Cooking carrots in the Instant Pot is so quick, easy, and nutritious! Made in only a few minutes, they are wonderfully tender and great for an easy veggie side.
1poundcarrotspeeled and cut in 2-inch long pieces (or use baby carrots)
1cupwater
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.
Note: The nutrition facts below are my estimates. If you are following any diet plan, I recommend cross-checking with your preferred nutrition calculator.