Tips For Perfectly Cooked Instant Pot Vegetables
- Add water to the instant pot insert. Place the steamer basket in the instant pot insert.
- Spread the veggies on the steamer basket. Close lid with vent in sealing position.
- Start the instant pot and set it on Steam mode for 0 minutes on high pressure.
- When the instant pot beeps, quick release the pressure manually. Remove the steamer basket carefully as it is hot.
- Season with salt, pepper and enjoy!
Stackable Instant Pot Steamer Baskets
Stackable steamer baskets allow you to steam more than one thing at a time, each in its own separate compartment.
This food-grade silicone basket made by Instant Pot can fit inside a 5-quart, 6-quart, and 8-quart Instant Pot, and its essentially the silicone counterpart of a traditional bamboo steamer.
Because it doesnt have feet of its own, youll have to place this one on top of a trivet to keep it up out of the water.
And while you can just use one of these if desired, you can also stack two of these on top of the trivet in order to cook more than one food at a time. This can be useful if youre cooking different foods that you dont want touching each other.
One steamer basket isnt very deep on its own, but it will accommodate a small amount of food. Stacking one steam rack on top of the other increases your cooking capacity.
This silicone model is dishwasher safe, too!
Instant Pot Steam Vs Pressure
You may be wondering what is the difference between steam and pressure cook on Instant Pot? Or how do I use the Steam function, and does it still cook under pressure?
So firstly, the Instant Pot steams under pressure, so it is a different process from steaming on your stovetop, and much faster.
The Steam function on the Instant Pot is a preset for high pressure for ten minutes. The time can be adjusted up to 15 minutes by selecting More, or down to 3 minutes by setting it to Less. It can also be adjusted by using the -/+ buttons for finer control.
You will see from the steaming times charts below that very few foods have steaming times that align with the presets under the Steam setting, so generally it is just as easy to use the Manual/Pressure cook function and set the time manually.
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Everything You Need To Know To Choose The Best Instant Pot Steamer Basket And Put It To Use
An Instant Pot steamer basket is a versatile accessory for your pressure cooker. Find out how to choose the right one and how to use it to simplify cooking!
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Instant Pot accessories are a great way to expand the uses of your electric pressure cooker, allowing you to go beyond the typical soups, stews, and grains.
I have entire lists of useful Instant Pot accessories and accessories for pot-in-pot cooking, including everything from bundt pans to cheesecake pans to glass dishes for reheating food in the Instant Pot.
But one of the most versatile accessories you can own is an Instant Pot steamer basket!
Instant Pot Saute Setting
The Sauté is another non-pressure cooking program that can be used in place of a frying pan or flat-top grill. For recipes that call for browned onions or garlic, its important to sauté them before adding liquid to the pot as you will release a lot of flavor this way.
Another reason to sauté first is for browning meat. Lastly, sautéeing before cooking is a great way to increase heat and reduce the amount of time your pot will take to come to pressure.
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Kitchen Deluxe Vegetable Steamer Basket
I like how this basket is designed for consumer convenience. It pulls together into a very compact size for easy storage. It is also fitted with silicone feet so it wont scratch any surface is it is placed on.
This basket is designed to be removable, and it comes with an extendable handle to make it easy to take out of the pot and rest on your counter so that you can serve the vegetables from the steamer basket.
Its not just for steaming vegetables in the pot but also keeping them warm after theyre done steaming.
One of the things I love about this basket is beautiful design that opens out like a flower bloom. On top of that, this steamer basket can adjust to fit the size of the pot it is being used for.
That means you can use it in pretty much any Instant Pot. Its large enough to handle some of the bigger vegetables and is designed for versatility and ease of use. Its not as easy to clean as the completely silicone baskets, but it still cleans without too much trouble.
The basket is made from stainless steel that is safe for the dishwasher or the sink and that should last you for a long time.
How Does A Steamer Basket Work
If a steamer basket fits into your instant pot without scratching it, you can use it. You have to select a steamer basket according to the circumference of your instant pot. The most commonly used pot sizes are 3 quarts , 6 quarts , and 8 quarts , but most of the regular steamer baskets will not fit a 3-quart pressure cooker.
Therefore, while buying a new steamer basket, keep in mind the size of your instant pot otherwise, it may not fit in existing vessels.
In addition, different sizes and types of steamer baskets are available, such as stacked and sectional steamer baskets, etc., which allow you to steam a variety of foods simultaneously.
Read Also:Are Kitchen Pot Racks Out of Style?
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How To Steam Broccoli & Other Vegetables Using Your Instant Pot
You dont need to be intimidated by your instant pot. Follow these simple instructions for cooking vegetables under high pressure and youll find out how easy it really is to use! You can use fresh vegetables or frozen vegetables.
Instant Pot Spaghetti Squash
is amazing because like sweet potatoes, spaghetti squash usually takes a long time to bake in the oven. The Instant Pot makes it a breeze to get a healthy vegetable in a snap.
You could cook the spaghetti squash in the Instant Pot steamer basket whole, or cut in half! It is so great to do it this way so then you dont have to deal with spaghetti squash spilling out or dropping it with tongs.
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Why Use A Steamer Basket In An Instant Pot
If you use your Instant Pot regularly, youll want to keep the steaming rack or your metal or silicone steamer basket nearby. When used with this appliance, the basket elevates food from sitting directly on the surface of the insert bowl.
This is important for two reasons. For starters, it makes for a less turbulent cooking environment when cooking delicate foods, like eggs. Also, since liquid must always be added when using the pressure cooker function, the steamer basket is helpful in elevating certain foods that are best cooked without resting in the liquid, like meatloaf and certain desserts.
Steaming In The Instant Pot
You might think steaming in the Instant Pot could be tricky its not. Really, its one of the simplest ways Ive found to make delicious, healthy food, fast.
An Instant Pot steamer insert allows you to just drop some of your favorite veggies into the Instant Pot and cook them quickly, thereby preserving lots of the nutrients present when the veggies are fresh .
I mentioned that my Instant Pot steam basket is versatile heres my top 12 recipes that are simple and oh-so-easy to throw together using your steamer basket.
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Cooking Multiple Instant Pot Recipes Together
I frequently cook different foods that have approximately the same cooking time together. This is one of my favorite Instant Pot trivet hacks!
- Add 2 cups of water and place a steam rack on the bottom of your Instant Pot.
- Place a bowl containing the first food on top of the trivet.
- Add a second steam rack on the bowl.
- Place the second bowl of food on the top rack.
Best Instant Pot Steamer Basket Guide
I love steamed vegetables! Whether its broccoli, string beans, peas, or carrots, they are amazingly delicious when cooked in a steamer. In fact, this is one of the reasons why I love my Instant Pot so much – it makes some mind-blowing steamed veggies!
The steam trapped inside the Instant Pot speeds up the cooking and makes sure the veggies maintain their taste, texture, and color. They also retain nutrients and the fiber isnt damaged, which is the best part about eating vegetables.
However, you cant make properly steamed vegetables without a steamer basket.
What is this, you ask? Well, so did a lot of readers. Lately, Ive seen a lot of questions about steamer baskets and steaming in an Instant Pot in general, that I thought it best to dedicate an entire blog post to this topic.
So, if you want to know what is, how to use it, where to find such an IP accessory, keep reading. Ill start by answering some of the questions I had in my inbox and finish with a top 5 best steamer baskets .
Contents
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Does Instant Pot Come With Steamer Basket
No, Instant Pot does not come with a steamer basket. However, many steamer baskets are compatible with Instant Pot.
For example, Instant Pot Official Mesh Steamer Basket or the Oxo Good Grips Stainless Steel Steamer with an Extendable Handle is a steamer basket specifically designed to be used with Instant Pot.
Instant Pot Soup Cooking Tips
We find that most vegetables, including potatoes, dont need the full 20 minutes at High pressure and will often overcook and get too soft, so for most vegetable-based soups, 5 to 10 minutes at High pressure is usually enough.
If youre cooking something like a beef and vegetable soup, you may choose to pressure cook in two stages: set to cook the meat in a broth with some onions, carrots and celery on Soup/Less mode, then release the pressure and add the rest of the vegetables. Secure the lid again and set on Pressure Cook/Manual or Soup/Less mode and adjust the time to 5 minutes.
Most soups use a lot of liquid, so it is recommended that you release pressure naturally once the cooking timer is done. Simply leave the Instant Pot undisturbed. However, the foods inside keep cooking at a slower rate while the pressure is released. You can always release pressure naturally for 5-10 minutes and then use the quick release method.
Should you sauté first? In some cases, you may want to saute foods like onions, garlic, carrots and celery or to brown the meat first, which can add more flavor to the soup. In this case, press the Sauté setting first and cook off the vegetables in a little oil or fat for 3-4 minutes uncovered. Then add the rest of the ingredients and liquid, secure the lid and choose the Soup setting in whatever mode you like.
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Stackable Stainless Steel Steamer Insert Pans
This set comes with two tiers so that you can cook different foods at once. They help you to pull off pot-in-pot cooking and are designed to be durable and easy to use.
You can cook multiple foods in these at once angry even use a steamer basket as a dessert pan . Its also great for reheating food without having to worry about your pan changing the flavour or affecting the quality of the food.
It works with a number of 6-quart Instant Pot designs as well as the 8-quart cooker. The long-lasting, food grade stainless steel makes for a high quality product that should prove reliable for many years.
It comes with two different lids for different steaming and cooking purposes. The attached handles make it easy to take the steamer basket out of your Instant Pot.
Instant Pot Bean/chili Setting
The Bean/Chili setting button can be used to cook larger dry legumes such as beans and chickpeas in liquid or to cook chili or another type of stew that uses dry beans. The program settings use High pressure and result in different doneness of beans. When cooking beans, always use NR to release pressure after cooking is done. Below is how to use the Bean/Chili setting on Instant Pot.
- Turn the Instant Pot on, it will say OFF to indicate the Stand-By mode. Add dry beans, liquid and salt to the pot. Secure and lock the lid. Select the Bean/Chili button. The default setting is pre-programmed to set the pot to cook at High pressure for 30 minutes. If you press the button again, you can adjust the mode from Normal to Less or More .
- Less mode 25 minutes at High pressure for a firmer bean texture or to cook black beans, dry lima beans, Navy beans, black-eyed peas, Adzuki, anasazi, dry peas.
- Normal mode 30 minutes at High pressure for a softer bean texture or to cook red kidney beans, white kidney beans , Pinto beans, black-eyed peas .
- More mode 40 minutes at High pressure for a very soft bean texture or to cook harder legumes like chickpeas and soybeans .
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Instant Pot Steamer Basket Broccoli
I use my steamer basket the most to make Instant Pot Broccoli. This is one situation in which you really need the basket for the most ideal, perfectly-cooked broccoli.
We consume so much broccoli each week, and the Instant Pot and Instant Pot steamer basket make it so much easier. One and done!
BONUS: Dont forget to check out my post on the Best Instant Pot Accessories to buy and AVOID!)
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How To Steam In An Instant Pot
An Instant Pot is a great addition to any kitchen. They can be used to cook a variety of food items, but they are particularly well suited for steaming. Here are a few tips on how to steam in an Instant Pot whether you are cooking vegetables, chicken, or something more delicate like salmon.
This post may contain affiliate links. You can read my affiliate policy here.
Check The Temperature And Make Sure It Is Done
After removing the lid, check the vegetables temperature and ensure it is done.
They should be tender and cooked through. If not, you can add another minute or two to cook them.
While it might seem like a hassle to constantly check the timer, its a good habit to develop if you want to be more efficient when using the Instant Pot.
When they are done, stir them in and enjoy your delicious food.
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Does A Steamer Basket Come With Instant Pot
Steamer baskets are not included with instant pots as standard accessories. The instant pot comes with a trivet that is used to steam vegetables, but it may not be recommended.
Because lifting a trivet can be challenging, and food can fall off in the water if you are not careful while using it. However, the eggs and potatoes can be cooked quickly using a trivet.
The best way to achieve your desired results is using a steamer basket. The steamer baskets are easy to find, and it is a one-time purchase. The steamer baskets are very affordable and durable and can last long for a long time.
