23 Easy Slow Cooker And Instant Pot Recipes For Lunch, Dinner, Dessert, And Beyond (2024)

Talk about comfort food. And what could be more comforting than coming home to dinner already done? This takes minutes to toss together in the morning and then slow cooks all day for chicken-y, biscuit-y perfection.

Recipe:I Shop The Recipe

The secret weapon here is Thai green chili paste — aka the best way to make any leftover vegetables you might have taste like a million bucks.

Recipe:Slow Cooker Thai Green CurryIShop The Recipe

Instead of simmering for hours and hours, this soup builds flavor fast in the Instant Pot, so you're left with all the good stuff but none of the waiting. And don't skip out on the toppings! Cheese, avocado, tortilla strips, sour cream, hot sauce — the world is your oyster here.

Recipe:Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla SoupIShop The Recipe

Onion soup mix is truly a magical cooking secret. You can use it in onion dip, to make meatloaf or Salisbury steak, and in this pot roast for a ton of flavor without any of the fuss.

Recipe:The Best Ever Slow Cooker Pot RoastIShop The Recipe

Crème brûlée can feel intimidating (I mean, it's even intimidating to type!), but this recipe uses just five ingredients and the Instant Pot for super-easy deliciousness. And you don't even need a torch for that crackly top — use your broiler!

Recipe:Instant Pot Crème BrûléeIShop The Recipe

This indulgent dip gets just a little bit of a makeover with yogurt in place of the traditional sour cream. Definitely follow the advice of commenters here, though, and be sure to add Parmesan and a little bit of garlic. You won't regret it.

Recipe:Healthy Slow Cooker Spinach Artichoke DipIShop The Recipe

One of the Instant Pot's best qualities is transforming "all day" recipes into "totally doable after work" recipes. With just an hour of pressure cooking, you get totally gorgeous pulled pork that'll be tenderized by the root beer, with just a hint of that soda-y flavor.

Recipe:Instant Pot Root Beer Pulled PorkIShop The Recipe

I would like to meet the inventor of loaded potato soup, so I can give them a hug in return for creating this hug in a bowl. There is truly nothing cozier. And if you want a little thicker of a soup, commenters recommend blending a few of the potatoes to really amp up the texture.

Recipe:Slow Cooker Loaded Potato SoupIShop The Recipe

Korean food can be tricky to make at home if you don't have all of the ingredients in your pantry, but this recipe is a great place to start from. The meat will get super tender in the Instant Pot, and you can totally go all out with the toppings and sides.

Recipe:Instant Pot Beef BulgogiIShop The Recipe

This is a great recipe for using up those veggie odds and ends that can accumulate in your crisper drawer. You can basically throw whatever in, and the coconut milk and spices will make it taste darn good.

Recipe:Slow Cooker Coconut CurryIShop The Recipe

If you're craving Indian food but don't want to wait for takeout, this is the recipe for you. Tender chicken and a perfectly spiced sauce, hopefully with some naan on the side? Dinnertime perfection.

Recipe:Instant Pot Butter ChickenIShop The Recipe

Beef and broccoli is my go-to Chinese takeout order, and this at-home version is just as good (and way cheaper). You can serve it with rice, by itself or even with stir-fried noodles for a different take.

Recipe:Slow Cooker Beef and BroccoliIShop The Recipe

Making pasta in the Instant Pot is a divisive subject, but TBH you can never go wrong with mac 'n' cheese. This one takes less than 10 minutes from start to finish and is incredibly cheesy, so I think it's worth the controversy.

Recipe:IShop The Recipe

This is a great recipe for a mixed crowd of meat- and veggie-eaters! Just do it as written (but with vegetable stock) for vegetarians, and add chicken or even ground beef for the meat lovers.

Recipe:Slow Cooker Stuffed PeppersIShop The Recipe

This one is definitely for true lovers of gooey, melty cinnamon rolls. The Instant Pot uses moisture to cook, so there are truly no dry bites available in these bad boys.

Recipe:Instant Pot Cinnamon RollsIShop The Recipe

Creamed corn is one of my favorite holiday foods, but this recipe makes it a totally accessible anytime food. It comes out thick, glorious, and the perfect side for basically anything you can think of.

Recipe:Slow Cooker Creamed CornIShop The Recipe

Use up all that perfect late-summer corn in the best way imaginable. Plus, everything (even the bacon!) gets cooked in the Instant Pot, so you don't have to heat up your kitchen by using the stove or oven.

Recipe:Instant Pot Summer Corn and Bacon SoupIShop The Recipe

The slow cooker does double duty here, on the warm setting for proofing the dough, and then on high to cook it all the way through. After that all it needs is a quick blast in the oven for that gorgeous crust, and you've got beautiful bread.

Recipe:Slow Cooker Rosemary BreadIShop The Recipe

There's nothing like a whole roasted chicken just falling off the bone, and the Instant Pot makes it incredibly easy. Just give it a final crisp in the oven or on the stovetop for that delicious skin, and you're all set!

Recipe:Instant Pot Whole Herb ChickenIShop The Recipe

The smell of this cooking for two hours might legally be torture, but trust me it is worth it. And if you can't find peach pie filling, regular canned peaches work just fine — just be sure to drain some of the liquid, so you don't end up with soup instead of cobbler.

Recipe:Slow Cooker Peach CobblerIShop The Recipe

Talk about a perfect weeknight dinner: It should take less than 30 minutes from start to finish, and using jarred pasta sauce means you get all those herby, garlicky flavors without any extra effort. It's a win-win!

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If you or someone you know is a vegan who desperately misses mac 'n' cheese, get this recipe to them STAT. The butternut squash, cashews, and nutritional yeast provide a really rounded-out cheesy flavor that they won't be able to get enough of.

Recipe:Slow Cooker Vegan Butternut Squash MacIShop The Recipe

For those meals when you need an absolute scene-stealer? These deliver every time.

Recipe:Slow Cooker Mozzarella-Stuffed Meatballs and SauceIShop The Recipe