Easy Instant Pot Broccoli

Peeps, let’s talk about bad steamed broccoli. You know the kind – soggy and an awful colour of green that is a bit more like greyish-brown. The kind of sad broccoli side dish that you choke down while cursing vegetables and swearing that you will never eat broccoli ever again.

Instant Pot Broccoli

I have got your back with this easy peasy Instant Pot Broccoli recipe. As long as you follow my step-by-step instructions exactly, you will pull from your Instant Pot gorgeous green broccoli that is properly steamed but still has a bit of a ‘bite’ to it (aka not sad, soggy broccoli).

Related Recipe : Instant Pot Corn On The Cob.

This broccoli is so good that you will want to eat your veggies. Great for adding to salads, meal prep dishes, casseroles, frittatas and more.

Why You’ll ♡ This

• You only need 2 affordable simple ingredients.
• It’s a customizable side dish that goes with everything.
• Perfect meal prep option.

How Long To Cook Instant Pot Broccoli

And it’s also veeeeeeery easy (you put it on high pressure for 0 minutes – yeap, 0). What this zero minutes means is that the Instant Pot still takes some time to come up to pressure and in that time the broccoli will cook.

But as soon as it comes to pressure you will have to do a quick release and stop cooking, and naturally, release the pressure.  This gives you lovely firm fresh broccoli.

• If you want tender Instant Pot steamed broccoli or if you prefer bigger florets you can set the time for 1 minute under high pressure.
• If you want even more more soft broccoli you can set the time for 2 minutes under high pressure.

So, are you ready to learn how to make Steam Broccoli Instant Pot? Then gather up those ingredients and I will show you….

How to Make Instant Pot Broccoli Step by Step

1. Step 1. Wash the fresh broccoli florets.
2. Step 2. Add the water to the Instant Pot insert.
3. Step 3. Place the steamer basket inside the Instant Pot insert and then add the broccoli florets to it. 
4. Step 4. Select the pressure cook or manual button (dependent upon IP model), select high pressure and set the timer to 0 minutes.
5. Step 5. As soon as Instant Pot comes to pressure and beeps, do a Quick Release. When complete, remove the lid and let the Instant Pot Broccoli cool by transferring to a cool container and letting it stand.
6. Step 6. Season the Instant Pot Steamed Broccoli with salt and pepper to taste and serve.

If You Want To Make Chargrilled Broccoli

1. Add the oil, garlic and the chilli to a pot over medium heat until garlic starts turning golden brown. Garlic and chilli burn very quickly so as soon as they start changing colour,  pour the mix into a cool container to stop the cooking
2. Heat a grill pan or broiler over high heat and grill the broccoli in batches making sure to turn the florets halfway through so all sided get char marks.
3. Transfer the grilled broccoli to a bowl, pour the garlic and chilli mix and a dash of lemon juice (if using).
4. Adjust seasoning, add in lemon wedges (if using) and serve.

Instant Pot Steamed Broccoli Tips

• Adjust the timing from 0 minutes for anything up to 2 minutes depending on how soft you want the broccoli in Instant Pot.
• For a super-nutritious drink, save the cooking water, chill it in the fridge and drink it. I know this may sound a bit strange, but it actually does taste good and it is full of all the good vitamins and minerals extracted from the steamed broccoli during the cooking process.
• Do NOT do a Natural Pressure Release (NPR) with your broccoli. Below is what happens when you are too busy checking emails to remember to QR your Instant Pot Broccoli as soon as it beeps and instead end up with a 15-min NPR:

Pressure Cooker Broccoli Seasoning Ideas

You can season your Instant Pot Steamed Broccoli however you’d like. A few ideas:

• Seasoning – creole seasoning, steak seasoning.
• Add heat – red pepper flakes, cayenne, chipotle.
• Add herbs – chopped parsley, chopped cilantro
• Citrus – lemon juice, zest, grapefruit juice.
• Oils – sesame oil, olive oil.

You can also melt cheese on top for extra-tasty perfectly steamed broccoli.

FAQs

How to Steam Vegetables In An Instant Pot

Steaming vegetables in Instant Pot like cauliflower is a great way to use up those extra veggies bounty. It is a similar process like this one. You need some water in the base of the Instant Pot Excerpt. You need your trivet and you need your vegetables.

Just make sure not to fill the Instant Pot past the fill line.  Then set the time depending on the veggies. Quick cook vegetables will need only between 0-1 minute. You will certainly love Instant Pot Steamed Vegetables.

Other vegetables you can steam include artichokes, corn on the cob, beetroot, potatoes, carrots and green beans.

Broccoli Nutrition

• Broccoli is quite high in protein. 150g (1 cup) chopped steamed broccoli has 3.8g protein.
• For that same 150g (1 cup) chopped steamed broccoli, there are a mere 54 calories.
• Broccoli is a very fibrous vegetable. 150g (1 cup) chopped steamed broccoli has 5.2g fibre.

Instant Pot Steamed Broccoli Serving Suggestions

• Instant Pot Sesame Chicken.
• Smoky Instant Pot Chicken Thighs.
• Any Instant Pot Rice recipe – I like to serve mine with brown basmati rice

Related Recipes

• Instant Pot Garlic Butter Green Beans.
• Instant Pot Buttered Cabbage.
• Instant Pot French Fries.
• Instant Pot Bourbon Glazed Carrots.
• Instant Pot Corn On The Cob.

Instant Pot Broccoli Video

Weight Watchers Points

There are ZERO Blue Plan SmartPoints in one serving of this.

Originally published July 2018. Updated June 2020.

Thank you for reading my Broccoli In Instant Pot recipe (Pressure Cooker Broccoli) post. And please come visit again as I continue to slice, dice and dream up affordable Air Fryer recipes, Instant Pot Recipes, Southern Recipes and more. Thanks for supporting Recipes from a Pantry, food blog.

GET THE INSTANT POT BROCCOLI RECIPE: