How to Cook Carrots in an Electric Pressure Cooker

Carrots are fantastic vegetables because they can easily be served with just about any entree.

They are the side dish that pairs with every protein you can think of, from chicken to pork, fish to beef, turkey or lamb, and even tofu or lentils.

This popular root vegetable is one that many of us have on hand practically at all times. And you can prepare a delicious side dish in just a few minutes, right in your electric pressure cooker.

That’s right – this cooking method only takes about 4 minutes. Isn’t that fantastic?

Anything that you choose to cook for dinner, these beautiful orange veggies will go perfectly with it. I usually like to whip them up when I’m having leftovers for dinner. It’s nice to have something fresh on the side of some leftover pot roast or roasted chicken.

People of all ages love these sweet vegetables, and diners are sure to sing their praises when they are cooked to perfection with this fast and easy method.

You can dress them down for a casual weeknight meal, but they can also be elevated to serve for fancy dinner parties or holiday meals.

The best way to cook them in this appliance is by steaming them. So, what will you need to make these?

First and foremost, your electric pressure cooker. That’s pretty obvious at this point, right? Whether it’s in Instant Pot or another type, it’s time to get it out of the closet or cabinet and set it on your countertop.

If you don’t have one already, we can help you to choose which one meets your needs.

You will also need to use a steamer basket or trivet to keep the vegetables out of the water in the bottom of the insert. Using one of these extra accessories will prevent the vegetables from becoming too mushy, like they would if you cooked them directly in the liquid.

This method is fantastic because all you have to do is dump in your ingredients and go. You can take care of cooking your entree in the meantime, have a glass of wine, or finish up one or two quick household chores.

They’re sure to be cooked perfectly every time, without any fussing or over-attentive tending from you.

Here’s everything I’ll cover in this article:

Once you start cooking your root vegetables this way, I’m not sure you’ll want to prepare them any other way again.

The best part is that this vegetable is easily available year round, and totally budget-friendly. It will make a tasty addition to any meal.

How Should I Season My Carrots?

There are endless ways to serve these sweet and tasty steamed veggies, from the simple to the more elaborate or complicated.

My top favorite and ultimate go-to is using a bit of butter, salt, pepper, and chopped fresh parsley. But there are so many other things you can throw in to make your vegetables even more flavorful.

Here’s my guide to more top-rated possibilities:

• Butter, ghee, olive oil, or coconut oil
• Herbed compound butter
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Fresh herbs like parsley, thyme, rosemary, and sage
• Brown sugar, maple syrup, or honey
• Warming spices like allspice, cinnamon, and nutmeg
• Savory spices like paprika, turmeric, and cumin

Which flavor combination will you try with this bright root vegetable? Will you go sweet, or try something more savory? Start with a fat and basic seasonings, and mix and match from there.

For some extra tips on cooking time and texture adjustments, keep reading through to the end of this article!

How to Cook Carrots in an Electric Pressure Cooker

Preparing this simple side is a cinch, and it’s perfect for serving alongside just about anything that you’re making for dinner, or that you have left over in the fridge.

Step 1 – Prepare

Prepare 1 pound of root vegetables. If you are using the whole vegetable, peel and chop them into 2-inch pieces. You can also use the baby version, with no preparation required.

Measure out 1 cup of water. Note that you can use up to 2 pounds of vegetables max with this amount of water.

Add the water to the insert, and position a steamer basket or trivet accessory in the base.

Step 2 – Steam

Spread the vegetables out evenly in the steamer basket or on the trivet. Close the lid and make sure the vent is in the sealing position.

Set the appliance to Manual and High for 3 minutes. Note that this time will remain the same, even if you double the quantity of root vegetables.

Step 3 – Release Pressure and Season

Quick release the pressure manually. Carefully remove the vegetables and transfer them to a serving bowl.

Season as desired, toss, and serve.