This incredibly easy recipe for Instant Pot Green Beans results in fresh green beans that are steamed to crisp-tender perfection in minutes!
Serve Instant Pot Green Beans with a dab of butter or seasoned with fresh lemon zest and toasted almonds for a simple, yet delicious side dish that pairs perfectly with entrees such as Chicken Marsala, Baked Chicken Cordon Bleu, or New York Strip Roast.
While I love Green Beans Almondine and Green Bean Casserole, when I am looking for a simple recipe for fresh green beans, Instant Pot Green Beans is the recipe I turn to.
Steaming fresh green beans using an electric pressure cooker is the easiest way to prepare fresh green beans, And the results are perfection!
How To Steam Green Beans using the Instant Pot
While this is an incredibly simple recipe, if you are unfamiliar with cooking in an Instant Pot or the functions of your Instant Pot, be sure to start with How to Use an Instant Pot for the best results on this and future recipes. You will find the full recipe in detail in the recipe card below.
Step One: Prepare Green Beans. Unless you purchased bagged green beans from the produce section that are already washed and trimmed, you will need to wash your green beans and trim off the ends before pressure-cooking them.
Step Two: Add Water to the Inner Pot. It is best to use cold tap water to ensure accurate cooking time. Use 1 cup for a 3 or 6-quart electric pressure cooker model, and 1-½ cups for an 8-quart model.
Step Three: Add Green Beans to the Inner Pot. The best tool to use for steaming green beans in the inner pot is a steamer basket. However, if you don't have one, just carefully place the green beans on a trivet. Don't set your beans in the water, as this will boil the beans, not steam them.
Step Four: Pressure Cook. To perfectly steam green beans in the Instant Pot, you only need to bring the pressure cooker to pressure. That means you want to set the cooking time to 0 minutes. If you desire softer green beans, set the cooking time to 1 minute.
Step Five: Release Pressure. This is one recipe that it is crucial to immediately release pressure after the cooking time has elapsed. In the case of this green bean recipe, release pressure as soon as pressure has been reached, as by the time the Instant Pot has reached pressure, the green beans will be perfectly crisp-tender and you want to immediately stop the cooking process.
Green Bean Seasoning Suggestions
You can opt to serve your steamed green beans in salads, with a simple pinch of salt and pepper, or dress them up a bit using one of the following options.
- Saute with butter. Remove the green beans from the inner pot. Drain the water and dry the inner pot. Return the inner pot to the Instant Pot. Add 1-2 tablespoons of butter and turn on the saute function. Once the butter has melted, add in the green beans and saute with the butter until lightly browned. Season with salt and pepper and serve.
- Drizzle with olive oil. Toss the green beans with olive oil. Add crushed red pepper flakes, salt, and minced garlic as desired.
- Add fresh lemon. Toss the steamed green beans with kosher salt and the juice and zest of a fresh lemon for a simple, healthy side dish.
- Add parmesan cheese. Toss the green beans with butter or olive oil, then grate parmesan cheese over the green beans.
- Top with toasted nuts. Much like Green Beans Almondine, you can add butter and then top with toasted nuts, like almonds, walnuts, or pecans.
∗ helpful tips to remember∗
- If you would like softer green beans, cook for 1 minute on high pressure.
- Use caution when doing a quick pressure release. Be sure to stand back from the venting knob and use a wooden spoon or pot holder to unlock or release the venting knob.
- Feel free to saute the green beans, inside the inner pot using the saute function in olive oil or butter after steaming them for a crisp exterior.
- Use Instant Pot Steamed Green Beans in any recipe, like Homemade Green Bean Casserole or Italian Potato Salad, which requires you to parboil green beans before proceeding with a recipe.
More Instant Pot Side Dishes
- Instant Pot Baked Potatoes
- Instant Pot Spaghetti Squash
- Instant Pot Rice Pilaf
- Instant Pot Corn on the Cob
- Instant Pot Potato Salad
If you enjoyed this recipe for Instant Pot Green Beans, I would love for you to leave a review and comment below.
Instant Pot Green Beans
Ingredients
- 1 pound green beans washed, ends trimmed
- 1-1½ cups water see note
- desired seasonings
Instructions
- For a 6-quart Instant Pot, pour 1 cup of cold tap water into the inner pot. For an 8-quart Instant Pot, pour 1½ cups of cold tap water into the inner pot.
- Place a metal trivet or steamer basket inside the inner pot and place prepared green beans carefully on the trivet OR in the steamer basket.
- Close the lid, being sure the venting knob is sealed or locked.
- Using the manual or pressure cook button, set the cooking time to 0 minutes on high pressure. If you are desiring soft green beans, set the cooking time to 1 minute.
- Once the cooking time has elapsed, immediately do a quick release of pressure. To do this, use a long utensil and carefully knock the venting knob from the sealing to the venting position. Stand back to prevent being burned by the steam.
- Remove the green beans from the pressure cooker. Season and serve immediately.
Notes
- Butter, salt, and pepper
- Olive oil and garlic
- Toasted nuts and butter
- Lemon juice, lemon zest, garlic, and olive oil
Nutrition
Barrie
Hmmmm...maybe because these are farmer's market/fresh green beans they took twice as long? They were thicker than string beans. Either way, after the second time, they came out perfect~
Kristen Chidsey
The thickness was probably why they needed longer. Most garden green beans are thicker than the fresh green beans purchased at the store. But glad you were able to adjust and make it work.
robertjm
Simple and to the point. Can't get any better than that!!
In my case I counted to 30 after the 0 minute alarm went off, and then did a quick release. Turned out just as I wanted them. Put some butter and pepper on them, with a splash of lime juice I had lurking in the fridge.
Will be making that again!
Kristen Chidsey
Wonderful! So glad this recipe produced the results you were looking for.
amy
Put 1 lb on for 0 minutes on manual hi P--the green beans turned soggy and khaki-colored.
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Amy, I have never had this happened. It is important to do a quick release immediately, and only use the outlined amount of water--using slightly more would result in longer time to come to pressure, which could change the outcome.
amy
Thanks Kristen! I only used 1 cup of water and QR. Perhaps it's just due to variation in green beans...
Trina
Can I cook these in the instant pot without a steamer basket??
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Trina! You can, but I would try to place them on the rack with the water underneath so they don't get soggy. Enjoy!
Caterina
Perfecto! So easy too! They were the best! I followed your recipe last night to a T and the texture, tenderness was just to our liking! Thank you so much for sharing for your expertise! 🙂
Kristen Chidsey
You are so welcome Caterina! I am so glad you enjoyed.
Brittany
This turned out perfect! Thanks for the recipe.
Kristen Chidsey
I am so glad you enjoyed Brittany! Thanks for taking the time to leave a review.
Barbara McIntire
I had way more than 1 lb of fresh green beans. My pot was full almost to 2/3 mark. I used about 1 3/4 cups of water. Set the time to 1 minute, then let it NPR for about 8 minutes (long enough to set the table, etc.). Then QR. They were perfect for us!
Kristen Chidsey
Wonderful! I am so glad you enjoyed Barbara!
Thomas
I'm trying to convert a favorite green bean recipe for use in IP. The old recipe calls for canned tomatoes including the juice. Can I use the juice from the tomatoes instead of adding a cup of water for pressure cooking ? I assume I'll need to be sure there is at least a cup of tomato juice. Thanks.
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Thomas, the juice from the tomatoes has natural sugars that CAN cause a burn notice (it does not always). I would use the juice and add an additional 1/2 cup stock or water to prevent this 🙂
Carol Vanover
I am charged with making steamed green beans for Thanksgiving with the family. There will be 35 there. Any suggestions on how to adjust this recipe for a crowd? I appreciate any advice you can give me. Thank you in advance! Carol
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Carol! For 35 people, I would think you need to make the green beans in 2-3 batches, depending on the size of your Instant Pot. Most would recommend about 10 pounds of green beans for that many people. However, with it being Thanksgiving and so many sides, I would think 6-8 pounds would be enough. For a 6 quart Instant Pot you should be able to fit 2.5-3 pounds in the steamer. I would just adjust the cook time to 1 minute. Once one batch is done, place in serving bowl and cover with plastic wrap to keep warm, do the next batch and you will be ready 🙂 NOTE: Normally, I would never double the cook time even if doubling the ingredients, but with steaming that much, I have found 1 minutes is often best. You can set for 0 minutes if you like your beans really crisp tender. I hope you enjoy and happy Thanksgiving!
Shellie Schemmer
Great! Did just as you instructed.
I sauteed after that with onion and bacon, like grandma used to with her fresh beans from garden!
Thank you
Kristen Chidsey
I am so glad you enjoyed Shellie! And love the addition of bacon and onions!
Ryn
Perfectly soft green beans at 1 minute! I'm so excited to be able to cook green beans again! Thanks!
Kristen Chidsey
YAY! So glad you enjoyed Ryn!
Evelyn gordin
Hi. Yes I did the green beans for 6 minutes. We like ours soft so I gave it an extra minute. They were perfect. I put ham onions potatoes chicken broth and water in them. They we delicious.
Kristen Chidsey
I am so glad you enjoyed!
Catherine Truman
The green beans do not get done enough,Even though I did it two times On zero pressure
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Catherine! I am sorry that you did not find the beans to your liking. Did you use the full amount of cold water? Also, be sure you use high pressure (I think you meant cook time for zero minutes not zero pressure--but just in case you adjusted to low pressure!) In the future, cook for 2 minutes for soft green beans--this recipe is for more crisp tender beans.
Gary Garnier
I'm a newbie, and having trouble with terminology:
When "Manual" is specified, is that understood to be one particular button? (I don't see a "Manual" button).
I believe that Rice, for example, is a "program", along with the seven other buttons on either side of the display. So those eight are NOT Manual, right?
Eliminating those eight buttons would seem to point me toward either Saute, Pressure Cook, or Steam. I'm gonna go with Steam in this case (the article is How to STEAM Green Beans), but it's not always that clear.
Does it really make any difference if I select Saute, Pressure Cook, or Steam? With a cup of water in the bottom, aren't those green beans going to get steamed the same?
Thanks!
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Gary! Pressure Cook and Manual button work the same way, sorry I did not make that clear in the post. You may want to read up on Instant Pot 101 and Instant Pot Functions to help you. I explain in detail the difference in how the pressure cooker works for each function.
Steve
Perfect recipe! Your green beans are spot on.
Kristen Chidsey
Thanks Steve!
Wilhelmina Wessel
Your Instant Pot recipes are always on point and these green beans are no exception! YUM!
Kristen Chidsey
Oh thank you so much! I am so glad you know you can trust my recipes <3
Jane Saunders
Ha, well what do I know. I've always thought that steaming green veg would damage the lovely green colour. How wrong I have been - your steamed greens are beautifully vibrant. Thanks for this recipe and the tips.
Kristen Chidsey
You bet Jane! As long as you don't over-steam, your vegetables will still be vibrant!