There’s nothing worse than a recipe that takes hours (or days!) to make and costs you an arm and a leg in ingredients. Who has that kind of time or money to spend on making a meal?
Instead, get yourself an instant pot. These contraptions cut cook time down on pretty much everything—meats, pastas, even roasting a spaghetti squash. To top it off, there are so many different kinds of budget recipes you can make—as in, less than $10.
Don’t believe us? Here are 15 budget-friendly instant pot meals that are quick, easy and taste amazing to boot:
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Sweet Potato Chili
Not only does this cost you in the single digits to make, but it’s healthy and delicious. And it serves 4-6 people, so you’re really getting a bang for your buck. You just need sweet potatoes, black beans salsa, lime juice and some spices, and you’ve got a knock-out midday dinner.
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Cheesesteak Sloppy Joes
It’s a sloppy Joe…no, it’s a cheesesteak. Okay, it’s both, and it cooks in just six minutes!
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Chicken Potato Soup
Soup doesn’t have to be complicated. It doesn’t even have to require a fancy immersion blender. With just chicken, potatoes, scallions, cream and some toppers, you’ve got a unique dish that feels like you slaved all day (and spent a pretty penny).
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Meatloaf
Meat on a budget is a thing. So is making it quickly. Just sub the almond flour for regular flour and you’re still within your $10 range
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Vegan Pasta
No meat, and no time at all. This veggie-packed pasta will have non-meat eaters (and even meat eaters) content—especially at just $9-ish to make when all is said and done.
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Cajun Chicken & Rice
You can’t go wrong with chicken and rice—especially when it’s costs this little, cooks in minutes, and tastes like you went to a restaurant.
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Cheesy Egg Bake
Yes, you can even make breakfast in the instant pot. This egg bake makes the perfect weekend brunch (or just to quickly grab before work on a weekday).
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Chorizo & Pinto Beans
There’s nothing like chorizo to add full-on flavor to any meal. This Spanish dish is relatively cheap too, and this entire meal will run you just under $8 total.
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Baked Potatoes
You could bake your potatoes in the oven for 40 minutes, or you can do it in the instant pot in just 14. Be sure to load these up with sour cream, cheese and whatever else your heart desires—the price is still under $10!
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Mac & Cheese
There’s nothing more comforting than a bowl of cheesy noodles. Sure, making them from the blue box doesn’t take too long, but there’s nothing like mac and cheese from scratch (and that does take a while). In the instant pot, you can make it homemade in a pinch, plus it’s way healthier. (And at around $7 in total, it doesn’t even cost that much more than the boxed stuff anyway!)
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Pizza Pasta
Don’t want to spend the money on takeout pizza? Make this pasta version instead. It’s got all the flavors of real pizza, but in pasta form—just as comforting, and can probably be made in way less than it would take for delivery.
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Salsa Shredded Chicken
You just need chicken, a jar of salsa, and some spices, and it’s a fiesta in your mouth. You can eat it as is, or add a tortilla and some toppings.
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Sausage & Penne
With just five ingredients, you’ve got a lunch or dinner that’ll knock your family’s socks off—and won’t cut into the monthly bills either.
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Ham & Beans
So much protein, so little time (and money). As the recipe authors state, “It’s so easy, it feels like cheating to even call this a ‘”recipe.’”
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Cheeseburger Macaroni
This recipe will bring you back to your hamburger helper days, but better—plus this makes 5 servings, so it may actually be a better investment than that dinky package!
Do you have an instant pot? Will you try any of these recipes? What’s your favorite meal to make in your instant pot?