Cooking can be a challenge for kids who don’t love their food all mixed together, but these easy Instant Pot recipes are PERFECT for kids…even those with strong opinions about what they do and don’t eat!

instant-pot-meals-featured

Easy Instant Pot Recipes

I love having a handful of really great Instant Pot recipes to turn to for busy weeknight meals that deliver on nutrition, flavor, and appeal to everyone in the family.

And while it’s hard to find a recipe that everyone likes, these 10 healthy Instant Pot recipes are perfect for families.

So even if you just pick one to try, that’s one more easy family dinner than you had before!

instant pot chicken sandwich on white plate

1. Instant Pot BBQ Chicken

We love to use this tender shredded chicken (which takes just two ingredients!) in sandwiches, though you could also serve it over a grain or with buttered noodles. Add a simple veggie on the side and dinner is ready!

Easiest Instant Pot BBQ Chicken
With just two ingredients, you can cook up deliciously moist and tender Instant Pot BBQ Chicken to use over noodles or rice or in sandwiches. So easy—and ready in about 20 minutes!
Easiest Instant Pot BBQ Chicken
Instant pot bbq chicken sandwich on plate with sides.

2. Chicken and Rice Burrito Bowls

My husband and I love this dish as a burrito bowl and my girls love it as quesadilla filling. Both ways are easy and delicious.

Recipe: Instant Pot Weeknight Chicken and Rice Burrito Bowls
These also make for great leftovers and are super easy to customize with toppings.
Recipe: Instant Pot Weeknight Chicken and Rice Burrito Bowls
Recipe: Instant Pot Weeknight Chicken and Rice Burrito Bowls

family style slow cooker chicken tacos

3. Instant Pot Chicken and Bean Tacos

I’ve made this recipe twice recently and it’s so easy and fast—especially if you use precut veggies from the store. (P.S. We love the leftovers over rice!)

Slow Cooker Chicken and Bean Tacos
With a short ingredient list and a veggie-loaded sauce, these Slow Cooker Chicken Tacos are such a delicious family meal. (You can even make it in the Instant Pot for dinner in just 25 minutes.)
Slow Cooker Chicken and Bean Tacos
Slow cooker chicken tacos on plate with sides.

4. Instant Pot Mac and Cheese

Stir some frozen peas or steamed broccoli into this finished mac and cheese and a healthy family dinner is ready to serve.

Recipe: Instant Pot Macaroni and Cheese
Trust us on this one. It’s so easy and so super delish.
Recipe: Instant Pot Macaroni and Cheese
Recipe: Instant Pot Macaroni and Cheese
instant pot beans

5. Perfect Instant Pot Pinto Beans

Transform inexpensive dried beans into super tender and flavorful taco beans—or beans for burritos, grain bowls, or refried beans—with this super simple method. It’s almost as easy as opening a can of beans from the store!

Easy Pinto Beans Recipe
Learn how to make perfect Pinto Beans in the Instant Pot (or Slow Cooker) with this easy method. You can double this recipe to cook 2 pounds of dried beans at once. Just increase the water to 12 cups.
Easy Pinto Beans Recipe
pinto beans recipe in white bowl

6. Moroccan Spiced Chickpeas

These flavors might be new for the kids, but pair this with some pita bread, plain yogurt, and sliced cucumbers, and everyone is sure to be happy! (It also works as an easy freezer meal.)

Recipe via Pinch of Yum

Freezer Meal Spiced Chickpea Bowls
Freezer Meal Spiced Chickpea Bowl: clean eating meets comfort food! Dump it all in a bag, freeze it, and make it for dinner in a snap.
Freezer Meal Spiced Chickpea Bowls
Freezer Meal Spiced Chickpea Bowls

instant-pot-butter-chicken

7. Instant Pot Butter Chicken

I love this recipe so much we have it at least once a month with rice, an easy veggie and a side of naan or pita. It’s great because it’s flavorful and easy, but the chicken is also super moist and easy for little kids to chew.

Easy Instant Pot Butter Chicken
Forget takeout—deliver this popular Indian dish to your table instead. Shredded chicken thighs are coated in a rich, buttery sauce with hints of tomatoes, ginger, and garam masala—a messy but very flavorful finger food. Adapted from The Multi-Cooker Baby Food Cookbook.
Easy Instant Pot Butter Chicken
instant-pot-butter-chicken

8. Loaded Baked Potato Soup

Put out an assortment of toppings and let everyone customize their own bowl!

Recipe via Bless this Mess

Loaded baked potato soup… in under an hour.
That wasn’t a typo. This Instant Pot Loaded Baked Potato Soup is a breeze to throw together and makes for a delicious feast any night of the week.
Loaded baked potato soup… in under an hour.
Loaded baked potato soup... in under an hour.
chana-masala-in-kids-bowl

9. Instant Pot Channa Masala

This veggie-loaded sauce is just flavorful enough to be yummy for parents, but not too much to overwhelm the kids. It’s an easy vegetarian meal to share with the family.

Instant Pot Chana Masala-Style Chickpeas
Try making a super easy Indian food recipe at home with this mild Instant Pot Chana Masala. It's easy to make, freezes beautifully, and packs extra veggies tucked right into the sauce. (This will likely make enough for two meals—I like to freeze the second half for a future week.)
Instant Pot Chana Masala-Style Chickpeas
instant pot chana masala meal.

10. Instant Pot Spaghetti

I still can’t believe that it’s possible to cook this whole meal in the Instant Pot, but it’s just so good! (And easy, which is key come 5:30 pm.)

Recipe via The Kitchn

How To Make Instant Pot Spaghetti
Trust us: This is best (and easiest!) thing you’ll cook in your Instant Pot this year.
How To Make Instant Pot Spaghetti
How To Make Instant Pot Spaghetti

slow-cooker-black-bean-soup-in-pink-bowl

11. Instant Pot Black Bean Soup

The IP version of my Slow Cooker Black Bean Soup is easy, delish, and perfect healthy comfort food. This is one bean soup that my girls adore! (My son is still learning to like it, but I’m hopeful!)

Slow Cooker Black Bean Soup
Use the crock pot to cook up a hearty and nutritious Slow Cooker Black Bean Soup with veggies and lots of kid-friendly flavor. It's easy, versatile, and a great freezer meal
 
Slow Cooker Black Bean Soup
slow-cooker-black-bean-soup

noodle soup in kids bowls

12. Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup

This is one of our favorite soups and it’s so fast to make. You can find it in my Happy Family Meals meal planning system.

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What’s your family’s favorite instant pot meal? I’d love to know if you can drop it into the comments below!

This post was first published January 2021.

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  1. Wow! I just found your site for the first time and it is just what I’ve been looking for. Thank you for all these incredible ideas! My boy and I are going to start making our way through your recipes. What an answer!