food
By Delia Mooney
•
Published Sep 8, 2022
Additional reporting by
Katherine Gillen
Leslie Grow/Keto in an Instant
Sometimes the secret to sticking to a clean eating routine isn’t just what you cook, it’s how you cook it. While throwing a frozen dinner in the microwave might seem easier, you can actually make a healthy meal in less than 30 minutes thanks to the Instant Pot. If you’re living the low-carb lifestyle, here are 41 ketogenic Instant Pot recipes—like buffalo chicken soup and barbacoa beef—that are delicious and made in this magical pressure cooker.
Christopher Testani/Instant Family Meals
1. Instant Pot Coconut Salmon with Fresh Herbs and Lime
Steam-poaching the fish in coconut milk keeps it moist and gives it an instant jolt of flavor. Add baby spinach to make it a one-pot meal.
Get the recipe
2. Instant Pot Flank Steak Taco Salads
This gives taco Tuesday a whole new meaning (but you could try lettuce cups too).
3. Paleo Beef Brisket Pho
Slurping is encouraged, and you’ll understand once you taste the aromatic, spiced broth.
4. Keto Chicken Enchilada Bowl
Who needs a spoon when you can use low-carb tortilla chips instead?
Leslie Grow/Keto In an Instant
5. Keto Instant Pot Greek Cauliflower Rice
Add chopped fresh herbs like dill, mint and oregano to kick it up a notch.
Get the recipe
Leslie Grow/Keto In an Instant
6. Instant Pot Keto Indian Butter Chicken
This takeout favorite is on your diet (and if you use coconut cream, it’s dairy free). Pair it with riced cauliflower, natch.
Get the recipe
Leslie Grow/Keto In an Instant
7. Keto Instant Pot Sausage-Kale Soup
Guaranteed to warm (and fill) you up. Use any type of sausage and green to customize your bowl.
Get the recipe
8. Instant Pot Chicken and ‘Rice’ Soup
Our favorite low-carb vegetable strikes again. (That would be cauliflower, ICYMI.)
9. Instant Pot Garlic Parmesan Spaghetti Squash
Who needs noodles when you have tender spaghetti squash? Psst: You can freeze it once it’s cooked for make-ahead meals.
10. Low-Carb Buffalo Chicken Soup
Don’t save it just for game night. (It’s ready in 30 minutes, so you have no excuse.)
Health Starts in the Kitchen
11. Low-Carb Keto Pressure Cooker Corned Beef Brisket
Bookmark this one for St. Paddy’s Day, then pair it with sautéed cabbage for a low-carb side.
Food Faith Fitness
12. No-Bean Keto Chili in the Instant Pot
Admittedly, we’re bean lovers, but omitting them makes this dish keto-friendly. Include the jalapeño seeds for an extra kick.
13. Keto Bacon Cheeseburger Soup
In just 20 minutes, dinner is done. Go ahead and double the batch if you want leftovers.
14. Low-Carb Instant Pot Chicken Tikka Masala
The creamy, spicy sauce makes this dish irresistible. Caramelizing the aromatics is the trick to all that complex flavor.
15. Instant Pot Healthy Chicken Pot Pie Soup
It’s like a warm hug on a cold winter night, and as an added bonus, it’s ready in about 30 minutes.
16. Instant Pot Balsamic Chicken
This flavorful dish relies on pantry staples for easy flavor. Serve it over a bed of zucchini noodles to switch things up.
17. Instant Pot Shrimp with Tomatoes and Feta
Say it with us: Feta is betta. (It’s also low carb, with just 3 grams per serving.)
18. Instant Pot Orange Chicken
Buh-bye, soggy breading and gloppy sauce. This calls for a side of cauliflower rice.
19. Instant Pot Butternut Squash Soup
It’s über creamy and dairy free, thanks to coconut milk. Top it with toasted pumpkin seeds for texture.
20. Pumpkin Chicken Curry
Dinner is ready in under an hour, and it tastes ah-mazing. Canned pumpkin makes it so easy.
21. Instant Pot Lamb Stew
Well, aren’t you fancy? A cup of red wine gives this one depth of flavor—save a glass for the cook, too.
22. Barbecue Instant Pot Whole Chicken
Cooking a whole chicken doesn’t get simpler than this. It’s great as is, but you can also shred it to serve atop sandwiches, salads and rice.
23. Instant Pot Beef Lettuce Wraps
Swapping bread for lettuce is a refreshing way to eliminate some carbs. Bonus: These are Whole30-approved too.
24. Instant Pot Whole Roasted Cauliflower with Chimichurri Sauce
The herby sauce is *chef’s kiss* and the whole things takes about 20 minutes from start to finish.
25. Instant Pot Turmeric Tahini Chicken Soup
It’s like sunshine in a bowl. Fun fact: Turmeric is rich in curcumin, which has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits.
26. Instant Pot Steak Fajitas
Psst: This one takes 15 minutes. Hot tip, browning the steak in batches will ensure it caramelizes instead of steams.
27. Keto Instant Pot Lasagna
All of the cheesy goodness and none of the carbs…or dishes, for that matter—this is a one-pot wonder.
28. Easy Thai Green Curry
Speaking of one pot, put this creamy, umami-rich dish on your to-make list. It starts with store-bought curry paste for ease.
29. Instant Pot Pork Carnitas
Make tacos, tostadas, nachos or burrito bowls to keep it #keto. The leftovers will freeze beautifully, BTW.
30. Mexican Chicken Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
It’s all about the toppings, and thank God guacamole is on the keto diet.
31. Lemon Chicken Soup
This Greek classic (aka avgolemono) is ready in no time. Here, cauliflower replaces rice for a keto-friendly swap.
32. Salsa Verde Shredded Beef Bowls
A full meal using less than ten ingredients? Believe it.
34. Keto Egg Drop Soup
The homemade broth makes all the difference, and with an Instant Pot, it takes so much less time to make.
35. Instant Pot Taco Soup
Tortillas need not apply when you have this low-carb, high-protein bowl. Feel free to customize it with extra veggies, too.
36. Clean Eating Instant Pot Summer Soup
So many healthy veggies in one dish. Follow the recipe to a T or go wild and clean out your crisper drawer.
37. Instant Pot Crustless Quiche
When there’s all that cheese, the crust won’t be missed.
38. Instant Pot Barbacoa Beef
Slow-cooking barbacoa would take hours, but your pressure cooker makes quick work of the task. Bonus, it’s also Whole30 friendly.
39. Instant Pot Tomato Soup
Who knew creamy and comforting could be on your diet? You can use fresh or canned tomatoes, making this one a year-round staple.
40. Instant Pot Salmon
Yep, cooking fish in the pressure cooker is a thing. You can even start with frozen fillets for the ultimate in convenience.
41. Instant Pot Loaded Cauliflower Mash
See ya later, potatoes. We have a dinner date with this bacon, cheddar and chive masterpiece.
Delia Mooney is a freelance writer for PureWow.
Katherine Gillen is PureWow’s senior food editor. She’s a writer, recipe developer and food stylist with a degree in culinary arts and professional experience in New York City restaurants. She used to sling sugary desserts in a pastry kitchen, but now she’s an avid home cook and fanatic baker.
Delia Mooney
Freelance PureWow Editor
read full bio
Katherine Gillen
Senior Food Editor
Katherine Gillenis PureWow’s senior food editor. She’s a writer, recipe developer and food stylist with a degree in culinary arts and professional experience in New York City...
read full bio