Cooking green beans in a pressure cooker is a quick and easy way to prepare this healthy side dish. With the intense heat and pressure environment inside a pressure cooker, green beans can cook in a fraction of the time needed on the stovetop or in the oven.
What You’ll Need
- 1 lb fresh green beans, ends trimmed
- 1 cup water or broth
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Pressure cooker
Prep the Green Beans
Start by trimming the ends off your green beans. Make sure to remove any brown or dried out pieces from the ends. Rinse the beans under running water and pat dry. Leave whole or cut into 1-2 inch pieces.
Add Beans and Liquid to Pot
Place the trimmed and cleaned green beans into the pressure cooker pot. Pour in 1 cup of water or broth over the beans. The liquid will create steam to cook the beans under pressure. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Pressure Cook the Beans
Lock the lid of the pressure cooker into place. Select high pressure and set the cook time. Cook times will vary based on how crunchy or tender you want your beans.
For very crisp-tender beans, cook for 0-1 minute under high pressure. For tender beans, cook for 1-3 minutes. For very soft beans, cook for 3-5 minutes.
Once cook time is complete, use the quick release method to rapidly release the steam and pressure. Carefully remove the lid, tilting it away from you to avoid the steam.
Finish and Serve
Use tongs to transfer the cooked green beans to a serving dish. Taste and season again with salt, pepper, or any additional herbs or spices. Pour any remaining cooking liquid over the beans before serving.
Green beans cooked in the pressure cooker should be bright green in color and tender but not mushy in texture. They make a fast and healthy accompaniment to all kinds of meals.
Tips for Pressure Cooking Green Beans
- Cut beans into similar sized pieces so they cook evenly.
- Don’t overload the pot – cook beans in a single layer with room for steam circulation.
- Add aromatics like garlic, onion, or herbs for flavor.
- Toss cooked beans with butter or olive oil for added richness.
- Cook beans straight from frozen – just add 1-2 minutes to cook time.
Pressure Cooker Green Bean Recipes
Beyond basic side dishes, there are lots of tasty ways to prepare green beans in the pressure cooker:
Lemon Garlic Green Beans
Ingredients: Green beans, olive oil, garlic, lemon, salt, pepper
Cook green beans with garlic and lemon for a bright flavor. Toss with olive oil before serving.
Green Beans with Bacon
Ingredients: Green beans, bacon, onion, chicken broth
Cook chopped bacon and onion, then add green beans and broth to pressure cooker. Finish with crumbled bacon on top.
Spicy Sesame Green Beans
Ingredients: Green beans, sesame oil, garlic, red pepper flakes, soy sauce
Stir fry garlic and red pepper in sesame oil, then add to pressure cooker with green beans and soy sauce.
Storing and Freezing Cooked Green Beans
Properly stored, pressure cooked green beans will keep for:
- Refrigerator: 5-7 days
- Freezer: 8-10 months
Let green beans cool completely before transferring to an airtight container or freezer bag. Make sure to remove excess moisture to prevent freezing into a solid block.
Frozen green beans can be quickly reheated on the stovetop or in the microwave directly from frozen.
Conclusion
Pressure cooking makes quick work of preparing fresh green beans. With cook times of just 1-5 minutes, you can have tender beans ready in no time. Experiment with different cook times and bean sizes to find your ideal texture. Add flavorings like garlic, onions, herbs, or bacon. Serve as a healthy side or incorporate into main dishes. Stored properly, cooked pressure cooker green beans will keep for up to a week in the fridge or many months in the freezer.