These Instant Pot Carrots are quick, easy, and perfectly steamed! Made in only a few minutes, they are wonderfully tender and great for an easy veggie side dish. Use these tips and tricks to make steamed whole or baby carrots in your Instant Pot.
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Steamed carrots are a family favorite veggie side dish for a reason! They are naturally lightly sweet, cooked to a tender, creamy texture, and can be seasoned with your favorite spices to complement any entree.
I prefer steaming carrots using an Instant Pot. There is no hovering over the stove while they cook, and they get evenly steamed without any tossing or flipping! I love that the flavor is so easy to customize to whatever we are eating with the carrots.
Jump to:
- Why Steam Carrots or Veggies in the Instant Pot?
- How long to steam carrots in the Instant Pot?
- How To Cook Carrots In Instant Pot
- What accessories do I need for Instant Pot Carrots?
- Alternate Methods To Steam Carrots
- Serving & Seasoning Suggestions
- Recipe Tips & Notes
- FAQ
- More Instant Pot 'Basics' Recipes from the Blog
- 📖 Recipe
You might also like this delicious recipe for Honey Glazed Instant Pot Carrots.
Why Steam Carrots or Veggies in the Instant Pot?
I love steaming carrots in the Instant Pot for so many reasons, such as:
- Using the pressure cooker is hands-off! Just add the carrots, seasonings, and water to the Instant Pot and let the pot do its magic.
- This method is so fast! After you've peeled your carrots, they take under 15 minutes to cook.
- This recipe is completely customizable. Add your favorite spices for the perfect side or to use in another recipe. (see seasoning suggestions in the recipe card below)
- Carrots are evenly cooked and perfectly tender every single time!
Check out other easy and delicious Instant Pot Basics Recipes!
How long to steam carrots in the Instant Pot?
Whole Carrots: Regular Carrots take 2 minutes of pressure cooking time. However, the pressure cooker will take about 10 minutes to reach pressure, so the total time will be around 12 minutes.
How long to cook baby carrots in the Instant Pot: Cook baby carrots for 2 minutes at high pressure, followed by a quick release of pressure.
How To Cook Carrots In Instant Pot
Here are the step-by-step instructions and photos on how to steam carrots in your instant pot:
- Prep the carrots: Peel carrots and cut them into 2-inch long pieces, about ½-inch thick. Alternatively, use baby carrots. (pic 1)
- Add water: Add 1 cup of water to the steel insert of the Instant Pot. Increase water to 2 cups if using an 8qt cooker. (pic 2)
- Add the carrots: Add them in a steamer basket or stack them on any trivet with a 1-inch or more clearance from the bottom of the pot. This ensures even cooking. Lower the basket or trivet into the Instant Pot. (pic 3)
- Close the lid and cook: Close the lid. Select 'pressure cook' or manual and cook for 2 minutes at high pressure, on sealing mode. Once cooking time is up, hit cancel and release the pressure manually (QR) by following your model's quick-release instructions. Carefully remove the steamer basket and let it cool. (pic 4)
What accessories do I need for Instant Pot Carrots?
You will need:
- A silicone steamer basket (or a metal steamer)
- or a metal trivet which comes with most electric pressure cookers
If you don't have either, see the next section.
How to Steam Carrots without a Steamer Basket
Add the carrots to the pressure cooker first, then add the water and any seasonings. Since the carrots will be partially submerged in water, they will retain more moisture after cooking and maybe be slightly more cooked at the bottom (soaked part) than at the top.
Alternate Methods To Steam Carrots
Microwave
To steam carrots in the microwave, add carrot pieces to a large microwave-safe bowl. Add 2 to 3 tablespoons water. Cover the bowl with a microwave lid and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, depending on the desired level of tenderness.
Keep in mind that the microwaving steaming method may result in uneven doneness in carrots due to its style of heat distribution.
Stovetop Recipe
Fill a skillet with ½-inch deep water to steam carrots on the stove. Bring the water to a boil, add carrot pieces, cover, and cook for 5 minutes on medium-high heat until all the water has evaporated. Adjust the cooking time to reach your desired level of tenderness in carrots.
Serving & Seasoning Suggestions
Steamed carrots make a delicious side dish with a variety of foods. Depending on what I'm serving these carrots with, I sometimes skip the seasoning to enjoy their naturally sweet flavors or toss them with one of the following seasonings.
Depending on the seasoning, you can quickly saute the cooked carrots with the seasoning or just toss them.
- Butter & Maple: Combine 2 teaspoons unsalted butter with 1 teaspoon maple syrup (or honey). Toss the cooked carrots until nicely coated.
- Zesty Indian: ½ teaspoons each of cumin and chaat masala, 1 teaspoon lime juice, ¼ teaspoon salt. Toss cooked carrots until nicely coated.
- Classic: ¼ teaspoon each of sea salt and freshly ground pepper. Toss cooked carrots until nicely coated.
- Herbed Butter: 2 teaspoons salted butter + 2 teaspoons parsley or cilantro. Heat 1 teaspoon olive oil in a pan, add cooked carrots and seasoning and saute for 2 minutes.
- Spicy & Sweet: ½ teaspoons each of chili powder and brown sugar. Heat 1 teaspoon olive oil in a pan, add cooked carrots and seasoning and saute for 2 minutes.
- Garlic & Herb: 2 teaspoons oil + 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning blend. Heat olive oil in a pan and add cooked carrots and seasoning. Saute 2 to 3 minutes.
Recipe Tips & Notes
- Cutting carrots: Cut carrots about the same size in length and thickness to ensure even cooking.
- Seasoning: You can easily customize the seasoning of the carrots to match what you're eating. Check for seasoning suggestions above for options.
- Baby carrots: Use the same cooking time and instructions.
- Carrot tenderness cook time: This cook time results in fork-tender carrots. For softer carrots, increase the cooking time to 3 minutes.
- Meal prep: This recipe can easily be doubled for meal prep, with the same pressure cooking time. Please note that the cooker will take longer to reach pressure in that case, which will increase the overall cook time.
FAQ
Set the timer for 2 minutes for fork-tender carrots. The Instant Pot will take about 10 minutes to come to pressure, so the actual cooking time is about 12 minutes.
Add the carrots to the pressure cooker first, then add the water and any seasonings.
Yes! The cooking time depends on the food or vegetable.
More Instant Pot 'Basics' Recipes from the Blog
- Steamed Broccoli in Instant Pot
- Instant Pot Corn on the Cob
- Instant Pot Boiled Potatoes
- Pumpkin Puree Recipe
- More Instant Pot Basics Recipes from the blog
📖 Recipe
Instant Pot Carrots (Steamed)
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Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 pound carrots peeled and cut in 2-inch long pieces (or use baby carrots)
- 1 cup water
Instructions
- Peel carrots and cut them in 2-inch long pieces, about ½-inch thick. Alternatively use baby carrots.
- Add 1 cup water to the steel insert of the Instant Pot. Increase water to 2 cups if using an 8qt cooker.
- Add carrots in a steamer basket, or stack them on any trivet that has a 1-inch or more clearance from the bottom of the pot. This ensures even cooking. Lower the basket or trivet into the Instant Pot.
- Close the lid. Select 'pressure cook' or manual and cook for 2 minutes at high pressure, on sealing mode.
- Once cooking time is up, hit cancel and release the pressure manually (QR) by following your model's quick release instructions. Carefully remove the steamer basket and let it cool.
Notes
- Cut carrots about the same size in length and thickness to ensure even cooking.
- I prefer the natural flavor of steamed carrots, but if you like to season yours before steaming, toss the carrots in your preferred seasoning blend before adding them to the basket. Checkout 6 flavor options in the recipe above.
- To cook baby carrots, use the same cooking time and instructions.
- This cook time results in fork-tender carrots. For softer carrots, increase the cooking time to 3 minutes.
- This recipe can easily be doubles for meal prep, with the same pressure cooking time. Please note that the cooker will take longer to reach pressure in that case, which will increase the overall cook time.
- To steam carrots on the stove, fill a skillet with ½-inch deep water. Bring the water to a boil, add carrot pieces, cover and cook for 5 minutes on medium-high heat, until all the water has evaporated. Adjust the cook time to reach your desired level of tenderness in carrots.
- To steam carrots in the microwave, add carrot pieces to a large microwave safe bowl. Add 2 to 3 tablespoons water. Cover the bowl with a microwave lid and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, depending on the desired level of tenderness. Keep in mind that microwaving steaming method may result in uneven doneness in carrots due to its style of heat distribution.
Kathy says
Hi… not sure what my problem is but using the green silicone insert and cooking at high pressure for even 4 mins still leaves the carrots hard.
Does anyone else have this problem?
Aneesha Gupta says
Hi Kathy, sorry to hear that. This recipe has been made by several readers, so timing is not the issue. I recommend checking your sealing ring and maybe replacing it. Let me know how it goes!