How To Steam in an Instant Pot

An Instant Pot is a great addition to any kitchen. It can be used to cook a wide variety of foods, but it’s 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.

Why you should try using your Instant Pot as a steamer

An instant pot can come in handy for more than just making quick meals. It can also be used as a steamer.

Steaming in an Instant Pot is a quick and easy way to cook food while retaining its nutrients. And the best part is it is completely hands-off once you have put it in the Instant Pot.

While it may not be that much quicker overall to steam in an Instant Pot (as it takes time to get to get up to pressure) it is certainly easier as you don’t need to supervise your food closely as you would if you were steaming in a pan on the stovetop.

Scroll down for the printable card with the Instant Pot Steam instructions, or read on for all the details.

What can I steam in my Instant Pot?

Just about anything that can be steamed or boiled on the stovetop can be steamed in your instant pot! Here are some ideas:

• Vegetables: Whether you are cooking fresh or frozen vegetables, steaming is the best way to cook them. This method retains the flavor and the nutrients much better than if you boil them in water.
• Chicken: Steaming chicken breast in the Instant Pot is quick and convenient. Perfect for making shredded chicken for sandwiches or recipes that require pre-cooked chicken.
• Fish: Fish can be tricky to cook in an instant pot. If cooking it in water, it is easy to overcook, and so gently steaming it is a better approach.
• Potatoes: Potatoes can be hard to cook in the instant pot because (like fish) they tend to fall apart if overcooked. Steaming is the best approach to cooking them in the Instant Pot as it is a more gentle cooking method. For more details check out my recipe: Instant Pot Steamed Potatoes
• Eggs: Steaming eggs in the Instant Pot is my new favorite way to cook them. Hard-boiled eggs take just 5 minutes.
• Fruit: You can steam whole fruit like pears and apples directly on the trivet, or chopped fruit in a heatproof bowl on the trivet or in a steamer basket.

There are a few things to keep in mind when steaming in the Instant Pot, but once you have those things figured out, steaming in the Instant Pot is a breeze.

What do you need?

You can also use stock, or broth to add a little more flavor to your foods, or make a quick sauce for your meal (e.g. thicken it with cornflour useing the saute function once you are done steaming).

2. A steamer basket

You will also need a steamer basket. To steam food, you want the water level to be below the level of the food, otherwise you are just boling the food in the water. The easiest way to lift the food above the water is to use a steamer basket to hold your food inside the Instant Pot inner bowl.

Can I use a regular steamer in an Instant Pot?

Yes, you can. If you have a metal or silicone steamer basket, you can just place it straight in the Instant Pot over the water. 

You may be surprised to hear that bamboo steamers also work well in an Instant Pot. You just need to raise it up, so that the water underneath isn’t touching the bamboo steamer directly. 

You can either place the bamboo steamer on the Instant Pot steam rack/ trivet or place 3 balls of aluminum foil in the bottom of the Instant Pot and place the steamer on that. 

What can I use if I don’t have a steamer basket?

If you are wondering how to steam in the Instant Pot without a steamer basket, there are a few options you can try.

Essentially you need to find a way to elevate the food out of the water so that it cooks in the steam rather than in the boiling water.

Here are some ideas:

• You can use the metal trivet or rack that comes with all Instant Pots if the food you are steaming is large enough that it won’t fall between the bars.
• For smaller foods, place the food on a plate or in a bowl and place that on the metal trivet.
• If you don’t have a trivet, you can use rolled-up balls of tin foil inside the Instant Pot inner bowl to rest a smaller plate or bowl on (try to make it as level as possible).
• Alternatively, you can steam food in a heat-proof bowl placed inside the Instant Pot bowl with no trivet, the bowl just needs to have sides that are high enough to be an inch or two above the waterline to keep the food out of the water.

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.

How long to steam in the Instant Pot?

It can be difficult to get the steaming time just right in an Instant Pot, and you may need to use some trial and error to figure out the right setting for how you like your food steamed.

Check out the Instant Pot steam time estimates in the charts below to get started.

It is important to remember that the Instant Pot will begin heating the water and producing steam while it builds up pressure, and that the food will start steaming during this time.

This means that there are some foods that have a 0 minute cooking time because they steam quickly and so are fully cooked by the time the Instant Pot has reached full pressure.

Instant Pot steam times chart

These Instant Pot steam times charts provide estimates of the length of time various foods should be steamed under pressure in an Instant Pot. 

The steaming time tables are meant to be used as guidelines, always check that your food is correctly cooked before consuming.

FAQ