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Make tender, juicy Instant Pot corned beef and cabbage in a fraction of the time! Perfect for St. Patrick’s Day or any cozy dinner—quick, easy, and delicious!
Table of Contents
- A Cozy Classic Made Simple in the Instant Pot
- Why Use the Instant Pot for Corned Beef and Cabbage?’
- Ingredients for Instant Pot Corned Beef and Cabbage
- How to Make Instant Pot Corned Beef and Cabbage
- What is Corned Beef?
- Serving Suggestions
- Tips for the Best Instant Pot Corned Beef and Cabbage
- Questions about Instant Pot Corned Beef and Cabbage
- How to Store Leftovers
- More Irish-Inspired Recipes
- More Instant Pot Recipes
- How to Make Instant Pot Corned Beef and Cabbage
- Instant Pot Corned Beef and Cabbage Recipe
A Cozy Classic Made Simple in the Instant Pot
Ever crave a hearty, comforting meal but don’t have hours to spend in the kitchen? That’s exactly why I love making Instant Pot corned beef and cabbage. It’s not just a St. Patrick’s Day tradition in our house—this dish makes the perfect cozy dinner any time of year. Imagine tender, juicy corned beef, perfectly cooked red potatoes, sweet carrots, and flavorful cabbage all coming together in a fraction of the time it would take with a traditional recipe. Trust me, once you try it, you’ll be hooked!
Why Use the Instant Pot for Corned Beef and Cabbage?’
I used to think corned beef was strictly a weekend project—one of those dishes you have to babysit in the oven or slow cooker for eight hours to get it just right. But thanks to the Instant Pot, you can have it ready in about 90 minutes! That’s a total game-changer.
What’s even better is that you can cook the vegetables right in the same pot. No extra dishes, no hassle. The result? A perfectly balanced, flavorful meal that’ll have everyone at the table asking for seconds.
Ingredients for Instant Pot Corned Beef and Cabbage
This recipe uses simple, wholesome ingredients that are easy to find year-round. Here’s what you need:
- Corned beef – Look for a brisket with a seasoning packet included. It’ll add that signature tangy, spiced flavor.
- Beef broth – Adds moisture and richness to the meat.
- Garlic – Crushed garlic cloves give the meat just the right amount of nutty and savory flavor.
- Red potatoes – You can’t go wrong with diced red potatoes. They are a smaller and softer type of potato that cooks quickly.
- Carrots – Sweet and tender, they pair perfectly with the beef.
- Cabbage – An absolute must for this Irish dish. It adds a light, fresh crunch.
How to Make Instant Pot Corned Beef and Cabbage
Ready to dive in? Don’t let the Instant Pot intimidate you—it’s easier than you think! Follow these simple steps:
- Prepare the meat – Remove the corned beef from its packaging and rinse it well under cold water. Pat dry and set aside the seasoning packet.
- Assemble in the Instant Pot – Place the corned beef in the pot, fatty side down. Pour in the beef broth and add crushed garlic. Sprinkle the seasoning packet evenly over the top.
- Cook the corned beef – Seal the lid and set the Instant Pot to “Manual” on high pressure for 90 minutes. Make sure the valve is set to “sealing.”
- Quick release – When the timer goes off, do a quick release of the pressure. Carefully remove the lid.
- Add the vegetables: Place the potatoes, carrots, and cabbage wedges in the pot with the beef.
- Cook the veggies: Seal the lid again and set the Instant Pot to “Manual” for 4 minutes on high pressure.
- Serve: Do a quick release and carefully remove the vegetables and corned beef. Slice the beef against the grain and arrange everything on a serving platter. Drizzle some of the flavorful cooking liquid over the top for extra moisture and flavor.
What is Corned Beef?
Corned beef is a salt-cured type of beef brisket. The term “corned” has nothing to do with actual corn or any kind of corn product. It is called “corned” because a flat cut of brisket is treated with large-grained rock salt, commonly called “corns” of salt, during the curing process. The brisket cuts are salty, slightly tangy, and delicious served with mild cabbage and potatoes.
Serving Suggestions
This dish is a showstopper on its own, but here are a few ideas to take it to the next level:
- Add a crisp green salad to round out the meal.
- Serve with a side of Irish soda bread to soak up all the delicious juices.
- Drizzle a bit of honey mustard over the corned beef for a tangy twist.
Tips for the Best Instant Pot Corned Beef and Cabbage
- Don’t skip rinsing the meat: It helps reduce the saltiness.
- Slice against the grain: This ensures tender, easy-to-chew slices.
- Customize the veggies: Feel free to add onions, parsnips, or even baby carrots.
- Season to taste: I love adding bay leaves and fresh parsley for extra flavor.
- Gluten-free – To make this corned beef and cabbage gluten-free, you will just have to make sure the beef broth you are using is GF. That is the only tricky thing in this recipe where gluten could turn up. The corned beef and seasonings are all gluten-free so you should be good to go.
“Made it as directed. Will definitely make it again. Meat was tender, potatoes, cabbage and carrots were not soggy!”
-Valerie
Questions about Instant Pot Corned Beef and Cabbage
If it’s tough, it likely wasn’t cooked long enough. Corned beef needs time under pressure to break down the tough fibers.
Rinsing the corned beef helps the meat become less salty. There is a spice packet in the package that you will want to hold on to. This is used as a pickling spice and can be rubbed on corned beef.
Corned beef comes from a brisket. It is known as the toughest type of meat. It needs to be tenderized and moistened to help break down the fibers. The corned beef is best cooked low and slow. We used beef broth to add liquid and soften the meat, other options are Guinness beer or a cooking liquid that you prefer.
How to Store Leftovers
Got leftovers? Lucky you! Here’s how to store and enjoy them:
- Fridge: Store in an airtight container for up to 4-5 days.
- Freezer: Freeze the corned beef in slices with a bit of the cooking liquid to keep it moist. It’ll last up to 3 months.
- Reheating: Warm it up in the microwave or on the stovetop with a splash of broth to keep it juicy.
Pro Tip: Leftover corned beef makes amazing Reuben sandwiches and corned beef hash for breakfast. Trust me, it’s worth making extra just for this!
More Irish-Inspired Recipes
If you are looking for more Irish-inspired recipes we have plenty! From Irish Pasties to Irish Soda Bread to Irish Beef Stew, we have everything you need for a blow-out St. Patrick’s Day feast! This Instant Pot Corned Beef and Cabbage is delicious as a sandwich the next day too.
Read Next: 27 BEST Instant Pot Recipes
More Instant Pot Recipes
Instant Pot recipes are easy, fast, and super delicious! From meat dishes to soups to desserts, try some instant pot meals for your family. Here are some more tasty Instant Pot ideas:
Instant Pot Chuck Roast
Instant Pot Pork Chops and Gravy
Instant Pot Chicken Enchilada Soup
Instant Pot Meatballs
Instant Pot Lava Cake
Instant Pot Applesauce
How to Make Instant Pot Corned Beef and Cabbage
Instant Pot Corned Beef and Cabbage
Equipment
- Instant Pot Pressure Cooker
Ingredients
- 2-3 pounds corned beef brisket
- 3 cups beef broth
- 4 cloves garlic crushed
- 1 pound small red potatoes cut in half
- 2 cups carrots cut into 1-2″ pieces
- 1 head cabbage coarsely cut into large pieces
Instructions
- Remove corned beef brisket from packaging and rinse well. Remove the seasoning packet (if included) and set aside. Discard any remaining juices from the packaging.
- Place corned beef in Instant Pot, fatty side down, and add beef broth and crushed garlic. Open the seasoning packet and sprinkle evenly over the top.
- Place lid on Instant Pot and seal. Set the tab to "sealing". Push the "manual" setting, set it to "high pressure" and increase the time to 90 minutes.
- When time is up, do a quick release. Remove the lid and add potatoes, carrots, and cabbage. Place the lid back on the Instant Pot, seal it, and set it to "manual" for 4 minutes on high pressure.
- Do a quick release and remove vegetables from the Instant Pot with a slotted spoon. Carefully remove corned beef and slice.
- Serve sliced corned beef and vegetables with some of the remaining liquid poured over the top.
Can this be done successfully in a crockpot
I have an Instant Pot Duo. It doesn’t have a Manual setting or Seal setting. I’m new to this appliance. What settings do I use?
I believe on the Duo, the Manual setting says “Pressure Cook”. As for the sealing, you should have a little knob on top that you can set to “seal” or “vent”. Hope this helps!
Fantastic St Pat day meal. First time to ever cook corned beef, followed recipe exactly as written and everthing was delicious
We tried making this, but it took a while for hothead last “4 minutes” of the instant pot to cook. Is this normal? Does the pot need to build up pressure again before it starts counting down? How does that work?
After you open the lid the first time, it takes a little while to build the pressure back up and start counting down the time again. Hope this helps!
I usually use beer and the crockpot but this was so much better. I will definitely cook it this way again!
Made it as directed. Will definitely make it again. Meat was tender, potatoes, cabbage and carrots were not soggy!
Thanks
The best Corned beef and cabbage I ever had!
Excellent and so easy! Delicious flavor!
a great recipe, so easy! thank you…
Superb recipe if you love beef. Beef and cabbage go so well together, and you have taken this combo to a whole new level!
I don’t have an IP, but have a regular pressure cooker. Will definitely give this really simple corned beef recipe a try. Hopefully it will look as awesome as yours. 🙂
LOVE corned beef. Didn’t know you could make it at home! Thanks for sharing!
We loved this recipe and will be making it again and again!
Thanks for explaining that corned beef is without corn. I didn’t know! I love the combination of meat with veggies. Carrots, cabbage and potatoes are right up my alley!
I followed recipe verbatim….wound up with…..undercooked meat…..soggy,mushy cabbage and taters,undercooked carrots….not happy 😞😞😞😞
Oh no! What size corned beef were you using?
I’ve used this recipe a number of times and has always turned out great. If you followed verbatim I would be interested in hearing your procedures. 90 minutes is plenty to cook a corned beef.i do my vegetables for 5 minutes.
Can I make two cornbeef briskets at same time in my 6qt in-ta-pot
It depends on how big your corn beef briskets are. It is usually best not to overcrowd if possible. If they are smaller then I am sure you will be fine. Hope this helps!
Did not like how the potatoes, carrots, and cabbage was mushy in the end.
Thinking too much liquid is put in.
Do you think of some liquid is drained before adding veggies it would help
You only need to pressure cook the veggies for 3 minutes, not 4.
I have the instant pot slow cooker not the pressure cooker. What changes do I need r ok make to cook it this way?
The recipe ingredients list is missing the onions.
The recipe actually doesn’t have onions as written. They are an “optional” ingredient mentioned in the above commentary. Hope this helps!
Agree, making this tomorrow I’ll remember the onion. Thanks