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Instant Pot Broccoli is a quick and easy way to steam your fresh broccoli. Pressure cooker steamed broccoli is a healthy and simple way to cook this awesome vegetable.

Cooked Broccoli in a white bowl in front of a pressure cooker

Instant Pot Broccoli

My big sister came to town for the first time in many years. When she gets to town the place she must go is the Pike Place Market. It’s a huge farmers market with vegetable & fruit stands, seafood, meats, flowers, art, spices, handcrafted items & clothing, and all kinds of creative buskers! Oh the people watching!

I got some lovely fresh broccoli, at the market, and couldn’t wait to eat it! So, I made some Instant pot Broccoli, steamed in the pressure cooker.

Raw Broccoli in a steamer basket

What is Zero Minutes?

We’ve been doing this for years with stove top pressure cookers, we just didn’t need a timer. Electric pressure cookers have timers, so you need to set it to “0” minutes.

Zero minutes still cooks the broccoli. As the pot is heating up and coming to pressure, the broccoli is cooking that entire time.

So as soon as the pot reaches full pressure, the broccoli is cooked and you need to release the pressure immediately so it doesn’t overcook.

Using the Instant Pot® as a steamer is very convenient. You can set it and when the pot beeps that it is finished, just release the pressure and eat it!

I have used a steamer in a pot on the stove my whole adult life, and it works fine, but steaming broccoli in the pressure cooker is just simpler, in my opinion.

Closeup of cooked Broccoli in a white bowl

Instant Pot Broccoli cooks really fast. So as soon as the pot comes to full pressure, it’s done! It only needs that very small amount of time to cook as under pressure food cooks more quickly.

Other vegetables that I like to cook in my Instant Pot are corn, green beans, beets, cauliflower, squash, and potatoes. I think I eat more steamed veggies now that I did before I started using my Instant Pot to cook them!

Instant Pot Sweet Potatoes
Instant Pot Corn on the Cob
Instant Pot Creamy Mashed Potatoes
Instant Pot Spaghetti Squash
Instant Pot Beets

Since every electric appliance has the possibility to cook a little hotter or cooler (crock pots are notorious for this), You may not get the same results that I did.

If your veggies are overcooked, even at zero minutes, try Low pressure, and/or try starting with HOT water in the pressure cooker so it comes to pressure quicker.

That will ensure less cook time for the veggies.

5 from 2 votes

Instant Pot Broccoli

By Sandy Clifton

Instant Pot Broccoli is a quick and easy way to steam your fresh broccoli. Pressure cooker steamed broccoli is a healthy and simple way to cook this awesome vegetable.

Prep: 7

Building Pressure: 6

Total: 13

Servings: - 6

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Equipment

Any Size Pressure Cooker
Steamer Basket or Rack

Ingredients

▢ ¼ - 1 lb Broccoli, fresh (or more as desired)
▢ 1 cup Water (for the pressure cooker)

Instructions

Pour 1 cup of water into the inner pot of the pressure cooker (2 cups for 8 qt).
Break up the head of broccoli into florets. (Not too small). Put them into the steamer basket.
Place the basket of broccoli into the pot and place the lid on. Set the steam release knob to the Sealing position.
Press the Pressure Cook (or Manual) button or dial, and then the +/- button or dial to select 0 minutes. High Pressure. This will yield a soft broccoli.
If you want a bit firmer broccoli, start with Hot water in the pressure cooker, and set to 0 minutes at LOW pressure.
As soon as the pot beeps that the cook cycle is finished, turn the steam release knob to the Venting position to do a Quick Release of the steam/pressure.
As soon as the pin in the lid drops down, open the lid and use a potholder to remove the basket and serve hot.