Instant Pot steamed vegetables – a complete guide
Note: This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Want to steam veggies in your Instant Pot without making them mushy? Check out this guide filled with loads of tips on how to make perfectly cooked, tender vegetables in your electric pressure cooker.
We all love to use Instant Pot to make rice side dishes, curries, and even desserts. But have you tried steaming fresh veggies in the Instant Pot? If not, here’s why you should:
- Retains nutrients – when you steam the veggies in the Instant Pot, they do not leach nutrients into the water since they are not in direct contact.
- Great for meal prepping – You can steam a medley of veggies at once.
- Quick, hands-free cooking with minimal effort: Your veggies cook hands-free in the pressure cooker while you focus on the main course.
- Consistent results every time and so much easier than steaming or boiling over the stovetop!
I hope that convinces you to try making steamed veggies in the Instant Pot. You’ll never have to worry about overcooked, mushy vegetables, and you can look forward to healthy dinners that are ready in no time.
Steaming vs. Boiling
Steaming veggies vs. boiling preserves nutrients, and the veggies look brighter and more appealing.
When veggies are boiled, they come in direct contact with the water, whereas steaming does not. This prevents the nutrients from leaching into the liquid.
Read more: What is the healthiest way to cook vegetables?
How to steam veggies in the Instant Pot
Here are the tools you need to get started.
Tools
You’ll need a trivet and a steamer basket to keep the veggies from touching the water. Here are the two that I recommend.
- Steamer basket with trivet – you can purchase the set with this link. If you already have a trivet, then click the link below just to get the steamer basket.
- Vegetable steamer basket
Step-by-step process
Follow these simple instructions to steam vegetables in Instant Pot –
- Rinse the fresh vegetables in cold running water to remove any dirt.
- Chop the veggies into equal chunks.
- For a 6-quart Instant Pot, add 2 cups of water (1 cup for 6-quart) to the steel inner pot of the Instant Pot.
- Place a trivet in the inner pot, followed by a steam basket or steel bowl over it.
- Add the veggies to the steamer basket/steel bowl.
- Use the chart below to determine how long to pressure cook.
- For non-starchy vegetables, do a quick release, i.e., release the pressure immediately after the timer is up and transfer veggies to a plate. For starchy veggies such as potatoes, sweet potatoes, beets, etc., wait 5-10 minutes before releasing pressure.
- Release the pressure immediately by moving the steam valve to ‘venting’ as soon as the cooking cycle is complete.
- Season with salt and pepper. Alternatively, you can saute in oil or butter and then add salt and pepper to taste.
A quick note on pressure settings: You can cook the veggies in either low or high pressure. Though sometimes I cook the delicate veggies in low pressure, if you don’t have that setting, don’t worry about it. You also have a choice to use either the Pressure cook or steam function. I usually default to the pressure cook function.
Cooking multiple veggies together
As I have mentioned before, it is important to steam veggies with similar cooking times and sizes together so that all of them cook evenly.
Here are the veggies that I typically cook together –
- Non-starchy veggies such as corn, beans, brussels sprouts, chopped carrots, bell peppers, broccoli, and cauliflower florets – 1 minute.
- Root vegetables such as beets, sweet potatoes, and potatoes diced the same size – 5 minutes.
When I am making curries like this vegetable korma, I mix up veggies such as potatoes, peas, and carrots and steam them together. In that case, I usually cook for 4-5 minutes because I want a softer, melt-in-the-mouth texture.
Tips
- Use a steamer basket – don’t cook directly in the water to avoid losing nutrients.
- To ensure even cooking, chop the veggies the same size. Vegetables like cauliflower and broccoli cook quickly – so cut them into larger chunks. Root vegetables such as sweet potatoes, beets, and potatoes should be diced into smaller pieces, such as 1/2 to 1-inch pieces, so that they cook through.
- Don’t overcook – For non-starchy vegetables, do a quick release, i.e., release the pressure immediately after the timer is up and transfer veggies to a plate. For starchy veggies such as potatoes, sweet potatoes, beets, etc., wait for 5-10 minutes after the cooking cycle is complete.
- Steam veggies with similar cooking times together so that they all cook evenly.
- Season the veggies after cooking – do a quick saute in olive oil or butter and season with salt and pepper.
- Cooking frozen vegetables in the Instant Pot – No need to thaw the veggies. Pressure cook them for the same time as you would if they are not frozen. Note that the time for the Instant Pot to come to pressure will increase slightly.
Instant Pot vegetables cooking times
Steaming veggies can be tricky – if you don’t pay attention, you could easily end up with overcooked vegetables. That’s why I like Instant Pot because once you figure out the cooking time for a veggie, cooking them becomes a hands-free process.
That’s why I have included the cooking time chart for veggies below –
Note: The level of doneness may vary from person to person, so when there is a cooking time range, always start at the lower end. Undercooked food can be cooked again, but there is nothing you can do with overcooked, mushy food.
Instant Pot steamed vegetables
If you want to steam vegetables, check out these easy recipes. If you prefer a recipe for a medley of vegetables, scroll down to the recipe card below.
Asparagus
Instant Pot asparagus is a perfect vegetable side dish for your holiday meal or with salmon. Tastes great with a side of lemon butter sauce.
Green Beans
Spice up your vegetable routine with this healthy Instant Pot recipe! This easy side dish is ready and on your table in under 15 minutes using your Instant Pot or over the stovetop.
Corn on the cob
You’ll love this easy Instant Pot corn on the cob – a perfect healthy side dish that’s great for summer BBQs.
Baby carrots
Learn how to make fork-tender Instant Pot steamed carrots with this simple side dish recipe. Ready in 15 minutes, with just two ingredients, these steamed carrots can also easily be made without the steamer basket in the Instant Pot.
Brussels Sprouts
Easy-to-make steamed Brussels sprouts come together in 20 minutes with the Instant Pot for the perfect weeknight dinner side dish.
Broccoli
Learn to make this healthy and vibrant Instant Pot broccoli recipe in under 20 minutes. These fresh and tender broccoli florets make for a quick weeknight side dish that your whole family will enjoy!
Cauliflower
Easy, tasty & low-carb steamed cauliflower made in the Instant Pot in less than 15 minutes. A perfect side to any meal!
Baby potatoes
This easy recipe for Instant Pot Boiled Potatoes is a must-have; it’s virtually hands-free – all you have to do is push a button! Russet, red, gold, baby, or diced, this simple technique will produce consistent, fork-tender potatoes every time!
Potatoes
This Instant Pot Potato recipe yields fork-tender potatoes no matter the size. Learn how to cook this classic comfort food side dish with just two ingredients and very little prep work.
Beets
Perfectly cooked, no-peel steamed Instant Pot Beets make the perfect addition to your next soup, salad, or smoothie.
Sweet potatoes
Make these Instant Pot Sweet Potatoes for your busy weeknight dinners or holiday meal prep!
Frequently asked questions
Yes, you can. Don’t thaw the veggies. Pressure cook them for the same time as you would if they are not frozen. The time for the Instant Pot to come to pressure will increase slightly.
For non-starchy vegetables, release the pressure immediately once the cooking cycle is done. Also, remove the veggies from the Instant Pot right after cooking, or they’ll continue to cook in the residual heat.
You can cook the vegetables in an Instant Pot by placing them directly in the water without a steamer basket. The veggies will be more tender and also will lose nutrients since it is in direct contact with water.
When you set the Instant Pot to pressure cook, even if it is for zero minutes, here’s what happens – the water heats up, and steam gets generated, which in turn causes a build-up of pressure. The Instant Pot takes about 5-10 minutes to come to pressure, giving enough time for the veggies to cook in the steam.
Looking for a step-by-step process to steam mixed veggies in the Instant Pot? Check out the recipe below.
Instant Pot Steamed Vegetable Medley
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 medium sized potato diced
- ½ cup green beans
- ½ cup chopped carrots
- ½ cup cauliflower florets
- 2 cups water
Instructions
- Rinse the fresh vegetables in cold running water to remove any dirt.
- Chop the veggies into equal chunks.
- Add water (1 cup for 6-quart and 2 cups for 8-quart) to the steel inner pot of the Instant Pot. Place a trivet over it.
- Add the potatoes, beans, peas, carrots and cauliflower in a steamer basket. Place the steamer basket over the trivet.
- Close the lid and set the vent to sealing position.
- Depending on how you like your veggies, the cooking times will change. Since I am using these mixed veggies in a veg korma recipe, I'll cook them for 5 minutes till they have that melt-in-the mouth texture. If you just want to saute them for an easy side dish, skip using potatoes and use the pressure cook or steam function to cook the veggies for 1 minute under high pressure.
- As soon as the cooking cycle is complete, release the pressure immediately by moving the steam valve to 'venting'
- Season the veggies with salt and pepper. Drizzle with olive oil before serving. Alternatively, you can saute in oil or butter and then add salt and pepper to taste.
Notes
-
- Use a steamer basket – don’t cook directly in the water to avoid losing nutrients.
-
- To ensure even cooking, chop the veggies the same size. Vegetables like cauliflower and broccoli cook quickly – so it is okay to cut them into larger chunks. Root vegetables such as sweet potatoes, beets, and potatoes should be diced into smaller pieces, such as 1/2 to 1-inch pieces so that they cook through.
-
- Don’t overcook – For non-starchy vegetables, do a quick release, i.e., release the pressure immediately after the timer is up and transfer veggies to a plate. For starchy veggies such as potatoes, sweet potatoes, beets, etc., waiting 5-10 minutes after the cooking cycle is complete is okay.
-
- Cook veggies with similar cooking times together so that they all cook evenly.
-
- Season the veggies after cooking – do a quick saute in olive oil or butter and season with salt and pepper.
Disclaimer: Approximate nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and can vary depending on the exact ingredients/brands used. If you have health issues, please work with a registered dietician or nutritionist.
Nutrition
Variations to try
- Roast the veggies in butter/olive oil till they are nicely browned.
- Season it with salt and pepper. A dash of red chili flakes or garlic lemon pepper works well too.
- Drizzle cilantro lime crema or store-bought dressing.
- Toss it with some cheese and air fry it for a minute at 375 degrees F.
- Finish off with fresh herbs such as cilantro or parsley.
How to prep ahead
Chop the veggies (up to 2-3 days in advance) and steam when ready. You can also buy frozen vegetables and steam them in the Instant Pot. The cooking time will not change, but it might take more time for the Instant Pot to come under pressure.
Storage tips
Refrigerator – Cooled veggies should keep in an airtight container for up to 2-3 days.
Reheat – Best to reheat in a microwave or saute them in a pan with a little oil to crisp them up.
Serve it with
Serve the veggies with a side of rice and protein. Here are a few of my favorite recipes to pair with
Other easy Instant Pot recipes to try
- 30+ Instant Pot vegetarian recipes – Looking for vegetarian recipes to make in your Instant Pot? Then this collection of fast and easy Indian curries, biryanis & side dishes is perfect for you!
- 20+ Instant Pot dessert recipes – Save this list of 20+ drool-worthy Instant Pot dessert recipes – they’ll come in handy when you are in the mood for a quick and easy dessert.
- 30+ Instant Pot rice recipes – From Indian Instant Pot recipes like chicken biryani to global recipes such as Mexican rice, you’ll find a variety of options to choose from in this collection of recipes.
