How to steam green beans without a steamer?

Steaming in a Pan

Bring a scant 1/2 inch of salted water to boil in a large frying pan or sauté pan. Add trimmed and cleaned green beans, cover, and cook until the beans are tender to the bite and the water has evaporated, 3 to 5 minutes (depending on how crisp you like your cooked green beans).

A steamer basket is the most common way to steam vegetables. This simple houseware is inserted directly into a pot or pan, and then used on the stove or in the microwave. The concept is rather simple, you just add a little bit of water into the pot, place your veggies in the basket and then close the lid to the pot.

First, take three sheets of aluminum foil and roll them up into baseball-sized balls. Place them on the bottom of the pot, and pour in about an inch of water. Then rest the plate on top of the foil balls, and add whatever food you’re trying to steam to the plate. Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid and steam away.

Rubbery beans mean they’re undercooked (meanwhile, overcooked become mushy). If they’re rubbery, try returning them to the pot to cook for longer. I recommend testing one or two as they cook, so you only remove them from the pan at the correct time.

Perhaps the most interesting distinction between a pressure cooker and a dedicated steamer, however, is how much faster and more effective pressure cooking is than steaming food. Pressure cookers are often around ten times more efficient and faster than many other methods of cooking!

Perhaps the most interesting distinction between a pressure cooker and a dedicated steamer, however, is how much faster and more effective pressure cooking is than steaming food. Pressure cookers are often around ten times more efficient and faster than many other methods of cooking!

Add the 3/4 cup of water to the bottom of Instant Pot and then place trivet inside the inner pot. Add veggies, then place lid on Instant Pot and make sure valve is set to seal. Press the pressure cook button and set to high, then cook for 0 minutes. Yes, zero minutes is all that’s needed to steam!

No. Jicama just doesn’t ever get very soft. So, you actually probably don’t need to boil it long.

Step 1: Steaming the Kale

To prepare the kale, remove the leaves from the stem. Tear into bite size pieces. Wash thoroughly in cold water and spin dry. Place the kale into the steamer basket.

Steam Only

When the water reaches a boil, add 3 tightly packed cups of de-stemmed, roughly chopped lacinato kale to the steamer basket. Cover. Steam for about 10 minutes, until the kale is tender. Remove and finish with 3/4 teaspoon of salt and the juice from 1/2 lemon.