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I’m thrilled to share with you my latest cookbook! It’s packed with healthy Instant Pot recipes to help you lose weight, eat better, and spend less time in your kitchen.

With detailed instructions, photos, nutrition information, and cooking times (including the time it takes to come to pressure), I think it’s the BEST Instant Pot cookbook out there!

best healthy instant pot cookbook

Available Now:

amazon barnes-noble indie-bound book-depository ibooks indie-bound

Healthy Instant Pot Recipes

Each and every recipe in the Fresh & Healthy Instant Pot Cookbook has the nutrition info listed right on the recipe, and there’s also a photo for every recipe (yay!!) so you’ll know exactly what each one should look like when you’re done. All of the recipes have a gluten-free option included and they are all made without refined sugar, too.

To make this book as useful as possible for the greatest number of people, I’ve included vegan options whenever possible, even when a recipe calls for meat. So, in the Protein-Packed Entrees chapter, I intentionally made all of the sauces vegan and included a tested vegan substitute to make sure everyone can enjoy these new recipes. Check out the entire list of recipes included below!

Table of Contents:

Chapter 1: Easy Mornings

  • Easy-to-Peel Hardboiled Eggs
  • Instant Strawberry Jam
  • Peaches & Cream Steel-Cut Oatmeal
  • Cozy Spiced Fruit
  • Peanut Butter Crunch Granola Bars
  • Maple-Cinnamon Cereal Bowls
  • Take-Along Veggie Frittatas
  • Flourless Banana Oat Cake
  • Italian-Style Shakshuka
  • Asparagus & Leek Frittata
  • Huevos Rancheros (vegan option included)

healthy instant pot side dishes

Chapter 2: Healthy Staples & Side Dishes

(each recipe has a tested vegan option if not vegan already)
  • Cinnamon Applesauce
  • Healthy Hummus
  • Sesame Green Beans
  • Not-Fried Pinto Beans
  • Lightened-Up Mashed Potatoes and Gravy (all in one pot!)
  • Easy Cauliflower Rice (no extra equipment needed)
  • Maple-Glazed Sweet Potatoes
  • Garlic-Parmesan Spaghetti Squash
  • Instant Vegetable Medley
  • Fresh Bulgur Pilaf
  • Millet “Cornbread”
  • Beans from Scratch

Chapter 3: Soups & Stews

(each recipe has a tested vegan option if not vegan already)
  • Thai Coconut Carrot Soup
  • Broccoli Cheese Soup
  • Two-Bean Chili
  • Comforting Noodle Soup
  • Wild Rice & Mushroom Stew
  • Chipotle Black Bean Soup
  • Lentil Minestrone
  • African Peanut Stew
  • Creamy Tomato Soup

Chapter 4: Meal-Sized Salads & Bowls

(each recipe has a tested vegan option if not vegan already)
  • Thai-Style Farro Salad
  • Crunchy Lentil Salad with Shallot Vinaigrette
  • Taco Salad with Zesty Lime Vinaigrette
  • Greek Chickpea Salad
  • “Cheeseburger” Salad with Special Sauce
  • Curried Broccoli & White Bean Salad
  • Wild Rice & Kale Salad
  • Korean Chicken Bowls
  • Cold Sesame Noodle Bowls
  • Roasted Vegetable Bowls
  • Eggroll in a Bowl

vegetarian instant pot recipes

Chapter 5: Vegetarian Comfort Food

(each recipe has a tested vegan option if not vegan already)
  • Walnut Pesto Pasta
  • Hidden Cauliflower Mac ‘n’ Cheese
  • Instant “Fried Rice”
  • Mushroom & Barley “Risotto”
  • Kung Pao Chickpeas
  • Eggplant Parmesan Casserole
  • Spicy Sweet Potato Burgers
  • Pad Thai Stir Fry
  • Lazy Falafel Wraps
  • Speedy Sweet Potato Curry
  • Lentil & Walnut Tacos
  • Vegetarian Red Beans & Rice
  • One-Pot Shepherd’s Pie

protein low carb instant pot recipes

Chapter 6: Protein-Packed Favorites

(each recipe has a tested vegan alternative)
  • Carolina Barbecued Chicken with Slaw
  • One-Pot Turkey Bolognese with “Spaghetti”
  • Thai Salmon Curry
  • Creamy Tuscan Chicken with Mashed “Potatoes”
  • Easy Taco Casserole
  • Mongolian Beef Stir Fry
  • Soy-Ginger Salmon with Broccoli
  • Orange Chicken & Vegetables
  • Coconut-Lime Shrimp
  • Chicken Tikka Masala
  • Creamy Chicken & Brown Rice
  • Sneaky Sloppy Joes

dessert recipes instant pot healthy

Chapter 7: Naturally Sweet Treats

(each recipe has a tested vegan option if not vegan already)
  • Fresh Apple Crumble
  • Flourless Brownies
  • Brown Rice Pudding
  • Cinnamon-Pecan Coffee Cake
  • Creamy Coconut-Ginger Pudding
  • Deep-Dish Oatmeal Raisin Cookie
  • One-Pot Chocolate Cake with Frosting

Why Did I Write This Cookbook?

When I first bought my Instant Pot (on a Black Friday sale a few years ago), I had no idea where to start. I found it so intimidating that it sat in its box for longer than I’d like to admit. When I finally did get the courage to start using it, I used it for basic staples like making quinoa and beans from scratch.

instant pot trivet

Finding recipes on the internet for the Instant Pot can be hit-or-miss, because you have to experiment with the electric pressure cooker a lot to understand how best to use it. I’ve literally cooked with my Instant Pot over 1,000 times now, and I only just recently learned how to make boneless chicken breasts not turn out like rubber. (Here’s how to make perfect Instant Pot chicken breasts.)

Recipes for the Instant Pot also tend to be on the more decadent or processed side, with the most popular recipes being for cheesecake or “crack” chicken, which is made with a seasoning packet and cream cheese. (Convenient, yes… healthy, no.)

In my new book, you’ll find recipes using fresh and healthy ingredients. I think you’ll be surprised how I sneak extra vegetables into your favorite comfort food dishes in unexpected ways.

Benefits of Using the Instant Pot

If you’re already familiar with the Instant Pot, you may know that the Instant Pot doesn’t always cook food faster than traditional methods, but it does make the cooking process much more hands-off.

For example, quinoa still takes roughly 20 minutes to cook in the Instant Pot, but instead of waiting for a pot of water to boil on the stove, then covering it, turning down the heat, and watching the pot to make sure your quinoa doesn’t burn or stick to the bottom, you simply dump quinoa and water into your Instant Pot, press a button, and walk away. Because it’s hands-off, you’ll have more time to finish up chores around the house or spend time with your family. (And you’ll really save time with pot-in-pot Instant Pot cooking, which allows you to cook your main entree in the same pot at the same time.)

Pressure cooking has been shown to preserve more nutrition than other forms of cooking, possibly because the temperature stays lower (around 250ºF or less) or because shorter cooking times mean there’s less opportunity for nutrient loss. So, your meals are not only easier when you use the Instant Pot, they may really be healthier, too!

vegetables in instant pot

Which Instant Pot to Buy

I bought this 6-quart model first, and I still use it most often, though you may want to use the 8-quart model if you are cooking for more than 4 to 6 people regularly. The nice thing about the 6-quart model is that it comes to pressure faster, so your meals are ultimately ready faster, and it doesn’t need as much liquid, so you’ll almost never get an error message while using it.

The 8-quart makes a larger quantity of food and is wider, so it holds more normal-sized pans and bowls for pot-in-pot cooking. However, it is more prone to giving you a “burn” error, which means you’ll need to stop and scrape your pot before continuing with a recipe. (Which can be very frustrating!) That’s why I use my 8-quart pot less than the 6-quart.

how to use instant pot

How to Use the Instant Pot

In case you’re not sure how to use your Instant Pot, each recipe in this book walks you through every step, so you’ll know EXACTLY what to do. I’ve also included a how-to section at the beginning, with photos, and a troubleshooting section covering common issues that may come up.

I hope this book will leave you feeling confident that you can cook almost anything with your Instant pot!

instant pot healthy chocolate cake

I hope you’ve enjoyed this sneak peak, and I hope you’ll enjoy the cookbook even more once you have it in your hands. These are some of my favorite recipes yet!

Reader Feedback: Do you have any Instant Pot recipe requests in the meantime? I plan on sharing more Instant Pot recipes all summer long!

Megan Gilmore leaning on her white countertop.

Megan Gilmore

Hi, I’m Megan. A former fast food junkie turned best-selling cookbook author. As a Certified Nutritionist Consultant (CNC), I love to make healthier food using simple ingredients. I test these recipes multiple times in my kitchen to make sure they will turn out perfectly for you.

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Comments

  1. I can’t wait! I have both your first cookbooks, have been following you forever, and got an InstantPot last year which I love dearly — but I’m still learning it 6 months later! In fact, I think one of your recipes was the first I made because I trusted you. 🙂

  2. Thanks, I preordered! I got an instapot for Christmas and cannot figure out how to use it effectively. I have your other two books and cook from them all the time. Looking forward to your step by step guidance and trying out your wonderful recipes with my pot. Thanks for the vegan options. Looking forward to your bonus too!

  3. Yaay I just preordered your cookbook ! October hurry and come- jk lol ! I really appreciate enjoy your recipes!!

  4. I’m so excited about this cook book! (And it comes out one week before my birthday)
    One question I have is how heavily do the recipes rely on tomatoe based products and peppers? Most crock pot and instant pot recipes do. My husband and all three kids can’t have nightshades.
    Also if you could come up with an instant pot recipe for nomato sauce… Well I don’t know exactly would happen but life would definitely be way easier!

  5. Hi! I have your first two books and love them. This might be my reason to get an instant pot! Just curious if you’ve found a general conversion for altitude adjustment? I just moved from sea level to Denver and whoa I had no idea things could coolnso differently. Just curious if you offer a conversion in the book per recipe? Thanks!

  6. I’m so excited about this! I love your recipes! How do we get the free gift for pre-ordering? I just placed my order! I have all your cookbooks!

    1. Thanks for your support! Just hold on to your receipt for now– I’ll announce here on the blog and to my email subscribers when the pre-order gift is ready!!

    1. Just save your receipt for now– I’ll make an announcement here on the blog and to my email list when it’s ready!

  7. Megan, I’ve loved your recipes for a long time and just pre-ordered the book. Fingers crossed by October the Instant Pot will finally arrive in France. If not, are the instructions applicable to other brands of programmable pressure cookers?

    1. Yes, I purposefully developed all of my recipes to use a manual “high pressure” setting so that it could work with any model of electric pressure cooker!

  8. I’m so excited that you made this book!! Your recipes are always delicious, and it’s so hard to find nutritious recipes for the instant pot that have anything interesting going on.

    Can’t wait for this one! Pre-ordering right now!