by Taylor Stinson
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These Instant Pot Steamed Vegetables are super easy to make and a foolproof method that will give you the perfect veggies every time.
Ingredients and substitutions
- Broccoli, cauliflower, carrots and bell peppers – use any veggies of your choice for this recipe! Just make sure that you cut them into the same size pieces so they cook evenly.
How to steam vegetables in the Instant Pot
- Add the water, trivet and veggies to the Instant Pot.
- Cook on high pressure for 0 minutes.
- Do a quick release of the pressure.
- Season as desired and serve!
Instant Pot Vegetables Tips & Tricks
- Use a steamer basket: Most Instant Pot models come with a free steamer basket, but if you don’t have one, any steamer basket that fits inside your pressure cooker will work just fine. You can also get a new one online.
- Add any veggies: You can use this recipe to make pretty much any kind of vegetables of your choice like cauliflower florets, broccoli florets, asparagus, green beans, bell peppers, carrots, etc. Just make sure you cut up the veggies into bite-sized pieces so they cook evenly.
- Season it up: Once the veggies are done cooking, feel free to season them with some garlic, salt and black pepper, fresh herbs or spices. You can even toss them in some butter or olive oil.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it better to pressure cook or steam vegetables?
When it comes to making steamed vegetables, the pressure cooker is the way to go. Instead of spending 20 minutes steaming your vegetables in a pot on the stovetop, they’ll cook in the pressure cooker for 0 minutes until they’re nice and tender. It’s the ideal solution for people who are super easy! It’s also super easy and doesn’t require any kitchen tools – all you need is your Instant Pot.
How long do you need to steam them for?
To make steamed veggies in the Instant Pot, you’ll set the cook time to 0 minutes at high pressure. It’ll take the Instant Pot about 5-10 minutes to get up to the high pressure setting, so the cook time is still less than 15 minutes!
Can you use frozen veggies?
This recipe for making Instant Pot steamed vegetables is based on using fresh veggies. You can use frozen vegetables, but they will need a little extra cook time. Rather than setting the cook time to 0 minutes, you will just set it to 1 minute. An alternate method is to allow the pressure to release naturally rather than doing an instant pressure release.
Can you steam them without a steamer basket?
The reason you’ll want to use a steamer basket for making steamed veggies in an Instant Pot is to keep the vegetables elevated above the water. If you place them directly into the liquid, they won’t steam, they will boil. As a result, you may end up with limp, overcooked veggies. As a last resort, you can also place the veggies into a fine mesh sieve, but only if it’s made out metal or silicone. You should never use plastic in an Instant Pot because it is likely to melt.
Storing and reheating
You can store your steamed vegetables in the fridge for up to a week, but honestly, they’re so easy to make that you’re better off just making them fresh. If you do decide to make a big batch to store for later, make sure to keep the veggies in an airtight container so they stay fresh.
Freezing this recipe
Technically you can freeze your steamed vegetables, but some vegetables won’t defrost very well and will end up getting soggy.
More Instant Pot side dish recipes
- Instant Pot Baked Potatoes
- Lemon Herb Instant Pot Green Beans
- Perfect Instant Pot Steamed Broccoli
Meal prep tools for this recipe
- Grab someglass meal prep bowls if you plan to add the Instant Pot steamed vegetables to your weekly lunches.
- Here’s the steam basket trivet in case you lost the one that comes with your Instant Pot.
Instant Pot Steamed Vegetables {Quick + Easy}
These Instant Pot Steamed Vegetables are super easy to make and a foolproof method that will give you the perfect veggies every time.
3.86 from 163 votes
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: instant pot steamed vegetables
Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 117kcal
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup water
- 1 head broccoli, chopped
- 1 head cauliflower, chopped
- 2 carrots, chopped
- 1 red pepper, chopped
- 1 yellow pepper, chopped
Instructions
Add the 3/4 cup of water to the bottom of Instant Pot and then place trivet inside the inner pot. Add veggies, then place lid on Instant Pot and make sure valve is set to seal.
Press the pressure cook button and set to high, then cook for 0 minutes. Yes, zero minutes is all that’s needed to steam! The Instant Pot will take about 5-10 minutes to come to pressure, then notify you it’s done by beeping.
Press the Cancel button then do a quick release of the pressure on the Instant Pot by flicking the switch at the top with a spoon. Open the lid when pressure gauge has dropped and the lid opens easily.
Season veggies if desired then serve and enjoy!
Video
Notes
Use any vegetable medley of your choice.
If you’re using frozen veggies, add 1 minute to the cook time.
Make sure all the vegetables are cut into roughly the same size so they cook evenly.
Add on any seasonings after the veggies have finished steaming.
Nutrition
Calories: 117kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 1g | Sodium: 118mg | Potassium: 1133mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 7035IU | Vitamin C: 299.2mg | Calcium: 116mg | Iron: 2.1mg
