Transform your perception of vegetables with this incredibly easy Instant Pot Brussel Sprouts with Bacon recipe! This dish is the perfect, flavorful side you’ve been searching for, crafted effortlessly in your pressure cooker, whether it’s an Instant Pot or a Ninja Foodi. Much like our popular Instant Pot Steamed Vegetables, this version takes simplicity and elevates it with an irresistible garlic buttery touch.

Combining all my favorite flavors, we’ve perfected this simple yet sensational Instant Pot brussel sprouts recipe. For many, including myself, brussel sprouts might have once been a less-than-favorite vegetable. However, I’ve discovered that the secret to truly delicious brussel sprouts lies entirely in the cooking method and the complementary ingredients you choose to add. This recipe proves it – even my children, who are typically discerning eaters, enthusiastically devoured them! It has quickly become one of our go-to Instant Pot vegetable recipes.

Instant Pot Brussel Sprouts with Bacon: A Game-Changing Recipe

Behold these magnificent brussel sprouts, perfectly prepared in your Instant Pot! This versatile recipe seamlessly adapts to other multi-cookers like the Ninja Foodi or a Crockpot Express. For an unforgettably rich and savory experience, bacon and butter are not just optional additions – they are essential. These ingredients elevate the humble brussel sprout, transforming it into one of the most delectable side dishes we’ve ever created in our multi-cooker.

I genuinely haven’t found a main course that these tender, flavorful brussel sprouts don’t complement beautifully. They emerge from the pressure cooker wonderfully fork-tender, ready to be enjoyed straight from the pot. For those who crave an extra layer of texture, a quick visit to your air fryer can transform them into delightful crispy brussel sprouts. If you own an Instant Pot air fryer lid, simply attach it at the end of the pressure cooking cycle for a convenient crispy finish. Either way, the result is nothing short of delicious.

If you’re new to the world of pressure cooking, you’ve come to the right place! We offer a plethora of easy, one-pot meal recipes designed to make your culinary journey enjoyable and straightforward. To help you get started, here are a few fundamental tips for mastering your pressure cooker:

• Make sure to Bookmark our dedicated Instant Pot Recipes page. We regularly update it with exciting new recipes each week!
• For a comprehensive guide, PRINT this essential resource: our Instant Pot Cooking Times Cheat Sheet. This invaluable tool will demystify the cooking durations for various ingredients, including meats, a wide array of vegetables, and beans, ensuring perfect results every time.
• I highly recommend investing in this non-stick inner pot. It significantly enhances your pressure cooking experience, making cleanup a breeze and helping prevent food from sticking. While understanding how to deglaze a pressure cooker is still beneficial after sautéing, a non-stick liner greatly reduces potential issues.

For your reference, the model I personally use for all my recipe creations is a 6-quart Instant Pot.

For this recipe, I typically pick up a bag of brussel sprouts weighing approximately 2 pounds from my local grocery store, and I end up using the entire quantity. It’s a funny fact, but I didn’t actually eat these growing up. My dad was a big fan, but my mom found the smell off-putting, which, unfortunately, influenced my early aversion to them.

It wasn’t until adulthood that I truly gave them a solid chance, determined to make them genuinely delicious. And this recipe was the game-changer! Seriously, how can anything combined with the savory crunch of bacon and the rich creaminess of butter possibly be anything but amazing?

How Long Do You Cook Brussel Sprouts in the Instant Pot?

The magic happens in just 3 minutes of high-pressure cooking! This quick cooking time follows a brief sautéing period for the butter and bacon. Through a process of careful tweaking, tasting, adjusting, and tasting again, I perfected this recipe. The result? Even my 11-year-old proclaimed them delicious, which, for a kid, is a serious endorsement! My husband, known for his picky eating habits, was also thoroughly convinced, and now we make these flavorful brussel sprouts weekly.

From there, I’ve gone on to experiment with countless ways to prepare these little green gems. Besides this Instant Pot method, we are absolutely obsessed with air fryer brussel sprouts. If you happen to own a Ninja Foodi, which combines pressure cooking and air frying capabilities, I highly recommend trying both variations to discover your favorite!

Expert Cooking Tips for Perfect Brussel Sprouts

• Halving is Key: Cutting your brussel sprouts in half lengthwise is crucial for ensuring they steam evenly and reach a perfect tender-crisp texture throughout. This simple step allows the heat and moisture to penetrate to the very center, preventing a tough core.
• It makes intuitive sense, doesn’t it? Without halving, it’s incredibly challenging to achieve that desired soft, yet not mushy, consistency in the center of the sprouts.

Naturally, you’ll encounter a variety of sizes within a single batch of brussel sprouts. The smaller ones will tend to become more tender, while the larger “monsters” might retain a bit more bite. This mixture of textures, however, works wonderfully, adding depth to the dish. Once you’ve thoroughly rinsed and halved your sprouts, you’ll pressure cook them in a vegetable steamer basket with a modest amount of water.

If you prefer not to slice them at all, you can still follow this recipe. However, I would advise adding an extra minute to the cooking time to ensure they become tender all the way through. The downside to cooking them whole is that the outer leaves may become quite soft, even mushy to some palates, by the time the centers are perfectly cooked. This is precisely why I strongly recommend slicing them or, alternatively, soaking them in cool water for about 30 minutes beforehand if you insist on keeping them whole.

These brussel sprouts can also be prepared in a Ninja Foodi multi-cooker, just like our whole pressure cooker cauliflower recipe. The beauty of the Ninja Foodi is its dual functionality, allowing you to pressure cook and then air fry in the very same pot. While you might only choose one function for a specific dish, having both options at your fingertips is incredibly convenient. The instructions below focus solely on the pressure cooking function. If you desire a crispy finish, simply swap the lids and air crisp at 400°F for a few minutes until beautifully browned.

Essential Ingredients for Flavorful Brussel Sprouts

1. Brussels Sprouts: You can steam as many as you like, just ensure they don’t exceed the top of your steamer basket for even cooking.
2. Bacon: While optional, bacon significantly enhances the flavor and adds a touch of fat to keep the sprouts wonderfully moist and savory.
3. Butter: Crucial for infusing a rich, tender texture and delectable flavor into the sprouts.
4. Salt and Pepper: Season to your preferred taste.
5. Optional Flavor Enhancers: Consider adding a squeeze of fresh lemon, diced shallots, and/or grated Parmesan cheese for an extra layer of gourmet flavor.

Recommended Equipment

A high-quality vegetable steamer basket is an incredibly handy tool to have in your kitchen, not just for this recipe, but for a variety of other delicious sides like our Instant Pot spaghetti squash.

Customization and Flavorful Substitutions

When it comes to seasonings, we typically find that a simple blend of garlic salt and regular salt works perfectly. However, everyone’s palate is unique, so feel free to adjust these according to your personal taste. You can always add more salt at the very end if needed. There are indeed many ways to cook brussel sprouts, but I am confident this method will become a new favorite! For those with dietary restrictions, a dairy-free or vegan butter alternative can be easily substituted without compromising on flavor.

For an adventurous twist, you can steam the brussel sprouts as directed, then transfer them to a cast iron pan to create amazing cast iron brussel sprouts, imparting a fantastic sear and depth of flavor.

The combination of buttery garlic and savory bacon is a match made in culinary heaven, a flavor profile we adore so much that we even incorporate it when making our baked brussel sprouts and cauliflower recipe. Below, you’ll find the complete printable recipe card, but for a quick overview, here’s a step-by-step guide to how we prepare this fantastic dish:

Step-by-Step: How to Cook Brussel Sprouts in an Instant Pot

1. Prepare Brussel Sprouts: Wash and cut your brussel sprouts in half lengthwise. Place them into your steamer basket with 1.5 cups of water beneath the basket in the Instant Pot.
2. Pressure Cook: Close the Instant Pot lid and set the steam release valve to the sealing position. Cook at high pressure for 3 minutes. For smaller batches (e.g., halving this recipe), 2 minutes might be sufficient to achieve your desired tenderness.
3. Quick Release and Drain: Once the cooking cycle is complete, perform a quick release of the pressure. Carefully remove the steamer basket with the cooked brussel sprouts and set aside. Drain any remaining liquid from the Instant Pot.
4. Sauté Bacon and Aromatics: Return the empty inner pot to the Instant Pot and select the “Sauté” function on normal mode. Add 1 tablespoon of butter and your diced bacon. Cook until the bacon is nearly crispy, then add your diced shallots for the final minute of sautéing. Finally, add the remaining stick of butter, allowing it to melt and combine with the bacon and shallots. You can also add some minced garlic or a splash of balsamic vinegar during this stage for extra depth of flavor. For a lighter option, substitute some olive oil for part of the butter.
5. Combine and Season: Once the butter is fully melted and the bacon is cooked to your desired crispiness, turn off the Instant Pot. Gently return the cooked brussel sprouts to the pot and stir carefully to coat them evenly with the bacon-butter mixture. If desired, squeeze fresh lemon juice over the top, sprinkle with additional seasonings (like garlic salt and pepper), and toss lightly again.
6. Serve: Serve immediately, topped with grated Parmesan cheese and fresh chives for an exquisite finish.

For even crispier, roasted-style brussel sprouts, you have a few excellent options: if using a Ninja Foodi, close your Crisp Lid and air fry at 400°F for 4-5 minutes until golden brown. Alternatively, you can transfer them to a baking sheet and broil them in your oven at 400°F for a few minutes, or bake brussels sprouts at 450°F until they achieve the desired level of crispness. Jump to the recipe card below for precise details.

If you’re eager to explore more Instant Pot vegetable recipes, don’t forget to print out our handy cook time sheet and delve into other fantastic Instant Pot creations.

Rating: 4.82 out of 5 stars (based on 11 votes)

Instant Pot Brussel Sprouts with Bacon

By
Justine

This easy Instant Pot brussel sprouts with bacon recipe is the perfect side dish. Pressure cooked to fork-tender perfection in just minutes, then finished with crispy bacon and a savory garlic butter sauce.

Prep:
15 mins

Cook:
3 mins

Total:
18 mins

Servings:
6

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Equipment

• 1 pressure cooker
• 1 Vegetable steamer basket

Ingredients

• 8 cups brussel sprouts, approximately 2 lbs., halved
• 3 slices bacon, diced
• 1-2 medium shallots, diced (adjust quantity to taste)
• 1 stick butter, plus 1 tbsp., salted
• 1/2 tsp garlic salt
• 1/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated, for topping (optional)
• 1.5 cups water, for pressure cooking
• Lemon juice, for serving (optional)
• Fresh chives, chopped, for topping (optional)

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Instructions

1. Wash your brussel sprouts thoroughly and cut them in half lengthwise.
2. Place a vegetable steamer basket at the bottom of your Instant Pot and add 1.5 cups of water.
3. Carefully place your cut brussel sprouts into the steamer basket. Close the lid and ensure the steam release valve is set to the sealing position.
4. Set the Instant Pot to “Pressure Cook” (or “Manual”) on HIGH pressure for 3 minutes. If you are cooking a smaller batch (e.g., half the recipe), reduce the cooking time to 2 minutes.
5. Once pressure cooking is complete, perform a quick release of the pressure. Carefully open the lid, remove the basket containing the steamed brussel sprouts, and set it aside. Drain any remaining liquid from the Instant Pot liner.
6. Return the empty Instant Pot liner to the base and set it to “Sauté” on normal mode.
7. Add 1 tablespoon of butter and the diced bacon to the hot pot.
8. Cook the bacon, stirring occasionally, until it is almost done and starting to crisp. Then, add the diced shallots and cook for the last minute. Finally, add the remaining stick of butter and allow it to melt completely, coating the bacon and shallots.
9. Once the butter is melted and the bacon has reached your desired crispiness, turn off the Instant Pot.
10. Return the cooked brussel sprouts to the pot. Gently stir them to ensure they are all coated with the rich bacon and butter mixture. Squeeze fresh lemon juice over the top (if using), sprinkle with garlic salt and pepper to taste, and gently toss again.
11. Serve immediately, garnished with grated Parmesan cheese and chopped chives, if desired. Enjoy!

Video Tutorial

A video tutorial for this recipe is available on the original blog post to guide you through each step.

Nutrition Information

Serving: 4oz,
Calories: 322kcal,
Carbohydrates: 11g,
Protein: 6g,
Fat: 29g,
Saturated Fat: 17g,
Cholesterol: 72mg,
Sodium: 673mg,
Potassium: 513mg,
Fiber: 4g,
Sugar: 3g,
Vitamin A: 1635IU,
Vitamin C: 101.5mg,
Calcium: 86mg,
Iron: 1.7mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used only as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course:
Side Dish, Snack

Cuisine:
American

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