Instant Pot Broccoli

You will get perfect 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. A favorite like our easy Instant Pot brussel sprouts, we will get you to LOVE this veggie.

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

How long does Instant Pot broccoli take to cook?

Just like Instant Pot shrimp it is quick and easy. 1 minute is perfection for me but my daughters prefer 2 minutes so it’s VERY 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.

I use this Instant Pot vegetable cook times sheet to remind me of approximately how long each vegetable takes to cook/steam. Feel free to print it out yourself so you can keep it handy 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 I would set to 2 minutes for twice the amount of florets.

As for the liquid you really 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 I would instead use beef or vegetable broth.

Of course you can just 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 I think we could eat 3 bunches between the 5 of us. My kids would choose vegetables over eating meat any day!

Can you cook broccoli from frozen?

We have made it this way or as a frozen broccoli Instant Pot recipe. Turns out tender and perfect 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 I use the steamer basket or cook broccoli directly in the Instant Pot?

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 just need to keep it out of the boiling water so it doesn’t get mushy.

Ninja Foodi 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. I use my Ninja Foodi with the lid that is not attached sometimes too.

How can you add more flavor?

I am not going to go all in to all the different things you could add to the top. I actually like the natural flavor of this produce so I 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.

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.

Other vegetable dishes you’ll love

Instant Pot cauliflower with a cheese sauce is fabulous. If you don’t have a pressure cooker you can try this air fryer broccoli. You should definitely make our Pressure cooker broccoli cheese soup next!