When cooking vegetable, fresh or frozen, it’s recommended to use steaming to preserve vitamins and minerals to the maximum. Steaming also retains the natural look of the vegetables, adding aesthetic value to your dish.
When steaming vegetables, you need at least one cup of water (250ml), an ovenproof or steel bowl on a trivet. Due to short pressure cooking time leaving the cooker naturally cooling down without using the steam release will add some extra cooking time to the food.
Please note that the cooking time is pressure cooking time on Instant Pot or other electric pressure cookers operating at the preset pressure level. Cooking times are approximate. Please use them as a guideline only.
The cooking time is for small or medium amount of food. For large amount, please add more water and increase the time by 20~40%.
Fresh or Frozen Vegetable Pressure Cooking Timetable
Vegetable | Fresh, Cooking Time | Frozen, Cooking Time |
| Artichoke, whole, trimmed without leaves | 9 – 11 | 11 – 13 |
| Artichoke, hearts | 4 – 5 | 5 – 6 |
| Asparagus, whole or cut | 1 – 2 | 2 – 3 |
| Beans, green/yellow or wax, whole, trim ends and strings | 1 – 2 | 2 – 3 |
| Beets, small roots, whole | 11 – 13 | 13 – 15 |
| Beetroot, large roots, whole | 20 – 25 | 25 – 30 |
| Broccoli, florets | 2 – 3 | 3 – 4 |
| Broccoli, stalks | 3 – 4 | 4 – 5 |
| Brussel sprouts, whole | 3 – 4 | 4 – 5 |
| Cabbage, red, purple or green, shredded | 2 – 3 | 3 – 4 |
| Cabbage, red, purple or green, wedges | 3 – 4 | 4 – 5 |
| Carrots, sliced or shredded | 1 – 2 | 2 – 3 |
| Carrots, whole or chunked | 2 – 3 | 3 – 4 |
| Cauliflower florets | 2 – 3 | 3 – 4 |
| Celery, chunks | 2 – 3 | 3 – 4 |
| Collard | 4 – 5 | 5 – 6 |
| Corn, kernels | 1 – 2 | 2 – 3 |
| Corn, on the cob | 3 – 4 | 4 – 5 |
| Aubergine, slices or chunks | 2 – 3 | 3 – 4 |
| Endive | 1 – 2 | 2 – 3 |
| Escarole, chopped | 1 – 2 | 2 – 3 |
| Green beans, whole | 2 – 3 | 3 – 4 |
| Greens (beetroot greens, collards, kale, spinach, swiss chard, turnip greens), chopped | 3 – 6 | 4 – 7 |
| Leeks | 2 – 4 | 3 – 5 |
| Mixed vegetables | 2 – 3 | 3 – 4 |
| Okra | 2 – 3 | 3 – 4 |
| Onions, sliced | 2 – 3 | 3 – 4 |
| Parsnips, sliced | 1 – 2 | 2 – 3 |
| Parsnips, chunks | 2 – 4 | 4 – 6 |
| Peas, in the pod | 1 – 2 | 2 – 3 |
| Peas, green | 1 – 2 | 2 – 3 |
| Potatoes, in cubes | 7 – 9 | 9 – 11 |
| Potatoes, whole, baby | 10 – 12 | 12 – 14 |
| Potatoes, whole, large | 12 – 15 | 15 – 19 |
| Pumpkin, small slices or chunks | 4 – 5 | 6 – 7 |
| Pumpkin, large slices or chunks | 8 – 10 | 10 – 14 |
| Rutabaga, slices | 3 – 5 | 4 – 6 |
| Rutabaga, chunks | 4 – 6 | 6 – 8 |
| Spinach | 1 – 2 | 3 – 4 |
| Squash, acorn, slices or chunks | 6 – 7 | 8 – 9 |
| Squash, butternut, slices or chunks | 8 – 10 | 10 – 12 |
| Sweet potato, in cubes | 7 – 9 | 9 – 11 |
| Sweet potato, whole, small | 10 – 12 | 12 – 14 |
| Sweet potato, whole, large | 12 – 15 | 15 – 19 |
| Sweet pepper, slices or chunks | 1 – 3 | 2 – 4 |
| Tomatoes, in quarters | 2 – 3 | 4 – 5 |
| Tomatoes, whole | 3 – 5 | 5 – 7 |
| Turnip, chunks | 2 – 4 | 4 – 6 |
| Yam, in cubes | 7 – 9 | 9 – 11 |
| Yam, whole, small | 10 – 12 | 12 – 14 |
| Yam, whole, large | 12 – 15 | 15 – 19 |
| Zucchini (Courgette), slices or chunks | 2 – 3 | 3 – 4 |