8 Instant Pot Recipes That Will Make Thanksgiving Dinner So Easy (2024)

It seems like every Thanksgiving I run in to the same problem—I never seem to have enough oven space! I try to stagger things so I can get everything cooked on time, but I always find myself wishing I had another oven to use. (Ahhh, double ovens. A girl can dream!) But this year will be different, because I’m recruiting the help of one of my very favorite kitchen tools: my Instant Pot! I bought it earlier this year and I haven’t cooked pasta or rice on the stove since! And that’s just the beginning. I’m telling you, it’s life-changing people!

Related: 43 Of The Best Instant Pot Recipes You’ll Find Anywhere

Last week I did a trial run of cooking my family’s favorite creamed corn dish in my Instant Pot, and it turned out beautifully! And that got me thinking about other Thanksgiving recipes that you could make in an Instant Pot. So I did some searching, and came up with 8 recipes in total that I’ll be sharing with you today! So whether you make one recipe in your Instant Pot or several, it’s sure to save you some serious time and energy later this week. (And it’s sure to help with your oven space problems, too!) ;-)

8 Instant Pot Recipes For Thanksgiving Classics

1. Creamed Corn

Ingredients:

• (1) 24 oz bag frozen shoepeg corn
• 8 oz heavy cream
• 8 oz milk
• 2 Tbsp melted butter
• 2 Tbsp flour (or cornstarch)
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Directions:

Pour the frozen corn, milk, and cream into your Instant Pot. Choose the “Sauté” function, and bring the mixture to a boil.

Meanwhile, melt the butter in your microwave and then add the flour (or cornstarch if you want to make it gluten free). The flour and butter will form a thick slurry.

Add the flour and butter mixture to the Instant Pot, and season with salt and pepper. Stir and allow to thicken for a minute or two.

Then place the lid on the pot, and set to “Manual” for 1 minute. When the time is up, open the quick release valve and then remove the lid. Sprinkle parmesan over the top, and let sit for about 5 minutes to thicken a bit more. Serve, and enjoy! :-)

Related:

2. Mashed Potatoes

This delicious recipe for mashed potatoes comes from a post I wrote a few months ago highlighting 3 different ways to make potatoes in your Instant Pot. The potatoes get steamed in the Instant Pot, which gives them a velvety smooth texture when you mash them up. Stir in a dollop of sour cream or butter for added creaminess. Get the recipe and details at the link below!

Related: 3 Easy Ways To Make Delicious Potatoes In An Instant Pot

3. Turkey

If you’re expecting a small crowd, you can cook a small turkey in your Instant Pot too! Get the recipe from Bacon is Magic.

Related: How to Cook a Turkey in an Electric Roaster Oven

4. Cranberry Sauce

I love homemade cranberry sauce, but I usually don’t get around to making it because I get busy with other things. But if you use this Instant Pot recipe, you can whip up a batch of fresh homemade cranberry sauce in just a few minutes! Get the recipe from Pressure Cook Recipes.

5. Pumpkin Pie

Pie in a pressure cooker may seem strange, but it’s totally possible! Your pies will have to be pretty small to fit inside the pot, but you can always make more. Get the recipe from Pressure Cooking Today.

6. Stuffing

In this recipe, you cook the stuffing most of the way in a bundt pan inside your Instant Pot. Then you’ll transfer the stuffing to a baking sheet, and let it crisp up in the oven for a few minutes before serving. Simple, delicious, and it looks gorgeous too! Get the recipe from Pressure Cooking Today.

7. Candied Sweet Potatoes

You can make candied sweet potatoes in your Instant Pot in less than 5 minutes! Then just dump the cooked sweet potatoes into a casserole dish, throw some marshmallows on top, and place it under the broiler for a minute or two. It doesn’t get any easier than that! Get the recipe from Make It & Love It.

8. Green Bean Casserole

Have you ever made green bean casserole with fresh green beans? YUM. Fresh green beans make all the difference, but cleaning, trimming, and blanching them can take quite a bit of time. But if you use this Instant Pot recipe, you can toss those green beans right in the pot! It only takes a few minutes, and it’s so easy! Get the recipe from This Old Gal.

If you have a favorite Thanksgiving dish that you don’t see here, I would encourage you to experiment and see what else you can make easier and faster in your instant pot. I would love to hear about your results!