Instant Pot Broccoli (Perfectly Cooked!)

Instant Pot steamed broccoli served on a white plate.

Instant Pot Broccoli (Perfectly Cooked!)

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: gluten-free

Keyword: instant pot broccoli

Prep Time: 5

Cook Time: 0

Pressurization:: 10

Total Time: 15

Servings:

Calories: 39kcal

Author: Megan Gilmore

You may not think of "steaming" veggies when you think of the Instant Pot, but the electric pressure cooker can make the process easier. (And hands-off!) I'll show you the best way to cook broccoli in the Instant Pot, so you won't wind up with over-cooked or mushy results.

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Ingredients

½ cup water
12 to 16 ounces broccoli florets

Instructions

Pour the water into the bottom of a 6-quart Instant Pot and arrange a steamer basket inside. There's no need to buy something special; I use the same steamer basket I use for stove-top cooking.
Place the broccoli on top of the steamer basket, then secure the lid. Move the steam release valve to "Sealing" and use the Pressure Cook or Manual button to cook at high pressure for zero minutes. (Yes, zero is a real setting on the Instant Pot!) It will take roughly 8 to 10 minutes for the pot to come to pressure if you're using a 6-quart Instant Pot, so the machine will read "On" until then.
As soon as the cooking cycle is complete, the screen will read L0:00. Immediately move the steam release valve to "Sealing" for a quick pressure release. It will take 1-2 minutes for the steam to release. When the floating valve in the lid drops, that means the pressure is gone and it's safe to open the lid.
The broccoli should be perfectly fork-tender, without being mushy. Serve it warm right away as a healthy side dish, or store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days, so you can add it to meals throughout the week.

Notes

Nutrition information is for roughly 4 ounces of broccoli. This information is automatically calculated and is just an estimate, not a guarantee.

Instant Pot Note: This recipe was tested in a 6-quart Instant Pot. For an 8-quart Instant Pot, I'd recommend using 3/4 cup of water. The broccoli will cook a little longer in this case, as that larger pot will take longer to pressurize and de-pressurize. As a result, the broccoli may be slightly softer than using the 6-quart pot.

Broccoli Amount: The more broccoli you use, the longer it will take the pot to pressurize. So, using more than one pound of broccoli may result in slightly softer results. Using less than 12 ounces of broccoli may result in a firmer texture because the pot will pressurize more quickly, reducing the overall cooking time. For very small batches of broccoli (only 1-2 cups), you may want to use a 1-minute cooking cycle to help make it more tender.

Update Note: This recipe was updated in March 2024 with additional tips.

Nutrition