15 Best Summer Side Dishes You Can Make in Your Instant Pot

Instant Pot® Mac and Cheese
Photo: lutzflcat

Put the time-saving power of your Instant Pot multi-cooker to work this summer making your favorite summer side dishes in a fraction of the time without heating up your kitchen. We've compiled 15 Instant Pot side dish recipes — from classic baked beans to potato salad — to round out all your summer meals. Take a look.

01 of 16

Instant Pot Cuban-Style Black Beans

Black beans in a bowl with a lime garnish
lutzflcat

This made-from-scratch black bean side dish makes a zesty companion for grilled summer meals. Reviewers say to definitely use the sazon seasoning called for in the recipe to get the best flavor.

02 of 16

Instant Pot Cowboy Beans

Instant Pot Cowboy Beans
Photo by bd.weld.

"These were quick and easy," says bd.weld. "The bacon is the star in this recipe. I used fire roasted diced tomatoes and diced the jalapeno. I will definitely make these beans again."

03 of 16

Instant Pot Charro (Refried Beans)

Instant Pot® Charro (Refried Beans) in an orange bowl
Baking Nana

"I love the flavors of this recipe!" says Julie Ligon Kernstein. "After making these beans a couple of times I've found that cooking them for an hour on high pressure gives a more creamy bean texture and higher pronounced flavor. I do not soak the beans first."

04 of 16

Easy Instant Pot Potato Salad

Easy Instant Pot® Potato Salad in a white bowl
bd.weld.

Can you imagine making a party-size batch of potato salad in a speedy 35 minutes? "The best potato salad I've ever had by far and the easiest to make," says bd.weld. "I followed the recipe except for the mustard, I used deli-style with horseradish."

05 of 16

Instant Pot Lime-Cilantro Rice

Instant Pot Lime-Cilantro Rice
Buckwheat Queen

"Terrific recipe!" says Buckwheat Queen. "I made it once exactly as written and it came out beautifully. The second time, I rinsed the rice before cooking, which really didn't change the outcome. The grains stay separated and intact; fluffy, not mushy. The lime and cilantro are delicious."

06 of 16

Instant Pot Mexican Rice

Instant Pot Mexican Rice
sanzoe

SZYQ1 shares these top tips for this recipe: #1 Rinse your rice. #2 Do not stir in the tomato sauce — when I stirred, IP didn't come to pressure and the rice was uncooked. #3 Do not try to do natural release because you're busy with other dishes, it changes the texture. #4 Chunky/thick salsas do not seem to work as a sub. #5 If rice is done and you think it's too moist, just leave it on keep warm and excess moisture will be absorbed or will evaporate.

07 of 16

Instant Pot Corn on the Cob

Instant Pot® Corn on the Cob
lutzflcat

"This came out great if you don't want to worry about hot water boiling on the stove!" says Tammy Lynn. "I didn't have a steamer basket, so I just used the stand that came with the Instant Pot and still arranged them as indicated."

08 of 16

Instant Pot Baked Beans

Instant Pot Baked Beans
Photo by France C.

You can make baked beans from scratch without soaking them for hours when you use your Instant Pot. Recipe creator France C says, "This recipe traditionally takes hours to make, as we let the beans slow cook overnight in the oven on low heat. I decided to try and transform it into a much quicker Instant Pot recipe with great success!"

09 of 16

Instant Pot Creamed Corn

creamed corn in white dish
My Hot Southern Mess

This recipe is written for fresh corn, but you can use frozen if you thaw it and drain it first. Depending on how sweet your corn is, you can probably get away with reducing or omitting the tablespoon of sugar that's called for.

10 of 16

Instant Pot Mac and Cheese

Instant Pot® Mac and Cheese
lutzflcat

"I followed the recipe to the letter, with the exception of omitting the liquid smoke which we just don't care for," says lutzflcat. "My only recommendation would be to use a good-quality Cheddar cheese (I like extra sharp), as it will make a huge difference in taste."

11 of 16

Instant Pot Quinoa

Instant Pot Quinoa
Tammy Lynn

"This recipe worked perfectly! It was nicely cooked and very fluffy," says Tammy Lynn. "Be sure to release immediately to prevent sticking."

12 of 16

Instant Pot Collard Greens

collard greens on plate with bread and stew
Instant Pot Collard Greens. Diana71

"Very easy to make!" says Hderoba. To amp up the flavor even more, they suggest swapping water for homemade ham broth and some soul food seasoning. Sounds promising and delicious!

  • Video: Tasty Collard Greens
13 of 16

Instant Pot Leek Mashed Potatoes

leek mashed potatoes in green dish
Soup Loving Nicole

"Ding ding ding, we have another winner from Bren! After hubs took his first bite, he said 'light, airy, fluffy, flavorful,' so there you have it!" —Soup Loving Nicole

14 of 16

Instant Pot Farro

Instant Pot Farro Risotto
thedailygourmet

"Farro is probably my favorite grain. I love it in salads, pilafs, and soups! I find the pressure cooker gets it the perfect texture and I don't have to worry about overcooking it on the stove." —LauraF

15 of 16

Instant Pot Prosciutto-Wrapped Asparagus

Instant Pot Prosciutto-Wrapped Asparagus
Photo by thedailygourmet.

"So simple to make, and so delicious! I recommend doubling up the next time you make it." —Peter

Updated by
Emily Boyette
Emily Boyette
Emily Boyette is a highly qualified editor within the food media industry with eight-plus years of experience. From galleries and listicles to recipe manuscripts and articles, her knowledge of cooking goes beyond text. Emily is a writer for Allrecipes.
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