Steamed Green Beans (Instant Pot)

Steamed green beans made in the Instant Pot are a quick and simple side dish that results in perfectly cooked green beans each time. Steaming green beans is a great way to cook them because you get perfectly tender-crisp beans without losing any of the nutrients. And all you need is water! Season them if you’d like, but these are fresh and delicious as-is!

Instant Pot Green Beans are delicious served alongside our Salmon and Rice recipe! For a really simple dinner, try these Instant Pot Mini Meatloaves.

Are steamed green beans healthy?

You bet they are! Air fried green beans are just as healthy as steaming green beans on the stovetop. They are full of dietary fiber, Vitamins A, K, and C, and even contain iron, magnesium, and calcium. When you cook beans (or any veggie) in water in your Instant Pot, you essentially steam the vegetable, allowing it to retain its nutritious elements. If you aren’t using butter or oil, you aren’t adding any additional calories.

Should I steam or boil my green beans?

If you cook your green beans in a cup of water in the bottom of your Instant Pot, you’re steaming your green beans. When you place them in a pot of water, you’re boiling them. Both use water to cook green beans, but when you boil them (covered in water), the water tends to leech nutrients from the veggies. You see the evidence when the water turns slightly green.

Either way is ‘healthy’ but to get the most nutrients from your veggies, steaming them is the way to go!

Instant Pot Steamed Green Beans Ingredients

You’ll Need:

• 1 pound fresh green beans
• 1 cup water

How to Make

STEP ONE: Prep the green beans. Wash the green beans and trim the ends.

STEP TWO: Prep the instant pot and add the beans. Place the trivet into the Instant Pot. Add the water and place the green beans onto the trivet. Cover and turn the valve to sealing.

STEP THREE: Cook. Set the Instant Pot to low pressure for 1 minute (can do 0-2 minutes for crisp to soft green beans). When the time is up do a quick release.

STEP FOUR: Serve. Open the lid carefully and remove the green beans. Serve hot!

Tips and Recipe Notes:

• I like using thinner green beans (or French green beans) for steaming, but any will do.
• Remove the green beans quickly after the pressure release so they don’t get overcooked. If you need to keep them warm, place them in a dish with foil overtop.
• If your green beans are long and don’t lay flat across your trivet, just snap them in half.

What makes green beans taste better?

So I adore fresh green beans. But if plain beans aren’t your thing, you can add a bit of flavor very easily! Try any of these easy toppings:

• Butter – spread a pat of butter over the beans while they’re still hot
• Salt and Pepper – freshly cracked is best!
• Fresh garlic or garlic powder – just a sprinkle along with butter is delicious
• Chopped onion – add a bit to the Instant Pot before cooking

Storing and Reheating Green Beans

I recommend you eat all the green beans the first time around, because leftovers are never quite as delicious as when they’re first cooked. However, if you have some leftovers, store them in the fridge in a sealed container for 2-3 days. Use up as quickly as possible.

To reheat them, pop them in the microwave for about 30 seconds, until hot. You can also toss them in a soup or reheat them in a pan with a bit of oil or butter.

FAQs