Life

PeopleImages/E+/Getty Images
20 Yummy Instant Pot Recipes Your Friendsgiving Would Be A Shame Without

Updated: 
Originally Published: 

The cast of Friends has been making Friendsgiving look cool since 1994, but the Instant Pot has been making it look easy since 2010. If you're headed to a Friendsgiving dinner this year, make one of these Instant Pot Friendsgiving recipes and let the appliance do all the work, so you can spend less time worrying with the food and more time making memories with your tribe. There's just something so sweet about the idea of getting together with your chosen family on a holiday that's all about what you're thankful for; add food and alcohol to the mix, and it's pretty much the best day of the year. Plus these are usually more low-maintenance meals since everyone contributes to the meal by bringing a dish.

From cooking a turkey in an hour to making a side in less than 10 minutes, a pressure cooker will change your approach to holiday cooking. (Just make sure you factor in the appliance's preheat time.) But what are you going to do with all that extra time on your hands? Well, you could play a ridiculous game of football like the cast of Friends, or you could actually watch the Thanksgiving Day Parade for once. Either way, you're going to have to find something to do, because an Instant Pot will totally streamline your cooking process.

Read on for a few easy Instant Pot recipes that your fellow Friendsgiving guests will love.

1

Instant Pot Turkey

Did you know you can make a whole turkey in an Instant Pot? I just discovered it thanks to Ayngelina's Instant Pot Turkey recipe from Bacon Is Magic, and my world has been forever changed. In less than an hour, you can have a fully-cooked bird that isn't dry and didn't take you all day to make.

2

Quick and Easy Pressure Cooker Applesauce

Nothing goes better with turkey than homemade apple sauce, and I'm loving this Quick and Easy Pressure Cooker Applesauce recipe courtesy of Mel's Kitchen Cafe. Even if you slice and peel the apples fresh, this recipe only takes 15 minutes of prep and 15 to cook. Your friends will totally be able to tell you went the extra mile for this one.

3

Instant Pot Corn On The Cob

Most people eat some form of corn on turkey day, and keeping it on the cob is a great choice if you're trying to keep things relatively low-cal. Meatloaf and Melodrama's Instant Pot Corn On The Cob makes this side dish mega-easy to make, and it only takes 22 minutes from prep to finish.

4

Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes

A Friendsgiving celebration without mashed potatoes is just sad, though they can be pretty time consuming to make. But this Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes recipe, courtesy of Erin at Well Plated, takes the complicated out of it, as the recipe only requires eight minutes of prep and ten to cook. Plus, it's got greek yogurt, thyme, chives, and parmesan cheese, so you'll love the taste.

5

Instant Pot Pumpkin Macaroni and Cheese

Mac and cheese is another holiday classic, and everyone knows pumpkin is the flavor of fall, so why not combine the two? This Instant Pot Pumpkin Macaroni and Cheese recipe from Once A Month Meals combines delicious cheese with crisp nutmeg and cinnamon for a flavorful dish that will impress everyone.

6

Instant Pot Baked Sweet Potatoes

Most Thanksgiving dinners feature sweet potato casserole, but I'm loving the idea of individual sweet potatoes for a Friendsgiving. This Instant Pot Baked Sweet Potatoes recipe created by Kristen at A Mindfull Mom makes fluffy spuds in less than thirty minutes, and you can let your fellow diners add their own toppings: butter, cinnamon, marshmallows.

7

Instant Pot Green Bean Casserole

If you're making a green bean casserole dish to honor its creator, this Instant Pot Green Bean Casserole recipe courtesy of Joanie Simon is a great way to put a modern twist on the classic dish. Plus, it'll be ready in less than thirty minutes.

8

Pressure Cooker Mini Maple Bacon Pecan Pies

I can't think of pecan pie without thinking of Thanksgiving, though the recipe is starting to get a little boring after decades of the same taste, but you can get excited about this Pressure Cooker Mini Maple Bacon Pecan Pies recipe courtesy of Jessie at Kitchen Cat. These beauties have that classic pecan flavor, but with the added benefits of bacon, maple, and fun-sizing. I can't imagine a better dessert for a Friendsgiving.

9

Instant Pot Stuffing

November means stuffing season, and making it in a pressure cooker takes all the stress out of prepping this iconic dish. This Instant Pot Stuffing recipe from Sandy at Simply Happy Foodie takes just 25 minutes to cook, and you can add some optional ingredients to give it the flavor you want.

10

Instant Pot Turkey Breast

If your group of friends is smaller, you might not need a whole turkey for your party. Why not use this Instant Pot Turkey Breast recipe, courtesy of Jo Cooks, for the big day instead? It takes just one hour to cook, and Jo calls for delicious paprika and tarragon that give the recipe an extra punch.

11

Instant Pot No Knead Dinner Rolls

Dinner rolls are my personal fav always. This Instant Pot No Knead Dinner Rolls recipe from Julia at Imagelicious takes at least an hour to rise, but if you have an Instant Pot with yogurt function, you can mix, proof, and cook the bread all in your appliance. And if you don't have a pressure cooker, you can still pull off these fluffy rolls by baking them in your oven.

12

Instant Pot Brown Sugar-Glazed Carrots

Another classic, this Instant Pot Brown Sugar-Glazed Carrots recipe from Deliciously Sprinkled prepares this holiday tradition in less than ten minutes. It's perfect if you're jetting to a Friendsgiving with little time to spare.

13

Instant Pot Pumpkin Cheesecake

Combining fall's signature flavor with the creamy delightfulness that comes with a homemade cheesecake creates pure Friendsgiving dessert bliss easily and effectively right in your Instant Pot. You'll need a springform pan to use in your Instant Pot to create this Instant Pot Pumpkin Cheesecake from Sweet and Savory Meals, but this recipe bakes up in just 28 minutes to create a dessert your friends will surely swoon over.

14

Easy Butternut Squash Soup

All of the soup lovers at your Friendsgiving feast will enjoy the twist on a classic butternut squash side when you make this Instant Pot Butternut Squash Soup from Two Peas and Their Pod. Chopping and peeling the squash, onions, and garlic might take up a bit of time depending on your knife skills, but after just 15 minutes in your Instant Pot, this hearty side dish is ready to serve.

15

Instant Pot Cranberry Sauce

Three simple ingredients and 10 minutes of cook time is all you need to create this Instant Pot Cranberry Sauce from My Heart Beets. Even if you typically prefer the canned, jellied version, no Friendsgiving celebration is complete without a bit of cranberry to complete your meal.

16

Instant Pot Grape Jelly Meatballs

Meatballs are one of my favorite go-to shareable appetizers to make for large gatherings. They're bite-sized, easy to eat off of a toothpick, and if you have leftovers, they're great on a sub sandwich the next day. On Friendsgiving, these Instant Pot Grape Jelly Meatballs from Meatloaf and Melodrama are an easy way to please a crowd before the main meal.

17

Instant Pot Garlic Butter Brussels Sprouts

While Brussels sprouts aren't at the top of most people's must-have vegetable dishes, when they're covered in garlic and butter, they're pretty hard to resist. These Instant Pot Garlic Butter Brussels Sprouts from I Am A Food Blog will convert any hesitant attendees at your Friendsgiving into Brussels-loving fools.

18

Instant Pot Corn Casserole

While your grandmother's corn casserole recipe may be a classic standard to make on Thanksgiving Day, if you want to save some time ahead of your Friendsgiving get-together, make this Instant Pot Corn Casserole by Meatloaf and Melodrama as a delicious alternative. The combination of creamy cheese and corn just can't be beat.

19

Instant Pot Steamed Artichokes

Instead of adding another batch of green bean casserole to your Friendsgiving table, another green vegetable to consider is the artichoke. You can easily make a batch of these tasty Instant Pot Steamed Artichokes by Gimme Some Oven to create a healthy side dish that your friends will love. Made with fresh lemon and bay leaf, these tender artichokes can be dipped in melted butter for even more deliciousness.

20

Instant Pot Peach Dump Cake

Like a true southerner, I'm a huge fan of adding anything peach-flavored to the end of a Thanksgiving meal. For Friendsgiving this year, try adding a peach dessert to your table when you make this Instant Pot Peach Dump Cake by Meatloaf and Melodrama. This recipe takes less than half an hour of cook time and is so easy to make — you literally just dump everything in your pressure cooker just like the name suggests.

This article was originally published on