Learn to make instant pot steamed broccoli without steamer basket in only the time it takes to come to pressure. A simple kid-friendly side dish for any meal!
Looking to steam broccoli perfectly every time? Use your instant pot to steam veggies while you get the rest of the meal prepared. You can also try microwaved steamed broccoli for another cooking option.
Once steamed, you can season the broccoli with any spices or toppings your family enjoys. It is the ultimate side dish for any night of the week. You could even set up a “broccoli topping bar” by adding ingredients into small bowls and letting the whole family choose their favorites.
Table of Contents
How To Steam Broccoli & Other Vegetables Using Your Instant Pot
You don’t need to be intimidated by your instant pot. Follow these simple instructions for cooking vegetables under high pressure and you’ll find out how easy it really is to use! You can use fresh vegetables or frozen vegetables.
- First, place the stainless bowl into the base of the Instant Pot.
- Add the wire rack (which came with the instant pot) to the bottom of the instant pot.
- Add 1 cup of water
- Add broccoli or vegetables of choice such as cauliflower, carrots, mixed vegetables. You can use frozen vegetables as well – without needing to add any extra time!
- Cover and turn to sealing.
- Set to low pressure for ZERO minutes.
- The Instant Pot should say “ON“. When the machine first turns on, it is building pressure. The time that it takes for this pressure to build does NOT count toward the cooking time. On my machine, I know the pressure is built when the silver pin on top is raised.
- After the cooking time is complete, release the pressure. To release the pressure turn the valve to “VENTING“.
- Lastly, take off the lid once it is unlocked.
Related: How To Use An Instant Pot: A Beginners Guide
Frequently Asked Questions
Add the wire rack to the bottom of the instant pot –> Add water –> Add vegetables –> Cover & turn to “VENTING” –> Set to low pressure for ZERO minutes –> Quick release
Add the wire rack (this came with the instant pot) to the bottom of the instant pot. Next, add water and the broccoli. Cover and turn to venting. Set to low pressure for ZERO minutes. Do a quick release and serve!
NPR is when you let the Instant Pot release the pressure naturally. The pressure will release slowly & the lid will unlock when the float valve drops completely. With QR, you manually turn the valve from “SEALING” to “VENTING”, which will let the pressure go quickly. Be cautious with QR because the steam will shoot out of the top quickly!
It is not necessary to use a steamer basket in your instant pot. You can steam your vegetables by simply placing them on the rack. Some find it easier to add the veggies to a steamer basket because they can just grab the basket and dump the vegetables in a bowl.
PRO TIP: It is extremely important that you use the rack when steaming vegetables even when using a steamer basket to prevent your vegetables from becoming soggy.
Add your steamed broccoli to a large serving bowl and season with additional toppings if desired.
ZERO-MINUTE BROCCOLI SEASONINGS
- Garlic powder
- Onion powder
- Shredded cheese
- Bacon bits
- Lemon juice
- Parmesan and Bread Crumb Topping
More Instant Pot Recipes
- Instant Pot Red Potatoes
- French Dip Sandwiches (Instant Pot)
- Instant Pot Loaded Potato Soup
- Pulled Pork Roast Instant Pot Recipe
- Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup
- Instant Pot Frozen Chicken Wings
CKC Features both Gluten-Free Guidance and Kids Cooking Instructions: If you’re new to eating gluten-free we understand it’s overwhelming trying to figure out which foods may contain gluten and which ones don’t. All of our gluten-free recipes marked with this symbol ✅ represent foods that need to be checked for gluten or cross-contamination.
The ⭐️ symbol in the recipe below denotes the steps in which kid cooks may need a helper (depending on age). If there is no ⭐️ symbol, that step (or recipe) doesn’t require a helper.
Steamed Broccoli Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 cups broccoli florets
- 1 cup water
Instructions
- Prep the instant pot. Add the wire rack (came with instant pot) to the bottom of the instant pot.
- Add the broccoli. Add the water and broccoli.4 cups broccoli florets, 1 cup water
- ⭐️Cook. Cover and turn to sealing. Set to low pressure for ZERO minutes. Quick release (turn to vent) and serve.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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Then follow us on social media and tag #createkidsclub if you make the recipe. We love seeing what you come up with!
Jess says
So
Easy!
Arbel says
Will the countdown start if it’s set to venting? I’m new to IP, so unsure.
Jodi Danen, RDN says
Hi Arble! You’ll need to turn it to sealing to get the IP cooking. Venting is used after the cooking time is over and if you’d like to quickly release the pressure inside the pot (which I usually always do as I don’t want to wait for it to on its own). So to answer your question, turn the valve to sealing. Hope that helps!
Omnintuit says
Thanks Jodi!
For sharing the useful information about the recipes of broccoli.
Jane says
Super easy! My Instant Pot won’t set to zero, so I set it to 1 minute and when I heard the beep that it was at pressure I did the quick release. The broccoli was a little overdone. I don’t know whether I cut the pieces too small or I wasn’t quick enough for the release.
Jodi Danen, RDN says
Hi Jane! I’m not sure if this is helpful or not, but here is a youtube video on how to find zero minutes on your instant pot (at :44).
Mike from Michigan says
No basket to steam in, but had that wire trivet, and I put some aluminum foil over the top of that so the florets would not fall through to the water. It worked fine, the broccoli came out perfect.
91 Club says
I tried this method for steaming broccoli in the Instant Pot, and it turned out perfectly! I loved how quick and easy it was without needing a steamer basket. The broccoli was tender and vibrant in color. Thanks for the great recipe!