7 Real 5 Ingredient Vegan Instant Pot Recipes (No Prep, Just Dump & Cook)

5 Ingredients, Zero Stress, Still Dinner

5-ingredient vegan Instant Pot recipes aren’t just convenient they’ve saved my dinner more times than I can count. When your brain is mush, your fridge is sad, and the idea of cooking feels offensive, these are the meals that show up. There are nights when cooking feels… optional. You’re tired, the fridge looks sad, and your brain is playing elevator music. But you still want something warm. Filling. Maybe even a little nourishing.

That’s when I reach for my Instant Pot and whisper a quiet thank-you to past-me for buying canned chickpeas.

This list isn’t for dinner parties or impressing anyone. It’s for you. For those “I really don’t want to cook but I still want to eat” kind of evenings. Every recipe here has just five ingredients. No chopping. No prep. No shame.

I’ve made these meals after long days, during kitchen fatigue, even when I didn’t really want to eat I just needed something warm to exist in a bowl. And they worked. Every time.

Let’s keep it simple. Let’s eat well without trying so hard. Let’s dump, cook, and breathe.

Or try one of these vegan Instant Pot dump meals if you want something equally easy but with batch-friendly portions.

What Counts as a Real 5-Ingredient Recipe?

Let’s be real when a recipe says “five ingredients” but then lists broth, three spices, a drizzle of oil and a squeeze of lemon? That’s not five. That’s math gymnastics.

So here’s how I see it:

Nope I don’t count water, salt, or oil. They’re kitchen constants, like the floor under your feet.
No pre-cooking, no chopping, no pressing tofu like it’s a spa treatment.
If it’s not canned, frozen, or lurking somewhere in the pantry… it’s not on the list.

These are the meals I lean on when I barely want to be in the kitchen at all. Like, “please let this can opener be the hardest part of my evening” kind of mood. So yeah, when I say five ingredients, I mean five. Not “five-ish”. Not “five plus your spice cabinet”.
The same vibe lives in these TikTok viral vegan Instant Pot meals no chopping, just good flavor and button-press magic.

7 Lazy & Lovely Vegan Instant Pot Recipes (Just 5 Ingredients Each)

These aren’t polished recipes with exact timings and fancy finishes. They’re what I cook when I’m tired, uninspired, and slightly hungry but still want real food. Each one has five ingredients. No tricks, no fake-outs.

1. Chickpea Tomato Curry

Canned chickpeas. Diced tomatoes. Coconut milk. Curry powder. Frozen spinach.
That’s it. Dump, stir, cook. I make this when I want something that feels like I tried, even when I didn’t. No sautéing. No blending. Just warm, creamy comfort in a bowl.

2. Lentil Sweet Potato Stew

Red lentils, cubed sweet potatoes (use frozen, I won’t tell), broth, cumin, garlic powder.
Tastes like autumn in a pressure cooker. Sometimes I add smoked paprika if I’m feeling rebellious yes, it breaks the 5-rule, but it’s so worth it.

3. Creamy Rice & Peas

White rice. Coconut milk. Frozen peas. Lemon juice. Garlic salt.
It’s simple and oddly satisfying kind of like adult mac and cheese but greener. My kid devours it. I do too, honestly. Stir in some nooch if you’ve got it.

4. Black Bean Taco Bowl

Canned black beans, salsa, corn, dry rice, chili powder.
Yes, you dump it all in salsa included. It works. Comes out steamy, spicy, and perfect with crushed tortilla chips or a quick squeeze of lime on top.

5. Thai Peanut Noodles

Spaghetti (break it up!), peanut butter, soy sauce, maple syrup, frozen broccoli.
If you love takeout noodles, this one hits. Watch your liquid and quick release it overcooks fast, but when it lands right? Chef’s kiss.

6. Split Pea & Carrot Soup

Green split peas. Baby carrots. Broth. Thyme. Onion powder.
It cooks down into this thick, soupy stew that feels more comforting than it has any right to be. I don’t blend it I let it be a little rough around the edges.

7. Burrito Filling (a freezer favorite)

Pinto beans, frozen bell peppers, brown rice, salsa, taco seasoning.
Throw it all in. Walk away. Use it in wraps, bowls, or just eat straight from a bowl. I usually freeze half and thank myself next week.

Tips to Make 5 Ingredient Meals Actually Work

Five ingredients sounds dreamy until you realize that without a little strategy, you might end up with warm mush that tastes like… less.

So here’s how I make these meals work, even on my worst days:

1. Let flavor come from the right five

If one of your five ingredients is coconut milk, make sure the others pop like curry powder or lime juice. If you’re using tomato sauce, balance it with something creamy or earthy.

Rule of thumb:
Go for one base, one protein, one flavor booster, one vegetable, and one liquid. That combo rarely fails.

2. Frozen stuff is your best friend

Frozen veggies are not cheating. They’re efficient, budget-friendly, and they keep the “dump” in “dump meals” truly dumpable. Frozen bell peppers, peas, spinach, squash all in heavy rotation over here.

3. Don’t be afraid of “boring”

Sometimes the best meal is the simplest one. A pot of lentils with garlic, broth, and sweet potatoes might not be photogenic, but it’ll hug your stomach better than anything from DoorDash.

4. Clean-up tip: soak it immediately

Once your Instant Pot’s insert is empty, fill it with warm soapy water and let it sit. Trust me, dried lentils and rice cement themselves like tile grout if left too long.

Final Thoughts – Simple Isn’t Lazy, It’s Smart

There’s something powerful about choosing simple. About saying, “Yeah, this is enough for tonight,” and meaning it.

These meals aren’t flashy. They don’t require prep bowls or fresh herbs or three tabs of recipe instructions. But they feed you. Warmly. Reliably. Without drama.

So if all you can manage is five ingredients and a button push that’s not lazy. That’s survival with style.

And if you’ve got a go-to five-ingredient wonder? Share it with me. I’m always hunting for the next delicious shortcut.