Here are a bunch of easy 3 ingredient Instant Pot recipes and even more with 5 ingredients or less. From dinner to dessert and side dishes in between, we are sharing the easiest meals made in your pressure cooker today.

3 Ingredient Instant Pot Recipes
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While I do enjoy cooking for my family, I’m not always in the mood to spend all day in the kitchen. These easy 3 ingredient Instant Pot recipes are not only so easy to make, but they’re super cheap too! Many more easy Instant Pot recipes listed here too. (participant in the Amazon program, affiliate links present)

3-ingredient Instant Pot recipes

We also have 23+ 5 ingredient Instant Pot recipes you can make for your family too today. Only have a Ninja foodi or Crockpot Express instead. No worries, these will work in those machines just the same.

Many only need a cup of water and high pressure to steam the vegetables you love like pressure cooker mashed potatoes and Instant Pot broccoli!

instant pot broccoli

Pressure Cooker Recipes with 3 Ingredients

Yes you can soften veggies on the stovetop but the cooking time is SO short using this method. What you see above only takes ONE minute to reach perfection!

  • Pretty much all of our Instant Pot vegetable recipes take less than 3 ingredients total to make. There are 8 different Instant Pot cabbage recipes here too.
  • It is a great way to make a healthy dinnertime possible more often than you may be able to pull it off now.
    • AND you just might get your kids to love some greens! ๐Ÿ˜‰

Instant Pot steamed vegetables mix a few favorites together and cook all at the same time which is a real winner. Or you can just opt to throw in some Instant Pot corn for 3 minutes which is great to serve with virtually any protein.

Instant Pot Steamed Vegetables

Easy 3 Ingredient Recipes

Let’s move on to some main dishes shall we? My kids love sliders. To make things super easy I used to throw bbq chicken in a slow cooker and shred it at the end of the day that way. UNTIL……

  1. We made this Instant Pot shredded chicken recipe which work perfectly for sliders, soft tacos, and have become our go to meal on busy days.
  2. Three Ingredient Instant Pot Dump Cake is super yummy
  3. Get some sauerkraut and make Instant Pot Brats
  4. Kraft mac and cheese in a pressure cooker instructions are here to follow!
  5. For dessert make this fat free Instant Pot angel food cake all the time
  6. Pressure cooker frozen chicken wings are the bomb!
    1. Crisp the skins in your Ninja Foodi or electric air fryer for extra yum.

Take a peek above at how we made these with some sauce and give them a whirl!

pressure cooker frozen chicken wings

3 Ingredient Ninja Foodi Recipes

Want to make your favorite P.F. Changs takeout meal right at home?? This Instant Pot Orange Chicken recipe is super simple but on a much healthier scale. We skipped the breading on this one, but didn’t scrimp on the bold flavors!

  • With some basic ingredients like soy sauce and orange marmelade we were able to mimic those flavors you love and make them in no time.
  • You can use chicken thighs or breasts for the meat. I usually just choose whatever is on salt and looks good at the store.
  1. Then just for fun you’ve gotta try this Instant Pot Popcorn
  2. For a super cheap and tasty meal I would suggest this Instant Pot Salsa Chicken dish. People have gone crazy over this one!
  3. Our pressure cooker fish recipes use just 3 ingredients typically.
  4. Or you can combine Instant Pot fish with veggies all in one pot
    1. Our pressure cooker beer can chicken is amazing too.
Pressure Cooker Beer Can Chicken 2

We’ve got more for you though! That is right, we continue adding to this long list each and every week so take a minute right now and BOOKMARK THIS PAGE. Then you can come back to it and see what is new!

  1. Instant Pot Teriyaki Chicken has been a go to for years!
    1. Our favorite way to serve this is on top of a bed of tender Instant Pot White Rice. You could choose Instant Pot quinoa as well for a more protein packed meal.
  2. Instant Pot cake – this one we made it with cherries but you can use any fruit filling you like
  3. Our Instant Pot spaghetti is our most popular recipe yet though!
    1. You can make it vegetarian or our favorite choice is to use half ground beef and half spicy ground sausage!

Served with a side of cheesy garlic bread, this is the way to go for a cheap Instant Pot recipe the entire family will love.

instant pot spaghetti

Now I am not a fancy gal and actually have the cheapest 6 qt. Instant Pot out there. I tell everyone that you don’t need the fanciest version to start pressure cooking or making our 3 ingredient Instant Pot recipes.

I also will say I have a few recipes that make making these dishes a lot easier. These are the main Instant Pot accessories I’d recommend getting that aren’t expensive.

  • 6 c. bundt pan I use for my Instant Pot cornbread, corn casserole, sweet breads and cakes I make
  • 7″ angel food cake pan
  • Instant Pot glass lid to make popcorn
  • The best vegetable steamer basket
instant pot vegetable steamer basket

Looking for more easy Instant Pot dinner recipes?I have more! Just to let you know, I don’t really count water or spices in the number of things you need. You typically have those in your cupboard. I’m counting items you’ll need from the store.

  • There are always optional ingredients (like onions) which I add to just about every recipe. If you really don’t care for them then just leave them out.

That should give you a good starting point for making some easy pressure cooker recipes. Once you’re done with these give a few of our cheap Instant Pot recipes a try too!

  1. Instant Pot oatmeal is perfect for breakfast 
  2. Easy Corned Beef and Cabbage we make year round because it is so tasty
  3. Chicken Chile Verde is probably my husband’s favorite choice
  4. Our homemade 17 minute Instant Pot split pea soup can have 5 depending on how many veggies you want to add
  5. Quick homemade Instant Pot chicken noodle soup has 5 not counting spices
  6. Simple and healthy Instant Pot whole chicken recipe is below so you can enjoy that too
3 Ingredient Instant Pot Recipes

Here are some easy Five ingredient Instant Pot recipes too!

  1. Instant Pot chili has been the most popular recipe here on The Typical Mom site. Try it and you will soon see why.
  2. Italian Chicken Sandwiches sound fabulous
  3. Cheesy and easy Instant Pot macaroni and cheese is homemade but done in under 20 minutes flat!
  4. Not counting the spices our pressure cooker chicken pot pie soup is an amazing choice too.
  5. Instant Pot chicken cacciatore is a healthy pressure cooker meal that can be packed with veggies. Served on top of rice, in hoagie rolls, or as is

We will include the easy recipe for cooking chicken in an Instant Pot below. It is a game changer y’all!

Collage of four dishes made in an Instant Pot, featuring simple favorites like tomato rice, corned beef with cabbage, vegetable soup, and a sweet dessert with apples. Text at the top reads 15 Instant Pot Recipes. Discover effortless meals with just 3 ingredients each!
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3 Ingredient Instant Pot Recipes

By The Typical Mom
This Instant Pot whole chicken is one of the easiest 3 ingredient Instant Pot recipes we have shared on The Typical Mom. You'll never bake one in your oven again!
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 25 minutes
Servings: 6
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Equipment

  • 1 pressure cooker

Ingredients 

  • 1 whole chicken
  • 1.5 c water, or chicken broth
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tbsp garlic salt
  • 1 tsp oregano

Instructions 

  • Set pot to saute and add olive oil. Add chicken just to slightly brown both sides. Remove and deglaze pot with water or broth. Leave this liquid in your pot.
  • Lower down a trivet (or use 3 small/medium red potatoes to keep it off the bottom) and set your whole chicken on top.
  • Sprinkle any seasonings you'd like on the skin and close your lid and steam valve.
  • Set pot to high pressure for 25 minutes followed by a 5 minute natural release.
  • Lift chicken out, shred or cut up and serve. If you want to make gravy out of the drippings set your pot to saute and make a roux out of some hot liquid and cornstarch. Add this in when bubbling to thicken sauce as much as you'd like.

Nutrition

Serving: 3oz, Calories: 336kcal, Carbohydrates: 1g, Protein: 24g, Fat: 26g, Saturated Fat: 6g, Cholesterol: 95mg, Sodium: 2418mg, Potassium: 240mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 1g, Vitamin A: 178IU, Vitamin C: 2mg, Calcium: 21mg, Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Entree, Main Course
Cuisine: American
Tried this recipe?Mention @thetypical_mom or tag #thetypicalmom!

About The Typical Mom

Justine is the creative mind behind The Typical Mom and The Typical Family on YouTube. She began blogging about easy recipes, budget friendly activities for kids, and fun family travel destinations in September 2012.

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