
Check out these 30 meatless instant pot freezer meals to start the year out right, especially if you just got a new instant pot for the holidays!
They’re all vegetarian, and if they’re not already vegan, I’ve included vegan options. Most of the recipes are gluten-free so your family can enjoy these meals with multiple restrictions. I’ll also let you know a few of my tips and tricks for using your instant pot if you haven’t used one before or you just want to learn a bit more about this mystery machine.
Can I still use my slow cooker?
Yes! All of the recipes include the OG slow cooker method or, in some cases, even stove-top cooking method. Oh my! As a rule of thumb, if you want to convert your own slow cooker recipes, here’s how I roll:
8 hours on low, slow cooker: 30 minutes on high pressure, instant pot
4 hours on low, slow cooker: 15 minutes on high pressure, instant pot
Generally, that works out pretty well, and I allow the pressure to naturally release on those times.
How do I freeze and reheat these recipes?
For freezing, I highly recommend using these super cool reusable silicone freezer bags and making sure they lie flat when you first freeze them to save space so you can stack them up in your freezer.
But you can also use freezer-friendly canning jars and these reusable lids. The handy thing about the jar method is that this way freezes the meals into cylinders, which means once you defrost it enough to slide it out of the jar, you can just plop that dinner popsicle right into your instant pot to reheat! Win!
So, reheating. You can reheat however you like, really. Stove top, oven, toaster oven. I don’t own a microwave, so I don’t use that. But, if you want to use your instant pot, here’s what to do in most cases.
Leave your freezer bag in the refrigerator overnight to thaw. Use your SAUTE MODE to warm the meal through. It usually takes about 5 to 10 minutes. If necessary, complete the dairy portion of the meal. This will be necessary if there was dairy involved and you froze the meal prior to the dairy step. I really recommend this because adding the dairy isn’t a big step and you have to warm up the meal anyway, so Win-Win.
In case you’re wondering why you don’t pressurize the dairy, it splits under pressure and sorta curdles, it’s super gross looking. Ask me how I know! I totally thought a little cream would be fine. I worked it out and reheated it and made it less gross, but still, don’t do it!
TL;DR
So, to sum up, cook the pressurized portion of the instant pot meal, freeze (pro tip: write the dairy instructions on a card taped to the bag). Thaw it in the fridge overnight. Reheat and add your dairy on the saute function of your instant pot. Make rice or pasta if necessary to serve.
Why is this thing so scary?
I know, right? It’s like, pressurized and you can’t peek at your food and internet horror stories and such. I’ll admit it, when I first got it, I made Mr. Meaty run it for me for a while. I was scared of it. I let it own me.
But you know, I got over it. Just like I eventually got over the same fear of my pressure canner. I did this, you can do this. I am a naturally (VERY) clumsy person. I am not dead. So, it will not kill you either. You should totally not do dumb things like open it while it’s running or let little kids open it and such. Use sound judgement. And check out these safety tips.
But, it works and it’s safe and it’s totally worth it. It’s amazing at beans and rice and boiled eggs for one thing. Seriously amazing. For those three staples alone all vegetarians should consider owning one. I now own two after taking literally years to be talked into one because I genuinely thought they were primarily for cooking meat.
So, don’t be stubborn like I was, embrace this puppy and be happy cooking your dry beans in an hour. It’s awesome.
30 Meatless Instant Pot Freezer Meals
Recipe Index
Chickpea Parmesan
Vegetarian Spaghetti Squash with Bacon Garlic Alfredo Sauce
Corn and Black Bean Tamales
SOUPS, STEWS & CHOWDERS
Vegetable Chowder
Vegan Chicken Noodle Soup
Black Bean Soup
Vegan Chili
Corn Chowder
Minestrone
Tomato Soup with Pasta Stars
Potato Soup
Taco Soup
Butternut Poblano Soup
Homemade Tomato Soup
Loaded Baked Potato Soup
Bean and Rice Soup
Chickpea Root Vegetable Stew
Black Bean Tortilla Soup
CURRIES & SAUCES
Tikka Masala Mash Pie
Dal Makhani
Vegan Lamb Curry
Masaman Curry
Baked Potato Ball Curry
Vegetarian Indian Butter Chicken
Hoppin’ John Vegetarian Black Eyed Peas
Marinara Sauce
Bolognese
Pumpkin Alfredo
Whole Food Mac and Cheese for Kids OR Vegan Cheese Sauce Powder
Better than Basil Rainbow Chard Pesto
DESSERTS

Instant pot chickpea parmesan is one of my new favorites. It’s so incredibly simple. If you use pre-made sauce, it’s stupid easy.

This Vegetarian Spaghetti Squash with Bacon Garlic Alfredo Sauce is an amazingly delicious meal that will have the whole family sigh in happiness.
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Tamales seem a little daunting. When I finally made these for the first time, I’d had corn husks for nearly a year because I kept putting it off. But they’re so good, it was so worth it. These delicious slightly spicy tamales are vegan and fantastic. Enjoy!
SOUPS, STEWS & CHOWDERS

Vegetable chowder is one of our all-time favorite meals. And now we’re doing it Paleo-style, so it’s gluten-free and grain-free Paleo vegetable chowder. I’ve given you vegan alternatives if you need them as well as freezer instructions.

This slow cooker vegan chicken noodle soup recipe hits the spot for my family. It has a chicken-taste without the meat.
Perfect comfort food for a cool day.

This black bean soup is a mom’s dream because it’s full of hearty black beans, tomatoes and whatever veggies you like. Plus, it’s so easy to toss together in the slow cooker or instant pot.

Check out our vegan slow cooker chili, whole-foods friendly and our new instant pot method using dry beans either soaked or not! It’s a family favorite!

Vegan corn chowder is a delightful dish. Carrots, potatoes and creamy vegan milk make this dish a winter delight.

Made with fresh vegetables and dried beans, this slow cooker favorite is super fast and delicious in the instant pot.
You’ll be amazed by how much flavor you can pack into this simple soup.

This simple tomato vegetable soup is great fun for the kids to help make and enjoy the stars (or letters). We’ve had a lot of chilly weather lately, so this comforting and fun soup has been great for the kids. And they so love to help make it!

This vegetarian slow cooker potato soup is super creamy, tasty and and very simple to make. Slow cooker (and now instant pot) meals are the best!

This slow cooker (or instant pot) vegan taco soup recipe is super delicious. Everyone in the family loves it! The leftovers have many uses and you can play with the spice.

Butternut poblano soup is smoky and slightly spicy, yet creamy and soothing. The original recipe is vegan, but I’ve provided vegetarian and gluten-free options as well.

We love vegan tomato soup, especially fresh tomato soup with grilled cheese sandwiches. And I am a firm believer that soup, is not just for fall and winter.

Loaded baked potato soup. I love it, but it’s a pain in the you-know-where to order it out because it’s almost always made with chicken stock or topped/filled with ham or bacon. And it’s just not something they make fresh for you without the bacon at most places (it’s usually sitting in a vat in the back room all day). So, I made this yummy slow cooker or instant pot version myself. And it’s amazing.

Vegan instant pot or slow cooker bean and rice soup is so tasty. Beans, rice, lentils, veggies and taco flavors, yummy!

Chickpea root vegetable stew is a beautiful creation I stumbled upon a bit by accident when the kids were home with sniffles. It’s soothing and nutritious!

I crafted this easy peasy Black Bean Tortilla Soup that’s vegan and delicious. How can you go wrong with a soup topped with avocado and pico de gallo?
CURRIES & SAUCES

Tikka Masala Mash Pie is a dreamy creation of Shepherd’s pie style tikka topped with Bombay potato mash. It has vegetarian paneer and chickpea options!

Homemade Dal Makhani and it’s just as delicious (if not better) than the restaurant
variety? Can I have seconds, please?

This slow cooker lamb curry recipe has a vegan option, so you can satisfy many of your guests with this delicious curry option!

This Vegan Masaman Curry is super tasty and is loved by even the pickiest of eaters. People won’t even notice that it is a vegan version. Enjoy!

This Vegetarian and whole food Baked Potato Ball Curry recipe is tasty. I love it with and without curry sauce. The kids love it, too. A perfect meal plan addition!

You’ll find butter chicken at nearly every Indian restaurant you visit, but I’ve created this vegetarian version featuring chickpeas or seitan. This curry is milder than most, so the kids will love it, too. It’s a great starter Indian dish for anyone.

It’s New Year’s Day, so we’re going to do the traditional good luck food. The most prevalent of which include black eyed peas and collard greens.

This recipe for vegan marinara sauce is so super easy, the kids usually make it themselves, and it’s made in the instant pot or the slow cooker. Besides that – it is amazingly delicious!

Pasta sauce is so personal. This is not my grandmother’s sauce. Honestly, my grandmother died when I was three and there’s no recipe for marinara listed in her cookbook, which I thankfully did inherit. But, this is what I’ve developed for myself over the years. What I grew up on was jarred sauce, which is totally fine. It was tasty. But, since I had kids, I started looking at the ingredients in some of those jars and there’s a lot of sugar. So now I make my own sauce. There are two versions, one with “meat” (lentils) and one without, so marinara (linked above) and bolognese. There are updated versions of both in my cookbook, The Super Easy Vegetarian Slow Cook Cookbook.

Vegetarian Pumpkin Alfredo is tasty. The best part is the kids love it. It has a delightful cheesy and creamy taste! Guaranteed to please guests and family.

This Homemade Vegan Cheese Sauce Powder recipe can help you enjoy a dairy-free cheesy recipe like mac and cheese or cheesy popcorn. It’s so easy to make!

You’re going to love this super healthy better than basil use-any-greens pesto! I used rainbow chard in the original, but it’s easy to make with ingredients you already have and it tastes wonderful!
DESSERTS

Homemade applesauce is stupid easy. I mean, seriously. I know, I know. You hear that a lot on the internet. But this is easy for real!

Canned cranberry sauce is chock full of high fructose corn syrup and other nasty stuff. So make your own delicious homemade sauce in your instant pot!
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