You will get solid Instant Pot Steamed Broccoli every time with these directions! Our favorite vegetable side dish can now be cooked in a Ninja Foodi too in no time at all.

We're back with more to add to our long list of easy Instant Pot recipes with this side dish! Yes we have been trying to eat healthier so we cook a lot of vegetables with dinner we're also glad to say our girls LOVE any variety so we need a to choose from for every meal.

We use this Instant Pot vegetable cook times sheet to remind us of approximately how long each vegetable takes to cook/steam. Feel free to print it out yourself so you can keep it handy too!

How Long to Cook Broccoli in Instant Pot

like Instant Pot shrimp it is quick and easy. 1 minute is perfection for us but our daughters prefer 2 minutes so it's soft. Yes it takes a few minutes until the pot comes to pressure too so keep that in mind. 0 minutes actually works if you wanted more of a quick blanched texture.

Ninja Foodi Pressure Cooker Broccoli

Don't worry if you don't have an IP specifically. All electric pressure cooker brands have the high pressure function and that is all you need. We use our Ninja Foodi with the lid that is not attached sometimes too.

Ingredient notes

You are going to be able to fit 1 large head of broccoli into the steamer basket at a time generally. If you wanted to double up we would set to 2 minutes for twice the amount of florets.

As for the liquid you can use anything but everyone has a cup of water on hand so we will go with this. In order to add a bit of flavor we would instead use beef or vegetable broth.

Of course you can enjoy it as is with a pinch of salt and pepper or amp it up with other things on top. Sprinkle a little parmesan cheese on top with a little butter and seriously we think we could eat 3 bunches between the 5 of us. My kids would choose vegetables over eating meat any day!

Can you pressure cook broccoli from frozen?

We have made it this way or as a frozen broccoli Instant Pot recipe. Turns out tender and solid every day. We don't need to smother it with cheese either to love it (though that is yummy too).

Remember as a general rule you shouldn't fill your pot more than 3/4 of the way full. Make sure to immediately release the pressure or it will over soften quickly.

Should you use a steamer basket?

Yes that is best. If you don't have a vegetable steamer you could use a trivet and set the florets on top but they likely will roll off so it isn't ideal. The reason being is that you need to keep it out of the boiling water so it doesn't get mushy.

How can you add more flavor?

We are not going to go all in to all the different things you could add to the top. We actually like the natural flavor of this produce so we don't want to smother it with all the things to tone that down. If you have picky kids though you might want to drizzle on some velveeta cheese sauce too.

If you love making Cottage Cheese Quiche or soup with it this is a great way to start so it is already super tender, then add into your mix. Takes a lot less time since it doesn't have to cook down in the dish itself.

Instant Pot Broccoli Recipe

By solid Instant Pot Broccoli every single time! Our favorite steamed vegetable side dish can now be cooked in a pressure cooker in no time at all. Prep: 5 minutes minsCook: 1 minute minTotal: 6 minutes minsServings: 4 Save Recipe Saved! Pin Recipe Comment Print Recipe

Equipment

Ingredients

2 heads broccoli, cut off stalk and into pcs as shown in photo
1.5 cups water

Instructions

Pour 1.5 c of water into your Instant Pot and put your vegetable steamer basket inside.
Wash your broccoli and cut off stalk, into smaller pieces.
Put into steamer basket, close lid and steam valve and set to high pressure for 1 minute. *alternatives* Set for 0 minutes if you still like a bit of crunch to it, or 2 minutes if you like your broccoli soft or you have more than 2 heads cooking at one time. Do not overfill pot past 3/4 mark inside pot.
Do a quick release and lift out basket, pour florets into a bowl.
Pour melted butter on top and sprinkle parmesan cheese on and serve.

Nutrition

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Appetizer, Side DishCuisine: American Tried this recipe?Mention @thetypical_mom or tag #thetypicalmom!

Is steamed broccoli better than boiled?

Yes, for so many reasons. There is NO need to constantly check on it to make sure it doesn't overcook when using a pressure cooker (1 min. too long for broccoli can mean a mushy mess and no veggies for that night). Also it won't make your entire house smell like feet AND you don't lose any nutrients submerged in water like boiled broccoli does.