These Instant Pot Glazed Carrots are what I make when I’m short on time, but I still want a delicious and easy side dish to go with my meal. It only requires 6 ingredients, is made in just 15 minutes and is great for weeknights, Sunday dinners, or even holiday occasions. They’re made with my go-to combination of pure maple syrup and brown sugar and they cook perfectly in the instant pot. You’ll definitely want to save this one if you love easy side dishes!😉
Ingredients You'll Need
- Carrots: I like using baby carrots for this recipe because there’s hardly any prep needed. But regular carrots would also work just fine.
- The Glaze: The maple and brown sugar glaze is what really makes these carrots so good. It's similar to the combination that I use for my sweet potato pie and my regular skillet glazed carrots. All you need is a combination of butter, brown sugar, pure maple syrup, a little cinnamon and a little salt.
How Long Does It Take To Cook Carrots In The Instant Pot?
Timing may vary slightly depending on the size of your carrots. For fork tender carrots, pressure cook for 7 minutes on high pressure. For firmer carrots, pressure cook for 4-5 minutes on high pressure.
There are several other versions online that suggest pressure cooking carrots at 2 or 3 minutes. I’ve tested this recipe several times and the carrots are still too hard for my preference at 2 minutes. Pressure cooking at 7 minutes gets them perfectly fork tender!
How To Cook Carrots In The Instant Pot
Step One: Pour the water in the instant pot over the carrots. Cover with the lid and pressure cook. After pressure cooking, carefully drain the carrots in a strainer and set them to the side.
Step Two: Turn the instant pot on the sauté setting. Add the remaining ingredients to the pot. Stir everything together until the brown sugar is completely melted.
Step Three: Add the carrots back to the pot and stir together with the sugar mixture.
Step Four: Simmer the carrots for 2 more minutes then turn the sauté mode off. Transfer the carrots to a serving bowl and enjoy!
Recipe Tips and Variations
- Should you use a steamer basket? You don’t have to use a steamer basket, but if you want to keep your carrots from being submerged in the water you can certainly use one.
- If you’re not a fan of sweet, glazed carrots, you can keep things simple with just butter, salt and pepper. And if you want more savory carrots, use butter, garlic, some fresh thyme and herbs.
- My favorite way to eat these carrots is with any type of Baked Chicken, pot roast, or holiday spread, and alongside other vegetables like Sautéed Green Beans, Mashed Potatoes, and Corn Pudding!
Instant Pot Glazed Carrots
Video
Ingredients
- 1 lb. baby carrots*
- 1 cup water
- 2 Tablespoons butter
- 2 Tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 Tablespoons pure maple syrup
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Wash the carrots then add them directly to the Instant Pot. Pour the water in the pot over the carrots. Place the lid on top and make sure the pressure valve is turned to sealing. Pressure cook on high pressure for 7 minutes. Allow a 1-minute natural pressure release, then quick release the rest of the pressure and remove the lid.
- Carefully drain the water from the carrots using a strainer. Keep the carrots in the strainer as you proceed with the next step.
- Return the inner pot and turn the Instant Pot on the sauté setting. Add the butter, brown sugar, pure maple syrup, salt and cinnamon. Stir together until the brown sugar is completely melted.
- Add the carrots back to the pot and toss and stir, coating the carrots evenly with the glaze mixture. Simmer the carrots for 1-2 minutes, then turn the sauté setting off.
- Allow the carrots to sit for another 1-2 minutes in the Instant Pot so the glaze can thicken a bit. Transfer the carrots to a serving bowl and enjoy!
Notes
- Feel free to use regular carrots in place of baby carrots. Slice them in roughly 1 inch equal size pieces.
- It will take the instant pot approximately 5-7 minutes to reach full pressure.
Denise says
OMG! I just made this recipe and it takes carrots to an entirely new level! I will be making these again and sharing this recipe with anyone who loves carrots. I didn't use baby carrots but they turned perfect and remained whole when removing from the Instant Pot. LOVE...thank you so much for sharing this easy, quick delicious recipe.