the steak is optional – just layer it all in and pressure cook it.
Instant Pot Cube Steak by Simply Happy Foodie

If your family loves the heat and spiciness of curry dishes, wow them with this easy to make chickpea curry that’s as outrageously tasty as it is simple. Jarred roasted red peppers, cans of coconut milk, chickpeas and diced tomatoes join aromatics like onion, garlic, ginger and curry in this Instant Pot dinner. Veggies of sweet potatoes and spinach round out the deliciousness of this meal that’s served over rice.
Roasted Red Pepper Chickpea Curry by Minimalist Baker

Small red potatoes, shrimp, ears of corn, sausage, water, Cajun and Old Bay seasoning will have you pressure cooking this summer time seafood meal in flash and with minimal cleanup. It’s super simple and you may even score many of the ingredients from neighbors, a roadside stand or local farmer’s market. It’s a bargain meal that’s always a hit.
Instant Pot Low Country Shrimp Boil by Simply Happy Foodie

You’ll love this dump and cook fajita-inspired recipe where you add in the chicken breasts, taco seasoning, chicken broth, jarred salsa and dried pasta shells and set your Instant Pot to pressure cook this easy meal. After the initial cook, you’ll add in chopped bell peppers, sour cream and cheddar cheese and stir to combine. Let it sit for 5 minutes before serving so the bell peppers can soften just a bit.
Instant Pot Chicken Fajita Pasta by The Girl On Bloor

Truly a last minute meal using frozen shrimp and frozen veggies along with uncooked rice and parmesan cheese can be made in a jiffy. Frozen is key here since the whole meal cooks in just about 6 minutes, so you don’t want mushy shrimp or veggies. From frozen to creamy and delicious!
Pressure Cooker Shrimp Risotto by Two Sleevers

A leftover ham bone can contribute flavor to this easy Instant Pot bean soup that pressure cooks White Northern beans to tenderness with this savory recipe. Chicken broth gives it flavor along with celery, onions and carrots. Frugal but delicious are the hallmarks of this comfort food soup.
Ham And Bean Soup by A Mindful Mom

Meal planning is made easy with this family favorite BBQ shredded chicken that you can use for many meals throughout the week, or even freeze for later. You can make this on the fly with frozen chicken breasts or thighs. Chicken, chicken stock, spices and BBQ sauce are all you need. Pressure cook it, shred it and use on buns, in quesadillas, on a pizza, to top a salad or baked potato, or serve with rice and veggies.
Instant Pot BBQ Chicken by Chisel And Fork

Full of healthy and nutritious vegetables, this soup adds beans for a little protein boost. Carrots, zucchini, tomatoes, onion, celery, broccoli and bell peppers cook with the beans in a base of vegetable broth for a colorful and delicious meal.
Instant Pot Vegetable Soup by The Girl On Bloor

Serve this Philly Cheesesteak-inspired meal that just needs the ground beef browned along with onion, garlic and green peppers. A little beef broth helps the dried pasta shells cook in record time with this pressure cooker version. Provolone cheese is added for melty goodness at the end, just before serving.
Instant Pot Philly Cheesesteak Pasta by Salt and Baker

Angel hair pasta, chicken broth and a bag of frozen shrimp will get you started on this super simple scampi recipe that turns out tasty and tender thanks to a quick session in your pressure cooker. You’ll season it up with garlic, of course, and add some parmesan cheese before serving.
Instant Pot Shrimp Scampi by Eating On A Dime

A quick mix of a ground beef meatloaf mixture with pantry staple seasonings, bread crumbs, diced onions and an egg are cooked in an egg bite silicon mold specifically designed for the Instant Pot. You’ll want to use this as it hovers above the potatoes that will be cooked in the lower part of the pot. It’s a great method to utilize space and time. Make a green veggie on the side while the rest of the meal is pressure cooking.
Instant Pot Mini Meatloaf Bites and Mashed Potatoes by Sparkles To Sprinkles

Combine the flavors of taco seasoning and salsa with beef and pasta with a cheesy sauce, in this quick hearty meal. Brown the ground beef before adding in seasonings, chicken broth, a can of crushed tomatoes, diced green pepper, a can of corn and jarred salsa. Dump in the dried pasta shells and pressure cook to deliciousness. Before serving, stir in shredded cheddar cheese.
Instant Pot Cheesy Taco Pasta by Simply Happy Foodie

Cabbage joins ground beef, beef broth and canned tomatoes and paste to form the base of a delicious soup that can be supplemented with rice. Onions, garlic and pantry seasonings keep it delicious. And it’s easy to swap out the meat for whatever you have available or what’s currently on sale, such as ground turkey or pork. It’s an easy, economical and adaptable recipe that’s also freezer-friendly.
Instant Pot Cabbage Roll Soup by Accidental Happy Baker

Sure, you can cook hamburgers on the grill or flip them on the stovetop, but if you pressure cook them in foil in the Instant Pot, your cleanup is virtually non existent. The ground beef gets minimal seasoning before you form them into patties and encase them in foil. Set them on a trivet, above a little water in the Instant Pot, and steam them to deliciousness in minutes. That gives you time to get the buns and toppings ready. What could be easier?
Instant Pot Hamburgers by Simply Happy Foodie

Chunks of chicken, broccoli, rice, shredded cheddar cheese, chicken broth, onion and seasonings are all you need for this classic chicken and rice casserole. Broccoli and cheese make it a full meal that comes together in about 30 minutes, thanks to your Instant Pot.
Instant Pot Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole by Simply Happy Foodie

Chicken gets a tangy BBQ flavor along with the sweetness of canned pineapple. A bag of frozen veggies rounds out the meal and it’s all served over rice. And best of all, everything is cooked in your Instant Pot. Start with a quick sauté of the chicken breasts. Remove them and add in pineapple juice, BBQ sauce, uncooked rice and water. Add the frozen veggies and chicken, too. Pressure cook to deliciousness.
Pressure Cooker Pineapple BBQ Chicken And Rice by The Creative Bite

Bonus Cheap Instant Pot Dinner Recipes

I have a few more money saving Instant Pot Recipes for you!
Instant Pot Beef Stew
Instant Pot Fried Rice with Chicken
Instant Pot Meatball Soup