Instant Pot Steamed Green Beans Recipe

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Free up space on your stove top by preparing Instant Pot steamed green beans quickly and perfectly! Enjoy these crunchy-tender, low carb beans as a side dish for any meal. They cook perfectly every single time!

Serving dish filled with cooked green beans and garlic sitting next to an instant pot.

Original post: August 2019 | Updated: October 2022

Why This Recipe Works

I’m all about removing pans from my stove because the fewer things cooking on the stove top, the better. It is SO slick to throw an easy side dish such as Instant Pot Green Beans into an Instant Pot while I tend to other recipes that need more attention.

I grabbed a bunch of fresh green beans from the farmer’s market last weekend and decided to pressure cook the entire batch to snack on for lunches and dinners throughout the week.

This is by far my favorite way to cook green beans. The Instant Pot works its beautiful magic and steams them perfectly and consistently every single time. They are guilt-free, quick and easy, tasty, addicting and the perfect green bean recipe to sit alongside literally any type of meal.

How To Make Instant Pot Green Beans

Step 1

Set Instant Pot to saute. Add 2 tablespoons butter and 4 cloves minced garlic. Cook using the saute function for 2-3 minutes, or until soft and fragrant. Add the salt, pepper and 1 1/2 to 2 pounds of fresh green beans and give the mixture a stir.

Pour 1 cup water over the top.

fresh green beans in an Instant Pot before cooking.

Step 2

Place the cover on the pot and set timer to 0 minutes on low pressure (use the pressure cook setting and set valve to sealing position). It will take the pot around 10 minutes to build up pressure before it begins to pressure cook green beans.

When cooking time is done, do a quick release (be careful of the hot steam!) and allow the float valve to drop. Remove green beans to a serving dish, top with lemon juice or lemon zest and serve immediately!

Recipe Notes

If frozen green beans are all you have on hand, increase cook time to 2 minutes on low pressure.
To make more than 6 servings, double the recipe! It works great as a large batch, too.
Replace the butter with the same amount of olive oil, if desired.
Replace the water with chicken broth to add a burst of flavor.
Use a trivet or steamer basket to make pulling the beans out of the pot easier.
Delicious topping options include: Parmesan cheese, garlic powder, melted butter or olive oil, freshly squeezed lemon juice, fine sea salt and/or cracked black pepper.
Is zero minutes right?! Yes! The content of the pot will cook as the pressure builds! This green vegetable is prone to getting mushy when overcooked, so this timing is perfect for a crisp-tender bean. For softer green beans, set time to 2 minutes.

Green Bean Recipes

You are in luck if you are on the search for a delicious green bean casserole for Thanksgiving dinner or dinner any time of the year. This recipe will win everyone at the table over!
Throw just a few ingredients in your slow cooker to create a crockpot version of green bean casserole. Great Thanksgiving or any-time side dish!

Mac and Cheese Recipes for Thanksgiving – 13 Delicious Ideas!

Mac and cheese is a Thanksgiving staple! Read on for some scrumptious mac and cheese recipes for Thanksgiving that you can make this year! You’ll find a ton of options to choose from in this roundup.

Easy Side Dishes

Don’t stop with cooked green beans. Check out a few of my other favorite easy, healthy sides!

Top view of steamed green beans in an instant pot.

Instant Pot Recipes

The list of recipes you can make in an Instant Pot is endless! It can act as a slow cooker, saute pan, steamer, rice maker, yogurt maker and pressure cooker.

It can cook soup, chili, pasta, meat, potatoes, veggies, cake, beans and so much more. Here are a few of my favorite Instant Pot recipes:

Bowl of cooked instant pot green beans with pepper over top.

FAQs About Green Beans

Can green beans be frozen?

Green beans freeze best when they are fresh (before cooking). And blanching is not necessary! After rinsing them, trim the ends and cut them so they are 2 inches in length or less. Make sure they are totally dry before placing them into a resealable freezer bag. Freeze for up to 6 months. When you are ready to thaw, let them sit in the fridge until defrosted or cook them frozen.

Are green beans good for dogs?

Green beans are a nutritious vegetable that is low in calories, making it a great food for dog consumption. They are actually recommended by vets as a nutritious treat!

Are green beans a fruit?

Although this green food is technically a fruit because it contains seeds (as well as a legume), it is considered a vegetable by most people.

Are green beans keto?

Green beans are not as low in carbohydrates as some above ground veggies, they do still work on the keto diet.

Are green beans legumes?

The fruit of the green bean plant is held inside a pod, making green beans legumes and not beans.

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