How to Steam Zucchini

Cooking Zucchini in a Steamer Basket

Cut up a zucchini into ⁄4 in (0.64 cm) slices. Set a zucchini on a cutting board and use a sharp kitchen knife to trim off the ends and discard them. Slice the zucchini horizontally into round slabs that are about ⁄4 in (0.64 cm) thick. You can cut the zucchini smaller if you prefer. For instance, you could cut each slice into halves or quarters if you want smaller bite-sized pieces. Give the zucchini a quick rinse under running water before you cut it if it hasn’t been prewashed. Always leave the peel on zucchini before you cook it. The peel contains most of the nutrients and the soft inside is mostly water, so it can easily fall apart if you peel and cook the zucchini without the skin.

Fill a pot with 1 in (2.5 cm) of water and bring it to a boil. Choose a pot that is large enough to hold your steamer basket and fill it with approximately 1 in (2.5 cm) of cool water. Set the pot on a burner on your stove and turn it on to high heat, then wait for the water to boil.

Put the zucchini pieces into a steamer basket. Place your slices of zucchini inside the steamer basket. Spread out the pieces to distribute them more or less evenly, so they cook evenly. A steamer basket is a type of metal or wooden basket with holes or slots in it. These baskets work by keeping whatever you’re steaming above the water below, while allowing the hot steam to enter through the holes and cook the food. As an alternative to a steamer basket, you can use a metal colander that is big enough to be supported by the rim of the pot without touching the water in the bottom. The rest of the process is exactly the same as using a steamer basket.

Lower the steamer basket into the pot, so it sits just above the boiling water. Carefully set the steamer basket with the zucchini in it into the pot containing the boiling water. Make sure that the steamer basket is sitting above the surface of the water, so the boiling water doesn’t actually come into the basket and touch the zucchini. If the basket is submerged in the water, quickly remove it and carefully pour out some of the boiling water to lower the water level in the pot and keep the steamer basket above it. It doesn’t matter how far the basket is above the water, as long as there is no water touching the zucchini pieces.

Let the zucchini steam for about 5 minutes or until it is tender. Wait 5 minutes, then carefully lift the steamer basket out of the pot using an oven mitt or pad. Poke the zucchini pieces with a fork to make sure they are tender enough for your liking. If you want your zucchini to be a bit more crisp, you can steam it for only 4 minutes instead. Or, if you prefer it even more tender, steam it for 6 minutes. You can serve the zucchini right away. If you have any leftovers, just store them in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

Microwaving Zucchini to Steam It

Slice a zucchini into ⁄4 in (0.64 cm) pieces. Cut the ends off a zucchini on a cutting board using a sharp kitchen knife. Slice it crosswise into medallions that are approximately ⁄4 in (0.64 cm) thick. Feel free to cut the medallions into smaller pieces like halves or quarters if you want. Rinse the zucchini with running water before you cut it if it hasn’t been washed already. It’s best not to peel a zucchini before cooking it. Most of the nutrients are in the peel and the inside can get very mushy and fall apart if you take the skin off before you cook it.

Place the zucchini in a casserole dish with 2 US tbsp (30 mL) of water. Put your zucchini pieces into a microwave-safe casserole dish. Pour in about 2 US tbsp (30 mL) of water on top of the zucchini, which will add moisture to help it steam. If you don’t have a casserole dish, you could use any microwave-safe dish with high sides.

Cover the dish with a lid or heavy-duty plastic wrap. Put the dish’s lid on top of it if it has one. Stretch a layer of heavy-duty, kitchen-grade plastic wrap over the dish to cover it if it doesn’t have a lid. You have to cover the zucchini and trap all the moisture inside the dish in order for it to steam.

Microwave the zucchini on high for about 5 minutes. Place the dish with the zucchini into your microwave and set the power to high. Set the cook timer for 5 minutes and start the microwave. If you want slightly more crisp zucchini, try microwaving it for just 4 minutes. If you want it to be softer, you can try microwaving it for up to 6 minutes.

Stir the zucchini around halfway through the cook time. Pause the microwave after 2-3 minutes and take the dish out using oven mitts or pads. Use a spoon or other utensil to stir the zucchini around a couple of times. Put the dish back in the microwave for the remaining minutes. Microwaves have hot spots, so stirring the zucchini around halfway through the cook time will help ensure it steams evenly. You can eat the microwaved zucchini right away. Place any leftovers in a sealed container in your refrigerator and eat them within 2 days.

Putting a Steamer Basket in an Instant Pot

Cut a zucchini into quarters and then into ⁄3 in (0.85 cm) pieces. Place a zucchini on a cutting board and slice off the ends with a sharp kitchen knife. Cut the zucchini lengthwise into halves, then cut each half down the middle, so you have 4 separate quarters of your zucchini. Slice each quarter into pieces that are about ⁄3 in (0.85 cm) thick. If you want bigger pieces of zucchini, you can leave the zucchini whole or in 2 halves instead of cutting it into quarters at the beginning. Wash your zucchini with running water to rinse off any dirt before you cook it, if it hasn’t been washed already. Leave the peel on zucchini for cooking because most of the nutrients are contained in the peel. The inside is very liquidy and can quickly go mushy and fall apart if you don’t leave the peel on.

Put the zucchini pieces in a steamer basket and put it in your Instant Pot. Choose a steamer basket that is small enough to fit comfortably inside your Instant Pot. Distribute the zucchini pieces in an even layer in the basket, then lower it gently into your Instant Pot. If you don’t have a steamer basket that will fit into your Instant Pot, you can use the Instant Pot’s trivet basket accessory instead. However, this will work better if you leave the zucchini in larger, whole round slices that won’t fall through the cracks in the trivet.

Pour 1 c (240 mL) of water into the Instant Pot and put the lid on. Measure out about 1 c (240 mL) of water using a liquid measuring cup. Pour it into the Instant Pot, then lock the pot’s lid on to seal the zucchini and water inside. Make sure the zucchini is above the water. If the steamer basket is partially submerged in the water, remove it and pour out some of the water until the surface of the water is just below the steamer basket. As long as there is no water touching the zucchini pieces, the steaming will work. It doesn’t matter exactly how far above the water the basket sits.

Set the Instant Pot to steam mode and steam the zucchini for 1-2 minutes. Push the button that says “steam” on the control panel of your Instant Pot and ensure that the pressure is set to high. Set the timer for 1 minute if you want more crisp zucchini or 2 minutes if you want softer zucchini. Press the “manual” or “pressure cook” button to start steaming, then wait for it to finish cooking. Make sure the sealing valve is set to “sealing” before you turn on the Instant Pot. Some models do this automatically when you put the lid on, while others require you to close the valve yourself.

Vent the steam using the quick-release feature, then take out your zucchini. Turn the sealing valve to the venting position to quick-release the steam. This will ensure your zucchini doesn’t keep cooking and get too soft and mushy. Wait for all the steam to finish venting before you take off the lid and remove the zucchini. You can tell the steam is done venting because you won’t see any steam coming out and the floating valve, which is the little round valve next to the sealing valve, will sit below the surface of the pot’s lid. You can serve and eat the zucchini as soon as it’s done steaming. Put any leftovers in a sealed container and store them in your refrigerator for up to 2 days.