Instant Pot Broccoli (Perfectly Cooked)

Cooking broccoli seems like a no-brainer but how about cooking it in larger batches and including it in your weekly meal prep? Instant pot broccoli is the best solution for having this healthy ingredient ready any time you want to assemble a quick meal.

You set the time, pressure and steam. Within minutes, the healthy vegetable is on your plate, without the worry of over or undercooking.  For reproducible and consistent results, insta pot broccoli is a sure-shot way.

Health benefits of broccoli

The main reason why broccoli is a staple in my kitchen is its rich DIM (diindolylmethane) and sulforaphane content, a key combo for reducing estrogen dominance and breast cancer risk.

DIM is involved in Phase I liver detoxification and estrogen metabolism and helps to decrease body fat in premenopausal women. Estrogen dominance, one of the most common hormone imbalance, is caused not only by the quantity of estrogen circulating in our body but also by its the poor metabolism which results in dirty compounds being reabsorbed in our bloodstream. Enter broccoli with its stellar DIM+sulforaphane combo – a quick and cheap way to revert a poor estrogen metabolism if consumed on a constant base.

Sulforaphane is an antioxidant with a multitude of benefits. Besides its protective effects against cancer and cardiovascular disease, sulforaphane has detoxifying effects that improve the estrogen metabolism.

Is steamed broccoli healthy?

Yes, it is! Of multiple ways to cook broccoli, steamed broccoli retains the most health benefits of raw broccoli. So, if you cannot eat raw broccoli or broccoli sprouts, then steamed broccoli could be your next preferred way to consume it.

How to perfectly steam broccoli using an instant pot

This recipe yields four servings and only takes 5 minutes to be done. For steaming the broccoli in the instant pot all you need is broccoli, water, and an instant pot. Although the actual cook time is only 0 minutes, the time taken to attain the pressure is enough to steam the broccoli to a perfect crunch. Read along for detailed steps.

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– Prep the broccoli

Broccoli is notorious for being sprayed with a lot of pesticides and it also grows very close to the ground too. Scrub it well to get rid of any dirt. Adding a bit of vinegar to the water helps to clean the broccoli better. Carefully, separate the florets from the stem to get medium-sized florets for cooking. Put the florets into a steamer basket- A stainless-steel basket works best.

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– Prep the Instant Pot

Based on the amount of broccoli, add enough water into the pot. You could also substitute water with vegetable stock or add some herbs to infuse flavours into broccoli. Place the trivet inside. It creates a barrier between broccoli and water inside the pot. and arrange the steamer basket on top.

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– Cook

Close the lid and set up the pot per instructions. For the quantity of broccoli specified in the recipe and the desired crunchy texture, set it up at 0min. However, if you need to scale up the recipe or your kids or parents prefer the softer broccoli, set it up to 1min at high pressure.

Based on your texture preference and the capacity of your instant pots, feel free to play around with the high or low-pressure setting. The key recommendation is to do a quick release to avoid additional cooking time. That’s it!

Using the handles of the steamer basket (another reason why I like using a steamer basket) get the broccoli out into a bowl and season it with your favorite toppings.

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Tips for perfect Instant Pot broccoli

– Use young green, evenly cut broccoli florets

You must start with young and green florets. As they ripen, the florets lose color and turn yellow and start disintegrating.

– Don’t overcook the broccoli

The sole purpose of using the Instant Pot is to get those perfectly steamed tender broccoli florets. Only one way to achieve that is to remember to set the timer to zero and release the pressure instantly.

– Use a basket, don’t cut corners

If you have one, use the steamer basket. The purpose is to ensure that broccoli doesn’t come in contact with the hot water below. It is easier to transfer the steamed broccoli that way

– The starting water temperature

Start with room temperature water. If you start with hot water, the pressure will build faster, and the overall steaming time will reduce. It may result in undercooked broccoli.

– Healthy dressing suggestions for steamed broccoli

When it comes to dressing broccoli, options are endless. This versatile veggie takes on bold flavors beautifully and here are a few ways to do so:

– With lemon juice, use some tahini drizzling with some feta crumbles for a fresh and zingy dressing.

– For an Italian-inspired dressing, use balsamic vinegar for acidity, some pine nuts for crunch, shaved parmesan for the fat, and a little honey for balancing the vinegar

– If Asian flavors allure you, then add a little miso butter with brown sugar or honey, red pepper flakes, and some sesame seeds on the top.

– And yes, don’t forget salt and pepper!

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Recipe FAQs

– Can frozen broccoli be steamed in the instant pot?

Yes, just like raw broccoli, frozen broccoli can be steamed in an instant pot.

– How is steaming broccoli better than boiling it?

Steaming preserves the maximum nutrition of broccoli. While boiling leaches out vitamin C, steaming retains it. Also, steaming maintains a crunchy texture and produces consistent results as opposed to boiling.

– Can the broccoli be steamed without the steamer basket?

Yes, broccoli can be steamed without the steamer basket. You can place the broccoli florets on the trivet such that they don’t touch the water below.

– If the instapot doesn’t have a 0 min option, can broccoli be still steamed?

Yes, you can set the minimum time i.e., 1 minute if the 0min option is not available at high pressure. Once the required pressure is achieved, cancel the cooking time, and quickly release the pressure.

– Does broccoli become mushy in the instapot?

If you follow the timing suggestions and instructions mentioned in the recipe, you should be good. Only if you set the instapot timer for a longer duration, or if you forget to quick-release the pressure, the broccoli can turn mushy.