How to Steam Vegetables in an Instant Pot: A Chef’s Step-by-Step Guide

Eating your veggies has never been easier with countertop kitchen devices like Instant Pots. Even experts agree. 

Chef Vahista Ussery, a registered dietitian nutritionist and founder of the culinary education company To Taste, tells that, compared to traditional stovetop steaming, Instant Pots offer a more set-it-and-forget-it approach. This makes them ideal for novice cooks or those who are multitasking in the kitchen. “Set it and forget it” also sounds wonderful for cooking after a long, busy day.

But how exactly should you be steaming your vegetables in an Instant Pot, especially to ensure you’re not losing an abundance of nutrients in the process? This is what chefs have to say.

How to steam vegetables in an Instant Pot

Ussery explains that, depending on the type of Instant Pot you have, there are two settings for steaming vegetables: high pressure, which is available on all models, or the steam setting.

The steam option is also a pressure function, according to the Instant Pot community, but it operates differently because it heats the pot continuously rather than cycling the heat on and off. This causes the pot’s bottom to get hotter. On my model, I have the option to use low, high or no pressure with the steam function. 

Regardless of which setting you choose, Ussery offers the following simple instructions:

1. Add ½ to 1 cup of water to the bottom of the pot. Ussery says that ½ cup is the perfect amount for her 6-quart model. Just make sure the pot’s base is covered with water, but not so much that it will boil up through a steam basket and boil the vegetables.
2. Add a steam basket to the pot. It should sit slightly above the water level. 
3. Add vegetables to the basket. A single layer is best, so you’re not overloading it. This will allow the steam to hit all sides of the vegetables. The more crowded they are, the more steam gets blocked from reaching all the veggies.
4. Close the lid of the Instant Pot, and set it to seal. 
5. If you have a steam button, you now have a choice. You can press “steam” and set the time, or you can select “high pressure” and select the time. For non-starchy vegetables like broccoli and cauliflower, Ussery says zero (yes, zero is a time on the Instant Pot) seems to be the ideal time. For starchy vegetables like potatoes and squash, try cooking for around 2 minutes. For more information on specific veggie cooking times for the pressure cook setting, you can reference Instant Pot’s Cooking Time Tables.
6. When finished steaming or pressure cooking, immediately use the quick release to help stop the cooking process. After the steam is released, you can open the lid and remove your veggies. Enjoy! 

“I have found the steam function works slightly better than high pressure on my Instant Pot, but I have read and heard from others that they believe the reverse to be true, so be sure to test your pot and decide for yourself,” advises Ussery.

Which vegetables are best for steaming in an Instant Pot?

Root vegetables and heartier varieties, according to Ussery, are best suited for steaming in an Instant Pot because they require only 5 to 10 minutes of cooking time — if that. Specifically, the following veggies work best, and are included with Instant Pot’s recommended cook times under high pressure:

• Potatoes: 1 minute for cubed, 5-8 minutes for large whole potatoes and 3-5 minutes for small whole potatoes
• Winter squash, like butternut: 1-2 minutes for cubed butternut squash, 4-6 minutes for halved butternut squash
• Corn on the cob: 1 minute
• Beets: 15 minutes, per this Instant Pot recipe
• Carrots: 1-2 minutes for chunks, 3 minutes for whole
• Broccoli florets: 1 minute 
• Cauliflower florets: 1 minute
• Zucchini (cut in thick slices at least ½-inch thick): 0 minutes, per the Instant Pot community
• Thick asparagus: 1 minute
• Green beans: 1 minute

“Remember, the size you cut the vegetables makes a difference,” says Ussery. Uniform sizes and larger, thicker veggies and slices will ensure that your produce doesn’t end up unevenly cooked or overcooked.

You’ll also want to err on the side of caution, starting with less time rather than more so that you don’t end up overcooking your veggies and turning them to mush.

Vegetables to avoid steaming in an Instant Pot

You’ll want to forego steaming delicate vegetables, such as leafy greens, in your Instant Pot. “I tried steaming spinach and kale to see what would happen, and it was not pretty or tasty,” Ussery says. 

To know what vegetables to avoid cooking in an Instant Pot, broccoli can serve as a great gauge. If the vegetable is more delicate than broccoli, you’ll want to use another cooking method. 

Do vegetables lose nutrients when steamed in an Instant Pot?

You may have heard that certain cooking methods cause vegetables to lose their nutrients. Is steaming in an Instant Pot one of them?

“All cooking methods cause some nutrient loss, but steaming is among the least destructive,” says Ana Bueno, a holistic nutritionist, former executive chef and founder of BuenoSeeds Nutrition. 

Ussery agrees, adding that steaming (either on the stovetop or in an Instant Pot) is always better than boiling. “Vegetables contain water-soluble vitamins that dissolve into the cooking water, so boiling often leads to unnecessary nutrient loss,” she explains. “The faster you can cook vegetables with the least amount of water, the better.” 

Nutrients you may gain or lose when steaming in an Instant Pot

Since Instant Pots use minimal water and cook vegetables fast, nutrient loss is low. Bueno states that this is particularly the case for nutrients such as vitamin C, folate, glucosinolates in cruciferous vegetables, polyphenols and antioxidants. Glucosinolates are sulfur-containing compounds that offer a variety of potential health benefits, while polyphenols are antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compounds.

“However, certain compounds — like heat-sensitive enzymes (e.g., myrosinase in broccoli) — can degrade under pressure,” states Bueno. Myrosinase is an enzyme that gets released when a plant is damaged, such as when broccoli is chopped or eaten. When myrosinase mixes with glucosinolates, it breaks them down and creates sulforaphane, a sulfur-rich compound that can have potential health benefits, including the prevention of certain types of cancer. 

How to retain the most nutrients when cooking veggies

To retain the most nutrients possible in your vegetables, Bueno recommends lightly steaming them on the stovetop for 2 to 5 minutes, depending on the type of vegetable. This works because it utilizes low heat and avoids pressure. 

Blanching, when vegetables are briefly submerged in boiling water or exposed to steam, has better nutrient retention, according to Ussery. However, this cooking method doesn’t always yield the desired texture, as the veggies remain crisp. 

“Stir-frying and roasting vegetables are two other culinary techniques that retain nutrients well, but do have additional calories with the fat used to cook them,” says Ussery, adding that roasting is her favorite method because of the caramelization that develops under high heat. “If you’re using a healthy cooking oil, the fat actually helps absorb the fat-soluble vitamins found in vegetables.”

However, you should use whatever cooking method works best for you, as long as it means you’re eating more vegetables. “If the choice is between steaming in an Instant Pot or not eating vegetables at all due to lack of time, Instant Pot steaming is a fantastic tool for consistency and convenience,” says Bueno. 

An Instant Pot safety note

There are Instant Pots available that utilize non-stick inner pots coated with PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene), a type of plastic commonly known as Teflon. You can also find this coating on certain pots, pans and even air fryers. PTFE coatings can release potentially toxic byproducts, like microplastics and nanoplastics, when scratched or overheated.

“For that reason, I recommend only using Instant Pots that come with a high-quality stainless steel insert — ideally 18/8 (304 grade) or 18/10, which are food-grade, durable and inert,” says Bueno. 

The first number in those fractions represents the percent of chromium in the steel, while the second represents the percent of nickel. So, 18/8 would be stainless steel with 18% chromium and 8% nickel, making up the 304 grade of stainless steel.

Expert tips for steaming vegetables in an Instant Pot

When you go to steam your veggies in an Instant Pot, chefs recommend keeping the following tips in mind:

• Cut vegetables uniformly. According to Bueno, vegetables that are cut unevenly may end up being cooked unevenly.
• Add aromatics to the water. “Add bay leaf, scallions, rosemary, sage, garlic or another herb of your choice to the steaming water to subtly infuse flavor and extra nutrients and benefits,” says Bueno. Bay leaves, for example, are a good source of vitamins A, C and B6, and minerals like calcium and iron. They may also aid digestion, support immune health and help regulate blood sugar levels.
• Season after cooking. “Add salt, pepper, spices, herbs and even a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil,” says Ussery. “Just because they are steamed, doesn’t mean they need to be plain.”
• Let cruciferous vegetables rest 40 minutes after chopping and before cooking. “This boosts sulforaphane formation (a powerful anti-inflammatory compound),” shares Bueno. As mentioned earlier, sulforaphane may offer potential health benefits.
• Don’t skip the quick release. Once your veggies are done cooking, Bueno advises using the quick release to prevent further nutrient loss and sogginess. 

As for the most important tip: “Choose the cooking method that results in the best flavor and taste to you,” concludes Ussery. “As long as you don’t cook your vegetables until they turn to mush, you will receive health benefits.”

If cooking your vegetables after an exhausting day means simply throwing them in an Instant Pot with a steamer basket and some water, then we’ve got you covered.