This is how you cook Instant Pot fish and vegetables together. Cooked separately but at the same time, this flavorful dinner cooks in no time to flaky and tender. If you’re looking to cook multiple dishes at once, Instant Pot recipes are great.
I don’t know about you but we are big fans of fish cooked in an Instant Pot in our house! Let us show you how to make this and then you should go on to try our other easy one pot meals for your family too.
Instant Pot Fish and Vegetables
We have created a bunch of easy pressure cooker fish recipes lately because they cook it to flaky perfection every time. You can cook another dish such as vegetables together, but separately, using these steamer insert pans or with a trivet / vegetable steamer basket.
Frozen Fish in Instant Pot
You can do this too!! We have done this with our Instant Pot frozen tilapia similarly and believe it or not the cook time is basically the same. Since the fillets are rather thin, as long as they are separated from one another they can steam to flaky buttery bites.
Ninja Foodi Pressure Cooker Fish
If you are going to use your Ninja Foodi brand of multi-cooker you need to use the lid that is not attached to get it to tender. If you wanted to add a bit of a crisp on the outside when done you could add a pat of butter and air crisp with the lid attached at 400 for 2 minutes too.
Either way it is such a delicious and healthy pressure cooker recipe right? Personally I think fish comes out great when it is steamed with just a bit of olive oil and a pinch of salt and spices. I did the same thing with the mix of vegetables I cooked in the larger of the two pans and they were great and just tender enough without being too mushy.
Best Fish to Cook in Pressure Cooker
I used 2 pieces of tilapia but you could use other filets that will fit and not have to be folded into your pan or trivet. The pans are great at keeping the moisture in and when it’s done cooking and resting in the bit of olive oil you poured on top the flavor is pretty amazing.
Cooking them in separate pans but in your pressure cooker at the same time keeps the flavors of each in tact but allows you to walk away while they steam to perfection.
Can you add vegetables?
Yes, that is what is great about these pans. You can dice baked potatoes to the bottom or include slices of zucchini or yellow squash. Onions and bell peppers slices are great choices as well.
How Long to Steam Fish Filet in Instant Pot
If you’ve never tried to pressure cook fish it is a game changer!! So flaky and tender with very little prep work or attention you need to give it along the way. Just set it and forget it until the timer goes off. 6 minutes for fresh or 8 minutes for frozen fillets is about right if set on a trivet. In stackable pans it is 28 minutes.
How to Cook Fish on Trivet
If you do not have this insert pan you can alternatively cook Instant Pot fish this way: Put some water into your pressure cooker Place a trivet / steam rack at the bottom (make sure water isn’t touching bottom of rack). Place your fish fillet on steam rack
Sprinkle seasonings on fish. Use whatever you’d usually season it with. Close lid and steam valve. Set to high pressure for a few minutes (size of fish and variety will vary timing but this works well for a piece of salmon). We typically cook a 3/4 lb. piece of fresh salmon for 4 minutes and it is perfect Do a quick release
If you’re looking to cook fresh or frozen Instant Pot shrimp we have info on that as well as our recipe for Instant Pot shrimp alfredo.
You can cook them all like this, on a trivet, steamed with a cup of water below! If you’re looking for more easy fish recipes we have a bunch. Like how to cook salmon fillets with a little lemon pepper and lemon juice perfectly below. With a light season with salt and pepper we can even make Instant Pot frozen salmon all the time too!
There seriously isn’t anything you can’t do with an electric pressure cooker I say. Ok, well it can’t do my laundry but I honestly don’t use my stovetop or oven anymore!
Just place the skin side down on your trivet with lemon slices and butter on high pressure for 3 minutes or so (depends on thickness of fillet). Release the pressure and perfection! Of course if you want to cook multiple items then use the pans I used above but this is another Instant Pot fish idea.
Instant Pot Fish Recipe
Equipment
- 1 trivet or stackable pans
Ingredients
- 2 pcs fish, 3/4 of a lb. or so, skinned and deboned
- 3 tbsp butter
- 1/4 tsp seasoned salt
- 1/4 tsp basil, or other herb of choice
- 1-2 small potato, cut into bite size chunks
- 1 small carrot, peeled and cut into 1/2" pieces
- 1/2 small onion, cut into strips
- 1 small bell pepper, cut into strips
- 1/2 cup water, or 1.5 with stackable pans
Instructions
- In stackable pans – Put parchment paper inside the bottom larger piece of your stacked pans and pour all vegetables inside. (use zucchini and yellow squash cut into dials instead of potato for this method)
- Pour 2 tbsp of oil oil on top and sprinkle half of your seasoned salt and basil on top. Place smaller stacked pan on top of that and put a piece of parchment paper inside of that pan. Lay pieces of fish inside, pour remainder of olive oil on top of fish with remainder of spices.
- Put lid on and close fastener so pans are securely closed together. Pour 1.5 c. water inside your Instant Pot and lower stacked pans down inside. Close lid and steam valve and set to high pressure for 28 minutes. Do a quick release.
- Using a trivet – Put your sliced vegetables into the bottom of your pot, then place a trivet on top of them so it sits flat. Place fish fillets on top of trivet. Pour your 1/2 c. broth or water on top of the fish so it drains down on top of everything.
- Mix spices together and sprinkle over the top of each piece so they're seasoned. Put 1 tbsp of butter on top of each fillet. Close lid and steam valve and set to high pressure for 6 min. for fresh fish and 8 minutes for frozen. Then do a quick release when done.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
You will also like to make Instant Pot tacos weekly whether it be with fish or shredded chicken in pressure cooker. It’s a cheap and healthy meal we all love so it’s on our meal rotation.
Other easy fish recipes you’ll love
Looking for a low carb keto meal idea?? After your pressure cooker fish is done put some inside of an avocado and this makes a really yummy meal!! We love Instant Pot tilapia and air fryer tilapia for dinner too.
Have we convinced you that it’s worth getting an Instant Pot AND that this is the best way to cook fish??!! I hope so. The only close second that gets raving reviews is our smoked salmon recipe that is amazing but does take a lot more time to make and cook. SO if you’re looking for the best way to make Instant Pot fish this is it! Here’s the printable recipe and a video:
For frozen filets, about how much longer than 28 minutes?
I would like to know the answer to this question, too! Thanks!
I haven’t used frozen fillets though typically there isn’t much of a difference in time. Maybe adjust to 30 min.
I tried the recipe. I have a Fagor LUX electric pressure cooker. I have the pots too. Cooked 28 minutes. Fish and vegetables not done. Vegetables in fact not cooked at all. They are on the bottom. I put it back in and am doing an extra 15 min. Never had a problem using all Instapot recipes.
I was excited to use this method and ordered the pans without reading thru. Alas! 28 minutes plus building pressure and release? Went from “no time at all” to “literally the longest anyone has ever spent making fish” ??
When cooking PinP I always put water in each pot and then add the 1.5 c water in the pressure cooker. seeing your approach is very interesting. I will try this one. I’m confused about the time as I’ve never cooked anything in the pressure cooker for 28 mins, does that time include the 13 mins or so it takes to get to the high pressure level?
No you set to 28 min., takes a lot longer using the pans I refer to in the post. I have instructions for setting on a trivet too by itself.
5 minutes is to long. I cook a fresh piece of Halibut High Pressure 2 minutes and release immediately and it is perfect every time. Better than in a nice restaurant.
Timing depends on the size, thickness, and type of fish. I stated 5 minutes for a piece of salmon which takes a bit longer and somewhat thick.
If I have a this set but the lid has steam holes should I put the vegies on the top or fish on the top?
Not familiar with that model so unsure.
Just for clarity. There are no steamer openings in the pots correct?
Nope
What is tge reason for the parchment paper? Just to prevent sticking? Thank you
Just to not stick, yes.
I bought this pan and am trying the fish. Looks delicious! Now that I have the pan I’m interested in other ways to use it. Seems like it makes a difference in the cooking time? Any ideas or tips? Thanks!
I used mine for Christmas dinner for my family of four! Came out perfect.
I made chicken parmesan meatloaf in the bottom pan and cornbread stuffing in the top one! Was amazing!
I love these things. ?
I too have made meatloaf in mine but w/ potatoes can you please give me your IP Cornbread stuffing recipe? It sounds amazing.
28 mins sounds like to long to cook vegs and/or fish. Is it ok because they are inside of the pans.
Yes exactly. We have made this using these directions several times and it comes out to perfection using these pans but it does take a bit longer because you’re essentially steaming them inside the pot so it takes longer but is so worth it!!
Call me crazy. But wouldn’t it be faster to steam the veggies in a basket for 2 minutes (QR) and then cook the fish for 3-5 mins (depending on thickness/frozen or not) than to cook together for 28? Is there another benefit to cooking them together that I’m missing?
How can I cook baked potatoes with the fish?