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Simple and classic Instant Pot Carrots are the perfect veggie side for just about any meal! These pressure cooked carrots are garnished with fresh herbs and a buttery glaze to add a pop of healthy color to your weeknight dinner or holiday menu.
Carrots are one of my favorite vegetables to serve, especially during the fall and winter. I love to prepare them in the air fryer or roast them in the oven with a maple glaze, but lately, I’ve been cooking buttery glazed carrots in the pressure cooker.
All it takes is a handful of ingredients to make perfectly cooked Instant Pot carrots. They’re tender, savory, and on the table after the super quick 2-minute cooking time is up!
Better yet, you can customize these carrots with your favorite herbs and seasonings or glazes to help them pair perfectly with any meal. Just like my baked sweet potato slices, this is a hearty veggie side dish that you’ll never get tired of serving!
Recipe features
- It’s an easy and reliable veggie side dish that requires minimal prep and a short list of ingredients.
- Fast enough to prepare for busy weeknight dinners while also being a great fit for holiday spreads and special events.
- Naturally gluten free, easy to make vegan, and fun to customize using your favorite herbs and spices.
Ingredients
Carrots - The star of this side dish! In season in the fall and winter, this hearty veggie is easy to prepare in your pressure cooker. I like to use fresh orange carrots but rainbow carrots would make this side dish a lot more fun.
Butter - It’s tossed with the warm carrots to give them a nice buttery flavor. You can substitute dairy free butter if you’d like.
Herbs and seasonings - To really take these easy pressure cooked carrots to the next level, toss them with chopped parsley, fresh chives, salt, and pepper.
Instructions
Step 1: Fill the Instant Pot. Add the sliced carrots to the pressure cooker, then cover with water.
Step 2: Pressure cook. Cook for 2 minutes and quick pressure release, then use a strainer to drain the excess water from the pot.
Step 3: Season the carrots: Return the drained carrots to the pot and stir in the butter, salt, pepper, and any other desired seasonings.
Step 4: Garnish and serve: Top the carrots with chopped herbs, then serve and enjoy!
Tips and FAQs
- Try to cut the carrots into evenly-sized pieces to ensure even cooking. I like to peel them and slice them into diagonals.Â
- Opt for thicker carrots, as thin ones tend to break apart when you’re stirring in the butter and seasonings.
- Thick or large-cut carrots may need an additional 1 or 2 minutes of cooking. Check for doneness after 2 minutes, reseal, and continue cooking if needed.
Tip
To save on prep time, use baby carrots instead. No chopping or peeling required! You may want to rinse them first, though.
Variations
- Garnish the carrots with fresh herbs, like thyme, oregano, parsley, or sage. Even dry seasonings, like garlic powder, onion powder, red pepper flakes, paprika, or ginger, would be delicious.
- Make the Instant Pot glazed carrots a bit sweeter by adding ingredients like orange juice or zest, brown sugar, honey, or maple syrup. This will create a warm and unique sweet-savory flavor combo that’s perfect for those cozy holiday meals.
- Use a balsamic glaze for garnish or drizzle the carrots with extra herb butter to pack them with savory flavor.
How long does it take to cook carrots in the Instant Pot?
It only takes about 2 minutes to cook the diced carrots in the pressure cooker.
Can you cook carrots in the Instant Pot without a steamer basket?
Yes, this recipe doesn’t require a steamer basket. As long as there’s enough water in the pressure cooker to fully cover the carrots, they will soften and cook through.
How many people does this recipe serve?
This recipe makes enough carrots to serve about 6 people. If you need to feed a larger crowd, either double the recipe if your pressure cooker is large enough or cook them in multiple batches.
Can you pressure cook the carrots with other vegetables?
Absolutely! Cook the carrots with other hearty veggies, like quartered red potatoes, green beans, parsnips, cauliflower, or broccoli.
What goes well with glazed carrots?
The buttery carrots are delicious with practically everything. For weeknight dinners, I like to pair them with my split pea soup or this hearty creamy mushroom chicken. Then, during the holidays, I’ll serve them next to the Thanksgiving turkey, sweet potato casserole, green bean casserole, and gluten free apple stuffing
Storage
Refrigerator: Place the cooled leftovers in an airtight container and store them in the refrigerator for 4 to 5 days.
Freezer: Transfer the carrots to a freezer-safe airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months.
More easy veggie side dishes
If you made this recipe, be sure to leave a comment and star rating below. Thanks!
Instant Pot Carrots
Ingredients
- 2 lb carrots peeled and sliced diagonally
- 1 cup water
- 1 tablespoon butter
- salt and pepper to taste
- optional herbs: fresh parsley, fresh chives
Instructions
- Add the carrots to your instant pot, then pour the water overtop.
- Pressure cook for 2 minutes, then quick release. Carefully pour the carrots through a strainer to drain any water, then return the carrots to the instant pot.
- Add butter, salt and pepper and gently toss to combine (the pot should still be warm so the butter should melt fairly quickly).
- Garnish with fresh herbs, like parsley or chives (optional) and enjoy!
Bill says
So easy to make yet so delicious at the same time. A new go-to for me.