Instant pot corned beef and cabbage delivers tender, flavorful results in a fraction of the time. This one-pot meal is simple, efficient, and ready in about 90 minutes — perfect for a stress-free dinner!
Jump to:
- Why You’ll Love This Pressure Cooker Corned Beef And Cabbage
- Ingredient Information And Substitutions
- How To Make Insta Pot Corned Beef And Cabbage
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Tips For Making Instapot Corned Beef And Cabbage
- What To Serve With Corned Beef And Cabbage
- Other Delicious Instant Pot Recipes To Try
- Instant Pot Corned Beef and Cabbage
Why You’ll Love This Pressure Cooker Corned Beef And Cabbage
March always gets me excited because I know I’ll be enjoying a big plate of tender, flavorful corned beef and cabbage. I didn’t grow up eating it often, but when I lived in NYC, I worked at an Irish pub. One St. Patrick’s Day, I spent my entire shift sneaking bites of homemade corned beef between serving drinks. It was love at first bite!
Since then, I’ve perfected my method, and now I make it in the Instant Pot for maximum flavor with minimal effort. No more waiting all day for tender beef—it’s ready in just 90 minutes, and the veggies cook perfectly in the same pot!
If you don't have a pressure cooker, don’t worry — I’ve also included instructions for slow cooker corned beef brisket in the recipe card below. Either way, you’ll have an easy, delicious meal that practically cooks itself! Here’s why you’ll love this recipe as much as I do:
- Quicker than traditional methods
- The perfect balance of savory, salty, and slightly sweet
- Easy cooking with minimal cleanup
- Let the Instant Pot do the work
- Delicious as leftovers
Ingredient Information And Substitutions
- Garlic and onion- Because everything is better with these flavor makers!
- Corned beef brisket- Grab one that comes with a corned beef seasoning packet, or make your own spice mix.
- Vegetables- Carrots, red skin potatoes, and cabbage soak up all the rich flavors. Swap in parsnips or turnips if you’re feeling adventurous.
- Broth- Beef broth gives extra depth. You may also need to add some water to the Instant Pot, but you don't need the extra liquid if you're making the corned beef slow cooker recipe. I prefer low sodium.
- Beer- Adds extra richness, but you can replace it with more beef broth for an alcohol-free option.
How To Make Insta Pot Corned Beef And Cabbage
Step 1- Cook the beef.
Place onions and garlic in the Instant Pot, then add the corned beef fat side up. Pour in beer, broth, and corned beef spices from the seasoning packet. Add water if needed to cover the beef. Cook on Manual High Pressure for 90 minutes, then naturally release for 10-15 minutes before manually releasing any remaining pressure.
Step 2- Cook the vegetables.
Remove the beef from the pot, then slice and place it in the oven to keep warm. Add the potatoes, carrots, and cabbage to the pot with the leftover liquid and seal. Set to Manual High Pressure for 5 minutes. Once done, do a quick release.
Step 3- Serve.
Once everything is ready, serve sliced corned beef with the veggies and ladle some broth over the top for extra moisture and flavor.
Frequently Asked Questions
Most store-bought corned beef comes with a corned beef seasoning packet, which typically includes mustard seeds, bay leaves, peppercorns, coriander, and cloves. If your brisket doesn’t include a seasoning packet, you can use pickling spice or create your own blend of corned beef spices with these same ingredients.
Yes! Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap or aluminum foil, then store it in an airtight container or freezer bag. Cooked corned beef can be frozen for up to 3 months, while uncooked corned beef can last up to 6 months in the freezer.
Corned beef comes in two cuts of brisket: flat cut and point cut. The flat cut is leaner and slices more evenly, making it ideal for serving. The point cut has more marbling and is extra tender, perfect for shredding.
The pink color comes from curing with sodium nitrate, which helps preserve the meat and gives it the signature look.
Some people say the mix of carbonation and high pressure could have bad results. I personally have done it without issue, but if you’re worried, use flat beer.
Tips For Making Instapot Corned Beef And Cabbage
- Cut veggies into larger chunks so they don’t break down to nothing in the slow cooker or Instant Pot. It also helps if they are all a similar size.
- Open the package of meat carefully. It often contains a spice packet, which you'll need to make this recipe!
- Don't forget to do a natural release first. That extra 15 minutes really helps tenderize the meat. You can do a quick release for the veggies, though.
- If you’re using a slow cooker, you may want to cook the cabbage separately. It gets very soft when slow cooked, so consider roasting in 1 inch wedges at 400 degrees F for 20 minutes if you like yours a little more crisp.
- Ingredients to prep ahead- Clean and chop all the veggies up to a day in advance, then store in the fridge until you're ready to cook. I'll usually peel the garlic too!
- Leftovers and storage- Use leftover corned beef for sandwiches, hash, or even in soups! Keep in the fridge for up to 4 days or freeze for later, then reheat in the oven or microwave.
What To Serve With Corned Beef And Cabbage
We serve our corned beef with a fresh loaf of rye bread and brown mustard (Gulden's is best, but Dijon works too). You could also go with Irish soda bread. And don't forget to sprinkle a little apple cider vinegar onto the cabbage! Whether you're making this for St. Patrick’s Day or just a cozy dinner, here are some more perfect pairings to round out your meal:
Other Delicious Instant Pot Recipes To Try
Love this recipe? Please leave a 5 star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating in the recipe card below ⬇️ and/or a review in the comment section further down. Check out my Amazon Store for all my favorite tools, including those used in this recipe. And follow @thelifejolie on Instagram and TikTok!
Instant Pot Corned Beef and Cabbage
Ingredients
- 1 large onion cut into 1-2 inch chunks
- 2 large cloves garlic smashed
- 1 12 ounces beer
- 1 14 ounce can low sodium beef broth
- 1 cup water to cover beef- only use if necessary
- 4 pound corned beef brisket flat + flavor packet
- 4 thick carrots cut into 3 inch chunks
- 1 pound baby red skin potatoes
- 1 small head of cabbage you can use more, it just depends on how much fits into your pot
Instructions
Instant pot instructions:
- Place the onions and garlic into the pot.
- Next place the brisket into the pot.
- Pour the beer, both, seasoning packet and water over the brisket. It should be just covered with liquid- if necessary, add more water.
- Secure the cover onto the instant pot and set the instant pot to Manual High Pressure for 90 minutes.
- When the cook time is up, let the pressure naturally release for 10-15 minutes (or longer if you have the time) and then do a quick release.
- Remove the beef from the pot and leave the liquid in there. Slice the beef and place it into a warm oven while you cook the vegetables.
- Add the vegetables into the pot with the liquid and set the instant pot to Manual High pressure for 5 minutes.
- Once the cooking time is up, carefully do a quick release.
- Serve immediately.
Slow cooker instructions:
- Place all the vegetables into the slow cooker.
- Next add the brisket.
- Top this with the beer, broth, spice packet and water to just cover the beef (add a little more water to cover if necessary).
- Cover and cook on low for 7-8 hours. Slice and serve immediately.
Video
Notes
- Cut veggies into larger chunks so they don’t break down to nothing in the slow cooker or Instant Pot. It also helps if they are all a similar size.
- Open the package of meat carefully. It often contains a spice packet, which you'll need to make this recipe!
- Don't forget to do a natural release first. That extra 10 minutes really helps tenderize the meat. You can do a quick release for the veggies, though.
- If you’re using a slow cooker, you may want to cook the cabbage separately. It gets very soft when slow cooked, so consider roasting 1 linch wedges for 20 minutes at 400 degrees F.
- Ingredients to prep ahead- Clean and chop all the veggies up to a day in advance, then store in the fridge until you're ready to cook. I'll usually peel the garlic too!
- Leftovers and storage- Use leftover corned beef for sandwiches, hash, or even in soups! Keep in the fridge for up to 4 days or freeze for later, then reheat in the oven or microwave.
Nutrition
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