This recipe for Instant Pot broccoli is quick and easy making it a great side dish on a busy weeknight. Steamed with lemon and garlic and drizzled with a little olive oil, it’s nutrient-dense and deliciously simple. It’s gluten-free, vegan, keto, paleo and Whole30 friendly.
If you’re new to cooking fresh vegetables like broccoli or carrots in your Instant Pot, there is one main point to keep in mind: DO NOT OVERCOOK! Pressure cooking is powerful and can easily ruin an otherwise perfect ingredient. But, if you know the right setting and timing to choose, you’re in for an easy ride with perfect results every time.
HOW TO MAKE INSTANT POT BROCCOLI
In this recipe, we show you how to ‘pressure steam’ broccoli using the Instant Pot. We’ve provided a few timing options depending on how firm or soft you like your cooked vegetables.
Professional chefs always serve lightly cooked broccoli that’s on a crunchier side but if you have issues digesting cruciferous vegetables or you want them softer for the kids (don’t forget they also don’t like them too mushy!), then cooking them a little longer will give you a more tender vegetable.
When it comes to seasoning, we’re keeping it simple with a little lemon and garlic, plus some olive oil to help you absorb all those fat-soluble vitamins. You can also use butter or other oil instead.
You will find the full recipe card with ingredients below but here are some basic steps and photos.
STEP 1. Add a cup of water to the Instant Pot and place a trivet on top.
STEP 2. Cut up the broccoli into florets and place inside steamer basket or into a heat-proof round dish. We used a springform cake tin. Scatter garlic and lemon slices on top and season with salt and pepper.
STEP 3. Pop the dish on top of the trivet and close the lid. Set the Instant Pot to LOW pressure for 0 to 3 minutes, depending on how soft you like your broccoli. Zero for lightly cooked and still a little crunchy and 3 for a softer texture.
STEP 4. Quick-release the pressure, then transfer the broccoli to a serving bowl. Drizzle with a little olive oil if you like.
MORE VEGETABLE RECIPES TO TRY
Instant Pot Green Beans with Butter
Instant Pot Asparagus with Lemon & Pepper
Instant Pot Carrots with Honey Soy Glaze
Instant Pot Collard Greens with Sun-Dried Tomatoes
Instant Pot Green Bean Casserole
Instant Pot Spaghetti Squash
Instant Pot Broccoli Steamed With Lemon and Garlic
- Prep Time: 7
- Cook Time: 7 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Category: Side
- Method: Instant Pot
- Cuisine: Healthy
Description
Learn how to make perfectly steamed Instant Pot broccoli using your pressure cooker. Seasoned with lemon, garlic, salt and a little olive oil
Ingredients
1 head broccoli, cut into florets (cut the larger ones into half florets)
3–4 lemon slices
2 cloves garlic, diced
Salt and pepper to season
2 tablespoon olive oil (to finish, butter could be used)
Instructions
Add a cup of water to the Instant Pot and place the trivet inside the pot.
Place the broccoli florets into a round springform tin or a heatproof dish that can fit inside the Instant Pot. Scatter the lemon slices and garlic around (some under the broccoli). Lower the tin into the Instant Pot on top of the trivet.
Close and lock the lid, making sure the top valve is pointing to Sealing. Set to Manual and change the pressure from HIGH to LOW (this is important). Set the time to 0 minutes for lightly cooked broccoli, 1 minute for medium, and 2 minutes for a softer texture. After 3 beeps, the Instant Pot will begin to pressurize and cooking will commence even during this page. Once the timer goes off, use the quick release to let off the pressure (point the top valve to Venting and step away to avoid the hot steam).
Remove the tin carefully and transfer the broccoli with lemon and garlic to a bowl. Drizzle with a little olive oil while hot and season with salt and pepper to taste. You can also add butter instead of oil. Serve while hot.
Notes
Make-ahead tip: You can use this method to batch cook broccoli as part of your meal prep. Store in Tupperware container for 3-4 days in the fridge and reheat with a little oil or butter, or use in salads.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 broccoli head with 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
- Calories: 95
- Sugar: 1.8 g
- Sodium: 174.8 mg
- Fat: 7.4 g
- Saturated Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 7.2 g
- Fiber: 2.4 g
- Protein: 2.6 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
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