With holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas fast approaching, many of us are planning big family dinners. It’s always helpful to make some of the dishes ahead, and this Make Ahead Instant Pot Vegetable Bake is not only festive and delicious, it can be made up to 3 days ahead. Once put in the oven on the day of the dinner, it only requires 20-30 minutes in the oven to heat up the vegetables and melt the cheese before serving. While the old pressure cookers are notorious for overcooking vegetables, Instant Pots® and similar multi-pots are a bit more versatile, and vegetables can be cooked for only one minute, or even zero minutes (the pressure just comes up and it’s finished), so you won’t end up with a mess of mushy, overcooked garbage that nobody will eat. This vegetable casserole takes only one minute, but you can certainly time it for zero if you want your vegetables crisper. The one minute cook time is perfect for my family.

You’ll love the cream sauce formed by the chicken broth and cream cheese; it’s just creamy and flavorful enough to make this vegetable bake special. The toppings give the casserole a bit of a crunch. If you have an Instant Pot®, you’ll find yourself making this yummy dish over and over, whether company’s coming or not.

12 Servings

4 slices bacon, chopped

1/2 head cauliflower, broken into florets
3 cups broccoli florets
1 small onion, chopped
1 pound sliced mushrooms
1 red bell pepper, cut into 1" squares

1 cup chicken broth
1 8 oz. package cream cheese

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup French fried onions

1. Cook the bacon until crisp; remove from the pot to drain; pour off the bacon fat.
2. Place the cauliflower, broccoli onion, mushrooms, and pepper squares in the Instant Pot.
3. Pour the chicken broth over; cut the cream cheese into squares and scatter them over the top of the vegetables.
4. Cover the pot, set the valve to sealing, and set the pot to manual for one minute.
5. When the cycle has finished, release the pressure immediately, stir the mixture, and transfer to a large, shallow casserole dish.
6. Sprinkle with the bacon and French fried onions.
7. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
8. When ready to serve, bake uncovered in a 350° oven until bubbly, about 30 minutes.

Amount Per Serving
Calories 180 Calories from Fat 124
Percent Total Calories From: Fat 69% Protein 15% Carb. 17%

Nutrient Amount per Serving
Total Fat 14 g
Saturated Fat 7 g
Cholesterol 33 mg
Sodium 329 mg
Total Carbohydrate 7 g
Dietary Fiber 1 g
Sugars 0 g
Protein 7 g

Vitamin A 21% Vitamin C 75% Calcium 0% Iron 6%