Instant Pot Cauliflower

Name: Instant Pot Cauliflower
Prep time: 5 min
Total time: 5 min
Ingredients: 1 head cauliflower, chopped large (($2.74)); 1 cup water (($0.00)); 1 Tbsp olive oil (($0.13)); salt and pepper to taste

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

Perfectly steamed cauliflower in minutes thanks to the Instant Pot. This recipe doesn't get any simpler, but it does get tastier with a little seasoning at the end.

sliced cauliflower on board in front of instant pot

We love steamed cauliflower, it's our 2nd favorite way to enjoy it in this house. The first way is oven roasting with chicken broth (cauliflower absorbs flavor wonderfully). Check out my Roasted Frozen Cauliflower for an example of this.

But this Instant Pot steamed cauliflower recipe is sooooo much faster than all of that! And it keeps the oven free for the main dish while it steams in the Instant Pot on the counter. Win-Win.

Jump to:

🥘 Ingredients
🍽 Equipment Needed
🔪 Instructions
🍴 Recipe Tips
💭 FAQs
📖 Recipe

🥘 Ingredients

Cauliflower
Water
Olive oil
Salt
Pepper

For the exact amounts needed, please see the recipe card below.

🍽 Equipment Needed

BeeyondCereal is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.

6qt Instant Pot
Measuring spoons
Mixing bowl

🔪 Instructions

Check out how to make Instant Pot cauliflower with these simple step-by-step instructions:

Wash your cauliflower and chop it into large sized florets.

sliced caulifloweron wooden cutting board with knife

Place 1 cup of water into the Instant Pot and add the cauliflower. You can have it in a steamer basket or lay it on the trivet.

aerial view of cauliflower in instant pot steamer basket

Close the lid and seal it shut.

Set the Instant Pot to High Pressure for 0 minutes.

Do a Quick Pressure Release and remove the cauliflower to a large mixing bowl.

Drain the water from the Instant Pot.

aeria view of steamed cauliflower in basket

Add olive oil, salt, and pepper to the cauliflower and toss to coat.

Serve warm and enjoy.

aerial of of instant pot steamed cauliflower in glass bowl

🍴 Recipe Tips

I LOVE to steam veggies in my Instant Pot and often do it several times a week. While not every veggie is created the same or holds up the same to heat and pressure, the results are still easy and customizable.

With this Instant Pot cauliflower recipe, we can adjust how tender we get it by just adding 1 more minute to the clock.

With fresh cauliflower, you can get soft cauliflower (that's not too soft) by just setting the IP to 0 minutes. Yes, you can cook things for zero minutes.

The time it takes to get the Instant Pot up to pressure cooks the cauliflower perfectly so once it reaches the desired pressure level, the time is up.

Want softer cauliflower? 1 or 2 minutes will make it so tender you can mash it with a fork. Steamed cauliflower in the Instant Pot is so fast and easy its always a great side dish option for your meal.

💭 FAQs

Is steamed cauliflower healthy?

Steaming veggies is a great way to make them nice and tender for chewing while keeping a lot of nutrients intact. This means that it could be considered a healthier way to prepare your cauliflower.

Can I steam cauliflower in advance?

Yes, you can make this side dish up to 2 days in advance and store it in an airtight container in the fridge. Simply reheat when ready to eat. Perfect for easy meals throughout the week.

close up of steamed cauliflower in glass bowl

Here are some more great Instant Pot recipes to try

📖 Recipe

Print Recipe

5 from 1 vote