Guide for 15 Easy Instant Pot Pantry and Freezer Recipes with most ingredients found in pantry or freezer. Most recipes have substitution ideas in case some ingredients aren’t available. Everything from bread to main courses to breakfasts to desserts.

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Instant Pot is a great kitchen tool. Its best advantage isn’t speed but in fact – convenience! It is super convenient to add all the ingredients to an electric pressure cooker and leave the kitchen.

Cooking in Instant Pot is really helpful if you need to do some chores around the house or take care of your children. You don’t need to stand at the stove and watch pots and pans.

Besides using Instant Pot for regular meals made with fresh produce and other fresh ingredients, it is also great for meals that you can make with ingredients from your pantry or freezer.

In this guide, I show you 15 easy Instant Pot pantry and freezer recipes. I will also make suggestions for some substitutions in case if fresh ingredients, such as milk or eggs aren’t available.

Tips for cooking from pantry and freezer

Eggs Eggs can often be omitted in bread baking although texture and flavour will change. Eggs can often be substituted with mashed banana or applesauce in cakes, pancakes, waffles, and muffins. Fresh or carton egg whites freeze well.



Cheese Many vacuum sealed cheeses have very long fridge life if unopened, some have it for 12-18 months, so check the expiry date. Cheese can be frozen if you want to use it in other recipes.



Milk Milk can often be substituted with water or half milk and half water in bread baking although texture and flavour will change. There are shelf-stable milk packets available in some stores. I know Costco sells individual shelf-stable milk boxes for kids. Funny note, growing up in Russia shelf-stable milk was much more common than regular refrigerator milk. Shelf-stable plant-based milk can be used in many recipes including sweet or savoury ones, just remember to buy unsweetened plant-based milk. Canned milk such as evaporated milk or coconut milk can be used for many recipes calling regular milk. Powdered milk can also be a substitute for some recipes.



Bread Bread can easily be frozen and then defrosted when needed without much change to flavour or texture. Dough can also be frozen.



Produce Fresh herbs can be frozen: wash and dry really well, herbs must be completely dry, spread in a layer on a sheet pan and freeze, once frozen, transfer to a ziploc bag or a container. Potatoes: if stored properly in a cool and dry place can last for 2-3 months. Onions: can be stored for many weeks if stored properly. Also can be diced up and frozen. In Russia we commonly used old nylon tights for storing onion and garlic but you can also buy special mesh storage bags for produce on amazon. Apples: can last for quite a few weeks in the fridge.



15 Easy Instant Pot Pantry and Freezer Recipes

Bread

Instant Pot No Knead Dinner Rolls

Bread is easy to make and it usually doesn’t require a lot of ingredients. In this particular recipe you can substitute milk, cream and butter with water and oil. Also, omit the egg. This way you can use up your pantry staples without needing to do a grocery run.

Instant Pot No Knead Dinner Rolls Instant Pot No Knead Dinner Rolls will be the star of any meal. They are feathery light, buttery, and soft. Perfect for sandwiches or an accompaniment to a roast. Easy to make without a mixer. They require no kneading and rise in your electric pressure cooker. Check out this recipe

Soups

Lemon Lentil Soup (Instant Pot or Stove)

This soup uses dried lentils and a few spices. Fresh lemon juice and lemon zest can easily be substituted with bottled lemon juice. Perfect pantry staple soup.

Lemon Lentil Soup This Lemon Lentil Soup can be done on the stove or Instant Pot. Both versions are simple and quick. The soup is light, healthy, and delicious! It's also vegan and gluten-free. Check out this recipe

Easy Corn Soup (Instant Pot or Stove)

Corn soup uses frozen corn and a few other ingredients. Potatoes can keep for 2-3 months if stored properly in a cool place. You can read information on how to store potatoes. Cream can easily be omitted in this recipe or you could use shelf-stable coconut milk or other plant-based milk instead.

Easy Corn Soup Easy Corn Soup can be made with either fresh or frozen corn. You can make it on the stove or Instant Pot for convenience. Only 4-ingredients and spices. It's sweet, creamy, and delicious. Naturally gluten-free and can be easily modified to be vegan | imagelicious.com #cornsoup #cornchowder #instantpot Check out this recipe

Instant Pot Tomato Orzo Soup

This particular recipe uses a few different types of canned tomatoes, orzo, and lots of spices as its base. You can omit the milk and use extra broth instead or use shelf-stable milk of choice. Parmesan cheese lasts for a very long time in the fridge or even freezer but if you don’t have access to it, then omit as well.

Instant Pot Tomato Orzo Soup Instant Pot Tomato Orzo Soup is wonderfully filling and savoury. It is really easy to make and has minimal ingredients! The flavours are clean and bright and perfect for cool evenings.



Check out this recipe

Main Courses

Instant Pot Chili

This chili uses a lot of nutritious and convenient canned goods, such as various beans and diced tomatoes. You can very easily use any frozen ground meat without defrosting for the recipe. If you don’t have access to ground meat, then omit it. Chili won’t be as filling but it’ll still be delicious! You can also omit onions if necessary.

Instant Pot Chili Instant Pot Chili is delicious, easy, and healthy meal. It's a perfect dump & start recipe and great for weeknight dinners. Use for meal prepping as leftovers are great for reheating. Check out this recipe

Instant Pot Lemon Pea Risotto

Risotto is a delicious and filling meal and can usually be cooked with a few pantry ingredients. In this recipe from Carmyy.com you can use frozen peas. Omit parmesan and use bottled lemon juice if you don’t have access to the fresh ingredients.

Instant Pot Lemon Pea Risotto This Instant Pot Lemon Pea Risotto is a show stopper but secretly only takes a couple minutes to put together! Impress your guests by serving this pretty but simple dinner! Check out this recipe

Instant Pot Sausage and Sauerkraut

This particular recipe uses potatoes and green beans but you can omit them if necessary. Sausages can easily be stored in the freezer and sauerkraut is a great pantry staple to have on hand.

Instant Pot Sausage and Sauerkraut Instant Pot Sausage and Sauerkraut with potatoes and green beans is a simple and comforting one-pot meal for a busy night. Affordable and with minimal prep. Easy and delicious | imagelicious.com #instantpot #sausages #sauerkraut Check out this recipe

Instant Pot Poached Salmon

You may not have access to fresh salmon but if you have frozen salmon then you can easily poach it in Instant Pot and then use for various meals or salads. You can omit the herbs and fresh lemon and use dried herbs and bottled lemon juice if necessary.

Instant Pot Poached Salmon (fresh or frozen) Instant Pot Poached Salmon is delicious, healthy, and very fast and easy to make. Perfect for meal prepping or just easy dinner. Check out this recipe

Side dishes

Instant Pot Lemon Quinoa

Quinoa is a filling and healthy side dish. You can omit lemon altogether or use bottled lemon for flavour. Use it with Instant Pot Poached Salmon or canned tuna for a quick and healthy pantry meal.

Instant Pot Lemon Quinoa Instant Pot Lemon Quinoa is a delicious and flavourful side dish. Perfect to add to salads and for meal prepping. Cooks in just 1 minute (and natural pressure release). Check out this recipe

Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes

Potatoes have a very long storage life if stored properly so they are great to have on hand for various situations. You can read information on how to store potatoes. In this particular recipe whipping cream is used for extra decadent and creamy mashed potatoes. You can omit the cream and use regular milk or even reconstituted dry milk or evaporated milk.

Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes These Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes are decadent and creamy. There's no draining after cooking and no adding of more ingredients, everything is cooked together in Instant Pot for the ultimate, soft, and delicious mashed potatoes | imagelicious.com #instantpotrecipes #mashedpotatoes #thanksgiving Check out this recipe

Fail-proof Instant Pot Beans

Whether you want beans for salad or soup, this guide for Fail-proof Instant Pot Beans from Lorena at Green Healthy Cooking has you covered! It’s great if you have a lot of various dried beans lying around and no canned beans.

Fail-proof Instant Pot Beans Fail-proof guide for Instant Pot Beans. Instant Pot black beans, Instant Pot pinto beans, instant pot kidney beans, and many more, basically an encyclopedia about cooking beans in the instant pot. Check out this recipe

Breakfasts

Instant Pot Gingerbread Steel-Cut Oats

This is a great breakfast recipe that can easily be adjusted. Use plant-based milk or even water if you don’t have regular milk. Adjust the spices to your liking. Double or triple the ingredients (keep the cooking time the same) for bigger portions.

Instant Pot Gingerbread Steel-Cut Oats for One Check out this recipe

Creamy Instant Pot Millet Porridge

Millet porridge is a great alternative to the more common oatmeal porridge. You can use plant-based milk or evaporated milk instead of regular milk if this is all you have on hand.

Instant Pot Millet Porridge Instant Pot Millet Porridge (or Millet Pudding) is a delicious, easy, and healthy breakfast. Great alternative to oatmeal. Naturally gluten-free and easily converted to a vegan lifestyle. Fast and easy to make with electric pressure cooker | imagelicious.com #millet #instantpotrecipes Check out this recipe

Desserts

Instant Pot Almond Cherry Cake

Egg whites in cartons are often easy to find in stores even when fresh eggs aren’t available. More importantly, egg whites in cartons can actually be frozen! This cake uses almond flour which is a great pantry staple to have and frozen berries which can also be omitted.

Instant Pot Almond Cherry Cake Instant Pot Almond Cherry Cake is delicious, easy to make, and gluten-free. Batter only takes a few minutes to mix together. The cake is soft, sweet, and beautiful. Check out this recipe

3-ingredient Instant Pot Nutella Cake Bites

Yes, these cake bites use fresh eggs but only a few and the rest of the ingredients can easily be found in a pantry and they last for a very long time.

3 Ingredient Instant Pot Nutella Cake Bites These 3 Ingredient Instant Pot Nutella Cake Bites are rich and flavourful. Perfect little bites to finish your dinner. They are soft and luscious. Great to celebrate Valentine's Day or Mother's Day | imagelicious.com Check out this recipe

So, here you have it 15 Easy Instant Pot Pantry and Freezer recipes with ideas for changes and substitutions if fresh ingredients aren’t available. If you have a well-stocked pantry and a freezer, you can enjoy delicious and healthy meals for a long time.

If you’d like to see some other recipes, you can check my Instant Pot Recipes or even my new site, dedicated specifically to all things Instant Pot, called Instantlicious. Here’s also a round of Easy Instant Pot Recipes to Try from a few of my food blogger friends.

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