A pressure cooker meal plan for weeknights.
An electric pressure cooker, or multicooker, is the opposite of a slow cooker: it takes dishes that usually need hours, like dried beans, braises and stocks, and gets them done in under an hour. For weeknight families, that means legume-based dinners and tender chicken dishes are possible even if you only start cooking at 6 pm.
This sample week uses the pressure cooker for four dinners, with one quick stovetop or oven night. The pressure-cooked dishes include dried chickpeas cooked from unsoaked, a chicken curry, a no-stir risotto and a lentil soup. Times listed include the time for the cooker to come up to pressure and release, which recipes often leave out. Fish isn’t pressure cooked here, because it cooks so quickly anyway. Always follow your cooker’s manual for fill levels and release methods, and never force the lid open.
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A sample week of five dinners.
One idea for Monday to Friday, with roughly how long each takes and why it earns its place. Swap any night; ARK Table rebuilds the list.
- Monday50 min
Pressure cooker chickpea and spinach curry
Dried, unsoaked chickpeas cook tender in about 45 minutes, start to finish.
- Tuesday30 min
Pressure cooker chicken and vegetable risotto
No stirring needed, and the risotto comes out creamy.
- Wednesday30 min
Oven-baked salmon with roasted vegetables
The quick oven night, since fish is best roasted or seared.
- Thursday30 min
Pressure cooker lentil and vegetable soup
Lentils and vegetables cook in a fraction of the stovetop time.
- Friday35 min
Pressure cooker chicken thighs with rice and peas
A one-pot dinner with rice and chicken cooked together.
Sample dinners for planning inspiration. Times are approximate and include prep.
Making this week your own.
If you’re new to pressure cooking, start with a simple recipe like lentil soup or rice before moving to beans or chicken. Learn how your cooker comes to pressure, how long it takes to release, and how much liquid it needs. Most mistakes come from too little liquid, which can trigger a burn warning. Once you’re comfortable, pressure cooking becomes one of the fastest ways to make a weeknight dinner.
Pressure cookers are also great for batch cooking. A large pot of chickpeas or black beans, cooked on Sunday and stored in the fridge, gives you ready-to-use legumes for salads, tacos and curries all week, at a fraction of the cost of canned. Freeze extras in their cooking liquid to keep them tender. Write down the exact time each favorite recipe takes in your cooker, including release, so weeknight timing becomes predictable.
Tips that make this week work.
Count the full time
Include the time to reach pressure and to release. It’s usually 10 to 20 minutes on top of the cooking time.
Cook dried beans from scratch
Pressure cookers make dried beans fast and affordable. Most cook in 25 to 45 minutes without soaking.
Respect fill lines
Never fill more than two-thirds full, or half full for beans and grains, which foam.
Use natural release for legumes
Letting pressure drop naturally helps beans and lentils stay intact and reduces foaming.
Use the sauté function
Most multicookers can sauté onions and spices before pressure cooking, so you build flavor in the same pot.
Questions, answered.
How long do dried chickpeas take in a pressure cooker?
Usually about 35 to 45 minutes at high pressure without soaking, plus time to reach pressure and release. Check your cooker’s manual.
Is a pressure cooker safe?
Modern electric pressure cookers have several safety features. Follow your manual for fill levels and release, and never force the lid open.
Can ARK Table adapt recipes for a pressure cooker?
Yes. Noah can suggest pressure cooker versions of many recipes and adjust cooking times.
Related meal plans.
See all 50 meal plans- Slow cookerA slow cooker meal plan for familiesA slow cooker family meal plan: morning prep, ready-at-dinner stews, curries and soups with chicken, legumes and vegetables. Five sample dinners.
- Soups and stewsA soups and stews meal plan for cold weatherA cold-weather meal plan of soups and stews: lentil, chickpea, fish and chicken one-pot dinners that reheat well and stretch further.
- 30-minute dinnersA meal plan of 30-minute dinnersA week of family dinners on the table in 30 minutes or less: quick-cooking proteins, one-pan methods and smart shortcuts. Five sample nights.
- VegetarianA vegetarian family meal planA vegetarian family meal plan with filling, kid-friendly dinners built on beans, lentils, eggs, tofu and vegetables. Five-night sample and tips.
Plan your own week, free.
Tell ARK Table who’s at the table and how much time you have. It plans the dinners, sizes every portion and builds one grocery list for any store.
Savings meter: up to $4,400/yr*
*Illustrative family-of-four budgets. Your savings will vary.
ARK Table by ARK Wellness is a food-planning tool, not medical advice. If you follow a diet set by your doctor or care team, their guidance comes first.