Name: Instant Pot Steamed Broccoli Recipe
Prep time: 2 min
Total time: 12 min
Ingredients: ¾ cup water; 12 ounces broccoli heads; salt and pepper, to taste; juice of 1 lemon (optional)

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You only need a few ingredients for this healthy side dish of steamed broccoli made in an electric pressure cooker. Once you’ve made this steam broccoli in the Instant Pot pressure cooker, you might just decide it is the best way to make tender broccoli every single time.

Fresh broccoli florets on a wooden cutting board with a glass of water, a kitchen appliance, and lemons in the background.

A metal colander filled with fresh broccoli florets sits on a blue and white patterned tile floor, next to an electric pressure cooker.

Recipe Ingredient Notes

To make our Instant Pot steamed broccoli recipe, you need the following ingredients:

Water or chicken broth
Broccoli heads
Salt
Black pepper
Lemon juice

Equipment Needed

For this recipe, you only need a few simple kitchen tools. We recommend using the following equipment:

A bowl filled with fresh, steamed broccoli florets sits on a blue cloth with part of a lemon visible in the background.

A hand squeezes a halved lemon over a bowl of fresh broccoli on a patterned surface with a blue napkin.

How to Make Instant Pot Steamed Broccoli

Load the pressure cooker. Pour the cup of water into the bottom of the pot of the pressure cooker and then set the steamer above it. Add the fresh broccoli florets to the silicone steamer basket. Season the broccoli with salt and pepper to taste.
Steam. After placing the lid in place, turn the valve to the sealing position and set it to cook on high pressure for zero minutes. Once the Instant Pot comes to pressure, release the pressure manually (quick release) and once the top of the trivet has dropped and has low pressure, remove the lid.
Add some flavor. Squeeze the lemon over the broccoli if you’d like.

Recipe Notes

When making this pressure cooker broccoli you really can use either a fresh broccoli head or frozen broccoli, however, you will have to adjust the time in which the broccoli cooks.
I would add 1-2 minutes to the zero minute cook time if you choose to use frozen broccoli. But not too much extra time otherwise you might end up with mushy broccoli.
When you are done cooking broccoli and remove it from the inner pot, you can choose to add any of your favorite flavors to this fresh vegetable dish. Some of our favorites include lemon pepper seasoning, squeeze fresh lemon juice over the broccoli, or sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

A bowl of fresh broccoli florets sits on a blue cloth, with a halved lemon and a pressure cooker visible in the background.

Enjoy More Delicious Vegetable Side Dishes

Need the perfect compliment to your main dish? You’ll want to try these delicious side dishes. Browse our comprehensive collection of simple side dish recipes.

A bowl of fresh broccoli florets with a spoon, placed on a patterned surface next to a blue cloth.

Instant Pot Steamed Broccoli Recipe

5 from 1 vote

You will love our Instant Pot steamed broccoli recipe for its perfect texture with very little prep work and minimal cooking time.

4 servings

Prep Time 2

Pressurize/Release Time 10

Total Time 12

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Ingredients

▢ ¾ cup water
▢ 12 ounces broccoli heads
▢ salt and pepper, to taste
▢ juice of 1 lemon, optional

Equipment

Instructions

Load the pressure cooker. Pour the water into the basin of the pressure cooker and then set the steamer above it. Add the broccoli to the steamer. Season the broccoli with salt and pepper to taste.
Steam. Seal the Instant Pot and set it to cook on high pressure for 0 minutes. Once the Instant Pot comes to pressure, release the pressure manually and remove the lid.
Add some flavor. Squeeze the lemon over the broccoli if you’d like.

Notes

When making this pressure cooker broccoli you really can use either a fresh broccoli head or frozen broccoli, however, you will have to adjust the time in which the broccoli cooks.
I would add 1-2 minutes to the zero minute cook time if you choose to use frozen broccoli. But not too much extra time otherwise you might end up with mushy broccoli.
When you are done cooking broccoli and remove it from the inner pot, you can choose to add any of your favorite flavors to this fresh vegetable dish. Some of our favorites include lemon pepper seasoning, squeeze fresh lemon juice over the broccoli, or sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

Nutrition

Calories: 29 kcal · Carbohydrates: 6 g · Protein: 2 g · Fat: 0.3 g · Saturated Fat: 0.1 g · Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1 g · Monounsaturated Fat: 0.03 g · Sodium: 30 mg · Potassium: 269 mg · Fiber: 2 g · Sugar: 1 g · Vitamin A: 530 IU · Vitamin C: 76 mg · Calcium: 41 mg · Iron: 1 mg

Cuisine: American

Cost: $3

Author: Steph Loaiza

Course: Side Dish