Instant Pot Green Beans

Green Beans

Green beans are also called string beans, snap beans, or French beans. They’re a delicious and nutrient-packed legumes full of vitamins and minerals.

Whole green beans are often eaten fresh (not dried). But you can also find canned and frozen green beans in the market.

My dad used to grow green beans in our little backyard. Every year, we’d have an abundant harvest of fresh green beans. And the easiest yet tasty ways we enjoy them are steam green beans and sautéed green beans with garlic.

Green Beans Instant Pot Recipe

Steam Green Beans: Pressure cooking green beans in Instant Pot allows you to keep their satisfying crunch texture, and maximize their natural flavors and nutrients. One of healthiest way to enjoy fresh green beans!

Sauteed Green Beans: The sauteed garlic and our signature fish sauce are simple yet tasty ingredients that complement the green beans. Though their flavors are strong, they won’t cover but rather enhance the natural flavors and aroma of the fresh beans.

Don’t just save these tasty yet healthy pressure cooker green beans for Thanksgiving holiday!

How to Cook Instant Pot Green Beans

Prepare ingredients for cooking green beans in Instant Pot.

Tips for Buying Green Beans: Try to use the best quality fresh green beans that have a bright green color, no bruises or brown spots; firm, not flimsy, and “snap” when you bend them; full of moisture not dried.

Fish Sauce (Optional): It’ll add a kick of tasty umami to the sautéed green beans. Don’t worry! A high-quality fish sauce won’t make your green beans taste fishy!

This Red Boat 40N Fish Sauce is still our favorite. Three Crabs Brand Fish Sauce is another solid choice.

Tools for Green Beans Instant Pot Recipe

• Instant Pot Pressure Cooker (6qt)
• Steamer Basket or Steamer Rack

Pressure Cook Fresh Green Beans

First, pour ½ cup (125ml) cold tap water in Instant Pot.

Place steamer rack or steamer basket in Instant Pot.

Then, put fresh green beans on steamer basket.

With Venting Knob in Venting Position, close the lid, then turn Venting Knob to Sealing Position.

Pressure Cooking Method: Pressure Cook fresh green beans with Low Pressure for 0 (zero) to 2 minutes, then Quick Release.

• Quick Release: When pressure cooking ends, immediately turn the Venting Knob to Venting Position to release all the pressure.

Once the Floating Valve drops, remove the lid.

Serve Steam Green Beans

Drain the water, then set aside the green beans in Instant Pot to air dry.

These pressure cooker green beans are ready to serve!

Option 1 – Steam Green Beans: Season green beans with salt and black pepper, then serve.

Option 2 – Sauteed Green Beans: Don’t season the green beans at this step, and proceed to Step 3 below.

Optional – Sauté Green Beans and Garlic

Remove the hot water and towel dry the inner pot.

Press “Saute” button to “Sauté More” function to heat up your Instant Pot.

It’ll switch to “ON” on the screen. Wait until it says “HOT” on the screen.

Add 1 tbsp (15ml) peanut oil or olive oil in the Instant Pot’s inner pot. Make sure you cover the whole bottom with oil.

Add minced garlic in Instant Pot, then sauté garlic for roughly 30 seconds. Don’t let the garlic burn.

Add the air-dried green beans in Instant Pot, then saute green beans for 30 seconds.

Green beans go very well with fish sauce! Season the fresh green beans with ~1.5 tsp to 2 tsp fish sauce and fine sea salt to taste. Then, saute for another 30 seconds.

Serve Sauteed Green Beans

Serve the sauteed green beans with garlic immediately with your main and side dishes!

What Goes Well with Green Beans

Whether you’re serving steam green beans or sauteed green beans, green beans go well with many main and side dishes.

You can serve these tasty green beans as a healthy vegetable side dish for dinners and parties. It goes well with meaty dishes, seafood, pasta, or rice dishes.

• Chicken: Instant Pot Whole Chicken, Instant Pot Chicken Thighs;
• Beef: Grilled steak, Roast Beef, Umami Pot Roast, Beef Stew, Meatloaf
• Pork: Instant Pot Pork Chops, Instant Pot Pork Tenderloin
• Pasta or Rice Dishes: Instant Pot Spaghetti, Instant Pot Chicken and Rice

You can also add other sides like Rice, Instant Pot Quinoa, Roasted Potatoes, or Corn on the Cob to enjoy a more complete meal.

Enjoy your Instant Pot Green Beans!

Other Instant Pot Vegetable Recipes

• Instant Pot Broccoli
• Instant Pot Cabbage
• Instant Pot Cauliflower
• Instant Pot Kale