Make 13 delicious and family-friendly Instant Pot freezer meals for less than $125! Get printable shopping lists, prepping checklists, and recipes!
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Like freezer meals? Be sure to check out round one of Instant Pot freezer meals and Instant Pot Freezer Soups for even more delicious meal ideas!
Round two of Instant Pot freezer meals is FINALLY READY!!! I have been working on these recipes for months and am excited to finally have them ready to share. My family is probably also a little relieved to take a break from testing the same freezer meals. At least, they will get a short break before the baby is born and we live off freezer meals for a while.
This means that some time in the next eight weeks I will be doing another big batch of freezer meals. Making meals from round 1 and round 2 will give us 27 meals ready to be thrown in the Instant Pot and cooked! What a relief that will be with a newborn in our house.
Freezer meals are wonderful, of course, whether or not you have a newborn. Any busy season can make having dinner ready to go in the freezer an amazing help. I also LOVE my Instant Pot for freezer meals! The fact that I can just dump in the frozen meal and walk away is wonderful. It may take a little extra time to come to pressure, but I can easily fill that time with plenty of chores (or resting) outside of the kitchen.
Keep reading and you will find instructions for how to make 13 grab-and-go freezer meals. I have included a shopping list, a plan for all the prep work, and how to bag and cook each meal.
And, if you find this post helpful, please pin and share it! Doing so helps me to be able to keep working hard on bringing you more recipes and resources!
Instant Pot Freezer Meals :: Round Two
A few notes before we begin…
- We don’t follow a certain type of diet, but we do try to prioritize whole, real (unprocessed) foods. That is what you will find in these meals.
- I cooked most of these meals completely from frozen (the exceptions are noted). The average time it took the Instant Pot to come to pressure with frozen contents was about 20-25 minutes. Be sure to factor in that time when you are planning when to start cooking your meal.
- I make most of our sauces from scratch, and included instructions below to make your own pesto sauce, marinara sauce, and barbecue sauce. If you prefer not to make your own, you can substitute your favorite store-bought options.
- Several of the meals call for chicken broth. Making chicken broth in your Instant Pot is easy, healthy, and a great way to save money!
- These meals feed my family of six (2 adults, 4 young children), often with leftovers. If you want smaller portions, you could divide each meal into 4 instead of 2.
Tools You’ll Need:
These are the kitchen tools I used to both prepare and cook the meals. (I only used the Instant Pot to cook the meals). You can also check out the Shop My Kitchen page for more highly recommended resources.
- Instant Pot 6qt 7-1
- Lodge cast iron skillet
- Victorinox chef knife
- Ziploc gallon freezer bags
- Vitamix 5200
- Ball mason jars for freezing
Step 1 :: Shop for Ingredients
I typically do most of my shopping at Costco, and then pick up other items at different stores. The items pictured above are from several stores, including Aldi, Whole Foods, and Fresh Market. Costco and Aldi are my favorite places to shop, and I have certain things I always purchase from each store. You can check out a printable price comparison of both stores here.
After shopping for the ingredients I would need to put together these freezer meals, I totaled up the grocery bill. Not including the chicken broth, (which I always make myself), and certain common pantry staples, the total cost of the food needed for these meals was less than $125! Not bad for 13 plus meals.
You can download the printable PDF of the shopping list for these 13 meals below. I separated the list according to what you will likely need to buy and what you may already have on hand.
As with so many things, you can adjust things according to your personal preferences. You can make all 7 meals from the list, or just pick a few to try. Add more or less meat. Serve the meals with your favorite side dishes or even fresh bread. I have tried to make these resources as helpful as possible, while allowing for different variations and needs.
Shopping List:
(Printing tip: change the scale to 150% for full page printing.)
Step two :: Prep Ingredients
Putting together these meals took a lot less time than my first round of freezer meals. Largely because I didn’t have to cook rice or dried beans. There was a small amount of browning meats, but mostly the prep was simply chopping vegetables, making a few sauces, and mixing together spices.
I was able to do it all in less than three hours, without help, and with four kids running around!
To help you make the process of preparing the meals easier, I made a printable PDF checklist of all that needs to be cooked/chopped/browned/bagged to keep you on task. You can adjust it as needed, but I tried to put the steps in the best order to allow for sauces and browned meats to cool before bagging/freezing them.
I also recommend reading through the recipes before you start your prep to be certain you have the suggested tools/supplies in order to adapt the steps as needed.
Freezer Meals Prep Checklist:
Step Three :: Assemble the Meals
As I mentioned, the process did not take me too long. Turn on a favorite podcast or audiobook, give the kids something to do (or just kick them outside), and get to work. The small amount of prep will pay off when all you have to do for dinner is dump and heat in your Instant Pot!
You can find assembly and cooking directions in each of the printable recipes below.
IMPORTANT: The printable recipes are for one meal, but I doubled many of them for this round of freezer meals. The doubled amount is reflected in the shopping list.
I made two of the chili, risotto, cauliflower soup, and spicy sausage and lentil soup. The meatball recipe yielded about 50 meatballs, which I divided up into that night’s dinner, and three freezer meals.
Freezer Meals:
- Maple Pumpkin Chili
- Freezer Meatballs
- Big Batch Marinara Sauce
- Chicken Pesto Risotto
- Creamy Cauliflower Soup
- Onion Pork Roast
- Spicy Sausage and Lentil Soup
- BBQ pork
Recipes:
Print
Instant Pot Freezer Meal :: Maple Pumpkin Chili
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 4-6 servings 1x
- Method: pressure cooker
Ingredients
- 2 sweet Italian sausages, casings removed
- 1/2 lb ground beef
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp chili powder
- 1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
- 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1 C pumpkin puree
- 1 14oz can kidney beans, drained & rinsed
- 1 can diced tomatoes
- 2 Tbsp maple syrup
- 2 C beef broth
Instructions
To Freeze:
- Brown the ground beef and sausage together in a pan. Use a spatula to break up the beef and sausage into small pieces. Set aside and cool.
- Combine the beef/sausage mixture in a bag with the remaining ingredients. Press the air out, seal, and freeze.
To cook from frozen:
- Transfer frozen chili mixture to the Instant Pot liner. Cover and set the Instant Pot to 10 minutes high pressure.
- Quick release the pressure. Stir chili and serve.
Notes
Double this recipe for this freezer meal plan. Brown the sausages and beef together in the pan, and then divide the mixture into two bags when cool. Continue filling the bag with the remaining ingredients.
Recipe adapted from Aimee Wimbush-Bourque’s recipe in Brown Eggs and Jam Jars.
Instant Pot Freezer Meals :: Meatballs
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes under pressure
- Total Time: 0 hours
- Yield: About 50 meatballs 1x
- Method: pressure cooker
Description
Delicious and versatile make-ahead meatballs!
Ingredients
- 1 yellow onion, minced
- 1 C panko breadcrumbs
- 1 C plain Greek yogurt
- 1 C shredded Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 Tbsp kosher salt
- 1 Tbsp each oregano and basil
- 6 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tsp freshly ground pepper
- 3 lbs ground beef
Instructions
To freeze:
- Combine all the ingredients in a large mixing bowl and mix well with your hands until all the ingredients are well-incorporated.
- Form the meatball mixture into 1″ meatballs. Place on 2 baking sheets covered with parchment paper. Place both baking sheets in the freezer. After the meatballs are frozen, transfer them to freezer bags and return to the freezer.
To cook from frozen:
In the Instant Pot: (With sauce) Add frozen meatballs and thawed marinara sauce to the Instant Pot and cook on high pressure for ten minutes. Quick release pressure and serve immediately. (Without sauce) Add frozen meatballs to Instant Pot, along with 1/4 C of water. Cook on high pressure for ten minutes. Quick release pressure and serve immediately.
In a skillet: Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add thawed meatballs and brown, turning after about five minutes, and cooking until done, about 12-15 minutes total.
Notes
These meatballs and sauce made enough for three freezer meals for our family of 6.
I prefer to cook my noodles separately, but if you would like to cook everything all together, then you can add them to the pot after the meatballs cook. For angel hair, add it to the meatball/sauce mixture and cook again under pressure for 2 minutes. For a thicker noodle, you may want to slightly reduce the cook time (7 minutes instead of 10), add the noodles after 7 minutes, and cook everything under pressure again for 5 more minutes.
Instant Pot Freezer Meals :: Big Batch Marinara Sauce
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: Approximately 12 cups 1x
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion, chopped
- 6 garlic cloves, minced
- 8 14.5oz cans diced tomatoes
- 2 Tbsp each oregano and basil
- 1 Tbsp salt
Instructions
1. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the chopped onions and sauté for about 5 minutes until the onions begin to soften and turn translucent. Push the onions to the sides of the pot and add the minced garlic. Sauté for about thirty seconds. Stir the onions and garlic together.
2. Pour in the cans of tomatoes, the herbs, and the salt. Mix well with a spoon. Bring the sauce to a simmer and simmer for twenty to thirty minutes, until the sauce is reduced by a third.
3. Carefully blend the hot sauce in a blender (or with an immersion blender) to your desired consistency. Add additional salt and/or herbs to taste. Let cool. Transfer to freezer safe bags or containers and freeze until ready to use.
4. TO COOK:
Thaw in the jar/bag. Heat in an Instant Pot with meatballs or in a pot on the stovetop before serving.
Instant Pot Freezer Meals :: Chicken Pesto Risotto
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 8-10 minutes under pressure
- Total Time: 0 hours
- Yield: 4-6 servings 1x
- Category: pasta
- Method: Pressure cooker
Description
Creamy bowl of chicken and risotto with a pesto sauce.
Ingredients
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/4 onion, chopped fine
- 1 1/2 C dried risotto
- 1/2 C pesto sauce
- 2 1/2 C chicken broth
- 2 chicken breasts, sliced in half horizontally
- 1 tsp kosher salt
Instructions
To make immediately:
- Heat Instant Pot on Saute and add 1 Tbsp butter. When the butter is melted, add the garlic and onions and sauté for 3-4 minutes, until the onion begins to soften.
- Stir in the remaining ingredients and cover the Instant Pot. Seal the valve, and cook on manual high pressure for 8 minutes.
- Quick release the pressure. Remove the chicken cutlets and shred. Return the shredded chicken to the pot and stir to incorporate. Taste and add additional salt as needed. Serve immediately with Parmesan cheese.
To freeze for later:
- Combine all the ingredients in a zipper freezer bag. Push out the air and seal. Freeze in a flat layer, with the chicken breasts not stacked.
- TO COOK FROM FROZEN: Take the freezer meal out of the freezer and thaw in a dish of cold water for 15-20 minutes, until the contents are partially thawed. Transfer pesto risotto mixture to Instant Pot and make sure the chicken breasts are separated in the pot. Cover and seal the valve. Cook on high pressure for 10. (Will take about 20 minutes to come to pressure).
- Quick release the pressure. Remove the chicken cutlets and shred. Return the shredded chicken to the pot and stir to incorporate. Taste and add additional salt as needed. Serve immediately with Parmesan cheese.
Notes
Risotto is best served as soon as it is done cooking.
Instant Pot Freezer Meals :: Creamy Cauliflower Soup
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 8 minutes under pressure
- Total Time: 0 hours
- Yield: 4-6 servings 1x
- Category: soup
- Method: pressure cooker
Ingredients
- 1 head of cauliflower, stem removed and cut into 1” pieces
- 1/2 onion, chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 C chicken broth
- salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
To make immediately:
- Combine all the ingredients in the Instant Pot and cover. Seal the valve and cook on high pressure for 8 minutes.
- Quick release the pressure. Blend the soup in a blender or with an immersion blender. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve with shredded cheddar cheese and crumbled bacon (optional).
To freeze for later:
- Combine all the ingredients in a freezer bag and freeze.
- TO COOK FROM FROZEN: Transfer the frozen soup mixture to the Instant Pot, cover, and close the valve to sealing. Cook on high pressure for 8 minutes. (The soup will take longer to come to pressure from frozen, about thirty minutes).
- Quick release the pressure. Blend the soup in a blender or with an immersion blender.
- Serve with shredded cheddar cheese and crumbled bacon (optional).
Instant Pot Freezer Meals :: Onion Pork Roast
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 60 minutes from frozen
- Total Time: 0 hours
- Yield: 4-6 servings 1x
- Method: pressure cooker
Ingredients
- 2–3 lb pork loin
- 3 Tbsp minced onion
- 1 Tbsp kosher salt
- 1 Tbsp oregano
- 1/2 Tbsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp freshly ground pepper
- 1/2 C chicken broth or water
Instructions
To make immediately:
- Place the pork loin in the Instant Pot. Mix together herbs and spices in a small dish, then pour over the roast. Add 1/2 C water or chicken broth. Cover and turn the valve to sealing. Cook on high pressure for 45 minutes.
- Let the pressure naturally release.
- Transfer the pork roast to a cutting board, and loosely tent with foil. (Optional) Turn on the Instant Pot to Saute, bring the cooking liquid to a simmer, and reduce by a third to serve with the roast.
- Slice the roast and serve with cooking liquid (optional).
To freeze for later:
- Place the pork roast in a freezer bag and add the herbs and spices. Shake to coat. Press out the additional air and freeze.
- TO COOK FROM FROZEN: Place frozen pork roast in Instant Pot. Pour 1/2 C of water or broth into the freezer bag and swish around to collect any seasonings which stuck. Pour the water/borth into the Instant Pot with the roast. Cover and turn the valve to sealing. Cook on high pressure for 60 minutes.
- Let the pressure naturally release.
- Transfer the pork roast to a cutting board, and loosely tent with foil. (Optional) Turn on the Instant Pot to Saute, bring the cooking liquid to a simmer, and reduce by a third to serve with the roast.
- Slice the roast and serve with cooking liquid (optional).
Notes
Excellent with oven baked brown rice (start them at the same time!) or potatoes (cook them in the Instant Pot while the roast rests).
Instant Pot Freezer Meals :: Spicy Sausage and Lentil Soup
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes under pressure
- Total Time: 0 hours
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: soup
- Method: pressure cooker
Description
This Instant Pot spicy sausage and lentil soup is intense and hearty, made with andouille sausage, lentils, and chopped vegetables, Plus, it is quick and easy to make in your Instant Pot!
Ingredients
- 2 andouille sausage
- 1/2 large onion, diced
- 3 medium carrots, chopped
- 1 C chopped mushrooms
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 C uncooked lentils
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 14.5oz can diced tomatoes
- 3 C chicken broth
Instructions
To make immediately:
- Turn the Instant Pot on Saute and heat 1 Tbsp olive oil. Add the sausage once the pot is hot and brown on both sides. While the sausage is browning, chop the vegetables and add each (onions, carrots, and mushrooms) to the pot once they are ready.
- Add the remaining ingredients to the Instant Pot (lentils through broth). Cover the Instant Pot, turn the valve to sealing, and cook the soup for 20 minutes on high pressure.
- Quick release the pressure. Remove the sausage from the pot and slice into 1/2 inch pieces. Return the chopped sausage to the pot and serve immediately.
To freeze for later:
- Brown the sausages in a pan and set aside to cool.
- Combine the remaining ingredients in a freezer bag, then top with cooled sausages. Freeze.
- TO COOK FROM FROZEN: Transfer frozen soup mixture to the Instant Pot, cover, and close the valve to sealing. Cook on high pressure for 20 minutes. (Instant Pot will take longer to come to pressure with frozen content).
- Quick release the pressure. Remove the sausage from the pot and slice into 1/2 inch pieces. Return the chopped sausage to the pot and serve immediately.
Instant Pot Freezer Meals :: BBQ Pork
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 60 minutes high pressure from frozen
- Total Time: 0 hours
- Yield: 8-10 servings 1x
- Category: main dish
- Method: pressure cooker
Ingredients
BBQ Sauce
- 1/2 C minced onion
- 2 minced garlic cloves
- 1/2 C cider vinegar
- 1/2 C worcestershire sauce
- 1 Tbsp dry mustard
- 1 Tbsp brown sugar
- 1 Tbsp paprika
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 C ketchup
- 2–3lb pork loin
Instructions
Make the BBQ Sauce:
Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a small saucepan, add the minced onion and saute 4-5 minutes until the onion begins to soften. Stir in garlic and cook 30 seconds. Add cider vinegar through salt.. Bring to a simmer, then stir in ketchup. Cook over low heat 15 minutes, until thickened.
To make immediately:
- Place the pork loin in the Instant Pot and pour in the BBQ sauce. Cover, seal, and cook on high pressure for 45 minutes. Let the pressure naturally release, then open the Instant Pot and check the temperature of the pork with a meat thermometer.
- Remove the pork from the Instant Pot and shred. Return the shredded pork to the Instant Pot and stir to coat the meat with the BBQ sauce.
- Serve.
To cook from frozen:
- Dump the frozen pork and sauce in Instant Pot. Add 1/4 C of water to the bag and shake to get any remaining BBQ sauce from the bag. Pour the water/sauce mixture into the Instant Pot. Cover, seal, and cook on high pressure for 60 minutes. Let the pressure naturally release, then open the Instant Pot and check the temperature of the pork with a meat thermometer.
- Remove the pork from the Instant Pot and shred. Return the shredded pork to the Instant Pot and stir to coat the meat with the BBQ sauce.
- Serve.
Notes
*A stand mixer makes very short work of shredding hot meat.
** If you have an extra liner for the Instant Pot, you can make a quick vegetable side while you shred the meat.
And that’s it! I hope that these freezer meals make your life a little easier and tastier!
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Hi, Lisa-
On the Sausage and Lentil Soup, what size is an andouille sausage? They come in a variety of sizes in my area! Do you have an approximate weight?
How long would you say most of the meals keep for in the freezer? I’m due in beginning to mid January and would like to prep as many meals at possible, preferably before the holidays!
Love this post, btw! Have been searching for instant pot freezer meals for a while now!
I would say they are best by three to four months, though they would probably be fine to eat for a while after that. Congratulations on your baby! There are seven more freezer meals if you check out the first round, too. 🙂
in the pumpkin chili is it necessary to cook the meat and sausage? it seems like a step the instant pot can do.
on the pumpkin chili recipe is it necessary to cook the meat and sausage ahead of time it seems like a step we can let the instant pot do?
You could let the Instant Pot cook it. Browning it ahead of time just builds a deeper flavor.
Help! Tried to make this tonight, my instant pot would not come to pressure, counted down, not no pressure. The chicken was uncooked. Followed the directions as indicated.l
Sorry you are having trouble! If you are referring to the chicken risotto, that meal has to be thawed before cooking. Did you let the risotto and broth thaw before adding it to the Instant Pot?
After the herbs and spices you use fresh of dry? I wasn’t ability to tell from the shopping list or the photo are all the ingredients. The difference can made a lot of difference in the flavor of the dish.
They are all dried.
Hi there!! I have a question about things frozen in the ziploc bags. Since they take on the shape of the bag, how do you get it into the pot as a frozen rectangle? Do you have a special strategy? Thanks!!
I froze most things (with the exception of the risotto which needs to be partially thawed) standing up, so it was more of a log or brick when frozen. I was able to get it in the Instant Pot kind of sideways and most of the time that was sufficient. If it had trouble fitting, I just turned it on saute for a minute to help it break up a little. If you are concerned, you can use a bowl to shape the bag while it freezes so that it fits a little better. 🙂