How Long To Cook Potatoes And Carrots In Pressure Cooker

Instant Pot Potatoes and Carrots

Instant Pot Potatoes & Carrots are a great side dish for anything you're serving, and they can be made in just 3 minutes in the Instant Pot, cooked to perfection with just the right amount of bite left.

» You might like these Instant Pot Corn on the Cob or Baked Beans.

Cooking vegetables in the Instant Pot is so easy. I don't know why I ever shied away from it before. It seems like pressure cooking vegetables would be overkill and they'd turn out all soggy, but that's definitely not the case. In fact, you can cut the cooking time down to zero if you like a slightly bite.

I prefer to cook these potatoes and carrots for 3 minutes, which gives them just the right amount of tenderness, without them being soggy. This side dish goes with everything, so you can always pop it in the Instant Pot, even at the last minute and have a fantastic dish to serve.

Click to see a step-by-step instruction video.

Ingredients You Need

Since this is an easy side dish, you don't need a lot of ingredients. The more important thing is that you use high-quality veggies that are fresh and ready.

For the potatoes, you can use any variety you like. Russet potatoes are great. I also use russets for "baked potatoes" in the Instant Pot. But baby red potatoes or Yukon golds are also good. Really any potato goes. You can leave it unpeeled as long as you clean it really good. I've done it both ways and they're really good no matter what.

Potatoes – they can be peeled or unpeeled
Carrots – I prefer to peel them
Hot water – starting with hot water means it takes less time to come up to pressure
Salt & pepper
Olive oil – this is optional, for garnish if you want. I like the taste it adds.

Equipment You Need

You'll need your Instant Pot, of course. You can use any size you have. You might not be able to fit all of the 4 potatoes and carrots in a 3-quart, but you can try!

You also need a steamer basket. This is so the veggies are kept out of the water. If they're sitting directly in the water, they'll get really soggy and fall apart.

If you don't have a steamer basket, you can use the trivet that came with your Instant Pot to get the veggies out of the water. Just add a piece of tin foil on top and make it into a sort of boat to hold the veggies. I also like to put a few small holes in the tin foil so the steam can get through.

Why Use An Instant Pot?

The Instant Pot drastically cuts down the cooking time for cuts of meat that usually have to cook slowly for a long time in order to become tender. And there are many accessories you can use with it to cook in lots of different styles. It's one of the most useful kitchen appliances you can buy.

The Instant Pot is an incredible tool in the kitchen for making dishes that usually take a long time. If you don't have one yet, check out our guide on which one to buy. You can also read up on how to use it, in case you're not sure if it's for you.

Don't Have an Instant Pot Yet? This guide can help you choose the right one.
See reviews and prices for Instant Pots on Amazon.
Learn how to use your Instant Pot.
Click to find more recipes to make in your Instant Pot.

How to Make Instant Pot Potatoes and Carrots

I realize not everyone is going to make potatoes and carrots side by side, though I recommend trying it for the variety of flavor that it gives. The good part about this recipe is that you can make either of these veggies the exact same way, so even if you don't cook them together, you can still follow this recipe for cooking either.

Pour the hot water into the inner pot. You don't have to use hot water, but it helps bring the pressure up quicker and that helps keep the veggies a little more tender.

Place a steamer basket in the inner pot with the potatoes and carrots. If you don't have a steamer basket, you can place a piece of tin foil on the trivet and put the veggies in there.

Season the veggies with salt and pepper. You could also add any other seasonings you like. Seasoned salt is really good. Some ranch dressing powder is good. Or just some Italian seasoning. Close and lock the lid. Set the vent to sealing.

Press the Pressure Cook button and set to 3 minutes. It will take about 5 minutes to come up to pressure. After cooking, do a quick release of the pressure. If you leave it on Keep Warm for even 2-3 minutes, it will change the texture of the veggies.

That might be okay for you, if you like them with a bit less texture, but I suggest not letting them sit the first time you make them. The second time, you'll know exactly how you like them.

Season as you like, if you didn't before, or if you didn't add enough salt for your liking. Drizzle with olive oil before serving, if you like. I love the flavor that olive oil adds to these potatoes and carrots, so I never skip this step. It's up to you!

>> If you have leftover carrots you might want to try this caramelized carrot soup.

What to Pair This Side Dish With

We all know that potatoes go with everything, so you won't have a hard time finding something to serve these with. I love them on the side of a pork roast, or served with any chicken dish. How about on the side of a Pork & Sauerkraut made in the Instant Pot!

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potatoes and carrots

Instant Pot Potatoes & Carrots

Prep Time 5 mins

Cook Time 2 mins

Pressurize Time 10 mins

Total Time 17 mins

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Servings 4 Servings

Calories 204 kcal

Instant Pot, steamer basket

4 medium potatoes peeled or unpeeled and cubed
4 medium carrots peeled and cubed
1 cup hot water
Salt & pepper to taste
1/2 tablespoon olive oil for garnish if you want

Pour the hot water into the inner pot. Place a steamer basket in the inner pot with the potatoes and carrots. If you don't have a steamer basket, you can place a piece of tin foil on the trivet and put the veggies in there.
Season the veggies with salt and pepper. Close and lock the lid. Set the vent to sealing.
Press the Pressure Cook button and set to 3 minutes. It will take about 5 minutes to come up to pressure.
After cooking, do a quick release of the pressure.
Season as you like and drizzle with olive oil before serving, if you like.

Calories: 204 kcal Carbohydrates: 43 g Protein: 5 g Fat: 2 g Saturated Fat: 1 g Polyunsaturated Fat: 1 g Monounsaturated Fat: 1 g Sodium: 55 mg Potassium: 1092 mg Fiber: 6 g Sugar: 5 g Vitamin A: 10195 IU Vitamin C: 46 mg Calcium: 46 mg Iron: 2 mg

Keyword Carrots, Potatoes

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