Looking for a quick side dish for dinner tonight? Making Instant Pot broccoli is a breeze and you'll have a nutritious side dish that is the perfect addition to any meal in minutes!
Fresh broccoli is always a healthy, low carb, easy side dish that goes with almost any main course you can imagine. If you're looking to make crispy veggies, try making Air Fryer Broccoli.
But if you want tender broccoli that has the texture of steamed vegetables with more of a hands-off approach, then definitely try this Instant Pot Broccoli recipe!
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🌟 Why this recipe works
You'll love making this pressure cooker broccoli recipe for so many reasons:
- Eating broccoli is an easy way to get some Vitamin C, calcium, iron, phosphorous, potassium, Zinc, Thiamin, Folate, and many other vitamins. So many health benefits from fresh broccoli florets!
- Steaming broccoli helps preserve more nutrients than other forms of cooking, such as boiling.
- Electric pressure cookers are famous for faster cooking time: they are effective in steaming vegetables faster than steaming them on the stovetop.
🛒 Ingredient notes
You only need two ingredients to make this vegetable side dish: broccoli and water!
Broccoli - If you've got broccoli florets, simply use those or chop the larger florets into smaller pieces. If you have a whole head of broccoli, don't be afraid to throw in some of the stems too! Those are just as nutritious and delicious as the broccoli crowns.
Optional additions - You can also add your favorite flavors to the broccoli, like minced garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, minced ginger, fresh black pepper, cheddar cheese, parmesan cheese, Everything Bagel seasoning... get creative!
✅ Step-by-step instructions
This foolproof method is the fastest way to perfect Instant Pot broccoli.
- Pour the water into the pressure cooker pot.
2. Place a steamer basket into the pot.
3. Place the broccoli in the steam basket.
4. Close the lid and secure it, ensuring the pressure release valve is in the SEALING position. Select Pressure Cook (or Manual), set the temperature to HI, and the time to 0 minutes. That's right: zero minute cook time!
5. The Instant Pot may take anywhere from 6 to 10 minutes to come to pressure, and then start pressure cooking. When pressure cooking is complete, carefully use tongs or a wooden spoon to move the pressure valve to the VENT (or Venting) position for a Quick Release.
6. Once pressure has been released and the pressure release knob has gone down all the way, carefully open the lid and remove the broccoli. Serve immediately.
👩🏻🍳 Recipe FAQs
From start to finish, including the time it takes for the Instant Pot to come to pressure, it takes less than 15 minutes.
If you don't have a steamer basket, you can simply place the broccoli on a rack inside your electric pressure cooker. As long as the vegetables are elevated off the bottom of the pot, this should still work to allow the steam to circulate around the broccoli.
The broccoli is best eaten on the same day, but you can store leftovers for a bit. Allow the broccoli to cool, then store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. Just keep in mind that the longer they sit in the fridge, the soggier they may get.
Look for broccoli that has tightly closed dark green buds, firm (not flabby or bendy) stems, and crisp (not wilted) leaves.
Hold off on rinsing the broccoli until just before you are ready to use it. Unwashed broccoli will stay fresh and crisp in a plastic bag in your refrigerator for up to 5 days. When you're ready to make this recipe then you can rinse the broccoli under cold water.
🍽 Serving ideas
This easy Instant Pot broccoli is a fantastic healthy snack all on its own. But it's also a delicious side dish to any lunch or dinner, and perfect for meal prep!
Try serving it with Instant Pot Garlic Rice and Instant Pot Mexican Shredded Beef, as pictured above. Or it's a great addition to your dinner of Filipino Beef Mechado, Instant Pot Chicken Thighs, or Instant Pot Pork Chops and Rice.
This broccoli is also absolutely delicious with seafood dishes, such as Air Fryer Scallops, Air Fryer Salmon Bites, or Pasta with Clams and White Wine Sauce.
Or enjoy it for breakfast with some Salsa Eggs.
Seriously: I serve Instant Pot steamed vegetables like this as side dishes to go with almost any main course!
🍳 Kitchen tools and equipment
Ready to make this recipe? Here are the kitchen tools and equipment you'll need:
- Instant Pot, Ninja Foodi, or other pressure cooker - use at least a 6-quart electric pressure cooker.
- Steamer basket - you'll need a steamer basket that fits into an Instant Pot for this.
More healthy side dish recipes
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Instant Pot Broccoli
Ingredients
- 3 cups broccoli florets
- 1 cup water
Instructions
- Pour the water into the pressure cooker pot.
- Place a steamer basket into the pot.
- Place the broccoli in the steam basket.
- Close the lid and secure it, ensuring the pressure release valve is in the SEAL (or SEALING) position.
- Select Pressure Cook (or Manual), set the temperature to HI, and the time to 0 minutes. That's right: zero minutes!
- When pressure cooking is complete, carefully use tongs or a wooden spoon to move the pressure release valve to the VENT (or Venting) position for a Quick Release.
- Once pressure has been released and the pressure release knob has gone down all the way, carefully open the lid and remove the broccoli. Serve immediately.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is a general estimate. Actual nutrition details may vary depending on the exact foods & brands you use to make this recipe. It does not take into account any substitutions, toppings, or optional ingredients.
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