Instant Pot broccoli is so easy and quick to make, with a pressure cooking time of zero minutes! No more mushy and overcooked stovetop broccoli. Enjoy as a side dish or toss into your favorite pasta, rice, and meat dishes.
The pressure cooker creates the perfect fresh steamed broccoli in only 15 minutes (pressurizing time and pressure releasing time included).
Broccoli is naturally gluten-free, low in calories, vegan, and full of nutrients. It fits into almost every diet and is one of the most popular healthy side dishes.
There is nothing difficult about making amazing and perfectly cooked broccoli in the Instant Pot. This is such an easy recipe!
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Tips For Making Perfect Broccoli
Making perfectly steamed broccoli in the Instant Pot is so simple that there aren't many tips needed, other than knowing how long to pressure cook the broccoli for your preferred tenderness. These cook times are for fresh broccoli florets. Bagged broccoli will take slightly longer.
Recommended Cook Time
Crisp: zero minutes on high pressure
Soft: 1 minute on high pressure
Broccoli cooked in zero minutes with be tender crisp and still easily pierced with a fork.
*If you're using a refrigerated bag of broccoli like this, you should increase the cooking time. For crisp bagged broccoli, cook for 2 minutes on high pressure and for softer broccoli, cook for 3 minutes.
Tools Needed
- Pressure cooker
- Steamer basket (or trivet)
This recipe will work in any size Instant Pot. You'll likely need to reduce the amount of broccoli for a 3 quart pot, although I have not tested it.
If you don't have a steamer basket, put the chopped broccoli on a trivet. Steamer baskets allow you to more easily remove the broccoli than a trivet because of their handles and basket shape. I have this accessory set for my Instant Pot and it includes a great steamer basket!
Instructions
Let's not complicate how to pressure cook broccoli! All you need to do is add the right amount of water recommended for your pot size, your steamer basket of broccoli and press start.
STEP 1: Pour cold water into the inner pot of the pressure cooker. Make sure to use the recommended amount of water for your pot size!
STEP 2: Wash the broccoli, cut it into florets, and put it in the steamer basket. Place the steamer basket into the inner pot. Close the lid and put it into the sealing position. Set to high pressure and the cook time to 0 minutes for tender-crisp broccoli or 1 minute for soft broccoli. For bagged broccoli, cook for 2-3 minutes depending on your preferred tenderness.
STEP 3: Complete a quick release of the pressure when the pot beeps. open the lid and carefully remove the steamed broccoli using tongs or transfer the steamer basket to the counter using oven mitts. Let cool for a few minutes before serving.
Store cooked broccoli in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 6 months.
Enjoy!
Recipe FAQs
You can use a 6, 8 or 10 quart Instant Pot when making the amount of broccoli this recipe calls for (one pound). For 3 quart pots, you'll likely need to use a little less broccoli.
Yes, you should. Because the water isn't added into the recipe, you just want to use the correct amount to ensure your Instant Pot comes to pressure correctly. Check your user manual for the recommended water amount for your size pot.
The Instant Pot cooks food as it's coming to pressure. So when foods have a zero cook time, they cook as the pot is pressurizing. The time it takes for the pot to build pressure is the only time it takes to steam fresh broccoli! Remember, too, that food also continues to cook as you release pressure. Broccoli always needs a quick release so it does not overcook, which will happen if you allow the pressure to naturally release.
When using low pressure to steam any vegetable you will need to increase the pressure cook time. Increase the time 1 minute when cooking broccoli on low pressure.
Yes, you can pressure cook frozen broccoli instead of fresh using the same cook time. Always use high pressure for frozen broccoli.
Bags of precut broccoli take slightly longer to pressure cook. For tender-crisp broccoli, pressure cook for 2 minutes and for softer broccoli cook for 3 minutes.
Ways To Serve
Serve as is, plain, as an incredibly healthy side dish along with your favorite meat or fish. Or to flavor it:
- Sprinkle with salt, pepper, or other seasonings.
- Squeeze with a little fresh lemon.
- Mix with roasted garlic, red onions, or steamed cauliflower.
Recipes To Use Up Steamed Broccoli
In addition to eating your Instant Pot steamed broccoli as a side dish, use it in these delicious recipes:
Recipe
Instant Pot Broccoli
Equipment
- pressure cooker any size
Ingredients
- 1 lb fresh broccoli *see notes for bagged or frozen broccoli
- 1 - 1½ cups cold water
Instructions
- Pour the recommended amount of cold water for your Instant Pot size into the inner pot. This is 1 ½ cups for an 8 quart pot. Put a steamer basket or trivet inside the pot.
- Wash the broccoli, cut it into florets, and put into the steamer basket or trivet. Close and seal the Instant Pot lid. Set to pressure cook on high for 0 minutes for tender-crisp broccoli or 1 minute for soft broccoli.
- Complete a quick release of the pressure when done. Carefully remove the steamed broccoli using tongs or transfer the basket or trivet to the counter using oven mitts.
- Let cool for a few minutes and serve warm as a side dish or toss into pasta, rice, or meat dishes.
Notes
Nutrition
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E. L. says
I rarely buy any bagged pre cut vegetables but I'm curious about why it would take longer than fresh or frozen. I can't grasp why it would/should take longer to steam than what I just washed & cut.
Mindy says
I was skeptical but shouldn’t have been. Worked like a charm to steam some fresh broccoli for a broccoli casserole. The stems were just as tender as the florets which is sometimes tricky with stovetop steaming.
Kristina says
I am glad you tried it! The perfect tenderness is why I love it too.