Name: Instant Pot Steamed Carrots
Cook time: 2 min
Total time: 12 min
Ingredients: 4 large carrots (approx. 12 oz/ 340g); ½ cup water; 1 tablespoon butter to serve (optional)

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4.60 from 5 votes

These Instant Pot steamed carrots are one of those side dishes everyone needs in their back pocket: simple, reliable, and surprisingly satisfying when done right. The Instant Pot makes them almost laughably easy to make: add carrots, a splash of water, press a button, and walk away.

This method is especially great when you’re cooking multiple things at once. While your main dish does its thing, the Instant Pot quietly handles the vegetables. It’s fast, hands-off, and gives you tender (not mushy) carrots every time.

Scroll down for the printable recipe card, or read on for all the details.

What do you need?

Carrots or baby carrots

You can use baby carrots, or regular carrots cut into ~2-inch sticks, or rounds. You can use frozen carrots, but add 1 minute to the pressure cooking time.

Water

Steaming requires water, and pressure cookers require water to get up to pressure. You will need to use at least half a cup of water. However, all pressure cookers will have a minimum amount of water that they require to operate, so check your manual if you are unsure how much to use.

Steamer basket or trivet

The easiest way to steam carrots in an Instant Pot is to use a steamer basket. You can use any type of steamer basket. I have a silicone one and a stainless-steel one, both of which work fine in my Instant Pot.

Instant Pot steamed carrots without steamer basket

You just need to find a way to elevate the carrots out of the water so that they cook in the steam rather than in the boiling water.

If you don’t have a steamer basket, you can use the Instant Pot trivet, and place the carrots in a heat-proof plate or bowl on top to stop them falling into the water below. See this article on how to steam in an Instant Pot for more ideas.

How to steam carrots in the Instant Pot

Prep the carrots. Peel if desired, then cut carrots into evenly sized pieces around ½-inch thick. Baby carrots do not need to be cut, though if there are any particularly large ones you could cut them in half lengthways. The carrot pieces need to be even-sized so they cook evenly.
Place the carrots in the Instant Pot in a steamer basket. The carrots need to be elevated out of the water so that they cook in the steam rather than by boiling in the water.

Manual pressure cook carrots on HIGH for 1-2 minutes:
- 1 minutes for fork-tender carrots
- 2 minutes for melt-in-the-mouth carrots
Use Quick Release to open the Instant Pot when the pressure cooking cycle finishes. If the carrots remain in the Instant Pot for longer, they will end up overcooked, so don’t use natural pressure release.

Tips for Perfect Steamed Carrots

Even cuts matter – uneven pieces = some mushy, some crunchy.
Don’t overcook – carrots go from tender to soft very quickly under pressure. Start low; you can always cook longer.
Quick release is key – letting pressure drop naturally will continue cooking the carrots.
Make them fancy (or not) – butter + salt is great, but honey, garlic butter, lemon zest, or a little cracked black pepper all work beautifully.

Storage and reheating

Store any leftover carrots in an air-tight container in the refrigerator, and use within 3 days.

To reheat the carrots, you can either microwave them for 1-2 minutes, or cook them in the Instant Pot (in a steamer basket with 1 cup of water) for 1 minute. They will be a little softer than the first time they were cooked, but no less delicious.

Instant Pot Steamed Carrots

These Instant Pot steamed carrots are tender, perfectly cooked, and ready in minutes. A quick, hands-off side dish that works for busy weeknights or big meals alike.

Cook Time 2

Pressurizing time 10

Total Time 12

Serving Size servings

Ingredients

4 large carrots approx. 12 oz/ 340g
½ cup water
1 tablespoon butter to serve optional

Instructions

Scrub or peel carrots. Cut into 2-inch long sticks, or rounds ¼-inch thick. Baby carrots do not need to be cut.
Add the water to the Instant Pot bowl. Place steamer basket into the inner Instant Pot bowl [Note 1], and add the carrot pieces.
Place the lid on the Instant Pot and close the valve (turn to ‘Sealing’).
Set the Instant Pot to pressure cook on High for: 1 minute for fork-tender carrots, or 2 minutes for melt-in-the-mouth carrots [Note 2].
When the cooking time is up, use the ‘quick release’ method to open the Instant Pot and carefully remove the carrots.