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Looking for an easy green bean recipe? You have to try Instant Pot Green Beans! Ready in minutes, the Instant Pot delivers perfectly cooked green beans that are steamed to crisp-tender perfection!
The Easiest Green Bean Recipe
When I am looking for a simple side dish and have fresh green beans on hand, this Instant Pot Green Bean recipe is my go-to!
Steamed in the moist heat the Instant Pot is known for, the green beans become perfectly tender, yet retain a crisp bite that makes the dish feel so fresh and elegant--but couldn't be easier to make.
Served plain or dressed up, Instant Pot Green Beans are the easy side dish you will find yourself making again and again. They pair perfectly with everything from simple weeknight meals, like honey chicken skillet or lemon pepper chicken, to elegant meals like a ribeye steak or New York strip roast.
Happy Cooking! xo Kristen
Note on Green Beans
Selecting Green Beans to Pressure Cook
This recipe for Instant Pot Green Beans is designed for pressure cooking string beans or snap beans (standardly labeled green beans) and includes the cooking times for both fresh and frozen varieties. You can also use this method for wax beans without any changes. I don't recommend using Haricot Verts (French green beans) unless they are frozen, as they overcook easily.
How Make Instant Pot Green Beans
If you are unfamiliar with cooking in an Instant Pot or the functions of your Instant Pot, be sure to start with my guide for using 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
Kristen's Tip
Use caution when doing a quick release of pressure, as the steam is very hot and can easily burn you. Stand at a distance from the venting knob and use a wooden spoon or pot holder to unlock or release the venting knob.
- Season and Serve. Remove the steamed green beans from the Instant Pot and season as desired or use one of the seasoning options for steamed greens below.
Instant Pot Frozen Green Beans
Yes, you can (and should) steam frozen green beans in the Instant Pot using the following cook times.
- Whole Green Beans: 1 minutes with quick release of pressure
- Frozen Cut Green Beans: 2 minutes with quick release of pressure
- Frozen Thin Green Beans (Haricot Verts): 0 minutes with quick release of pressure
How to Season Instant Pot Green Beans
Steamed Green Beans can be served plain or seasoned or dressed up using one of the following suggestions.
- Keep it Simple: Drizzle the pressure cooked green beans with melted butter or olive oil and a generous pinch of salt and pepper.
- Garlic Green Beans: Add garlic powder or minced garlic with a bit of melted butter or olive oil and salt for a simple, yet flavorful side.
- Lemon Butter: Toss the steamed green beans with a pat of butter, kosher salt and the juice and zest of a fresh lemon for a simple, healthy side dish.
- Stir-Fry with Garlic and Ginger. After pressure cooking the green beans, remove the green beans, dry out the inner, and pot and return to the unit. Using the sauté function, heat a bit of olive of olive oil. Add freshly grated ginger and minced garlic, along with the cooked beans. Sauté briefly to toast.
- Add Nuts. Much like Green Beans Almondine, you can add butter and then top with toasted nuts, like almonds, walnuts, or pecans.
- Top with Cheese: Toss the green beans with butter or olive oil, then grate parmesan cheese over the green beans. Garlic is a nice addition as well.
- Add to a Dish Calling for Steamed Green Beans. Use Instant Pot Steamed Green Beans in any recipe, like Homemade Green Bean Casserole, Spinach Quinoa Salad, 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
- Instant Pot Artichokes
Did you make this recipe?
If you enjoyed this recipe, please leave a comment with a 5-star review at the bottom of the post. Thank you!
Instant Pot Green Beans
Ingredients
- 1 pound green beans, washed, ends trimmed
- 1 cup water , *for a 3 or 6-quart Instant Pot
- 1 ½ cups water , *for an 8-quart Instant Pot
- desired seasonings
Instructions
- If using a 3 or 6-quart pressure cooker, pour 1 cup of cold tap water into the inner pot. If using an 8-quart Instant Pot, pour 1 ½ cups of water into the inner pot. Place a metal trivet or steamer basket inside the inner pot and place 1 pound green beans (washed and trimmed) carefully on the trivet OR in the steamer basket.
- Place a metal trivet or steamer basket inside the inner pot and place the wash and trimmed 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
- Frozen Cut Green Beans: 2 minutes with quick release of pressure
- Whole Green Beans: 1 minutes with quick release of pressure
- Frozen Thin Green Beans (Haricot Verts): 0 minutes with quick release of pressure
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This post was originally published in 2018 and updated in 2025.
The green beans were the perfect texture. Stove top preparation cannot compare with this method. Thank you
Frying pan, stove top or IP. I've cooked fresh green beans using each, BUT the absolutely best ever was the "0" setting in a steam basket. Texture, color and flavor a perfect 10. No salt or flavoring used. Good thing I used 1 1/2 C water in my 6 cup IP as the pressure relief time was longer than usual and all but 4 oz of water was left. Am a subscriber to your YouTube site too. Always enjoy your sweet & pleasant manner. The Lord's Blessings to you & family.
Thank you so much, Lon! Blessings to you and your family as well!
Perfect green beans! I was searching the internet for how long to cook green beans in the Instant Pot. I'm happy to have found your website.
I am so happy you found my site as well! I hope you find many more recipes to enjoy here.
Can this recipe be made with frozen green beans?
Yes! Place frozen beans in a steamer over water. I would set for "0" minutes if thin green beans and 1 minute for thicker green beans. They will defrost and cook through. Enjoy!
I don't have a steamer basket insert for my I.P. Can these be made in an inner pot?
Thanks!
Hey! I would think the timing may change slightly due to the thickness of the inner pot, but it is worth a try! You may also want to try crisscrossing the green beans over the metal trivet--you may be able to stack them fairly well, which would replicate a steamer basket.
Perfect results! Thank you!
ALMOST INSTANT PERFECTION! Fresh string beans from the garden!
Zero minute "steam" setting on the IP. I hesitated maybe 30 extra seconds (after the timer sounded) as some of my beans were big (sneaky hiding under some lower leaves). I mixed up a sm amount of dried herbs in butter and brushed the beans before serving.
SOOOO SOOOO GOOD AND EASY!.