This post is all about fast & easy crockpot and insta pot recipes your family will love!
If you’re a mom, you know how challenging it can be to juggle everything and still get delicious, home-cooked meals on the table. Between school drop-offs, piano lessons, soccer practice, and the endless chore list, some days it feels impossible. There is a way to enjoy hearty, family-approved meals with minimal effort.
Enter crockpots and insta pots. These kitchen gadgets are lifesavers, letting you prep once and enjoy delicious, piping-hot meals hours later without standing over a stove. If your idea of dinner involves quick prep and lots of flavor, you’re in the right place!
Below are some easy and quick recipes for crockpots or insta pots that your family will love. These meals are comforting, filling, and perfect for even the busiest weeknights.
Why Crockpots and Insta Pots Are Perfect for Fast and Easy Meals
Before we jump into the recipes, let’s take a moment to appreciate how much these tools simplify our lives.
- Hands-Free Cooking: Toss in your ingredients, press a button, and come back hours later to a ready-to-eat meal.
- Fewer Dishes: With everything made in one pot, cleanup is so much easier.
- Batch Cooking: Perfect for doubling recipes and saving some for leftovers.
- Last Minute Meals:Insta pots are also great for last-minute meals. Once you get the timing figured out, it is a breeze. There are so many awesome recipes out there.
- If checking noodles or potatoes in a boiling pot of water is stopping you from adding mashed potatoes or yummy noodles to your meal, you would LOVE the insta pot. No more standing over a hot stove or constantly checking on a boiling pot of water.
Whether you’re a pro at meal prep or just starting out, these recipes will make dinner stress disappear.
Quick and Simple Recipes for Your Crockpot or Insta Pot
1. Crockpot Comforting Chili
There’s nothing like a bowl of hearty chili to warm up your family.
Ingredients:
- 2 lb ground beef
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 1 large or 2 small cans tomato soup
- 1 can diced tomatoes, optional
- 2 tbsp chili powder
- 2 large cans beans-Kidney, Navy, or Baked or any combo!
- Salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
- Brown the ground beef in a skillet (or directly in your Insta Pot if using that feature).
- Drain beef, scrape bottom of pot, and return beef to insta pot.
- Add all ingredients to your crockpot or insta pot.
- Cook on low for 6 hours or high for 3 hours in your crockpot (or set to pressure cook for 20 minutes in a insta pot).
Serve with shredded cheese, sour cream, and tortilla chips for a delicious, cozy meal.
This is a great recipe for increasing protein stretching it farther to save money. Check out this post for more ways to increase your family’s protein.
2. Cheeseburger Soup
Craving the comfort of a burger without the grill? Try this creamy, cheesy soup!
Ingredients:
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 cup diced potatoes
- 1 cup chopped celery
- 1 cup chopped carrots
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 4 cups chicken stock
- 1 cup heavy cream or milk
Directions:
- Cook and crumble the beef, then drain the grease.
- Add all ingredients except the heavy cream and cheese to your crockpot.
- Cook on low for 6-7 hours.
- Stir in heavy cream and shredded cheese during the last 15 minutes.
Serve with crusty sourdough bread for dipping.
Intimidated by soudough? Check out this post for baking your first loaf!
3. Classic Beef Stew
This is a slow cooker classic for a reason. It’s rich, hearty, and so satisfying!
Ingredients:
- 1.5 lbs beef stew meat, cubed
- 2 carrots, sliced
- 2 potatoes, diced
- 1 cup beef stock
- 2 tsp thyme
Directions:
- Toss everything in your crockpot and give it a good stir.
- Cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours.
Check out this recipe for more ingredients and richer flavor
4. Beef and Mashed Potatoes
A hearty, classic dinner made easy!
Ingredients:
- 1 lb beef chuck roast
- 1 packet brown gravy mix
- 4 cups mashed potatoes (homemade or pre-made)
Directions:
- Add the beef, gravy mix, and 1 cup of water to your crockpot.
- Cook on low for 7-8 hours until the beef is tender and falls apart.
- Serve the beef over a bed of warm mashed potatoes.
- See recipe for easy mashed potatoes below!
5. Chicken Noodle Soup
Feeling under the weather or just craving something soothing? This soup’s a must.
Ingredients:
- 2 boneless chicken breasts
- 3 carrots, sliced
- 3 celery sticks, chopped
- 8 cups chicken broth
- Egg noodles
Directions:
- Add the chicken, veggies, and broth to your pot.
- Cook on low for 6-7 hours or high for 3 hours.
- Add the egg noodles during the last 10 minutes of cooking.
Warm, nourishing, and perfect for family dinners!
6. Ranch Chicken
The easiest dinner you’ll ever make. Seriously.
Ingredients:
- 4 chicken breasts
- 1 packet ranch seasoning mix
- 1 can cream of chicken soup
Directions:
- Combine everything in your crockpot.
- Cook on low for 6 hours.
Pair with rice or pasta, and you’ve got a family favorite.
7. BBQ Chicken
This one is always a hit with kids and adults alike!
Ingredients:
- 2 chicken breasts
- 1 cup BBQ sauce
- 3 tbsp honey
Directions:
- Place the chicken in your crockpot and pour the BBQ sauce and honey over it.
- Cook on low for 5-6 hours or high for 3 hours.
Shred the chicken and serve on buns for easy sliders or with a side of coleslaw.
8. Salsa Chicken
Again, so simple, easy, and flavorfull!
Ingredients:
- 4 chicken breasts
- 1 jar of salsa
- 1 packet taco seasoning
Directions:
- Add everything to your crockpot or insta pot.
- Cook on low for 6-7 hours or until the chicken shreds easily.
Use this yummy chicken for tacos, burrito bowls, or even salads!
9. Fast & Easy Insta Pot Sides
Here are a few side dishes that are SO much easier to tackle when made in the insta pot.
Ingredients:
- Mashed potatoes-
- Wash and peel potatoes
- Cut into smaller 2-3in chunks
- Set in insta pot with 1 cup water
- Pressure cook on high 7 minutes, then quick release
- Remove potatoes from pressure cooker and mash like normal!
- A similar process can be done for baking potatoes. Pressurize longer for larger chunks of potatoes.
- Pasta noodles
- Add noodles to insta pot and add water til noodles are just covered
- Opt. 1 tsp salt if desired
- Look on back of package for cooking time. Cut this time in half and then subtract 1. Ex: If package says to boil for 8 minutes, you would pressure cook noodles for 3 minutes on high and then do a quick release.
- Strain and rinse noodles after quick release. Voila! No more watching and stirring boiling water and worrying about the pot boiling over!
- Hard-boiled eggs
- place 1 cup water in pot.
- Lay trivet in pot and place eggs on top.
- Pressure cook on high 1 min.
- Prepare a bowl of water and ice. Get out tongs for taking eggs out.
- Quick release after finished pressurizing and cooking.
There you go! 9 fast & easy crockpot and insta pot recipes your family will definitely enjoy!
A busy mom’s life doesn’t have to mean sacrificing quality meals. With these crockpot and insta pot recipes, you can whip up tasty, nutritious dinners your whole family will love.
Don’t have a crockpot or insta pot yet? It might just become your new best friend in the kitchen.
Got any favorite meals to share or questions about the recipes? Leave a comment below—I’d love to hear from you!
