Best 15 Instant pot Indian recipes – must try recipes

Indian cuisine is so vast and rich in flavors. It may look and sound complicated but now the Instant pot can come to your rescue. If you are planning to make an Indian feast for your next get-together or Thanksgiving or Christmas, here I give the most delicious Instant pot Indian recipes you can whip up so easily in your trusted Instant pot. 

Is Instant Pot good for Indian cooking?

In Indian cooking, we use a pressure cooker a lot. So in that case, an Instant pot is actually a great gadget to have in your kitchen to cook some delicious Indian dishes.

 In addition, you don’t have to worry about the hassle of having a normal pressure cooker. You add ingredients, set the timer, and forget it. Rest is done by your trusted Instant pot. How easy is it?

Prep work for the Indian recipes

Keep the below things ready during the weekend. So the cooking for the rest of the week will be less chaotic and easy.

1. Idli/ Dosa Batter – Grind this Idli/ Dosa batter and ferment it overnight. Divide it into storage boxes and freeze it. Thaw it the previous night while needed. You can make Idli, Dosa, Paniyaram, Uthappam. So 1 batter many dishes.
2. For Chutney – You can saute the ingredients for some chutneys and store it in the refrigerator. Add salt and grind when needed. ( the sauteed ingredients can be stored up to 2 days in the refrigerator)
3. Paratha Dough – Knead the paratha dough, divide and freeze it. Thaw it in the refrigerator while needed.
4. Ginger Garlic Paste – Homemade ginger garlic paste comes handy when you make some curries.
5. Garlic – Peel garlic when you are free at the weekend or watching TV and store it in an airtight box in the refrigerator. It comes handy when you make chutneys. It stays good for many days.
6. Shallots – You can peel shallots and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It stays good for many days. That way we save food wastage. 
7. Curry leaves – If you are like me purchasing curry leaves from the store, then once you buy, clean and air dry by spreading it in a kitchen towel or tissue. Once dry, store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
8. Chopped veggies – You can chop vegetables like carrot, beans, pumpkin, bottle gourd, and store it in freezer-safe zip locks or boxes for future use.

Flavor rich Indian recipes in Instant pot

Indian recipes are so vast. It is full of flavors and spices that make it aromatic. It may look complicated but most of the recipes are simple and easy. 

Here are the most sought Indian recipes made in Instant pot for your next get-together feast.

Basics

Instant pot hard boiled Eggs

When you have hard-boiled eggs on hand, you can make numerous dishes out of them. A few of my favorites are Chettinad egg curry, Egg pepper fry. Making hard-boiled eggs in the Instant pot is the most fun thing you will be doing again and again. My kids love to peel the Instant Pot hard-boiled eggs.

Instant pot hard boiled egg

Learn how to cook easy-peel, perfectly hard-boiled eggs.

Check out this recipe

Instant pot Chickpeas

Chickpeas/ Garbanzo beans are rich in fiber and protein and an excellent replacement for meat in vegetarian and vegan. Let’s see how to cook a perfect soft Instant Pot Chickpeas. It’s so easy and gives canned chickpeas a run for the money. You can have chickpeas curry or vegan wraps.

Easy Instant pot Chickpeas recipe

Chickpeas/ Garbanzo beans are rich in fiber and protein and an excellent replacement for meat in vegetarian and vegan. Let’s see how to cook a perfect soft Instant pot Chickpeas. It’s so easy and gives canned chickpeas a run for the money.

Check out this recipe

Accompaniment

Jeera aloo

It’s nothing fancy, just our own potatoes sauteed with cumin seeds and a few basic spice powders. You can enhance the taste by throwing a dash of dry mango powder or squeezing some fresh lemon over it. 

Easy Jeera Aloo

This is an easy way of making Jeera aloo I do. This can be had with simple rasam rice or curd rice. This is an accompaniment kid will love to have.

Check out this recipe

Chickpeas and tindora masala

This Black Chana Tindora Masala aka Kadle manoli is a typical Mangalore dish. The masala used in this dish is coconut-based. The ground masala is grated coconut along with roasted coriander seeds and other spices.

Black Chickpeas & Ivy gourd Masala

Check out this recipe

Beetroot Stir fry

Beetroot Thoran aka South Indian beetroot stir fry is an easy, quick, vegan, and gluten-free side dish to pair along with rice. This stir fry takes just 15 to 20 minutes to make. 

South Indian Style beetroot Stir fry – Vegan, Gluten-free side dish

Beetroot Thoran aka South Indian beetroot stir fry is an easy, quick, vegan, and gluten-free side dish to pair along with rice. This stir fry takes just 15 to 20 minutes to make. I have given both a stovetop and Instant top method.

Check out this recipe

Mathanga erissery

No Kerala feast is complete without this erissery. The main ingredients to make Mathanga/ Pumpkin Erissery is Pumpkin and red beans/van payar. I cooked in the pot in pot method. 

Instant Pot Mathanga Erissery

I made this Mathanga Erissery this time in Instant pot. The main ingredients to make Mathanga/ Pumpkin Erissery is Pumpkin and red beans/van payar.

Check out this recipe

Main

Vegetable Biryani

This Easy Vegetable Biryani is the recipe you need to try to enjoy the weekend without much fuss. Pair it with some onion raita or carrot raita.

Vegetable Biryani – Instant pot and stove top

This Easy Vegetable Biryani is the recipe you need to try to enjoy the weekend without much fuss. Pair it with some onion raita or carrot raita. It’s so delicious. I here give you both Instant pot and stovetop method.

Check out this recipe

Vegetable Pulao

This Vegetable Pulao is so easy to put up and the Instant pot makes the job easy for you.

Vegetable Pulao in Instant pot

This Vegetable Pulao is so easy to put up and the Instant pot makes the job easy for you. As I said earlier, I made this using boiled ponni rice.

Check out this recipe

Jeera rice

Jeera Rice/ Cumin Rice is a popular dish to order in Indian Restaurants and it will be in the Buffet. This recipe is so easy to make in your kitchen. Let’s learn how to make restaurant-style, Vegan, Gluten-free, Jeera rice in under 15 minutes.

Jeera Rice – Instant pot and Stovetop

Jeera Rice/ Cumin Rice is a popular dish to order in Indian Restaurants and it will be in the Buffet. This recipe is so easy to make in your kitchen. Let’s learn how to make restaurant-style, Vegan, Gluten-free, Jeera rice in under 15 minutes.

Check out this recipe

Curry

Chicken Tikka Masala

Chicken Tikka Masala – the most popular dish can be made right in your home. It is marinated boneless chicken cubes cooked in creamy onion tomato sauce. This is full of aromatic flavors that make you lick your fingers and go for more. This is so easy to make and Instant Pot makes it easier and packed with flavors.

Instant pot Chicken Tikka Masala

Chicken Tikka masala is basically boneless chicken cubes marinated with yogurt and spices. Then it is roasted in a tandoor or grilled to get the smokey flavor. It is then cooked in onion tomato gravy with aromatic spices again. Making it in Instant pot makes your life easier.

Check out this recipe

Chicken Masala

This Chicken curry tastes best with rice or chapati or paratha. If you don’t want the curry spicy, try using Kashmiri dry red chili in place of normal ones. 

Instant pot Chettinad Chicken curry

Chettinad Cuisine is the most renowned and popular cuisine of Tamil Nadu, South India. Making this Chettinad chicken curry in Instant pot makes the whole process a lot easier. When the curry is ready, serve with roti, chapati or rice. 

Check out this recipe

Vegetable Korma

Vegetable Korma/ Kurma is mild, creamy, luscious curry loaded with the goodness of vegetables. A warm bowl of korma with hot naan is a heavenly dish for me. Let us see how to make this delicious korma in an Instant pot.

Instant pot Vegetable Korma

Vegetable Korma/ Kurma is mild, creamy, luscious curry loaded with the goodness of vegetables. A warm bowl of korma with hot naan is a heavenly dish for me. Let us see how to make this delicious korma in an Instant pot.

Check out this recipe

Aloo Gobi Curry

Instant Pot Aloo Gobi is an easy and versatile curry to make for a quick dinner. This curry is vegan, gluten-free, and loaded with the goodness of vegetables. It is best paired with hot rotis or simple jeera rice. 

Instant pot Aloo Gobi Curry

Instant Pot Aloo Gobi is an easy and versatile curry to make for a quick dinner. This curry is vegan, gluten-free and loaded with the goodness of vegetables. It is best paired with hot rotis or simple jeera rice.

Check out this recipe

Matar Paneer

This Matar paneer is an onion tomato-based gravy. This goes well with any roti variety or Pulao. This is so easy to make for a quick dinner.

Matar paneer

This Matar paneer is an onion tomato based gravy. This goes well with any roti variety or Pulao. This is so easy to make for a quick dinner.

Check out this recipe

Dessert

Rice Pudding

Rice Kheer or Indian Rice Pudding is a creamy and luscious dessert made during special occasions.It is made easy now by making it in an Instant Pot. No cream, no condensed milk, just rice, milk, and sugar.

Rice Kheer- Instant pot Rice Pudding

Rice Kheer or Indian Rice Pudding is a creamy and luscious dessert made during special occasions. It is made easy now by making it in Instant pot. No cream, no condensed milk, just rice, milk, and sugar.

Check out this recipe

Vermicelli Pudding/Kheer

Semiya Payasam or Vermicelli payasam is one of the most popular desserts made in any Indian household. You need just a handful of ingredients. Let’s see how to make this easy dessert in an Instant pot and in Stovetop.

Semiya Payasam/ Vermicelli Kheer

Semiya Payasam or Vermicelli payasam is one of the most popular desserts made in any Indian household. It is called payasam in South or Kheer in the North but the basic ingredients and making are the same. You need just a handful of ingredients. Let’s see how to make this easy dessert in Instant pot and in Stovetop.

Check out this recipe

Vermicelli Kesari

Semiya Kesari or sweet vermicelli is an easy dessert that you can make in a jiffy with just a handful of ingredients. This dessert tastes amazing. Making it in an Instant pot saves you time and lets you make this dessert in less than 15 minutes. 

Easy Semiya Kesari

Semiya Kesari or sweet vermicelli is an easy dessert that you can make in a jiffy with just a handful of ingredients. This dessert tastes amazing. Making it in Instant pot saves you time and lets you make this dessert in less than 15 minutes.

Check out this recipe