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bowl of cooked potatoes and carrots with herbs on black table
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4.94 from 16 votes

Best Instant Pot Potatoes and Carrots

Buttery, herby, garlicky, oniony potatoes and carrots. The instant pot does a great job with this easy comfort food side dish. Not fancy. Just delish.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time5 minutes
time to pressure9 minutes
Total Time24 minutes
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Servings (change as needed): 5 -6

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil (or vegetable oil)
  • 1 cup chopped onions (or more) about 1/2 an onion
  • 1 pound carrots, peeled and cut, Note 1 1/2-3/4 inch pieces (1.3-2 cm)
  • 2 teaspoons minced garlic (about 2 cloves or 1/4 tsp garlic powder)
  • 1 1/2 pounds potatoes, cut into 1 inch/2.5 cm pieces, Note 2
  • 1 cup vegetable stock or broth, Note 3 (or chicken broth)
  • 1/2 cup chopped green onion and fresh herbs, Note 4
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • salt and black pepper to taste

Instructions

  • SAUTÉ ONIONS AND CARROTS: Press SAUTÉ mode on Instant Pot or Pressure Cooker. Once heated (it will say HOT), add oil and onions. Sauté for 5 minutes until slightly browned and caramelized to add great flavor. Add carrots and sauté another 2 minutes. Press CANCEL, then stir in garlic.
  • PRESSURE COOK: Add potatoes and broth to instant pot. Place lid on top. Turn to SEALING, then set PRESSURE to high for 5 minutes (use + and - buttons). Note 5. The instant pot will take 9-10 minutes to come to pressure, then start the 5 minute count down. When you hear the beep, do a QUICK RELEASE of pressure but turning the knob on the lid to VENTING, careful to keep your fingers and face away from the spouting steam. Press CANCEL on Instant Pot.
  • FINISH: Remove lid. Pour out most of liquid accumulated at the bottom of the pot. I leave in a little bit ( 2-3 tablespoons) for extra nutrition. Add butter and herbs. Stir gently. Taste and add salt and pepper as needed (I use ~1/2 tsp kosher salt and 1/4 tsp pepper). Serve immediately.

Notes

  1. Carrots: 1 pound/450 grams carrots = 4-5 medium carrots. Carrots take a little longer to cook than potatoes so I cut them into slightly smaller pieces. You can use baby carrots if you prefer (no need to peel) and cut them in half or thirds, depending on their size. 
  2. Potatoes: Use waxy potatoes such as fingerling potatoes, yukon gold potatoes, red potatoes or baby potatoes. No need to peel them. I don't suggest using russet potatoes for this recipe - they will fall apart and need to be peeled. 
  3. Broth: Use powder or paste with water (equivalent to 1 cup/250 ml) or a ready made broth in a box. My favorite is Better Than Bouillon vegetable broth or chicken broth - rich in flavor. If it calls for 1 teaspoon per 1 cup water, I use a little more than a teaspoon for extra seasoning. 
  4. Herb mixture: I use one large green onion (or 2 small) with fresh herbs, chopped, equivalent to 1/2 cup total. Great herbs options are dill, parsley, cilantro, chives. You can substitute some dried herbs eg. use green onion, parsley and a bit of dried herbs like Italian seasoning or thyme or coriander. (1 tablespoon fresh chopped herbs = approximately 1 teaspoon dried). 
  5. Cooking time: Timing depends on the size of the cut vegetables and how you like them cooked. For about 1 inch (2.5 cm) pieces to become soft and tender, I cook them at 5 minutes. If you like your veggies and bit firmer, use 4 minutes. 
  6. Make ahead:
    • To make the potatoes and carrots a few hours ahead, let the completed dish sit at room temperature until ready to serve. Then warm it in the microwave on high for 2-3 minutes covered.
    • For leftovers, store the dish in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days, then microwave covered for 3-4 minutes, stirring gently half way through. To freshen it up, you can add additional chopped herbs just before serving. 
    • Do not freeze.
 
Nutrition values are estimates. 
Calories: 236kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 12mg | Sodium: 534mg | Potassium: 941mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 15904IU | Vitamin C: 42mg | Calcium: 65mg | Iron: 2mg