How To Steam Broccoli In An Instant Pot

We always find ourselves making steamed broccoli, at least once or twice a week! But you know what, who has time to steam broccoli or any other side dish for that matter? With the Instant Pot, you can make most of our favorite vegetable side dishes in just a few minutes. While broccoli has always been a tasty side dish, it can be difficult to get kids to eat it during busy weekday evenings. Instant Pot changed everything! With an instant pot, you can steam your excess produce while preparing a delicious main dish protein like chicken and wild caught salmon, letting you focus on cooking healthy and spending more quality time together with your family!

How to steam broccoli in an instant pot

Would you believe us if we told you it only takes five minutes to cook the perfect steamed broccoli in an Instant Pot? And you only need three ingredients for this healthy and tasty side dish: frozen broccoli, a dash of salt, and water. Well, look no further – because that’s exactly how easy and quick it is!

Pour ½ cup of water into your instant pot and then place your steamer basket into the pot over the water.
Add in your broccoli and close the lid and make sure the valve is set
For 3 cups of broccoli steam for about 2 minutes on high pressure. However when the instant pot is building up its pressure or preheating for lack of a better word, it will take about 5 minutes. In these 5 minutes your broccoli will be almost fully steamed if you are using a smaller amount of broccoli! So we know it sounds weird but technically you can set your timer to 0 and the preheating will do the rest for you.
Once the lid has cooled down open it up and transfer your broccoli to a bowl
Then season how you like!

How to steam without the instant pot basket

While the steamer basket in the instant pot makes steaming broccoli so effortless, it’s possible to do it without one. So don’t worry we’ve got you covered. Steam vegetables like broccoli in your Instant Pot for easy, one-pot cooking, using the trivet that came with your pressure cooker. This will separate the water and vegetables so you still get the steamed effect without the steamer basket. The Instant Pot is perfect for steaming vegetables–and other foods like rice, potatoes, and frozen foods–fast and in a healthy way.

Storing steamed broccoli

After you’ve steamed your broccoli to perfection and enjoyed it, you may be wondering what to do with your leftovers. Hopefully, you won’t have leftovers because your instant pot recipes are so delicious but if you find yourself needing to store leftover broccoli we have you covered. You will want to make sure your broccoli is fully cooled before you put it away. Put the broccoli in an airtight container and place in the refrigerator. The broccoli should be good to use for 3-5 days. When you are ready to reheat, sprinkle some water on the broccoli and place it in the microwave!

Broccoli Recipes

If you are looking to spice up your steamed broccoli we have the perfect ideas for you! Whether you like spicy, salty or a little crunch these recipes are sure to be a great addition to your side dish arsenal.

Lemon and Parmesan Broccoli

3 tablespoons of olive oil
1 minced garlic cloves
Pinch of crushed red pepper
½ teaspoon of lemon zest
Shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano

In a pan combine the olive oil, crushed red pepper flakes, lemon zest and garlic and heat on medium heat for about 1 minute or until fragrant. Then pour the mixture over your broccoli and mix until well combined. Finally pour your shaved parmigiano over top and enjoy!

Feta Cheese Broccoli

2 green onions
2 tablespoons of olive oil
½ teaspoon of salt
½ teaspoon of black pepper
4 tablespoons of feta cheese

In a large pan heat the olive oil and green onions together for about 2-3 minutes or until they are tender. Season them with salt and pepper and mix in your broccoli. Finally toss in your feta and mix. To add a little more crunch, brown your broccoli in the pan before adding the feta.

Spicy Broccoli

Splash of soy sauce
1 minced garlic clove
Sesame oil for drizzling
2 tablespoons for sesame seeds
Sriracha for dipping

Once you’ve added the water to your steamer basket of your instant pot you will want to add the garlic and soy sauce into the water as well. Then steam your broccoli as usual. After the broccoli is done cooking, toss it in sesame oil and sesame seeds. Serve with a side of sriracha for a little extra kick.

Lime Broccoli

1 tablespoons of lime juice
½ teaspoon of toasted sesame oil
Coarse salt

This is probably the easiest recipe for steamed broccoli. No one other pans or utensils are needed. For more of a fresh taste use the juice from a lime instead of one from a bottle. Just toss all the ingredients together and enjoy!

How to clean your instant pot

This kitchen appliance can make your life easier in many ways, making cooking easier and faster. While it is safe to use, cleaning the Instant Pot regularly will help you prevent food and other substances clogging up the inside of the Instant Pot.

Clean the inner pot

An instant pot is a great way to cook foods fast, and the cleanup of it doesn’t have to be long or hard when you know how to clean an instant pot. The inner cooking pot is usually dishwasher safe, whether it’s stainless steel or has a nonstick finish. Place it upside down in the dishwasher on the bottom rack to clean. If using a dishwasher is not an option, wash it in hot soapy water, using a good degreasing dish detergent and a soft-bristled bottle brush to protect the finish, then rinse well and dry.

Wash the lid parts

Grease and food can collect in the nooks and crannies of the lid, which means scrubbing: not only do you have to clean the pot, but you also have to clean the lid! You will want to take off all the little pieces and covers. All these parts are dishwasher safe but if you want to clean them by hand we recommend a soft bristle toothbrush to get in all the nooks and crannies.

Wash the lid

With all the lid parts still removed you will want to wash the lid itself too. Your lid is dishwasher safe so if you want to go that route put it on the top rack of your dishwasher face down. However if you want to hand wash it, you will want to grab that soft bristled brush and get in all the crevices to remove any leftover food.

Cleaning the accessories

Your Instant Pot has a condensation collector accessory that attaches to the back of the cooker base. When your cooker is in use and making steam, moisture is released through this tube. This attachment also collects food debris as well as other objects like hair, grease and dust. If you’re not cleaning it regularly, this protector could become a health hazard—especially if food particles are accumulating inside it. Wash the steam rack, inner pot and any additional tools (like the rice paddle) that came with your Instant Pot either in the dishwasher or hand wash them in hot soapy water, then rinse them well.

Conclusion

Broccoli is a fundamental part of a healthy diet, and while it has to be said that the vegetable is incredibly high in vitamins and minerals, it can be easy to get bored with this type of food. However, there are some broccoli recipes you can try out that can help you to ensure you are able to enjoy this food more. One way this can be done is by steaming it. Steaming broccoli preparation does not take long, meaning you will not have to prepare your meal for many hours at a time, making it something that is practical to use with when cooking. What’s even better about this method of cooking is the fact that this isn’t the only thing which can be done with steamed broccoli. For example, you can then store your cooked broccoli in the fridge, allowing you to use the rest up in the future – meaning nobody needs to eat the same thing two days in a row!