You Only Need 3 Ingredients (or Less) To Make These Springy Anti-Inflammatory Instant Pot Recipes

Photo: Stocksy/Helen Rushbrook
When the weather’s warm and the flowers are blooming, spending more time outside and less time in the kitchen can be a true blessing. But let's be honest: As convenient as ordering takeout or eating out may be, it can quickly burn a hole in your pocket.

Rest assured that there are other ways to get a delicious and healthy meal on the table with minimal effort and spending involved. One of our favorites is, of course, enlisting an Instant Pot. Thanks to the appliance's easy, set-it-and-forget-it style of cooking, it basically does all the dinner prep for you.

As springtime offers a wide variety of antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables like berries, tomatoes, and artichokes—all of which help fight the damaging effects of free radicals and inflammation in the body—we’ve gathered a few easy anti-inflammatory Instant Pot recipes featuring these seasonal ingredients. Best part: Every single recipe here requires three nutrient-rich ingredients or less (we're making life easy, remember?).

Anti-inflammatory Instant Pot recipes that require three ingredients or less

1. Creamy Instant Pot Oats

anti-inflammatory Instant Pot recipes
Photo: Minimalist Baker

Filled with tons of gut-friendly fiber to help keep your digestive system moving smoothly, this creamy oatmeal recipe by Minimalist Baker is the perfect way to kick-start your day. Made with just two base ingredients—oatmeal and water—this completely hands-free-to-make breakfast dish can be enjoyed on its own or garnished with the seasonal toppings of your choice like berries, bananas, and nuts. Best of all, oatmeal is nutrient-dense and filled with tons of iron, zinc, selenium, and magnesium. Oats also contain an important type of fiber called beta-glucan which can help lower cholesterol, registered dietitian Monica Auslander Moreno, MS, RD, previously told Well+Good.

Get the recipe: Instant Pot Oats

2. Lemon Pepper Salmon

anti-inflammatory Instant Pot recipes
Photo: Wholesomelicious

Loaded with brain-supporting omega-3 fatty acids, inflammation-fighting B vitamins, and tons of protein, salmon can help give your daily diet a much-needed nutritional boost. This super easy-to-make lemon pepper salmon recipe by Wholesomelicious can be served alone or complemented with an assortment of thinly-sliced seasonal vegetables like carrots (which help support eye health) and antioxidant-rich zucchini.

Get the recipe: Instant Pot Lemon Pepper Salmon

3. Sweet-Tart Strawberry Jam

anti-inflammatory Instant Pot recipes
Photo: Spice Cravings

With strawberry stands popping up left and right during spring, this antioxidant-rich fruit is nearly impossible to resist. However, when your love for them gets the best of you and you end up with more berries than you can actually eat in time before they spoil, making this strawberry jam by Spice Cravings is the perfect solution to avoid food waste and preserve them well past the peak of their season. This simple recipe calls for the most minimal of ingredients: strawberries, sugar, and lemon juice. After just one minute on high pressure and a quick simmer to thicken its consistency in the Instant Pot, you’ll have a ready-to-spread jam that you’ll want to put on just about everything.

Get the recipe: 3-Ingredient Strawberry Jam

4. Simple Steamed Artichokes

anti-inflammatory Instant Pot recipes
Photo: Gimme Some Oven

Herbaceous, earthy, and slightly mild in flavor, artichokes are beautiful to look at and are the ideal polyphenol-rich snack to munch on come springtime. According to the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, artichokes are loaded with 260 mg of inflammation-fighting polyphenols—that’s more than a serving of spinach, which has 119 mg. If you aren’t sold yet, this steamed artichoke recipe by Gimme Some Oven shows you how to turn your Instant Pot into a steamer and transform your tough and hard artichoke into tender and juicy edible leaves to dip into your favorite dressing in just a few minutes.

Get the recipe: Instant Pot Steamed Artichokes

5. Vegan Bolognese

anti-inflammatory Instant Pot recipes
Photo: Detoxinista

Now, if you’re looking to add tons of protein to your diet, this vegan bolognese recipe by Detoxinista is packed with fiber and nutrients to help support a healthy gut and keep you energized throughout the day. Made with pantry staples you likely already have on hand, like jarred marinara and red lentils, this easy recipe is ideal for making at a moment's notice. Plus, this super hearty dish uses tomato sauce, which is packed with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants and is a staple ingredient of Ikarian cuisine, a Blue Zone region known for its residents’ longevity.

Get the recipe: Vegetarian Bolognese

Look no further! Here's a dietitian's guide to eating for inflammation: 

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