Metabolic diseases are caused by amino acid, glucose and lipid metabolism disorder, chronic inflammation is one of its important characteristics. The Nod-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome is a protein complexes located in cellular, the main function is to activate caspase -1, and then to indirectly regulate the mature and secretion of interleukin 1β (IL-1β), IL-18 and IL-33. The NLRP3 inflammasome is a hotspot in inflammasome associated studies, a variety of endogenous or exogenous danger signals up-regulated the expression of inflammatory cytokines through the activation of this protein complex, and promoted the occurrence and development of many metabolic diseases. Here we reviewed the structure, function and the regulation of the NLRP3 inflammasome, then discussed its role in metabolic diseases, in order to provide the new targets for the prevention and treatment of metabolic diseases.