Now that fall is here I’m all about cooking! Even though I enjoy spending time in my kitchen I still like to make things easy on myself by using the Instant Pot or slow cooker. Here is a fall Instant Pot menu for a week with serving suggestions and a printable grocery list.
Fall Instant Pot Menu
This may come as a shock to you, because I run a food blog for a job, but I hate menu planning. I am really bad at it and haven’t tried much to get better. Most nights I fly by the seat of my pants scrambling to figure out what we are going to eat for dinner. My favorite weeks are when I have actually sat down and planned out the menu and grocery shopped for the meals. I can sit back and relax and not have to think all day “what should I make for dinner?”
If you’re like me and would like a helping hand on what to make for dinner this week I have you covered. I’ve included a dinner menu for the week (that can all be cooked in your Instant pot). I’ve used theme nights to make it easy to plan. You can easily switch these days around as per your preferences and what you have going on that week.
- Monday: Meatless/Fish/Breakfast for dinner
- Tuesday: Taco Tuesday
- Wednesday: Soup, Chili or Stew
- Thursday: Pasta or Italian Night
- Friday: Out to eat or leftovers
- Saturday: Family Favorites
- Sunday: Comfort Foods
Click on the grocery list to print…
Monday–Meatless/Fish/Breakfast for dinner
Instant Pot Santa Fe Rice and Beans with Lime Sour Cream (meatless option)–serve with corn chips and cheese
Ingredients needed:
- long grain brown rice
- kidney beans
- black beans
- corn
- tomato sauce
- picante sauce
- taco seasoning
- kosher salt
- pepper
- grated cheddar
- sour cream
- cilantro
- lime zest
- lime juice
- garlic cloves
Fish option—Instant Pot Lemon Butter Garlic Salmon with Veggies
Breakfast option—Instant Pot Bacon Egg Casserole
Tuesday–Tacos
Instant Pot Korean Beef Tacos–serve with cabbage, diced avocado, chopped cilantro, and sriracha sour cream
Ingredients needed:
- cross rib roast or chuck roast
- brown sugar
- tamari or low sodium soy sauce
- garlic cloves
- beef broth
- ginger root
- rice vinegar
- sesame oil
- purple cabbage
- carrot
- green onions
- lime
- brown sugar
- canola or vegetable oil
- sesame seeds
- kosher salt
- uncooked flour or corn tortillas
- sour cream
- sriracha
- cilantro
- avocado
Other Instant Pot taco options:
Wednesday–Soup, Stew and Chili
Instant Pot Green and White Soup–serve with French bread or breadsticks
Ingredients needed:
- chicken broth
- boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
- great northern (or other white beans) beans
- pearl barley
- garlic
- basil
- thyme
- oregano
- lemon juice
- lemon zest
- salt
- pepper
- canned green beans
- spinach
Other Soup, Chili or Stew Options:
- Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken Chili
- Instant Pot Crack Chicken Chili
- Instant Pot Garlic Parmesan Sausage Chowder
- Instant Pot Beef Stew
Thursday–Pasta or Italian
Instant Pot Caprese Chicken–serve over orzo pasta with a side salad
Ingredients needed:
- chicken broth
- boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
- olive oil
- salt
- pepper
- garlic powder
- balsamic vinegar
- crushed tomatoes
- cornstarch
- mozzarella cheese
- parmesan cheese
- basil
Other Italian/pasta options:
- Instant Pot Creamy Chicken Primavera
- Instant Pot Rigatoni and Sausage
- Instant Pot Dump and Go Meatball Lasagna
Saturday–Family Favorites
Instant Pot Pulled Pork with Lexington-Style BBQ Sauce–serve with buns, coleslaw, chips and grapes
Ingredients needed:
- paprika
- salt
- sugar
- brown sugar
- cumin
- chili powder
- pepper
- cayenne pepper
- pork butt
- apple cider vinegar
- ketchup
- brown sugar
Other family favorite options:
Sunday–Comfort Foods
Instant Pot 4-Ingredient Pot Roast and Brown Gravy with Mashed Potatoes–serve with steamed carrots and green beans
Ingredients needed:
- rump roast or chuck roast
- dry ranch dressing mix
- beef broth
- brown gravy packet
- Russet potatoes
- salt and pepper
- milk or cream
- butter
Other comfort foods:
You might also like…
Instant Pot/Slow Cooker Meal Plan For A Month
*Karen Petersen is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.
Howdy Karen
this is Jim Bob
A weekly menu is a great idea … I only hope you don’t over do it with too many projects and get burned out. You are doing a great job. Five to Seven new IP ideas per week should be enough for anyone. My wife is still on the Keto diet, she’s still loosing and staying trim. Her Keto food all ways smells great, but to me Keto is lean on flavor, flat, so I will stick to my Instant pot. I like my pasta, rice, vegetables and meats (I love IP anything) with some salt to taste, “all of the bad things”, as my wife says. Her Keto recipe for chicken or beef broth is really great, I do like it. One of my new game day favorites is IP Korean tacos. I will have to make a enough for me and at least three other guys to eat. Collage football is BACK …. Yea! ALL week end.
Oh you are so nice Jim Bob! I hope not to burn out either. Most of the time I really love what I do. Sometimes I do get tired. I am proud of your wife to stick to her diet. That would be a challenge for me because, like you, I like rice and noodles and bread too much! I am so excited for football! WOO HOO!
This post was EXCEPTIONALLY helpful. I love weekly meal planning ideas.
Thank you so much only 51 more weeks to go! JK
When I was first married (a looooong time ago) I did my own 6 week menu plan. So helpful for those times when I was JUST STUCK.
It’s work but it’s worth it! Makes the day to day life much easier! I’m glad you found this helpful 🙂
This has been my favorite post so far! Varied nightly themes and varied recipes! I think I’ll be adopting the nightly themes and trying these recipes! My daughter attending her first year of college from home had now come to love the Instant Pot. Maybe when she can eventually move out she can have mine and I’ll upgrade! (I really love having her at home a little while longer! )
It’s been nice for moms to have their college aged kids home more hasn’t it?! Glad this post was helpful to you!
I am so looking forward to your receipes for the Instant pot. I have one and have been afraid to use it. Thank you for what you do to help us all.
Debbie ♥️
Don’t be scared! You will love it! Watch this: https://youtu.be/EJd6dC5d62U
Thanks for sharing i just got a small 6 qt. Instant pot.these recipes will help me so much.thank you
You’re welcome Tena!! Good luck with your new IP! It’s a fun kitchen appliance.
This is fantastic! Thank you for Sharing!
You’re so welcome Denise!
Thank you Karen for the Fall Instant Pot Menu email. I look forward to your email each and every day. Today’s email was perfect. I am still self-isolating, 70, alone, and love my Instant Pot.
Kathi, I’m glad it was helpful to you! I’m sorry you still have to be quarantined. Hopefully you have friends you can call on the phone or maybe a good TV series to enjoy!
Karen you have been a lifesaver for me. I got an instant pot just before lockdown with this pandemic. I have tried 1-3 new recipes a week from you. I am creating my own home cookbook. It has been such a great project to keep me busy. I am a retired home economic teacher and love to cook. My family and I send sooo many than yous
How fun! I loved Home Ec. Both my kids love it too. It’s their favorite class.