Instant Pot Corned Beef and Cabbage

Name: Instant Pot Corned Beef and Cabbage
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 1 h 35 min
Total time: 1 h 45 min
Cuisine: Irish
Ingredients: 3-4 pound corned beef with spice packet; 2 cups sauerkraut; 4 cups water; 1 pound carrots, washed and cut in 2 inch pieces; 1 pound small white and red potatoes, cut in half if large; 1/2 head green cabbage, cut in wedges with the core intact; chopped fresh parsley

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This Instant Pot Corned Beef and Cabbage recipe is the easiest way to make the most delicious corned beef. Juicy, tender and unbelievably flavorful corned beef is made in less time than with traditional cooking methods. Whether for St. Patrick's Day festivities or you're craving a comforting meal, this recipe promises to impress with its simplicity and irresistible flavor.

A platter of instant pot corned beef and cabbage.

My husband is an Irishman. Therefore, St. Patrick's Day is a high holy holiday in our home. And as someone who's always testing, tweaking and altering recipes, the traditional Irish corned beef and cabbage recipe is one I dare not change. And if I would, it will be just a little bit. Wink. Wink.

The traditional cooking method of boiling corned beef leaves much to be desired. The one-pot meal with wide ranges of cooking time and the lack of robust flavor led me to explore some minor recipe changes.

5 slices of corned beef with carrots and cabbage.

I grab my trusty Instant Pot. Less intimidating than a stove top pressure cooker, this multi-cooker is my go to method for cooking a tough cut of meat. It produces the most tender corned beef in a fraction of the time of other cooking methods.

Along with the corned beef, I add sauerkraut. The fermented cabbage not only flavors the beef, it also adds a sour and tangy punch to the cabbage, carrots and potatoes as they cook. Add a loaf of rye or my homemade soda bread to complete this delicious meal.

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why you'll love this recipe
ingredients & substitutions
how to make the best corned beef and cabbage
expert tips
frequently ask questions
what to serve with corned beef
more Instant Pot recipes
Recipe

why you'll love this recipe

There are many reasons why this is a favorite recipe. You'll love this Instant Pot corned beef brisket for the following points.

Easy to make ~ There's minimal chopping and measuring with this easy corned beef recipe. The Instant Pot does all the cooking for you.
Bursting with flavor ~ This isn't one of those bland corned beef dinners. The addition of sauerkraut along with spices and vegetables makes this a meal packed with delicious flavor.
Delicious leftovers ~ Leftover corned beef may even be better than the day it's made. It's delicious in my Reuben Casserole. Add it to nachos. Make corned beef tacos or Reuben sandwiches. It also makes delicious corned beef hash.

ingredients & substitutions

Gather just a few ingredients to make the best corned beef brisket. If substitutes can be made to the recipe, they're listed. Scroll to the recipe card for full quantities of the ingredients.

Cabbage, corned beef, sauerkraut, carrots, potatoes on a board.

Corned beef ~ Pick up a vacuum sealed package at the grocery store. I prefer the flat cut of meat. Scroll to the FAQs for a description different cuts of corned beef.
Spice packet ~ A small seasoning packet is typically included with corned beef. Use this in the recipe.
Sauerkraut ~ I recommend canned, jarred or refrigerated sauerkraut for this dish.
Water
Carrots ~ Use fresh whole carrots and skip the baby carrots.
Small white or red potatoes ~ Skip russet or Yukon gold potatoes. They tend to fall apart and become mushy in an Instant Pot.
Green cabbage
Fresh parsley

Hint ~ Corned beef will shrink by as much as one-third while cooking. For each serving, calculate about three-fourths pound of uncooked corned beef. That's enough to ensure there's leftovers.

how to make the best corned beef and cabbage

Combine the simple ingredients this Instant Pot Corned Beef and Cabbage to make a delicious dinner. Cooking corned beef and cabbage has never been easier! This is a brief overview of the recipe. I've included a step by step cooking video in the recipe below. Scroll to the recipe card for the complete instructions.

Corned beef and sauerkraut in an Instant Pot.

1.Rinse the corned beef in cold water. Place fat side up on a trivet in an Instant Pot. Sprinkle with the pickling spice packet. Add the sauerkraut and 4 cups of water.

2. Seal the lid on the Instant Pot. Move the steam release venting knob to the closed position. Cook on High Pressure for 90 minutes.

3. When the cooking time is up, quick release the steam by opening the venting knob on top of the lid. Place the meat on a cutting board. Cover with aluminum foil and let the corned beef rest.

Adding cabbage wedges to Instant Pot for corned beef.

4. Add the carrots, potatoes and cabbage wedges to the Instant Pot. Seal the lid and turn the venting knob to the closed position. Cook on High Pressure for 4 minutes.

Cooked carrots, potatoes and cabbage that were made in Instant Pot.

5. When the cooking time is up, release the steam. Remove the vegetables from the pot.

Instant Pot corned beef with cabbage, carrots and potatoes on a platter.

6. Slice the corned beef and arrange it with the vegetables on a platter. Sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley.

expert tips

A 7-in-1 electric pressure cooker is a kitchen workhorse. I use my Instant Pot all the time as it's such a versatile appliance. It's a pressure cooker, slow cooker, rice cooker, steamer, yogurt maker, sauté pot, warmer and sterilizer. I highly recommend it for making corned beef.

Cook corned beef with the fat side up. The fat protects and ensures that the meat won't dry out and become tough when cooking. The perfect amount of fat is about one-half to one inch.

To ensure that the cabbage doesn't fall apart as it cooks, cut it into large wedges with part of the core.

Corned beef, cabbage, carrots and potatoes made in an Instant Pot.

frequently ask questions

What is corned beef?

Corned beef is a salt-cured brisket of beef. The meat is soaked or cured in a salt solution along with pickling spices like peppercorns, bay leaves, mustard seeds and coriander. The curing process takes 5-7 days. The technique was originally done to preserve meat.

Should you cook a flat cut or point cut corned beef?

Choose a flat cut corned beef as it's cooks more evenly and slices beautifully. A point cut corned beef is irregularly shaped with more fat marbling. It's usually thicker than a flat cut. It tends to take longer to cook and at an uneven rate.

Should you rinse corned beef before cooking it?

It's a good idea to rinse corned beef under cold water to remove some of the excess salt brine. You won't be rinsing away any flavor. It just makes the corned beef less salty.

Why is my corned beef not tender enough in the Instant Pot?

If the cooked corned beef isn't fork tender then it needs a longer cook time. Pressure cooking breaks down the tough cut of meat making it tender and delicious. Reseal the Instant Pot and cook the corned beef for more time.

what to serve with corned beef

A bright, fresh salad is a tasty addition and makes a complete meal. My Spinach Salad with Yogurt Dressing is light and delicious.
What's an Irish dinner without a rustic loaf of Soda Bread. I add dried cranberries to the recipe too.
Crispy Puff Pastry Cheese Twists are a fun bread alternative.
Decadent and fudgy Mint Brownies a the perfect sweet treat to end the meal.

more Instant Pot recipes

The barbeque Brisket Sandwich is drool worthy!
Put a twist on a classic recipe with this Asian Beef Stew that gets a kick from jalapenos.
Cozy and loaded with Mexican flavors, Instant Pot Chicken Enchilada Soup is ready in less than 1 hour.
Take your sandwich making to another level with these crispy Cuban Pork Sandwiches.

If you make my Instant Pot Corned Beef and Cabbage recipe, be sure to give it a rating and/or comment below. Take a photo and tag @amycaseycooks on Instagram. Thank you!

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