• Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Recipes
  • All About Jenny
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
Kitchen Skip
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Recipes
  • About Jenny
  • Subscribe to Newsletter
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×

    Home » Recipes » Instant Pot

    Instant Pot Potatoes and Carrots

    Published: Nov 2, 2022 · Modified: Dec 20, 2022 by Jenny

    Jump to Recipe
    a bowl of cooked baby carrots and potatoes

    An easy recipe for Instant Pot potatoes and carrots that makes creamy, tender potatoes and perfectly cooked baby carrots.

    a bowl of cooked potato pieces and baby carrots topped with chives this recipe

    Soft, creamy potatoes and tender carrots are such a simple and perfect side dish. Especially if you let butter melt over the top and add fresh chives or parsley.

    This recipe is really simple and cooks really quickly, but I tested it many times before I was happy.

    The really tricky part of cooking potatoes and carrots in a pressure cooker is that the cooking time is entirely dependent on the size of the vegetable.

    This is why you'll see so many different cooking times for Instant Pot potatoes and carrots. Some Instant Pot recipes cook for 3 minutes (like this recipe), some for 5 minutes and some for as long as 10 minutes or more.

    Smaller potatoes and carrots cook in a shorter amount of time. Larger chunks of potatoes and carrots take longer to cook. If you want to cook potatoes and carrots together in your Instant Pot, then you need to make sure they are pretty much the same size.

    If you combine a bag of pre-cut baby carrots and add small potatoes that have been cut into quarters, then both veggies will cook perfectly in 3 minutes. Hooray!

    Looking for more pressure cooker potato and carrot recipes?

    Recipes like Instant Pot lemon garlic chicken breast with potatoes and carrots and Instant Pot vegetable stew are delicious examples of larger chunks of potatoes and carrots cooking together for a 10 minute cooking time. You can also make easy Instant Pot mashed potatoes (no drain).

    Ingredients

    labeled ingredients for this recipe

    Potatoes:
    You can use red, gold or purple potatoes for this recipe. Small potatoes are easiest to cut into uniform chunks because you can simply cut the potato into quarters or halves. If you only have large potatoes, then try to cut them into into 1-inch square or slightly smaller chunks. Anything larger than that won't cook in 3 minutes.

    Creamer potatoes are those itsy-bitsy potatoes that aren't much bigger than a cherry. You can leave creamer potatoes whole.

    Carrots: Pre-cut baby carrot are perfect for the Instant Pot because every carrot is the same size. If you're cutting whole carrots, aim for rounds that are ½-inch to ¾-inch thick.

    two red potatoes and one baby carrot next to a tape measure

    Step-by-Step Instructions

    Step 1: Cut small potatoes into quarters to make uniformly sized chunks.

    an Instant pot filled with water next to salt and butter

    Step 2: Add 2 cups water to the Instant Pot. Add 1 teaspoon salt. Adding a tablespoon or two of butter is optional.

    raw baby carrots and potatoes in a pressure cooker

    Step 3: Add baby carrots first, so they are submerged in water. Then add the potatoes. Season with ½ teaspoon salt.

    cooked potatoes and carrots in an Instant Pot

    Step 4: Cook 3 minutes, quick release.

    Step 5: If the veggies were cooked in only salted water, first drain off the water in a colander, then transfer the cooked carrots and potatoes to a serving bowl. If they were cooked in butter + water, then transfer the flavorful broth and the veggies to a serving bowl together. Top with fresh herbs, more butter and salt as needed.

    cooked baby carrots and potatoes in a bowl

    This simple side dish is really versatile and can be served with sausage, chicken, pot roast, pork butt... honestly you can serve buttery potatoes and carrots with just about anything.

    Instant Pot Potatoes

    When cooking potatoes alone in a pressure cooker, you can use a trivet or put the potatoes directly into water (1 or 2 cups). Putting the potatoes directly in the cooking water boils the potatoes. This method tends to make the boiled potatoes slightly watery and dilutes the flavor a little bit. Putting the potatoes above the water in a trivet steams them.

    A 3-minute cooking time will only cook potatoes that are in small chunks. "Small chunks" means cutting potatoes that are about 2 to 3 inches in diameter and/or 3 to 4 inches in circumference into halves or quarters.

    If you leave small potatoes whole, you will need to cook them for 6+ minutes.

    When larger potatoes are cut into larger chunks, you'll want to cook the potatoes for closer to 10 minutes or so.

    Remember, if the potatoes are undercooked you can always seal the lid again and cook the potatoes for another minute or two.

    If you'd like to cook sweet potatoes, try this recipe for Instant Pot cubed sweet potatoes.

    a bowl of raw, small red potatoes

    Instant Pot Carrots

    Instant pot baby carrots are easy to cook because the carrots are all the same size. If you're only cooking carrots, then 2 minutes is enough if you like tender but not soft carrots. For a slightly softer baby carrot, use a 3 minute cooking time and quick release.

    If you're cutting whole carrots, then ½-thick rounds will cook in 2 to 3 minutes. Or, you can cut whole carrots into 2-inch long pieces (so they mimic the size of baby carrots).

    The carrots can be cooked directly in water (1 to 2 cups), which keeps them moist. Or, you can steam the carrots by placing them in a trivet above the water. Steamed pressure cooker carrots will have a slightly drier texture.

    baby carrots in a bowl

    FAQ for this Recipe

    Can I use a trivet for this recipe?

    I don't recommend using a trivet for this recipe, which lifts the veggies out of the water. Baby carrots will be more moist and flavorful if they cook directly in the water, which is why this recipe adds them first. Then, the potatoes are layered on top to steam.

    To separate the veggies from the water after they cook, gently transfer everything to a colander to drain.

    Can I cook only potatoes or only carrots, instead of both?

    Yes. See the sections above labeled "Instant Pot Potatoes" and "Instant Pot" carrots for specific instructions.

    Can I use this recipe for Sweet Potatoes?

    No, sweet potatoes have a different cooking time. Check out my recipe for Instant Pot sweet potatoes.

    How should I flavor the potatoes and carrots?

    Butter and fresh herbs add wonderful flavor to the cooked potatoes and carrots. You can also add lemon pepper, seasoning salt, or Italian seasoning. If you love garlic, then saute fresh garlic in olive oil on the stove and pour it over the cooked vegetables.

    What should I do with leftovers?

    Leftovers can be warmed in the microwave. You can also saute leftovers in a pan with garlic and olive oil.

    More Instant Pot Vegetables

    • bowl of sliced, cooked cabbage with lemon slices and chopped parsley
      Instant Pot Cabbage
    • A plate of Instant Pot Steamed Broccoli
      Instant Pot Steamed Broccoli (Fresh or Frozen)
    • a bowl of collard greens cooked in the Instant Pot with onion, tomato paste and garlic
      Instant Pot Collard Greens (vegetarian)
    • a bowl of steamed Instant Pot green beans in a sauce made from sesame oil, soy sauce, vinegar, honey, garlic and shallot
      Garlicky Instant Pot Green Beans with Soy Sauce

    Does this recipe make you hungry?
    SUBSCRIBE
    to the Kitchen Skip newsletter
    for helpful tips, easy recipes
    & good conversation

    Print

    Instant Pot Potatoes and Carrots

    a bowl of cooked baby potatoes and baby carrots
    Print Recipe
    Pin Recipe

    ★★★★★

    5 from 1 reviews

    An easy recipe for Instant Pot potatoes and carrots that makes creamy, tender potatoes and perfectly cooked baby carrots. 

    You can serve pressure cooker carrots and potatoes as a side dish with just about anything, including pork butt, chicken and turkey meatballs. 

    Total Instant Pot Cooking Time: 12 minutes to reach pressure + 3 minute cooking time + quick release

    • Author: Jenny - Kitchen Skip
    • Prep Time: 5
    • Cook Time: 3
    • Total Time: 8 minutes
    • Yield: 4 to 6 servings 1x
    • Category: Side Dishes
    • Method: Instant Pot
    • Cuisine: American
    • Diet: Vegetarian

    Ingredients

    Units Scale
    • 2 cups water
    • 1 teaspoon salt + ½ teaspoon salt (divided)
    • 2 tablespoons salted butter (optional)
    • 1 to 2 pounds small red, gold or purple potatoes*, quartered
    • 1 to 1 ½ pounds baby carrots
    • Optional: fresh herbs (chives, parsley) or dried seasoning (lemon pepper, Italian seasoning)

    *small potatoes usually have a size of 2 to 3 inches in diameter and/or 3 to 4 ½ inches in circumference. See the blog post above for detailed photos and information about potato size

    Instructions

    First, make sure your small potatoes are cut into quarters (or halves, if the potatoes are really small). Then:

    1. Add water and 1 teaspoon salt to the Instant Pot.
    2. Adding 2 tablespoons of salted butter is optional. If adding butter, press the Saute button to heat the water and melt the butter.
    3. Add the baby carrots. The carrots are added first so that they simmer in the water and stay moist.
    4. Layer the potato pieces on top of the carrots. The potatoes are added second so that they are above the water and steam instead of boil.
    5. Season the potatoes with ½ teaspoon of salt. Add other seasonings if you want, like Italian seasoning or lemon pepper.
    6. Seal the lid and cook for 3 minutes on high pressure.
    7. When the cooking time is done, do a quick release of the pressure.
    8. Pour the carrots and potatoes into a colander to drain off the water UNLESS you added butter, in which case you can serve the veggies in the flavorful broth.
    9. Add more butter and salt to taste. Fresh herbs like chives and parsley are also great!

    Notes

    The cooked potatoes and carrots can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. You can reheat the veggies in the microwave or in a saute pan over medium heat with a drizzle of oil. 

     Remember, the right cooking time is entirely dependent on the size of the potatoes and carrots. If the potatoes and carrots aren't soft enough after 3 minutes, you can always seal the lid again and cook them for another minute or two.

    Keywords: instant pot potatoes and carrots, instant pot potatoes, instant pot carrots

    Please rate and review this recipe!

    Your reviews help other readers. They also help me provide the best recipes possible. Thanks!

    Does this recipe make you hungry?
    SUBSCRIBE
    to the Kitchen Skip newsletter
    for helpful tips, easy recipes
    & good conversation

    More Delicious Recipes

    • a bowl of lentil sloppy joes with a side of pickles and potato chips
      Lentil Sloppy Joes (Instant Pot or Slow Cooker)
    • a bowl of mashed potatoes topped with chives
      Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes (no drain)
    • a bowl of cooked pinto beans
      Instant Pot Pinto Beans (soaked and no soak)
    • a bowl of White Bean & Cabbage Soup
      Instant Pot White Bean, Cabbage & Tomato Soup

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      Leave a Reply Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Recipe rating ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆

    1. Jenny

      November 12, 2022 at 7:30 am

      I love how easy it is to cook potatoes and carrots together in my Instant Pot. This recipe has really helpful tips for cooking them perfectly.

      ★★★★★

      Reply

    Primary Sidebar

    • Instagram
    • Pinterest

    Hi, I'm Jenny!
    Mama of two, professional recipe developer, optimist, lover of buttered toast and steaming hot mugs of coffee. I'm here to help you get dinner on the table! Learn More About Me…

    Yummy Salads

    • bowl of macaroni salad with chicken and herbs
      Macaroni Salad with Chicken
    • a bowl of chicken salad with bacon, lettuce, tomatoes and croutons
      BLT Chicken Salad with Creme Fraiche Dressing
    • a bowl of kale slaw with sliced apples, pecans and poppy seeds
      Kale Apple Slaw with Lemon Poppy Seed Dressing
    • bowl of broccoli slaw with honey mustard dressing
      Broccolini Slaw with Honey Mustard Yogurt Dressing

    Instant Pot Chicken

    • bowl of sliced chicken breast, potatoes and carrots
      Instant Pot Lemon Garlic Chicken Breasts with Potatoes & Carrots
    • a bowl of chicken breast and white rice soup
      Instant Pot Chicken and Rice Soup
    • bowl of cooked white rice with shredded carrot topped with sliced chicken thighs
      Instant Pot Chicken Thighs and Rice
    • A bowl of Filipino chicken adobo made with boneless, skinless chicken thighs
      Instant Pot Chicken Adobo

    Watch My Web Stories

    Welcome to Kitchen Skip


    Hi, I’m Jenny!
    Recipe developer, writer and Mama of two. I’m here to help answer the never-ending question, what’s for dinner?
    On Kitchen Skip you’ll find easy dinner recipes for busy parents who want to eat well without spending too much time in the kitchen.

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest

    Footer

    Newsletter

    SIGN UP
    for easy dinner recipes

    Let's Get Social!
    Instagram
    Pinterest

    • Privacy Policy
    • Contact

    ^ back to top

    Images and text copyright Jenny Meier in 2022. Do not repost images or recipes without requesting permission

    Copyright © 2022 on the Foodie Pro Theme

    We are using cookies to give you the best experience on our website.

    You can find out more about which cookies we are using by reading our privacy policy.

    Kitchen Skip
    Powered by  GDPR Cookie Compliance
    Privacy Overview

    This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.

    Strictly Necessary Cookies

    Strictly Necessary Cookie should be enabled at all times so that we can save your preferences for cookie settings.

    If you disable this cookie, we will not be able to save your preferences. This means that every time you visit this website you will need to enable or disable cookies again.