Ground Turkey Quinoa Taco Bowls (Instant Pot)

I shared my Chicken Quinoa Taco Bowls on an Instant Pot Facebook page and got such great reviews that I started playing around with the recipe and came up with this ground turkey version. I think I like it even more than the chicken version (I promise it tastes better than it looks!)!

I love having meals in the freezer that I can grab on my way out the door and take to work with me. This is great for that! I make a batch, let it cool a little, then pack it directly into freezer safe containers!

Ingredients:

• 1 Tablespoon oil
• 1 pound ground turkey (ground beef would work too!)
• 2 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon oregano
• 1 (15 oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1/2 Cup salsa
• 2 Cup Quinoa (uncooked)
• 3 Cup water or broth
• 1 Cup frozen corn
• Toppings (optional): shredded cheese, cilantro, sour cream, salsa, jalapenos, avocado, black olives, tortillas, tortilla chips, extra salsa.

Directions:

1. Press the Saute button on the Instant Pot and turn it on high. When it’s hot, add the oil. Add the meat, and cook a few minutes, stirring and breaking it up with a spoon, until browned. Turn the pot off. Sprinkle with the chili powder, cumin, salt, paprika, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and oregano, and stir well. Add the beans and salsa. Add the quinoa, and then cover with the water/broth.
2. Secure the lid on the Instant Pot, making sure the valve is set to “seal” and not “vent.” Set to pressure cook on high for 1 minute.
3. When the time is up, turn the pot off and let it sit for 10 minutes before releasing any remaining pressure. Don’t let it go longer than 10 minutes, or it will get mushy!
4. Add the corn to the pot and stir (the heat from the mixture will warm the corn up).
5.  Serve with your favorite taco fixings!

Chicken Quinoa Taco Bowls (Instant Pot)

Quick, easy, healthy, one pot, AND delicious? This is what my dreams are made of, you guys! I played around with the Chicken Taco Bowls and came up with this version that uses quinoa instead of rice. My husband and I ate it in bowls with tortilla chips on the side, and the kiddos made burritos out of it. Everyone had seconds!

It took about 30 minutes, start to finish! No prep, just dump everything in the pot!

Ingredients:

• About 1.5 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs
• 2 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon oregano
• 1 (15 oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 Cup salsa
• 1 Cup Quinoa (uncooked)
• 1 1/2 Cup water or broth
• 1 Cup frozen corn

Directions:

1. Place the chicken in the Instant Pot Insert. Sprinkle with the chili powder, cumin, salt, paprika, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and oregano. Add the beans. Pour salsa over everything. Add the quinoa, and then cover with the water/broth.
2. Secure the lid and set to cook on manual high pressure for 12 minutes, then quick release pressure.
3. Remove the chicken, and shred. Add the corn to the pot and stir (the heat from the mixture will warm the corn up). Return the shredded chicken to the pot. It might look a little “soupy,” but the liquid will absorb as it sits for a few minutes.
4.  Serve with your favorite taco fixings: shredded cheese, cilantro, sour cream, salsa, jalapenos, avocado, tortillas, tortilla chips.

 

This Post Contains affiliate links.

Instant Pot Beef, Cabbage, and Rice

This Instant Pot recipe is super easy! Just brown the meat, throw everything else in the pot, and set the timer for 5 minutes! It took about 35-40 minutes total (including prep time, coming to pressure, and releasing pressure). The best part- only one pot to wash! Woo hoo!

This is my version of the Ground Beef & Rice Shawarma recipe from Two Sleevers. I’ve never had Shawarma, (actually, I’d never even heard of it until it was mentioned in the Avengers movie), so I can’t compare it to a traditional shawarma recipe, but my whole family enjoyed it! If you don’t think you’d like the spices, change them up! I think this would be great with more of a stir-fry flavor too! Maybe instead of the spices listed below, just use salt, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, and then serve with soy sauce! I think I’ll try that combo next time!

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon oil
• 1 pound ground beef or ground turkey
• 1 cup diced onion (I used frozen onions to save time!)
• 5 cloves garlic
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 2 teaspoons oregano
• 1 teaspoon coriander
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon allspice
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1.5 cups jasmine rice- rinsed
• 1.5 cups broth
• 16 oz bag of shredded coleslaw mix

Directions:

Press the Saute button on the Instant Pot and turn it on high. When it’s hot, add the oil. Add the meat, and cook a few minutes, stirring and breaking it up with a spoon. Add the chopped onion, garlic, and spices. Stir well.

Add the rice, broth, and coleslaw. Secure the lid and set to pressure cook on high for 5 minutes. Let pressure release naturally for 10 minutes, then release any remaining pressure.

Recipe Adapted from Two Sleevers Instant Pot Ground Beef Shawarma Rice. I used jasmine rice instead of basmati, increased the amount of cabbage, and changed the spices up a bit. 

Beefy Whole Wheat Rotini (Instant Pot)

This is one of the first things I experimented with when I got my Instant Pot a few years ago. Once I got it figured out, it quickly became a go-to on busy nights! I had been making this same thing on the stove for years, so why did I feel the need to perfect it in the Instant Pot? Because even though it takes about 40 minutes from start to finish, all I have to do is brown the meat, dump everything else in, and set the timer! There’s no waiting for a pot of water to boil. No standing by the stove babysitting the pasta. No draining the pasta. And only one pot to wash instead of the two I usually use when making it on the stove.

Ingredients:

• 1 pound ground beef
• salt
• pepper
• garlic powder
• 3 Cups water
• 13.25 oz whole wheat rotini
• 25 oz jar pasta sauce

Directions:

Using the saute function on the Instant Pot, brown the ground beef and drain grease if necessary. Season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.

Without stirring, add the water, then the rotini, then pour the pasta sauce over the top (make sure to cover all the pasta!). Do NOT stir!

Secure the lid and set to pressure cook on high for 5 minutes. After it’s done cooking, quick release pressure (this is very important! If you don’t release pressure right away, it will turn to mush…ask me how I know 🙄).

This Post Contains affiliate links.

Steel Cut Oats (Instant Pot)

My kids are oatmeal fanatics! They’ll eat if for breakfast, packed up in a thermos for lunch, and occasionally even for dinner! We prefer the texture of steel cut oats over regular oats, but cooking them on the stove can be tedious…bring the water to a boil, add the oats, return to a boil, then reduce to a simmer for 20 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. With the Instant Pot  you can just dump everything in , set the timer, and go do something more productive with your time! We like our oats with a sprinkle of  cinnamon & chia seeds, a splash of milk, and a drizzle of pure maple syrup, and served with fresh fruit, or frozen berries. Or my favorite is with sliced bananas and a spoonful of natural peanut butter 😋.

This recipe can easily be doubled, or even tripled in the 5 qt Instant Pot- keep the cooking time the same (if you triple it, be extra careful when releasing pressure, because it may spatter a bit!)! Make a big batch and keep it in the fridge to have on hand through out the week!

Ingredients:

• 1 Tablespoon butter
• 1 Cup Steel Cut Oats
• 3.5 Cups water

Directions:

Melt the butter in the Instant Pot insert, using the saute button. Add the oats and stir for 3 minutes. Add the water. Secure the lid and set to pressure cook on high for 10 minutes. After it’s done cooking, let pressure release naturally for 10 minutes, then manually release any remaining pressure.  Lit sit for 5 to 10 more minutes to thicken.

This post contains an affiliate link.

Chicken Taco Bowls (Instant Pot)

Ok, let me start off by saying that this makes a TON of food! I’m not even kidding- my Instant Pot has never been so full in its life! So if you’re one of those people that doesn’t like leftovers, I think you could half the recipe just fine. Me on the other hand, I LOVE leftovers! We eat this for dinner just in bowls the first night, then in burritos the next night. The rest gets packed up for lunches, or goes into the freezer for another time. Cook once- eat for days! This would be great to take to a pot luck, or if you’re feeding a crowd!

It seriously could not be easier- you basically dump everything in the pot and set the timer!

*Update* I’ve heard back from several readers that they did cut the recipe in half and it worked great! Just halve all the ingredients, but keep the cooking time the same!

Ingredients:

• 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 2 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon oregano
• 1 (15 oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 16 oz salsa
• 3 cups uncooked long grain white rice
• 3 cups water or chicken broth
• 1 (12 oz) bag frozen corn

Directions:

1. Place the chicken in the Instant Pot Insert. Sprinkle with the chili powder, cumin, salt, paprika, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and oregano. Add the beans. Pour salsa over everything. Add the rice, and then cover with the water or chicken broth.
2. Secure the lid and set to cook on manual high pressure for 12 minutes, then quick release pressure.
3. Remove the chicken, and shred. Add the corn to the pot and stir (the heat from the rice will warm the corn up). Return the shredded chicken to the pot.
4.  Serve with your favorite taco fixings: shredded cheese, cilantro, sour cream, salsa, jalapenos, avocado.

Recipe adapted from Wondermom Wannabe

This Post Contains affiliate links.

Ratatouille (Instant Pot)

Have you guys tried Ratatouille? I discovered this Slow Cooker version from Our Best Bites several years ago and have been making it every summer since then. It was on my menu plan again the other day, but I didn’t plan well enough to get in in the slow cooker on time (tell me I’m not the only one that does that 🙄), so I improvised with the Instant Pot and it was amazing!

It’s such a great way to enjoy summer veggies, and it’s super forgiving- don’t like eggplant? No problem, just use extra zucchini! It’s great served over whole wheat pasta, quinoa, rice, or eaten with a loaf of good bread. Oh, and you might want to sprinkle some Parmesan on top! If you don’t think you’re kids will be excited about a bowl full of veggies, have a family movie night and watch Ratatouille while you eat it! So fun!

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds eggplant, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
• 3 zucchini, quartered lengthwise and cut into 1 inch pieces
• 2 red bell peppers, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
• 2 onions, roughly chopped
• 6 tablespoons oil (olive or avocado)
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
• 1 (28oz) can diced tomatoes
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

Directions:

Adjust your oven rack 4 inches from the broiler, and turn the broiler on (if your broiler has different settings, choose medium).  Line 2 baking sheets with foil.  Divide the veggies evenly between the 2 baking sheets.  Drizzle about 3 Tablespoons of oil over each sheet of veggies, then add 2 cloves of garlic to each sheet.  Toss each sheet of veggies until everything is combined (I use my hands), and spread into a single layer.

Broil, 1 sheet at a time, until vegetables begin to brown, about 10 minutes (keep a close on them, especially if your broiler only has one setting!).  Stir them around once or twice during this time.

Transfer the veggies to the Instant Pot and add the tomatoes, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Give it a good stir. Secure the lid on the Instant Pot, and set to Pressure Cook on High for 2 minutes. When it’s done cooking, quick release the pressure. Stir in balsamic vinegar, and add addition salt and pepper if needed.

Recipe adapted from Our Best Bites

Quinoa (Instant Pot)

Quinoa in the Instant Pot takes about 20 minutes start to finish, but only about one minute of that is actual hands-on time. It seriously couldn’t be easier, and it comes out perfect every time!

If you have leftover Quinoa, use it to make these yummy Power Muffins!

Ingredients

• 2 Cups Quinoa
• 3 Cups Water
• a pinch of salt

Directions

Add the quinoa, water, and salt to the Instant Pot insert.

Secure the lid on the Instant, making sure the valve is set to “seal” and not “vent.

Select Manual and set for 1 minute.

When the time is up, turn the pot off and let it sit for 10 minutes before releasing any remaining pressure. Don’t let it go longer than 10 minutes, or it will get mushy!

Disclaimer: this post contains affiliate links.