EASY Carrot Mash in the Instant Pot (Favorite Side!)

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I’m always on the lookout for ideas of quick and easy sides that are also nutritious and delicious. Carrot mash made in the Instant Pot has quickly moved into our regular rotation—both as the perfect side dish for family dinner or one that you can make in a larger batch to bring to a party or potluck.

Of all the things we grow on our homestead, root vegetables are my favorite. There’s nothing more satisfying than pulling a big old carrot out of the ground. 

Nothing beats homegrown carrots in terms of taste and nutrition. But a huge bonus to growing them is that they can be stored for months over the winter. We harvested the carrots used in these mashed carrots back in September and they are still firm and beautiful in May!

How To Make Carrot Mash

Making carrot mash in the instant pot is as easy as it gets.

Prepare your carrots by giving them a good scrub and cutting off any ends. Because we use homegrown, organic carrots, we don’t worry about peeling them. The peels are completely unnoticeable in the final product.

Tip: The skin or peel of a carrot contains several nutrients in high concentration, including vitamin C, vitamin B3, and phytonutrients. This is a big reason we prefer to leave the skins on and source our carrots organically.

Put the wire rack in your Instant Pot and pour 1 cup of water in the bottom to make sure that there is enough water for the Instant Pot to get to pressure.

Then, place carrots on top of the rack. We leave them whole or cut them in large chunks.

Turn your Instant Pot on to manual high pressure for 7 minutes.

You can either quick release the Instant Pot or let it naturally release.

Using a slotted spoon, scoop your carrots into a large bowl.

From there, mash your carrots. Our preferred method is to use an immersion blender or stick blender. You can also do this by hand with a potato masher. Or you could puree the carrots in a food processor or blender.

After you have a smooth carrot puree, add butter, salt and any herbs or seasonings of choice.

Voila! These whipped carrots couldn’t be easier and make the perfect accompaniment to so many main dishes.

Instant Pot Carrot Mash Recipe

Yield: 4-6 servings

Ingredients:

2 pounds carrots*
3-4 tbsp butter
1 tsp salt (to taste)
½ tsp pepper
½ tsp thyme

Directions:

1. Wash carrots and remove carrot tops. Keep whole or chop carrots into large chunks (roughly 2-3” pieces).

2. Place wire rack into the bottom of the Instant Pot and pour in 1 cup of water.

3. Put carrots on top of wire rack and cook on manual high pressure for 7 minutes.

4. Let Instant Pot quick release or naturally release.

5. Using a slotted spoon, scoop carrots in a bowl.

6. Puree cooked carrots using a hand masher, immersion blender, or food processor until a smooth texture is created.

7. Stir in butter and favorite seasonings.

Notes:
* You can adjust the quantity of carrots you use to meet your needs. Just scale the amount of butter and herbs used accordingly.

How can I make carrot mash if I don’t have an Instant Pot?

No Instant Pot? No problem. You can make mashed carrots similar to how you would make mashed potatoes.

The easiest way to do this is to boil carrots and drain carrots from the cooking water. Then proceed to mash carrots as you would if you made them in the Instant Pot.

What can I add to my carrot mash to enhance the flavor?

This is completely up to your personal preference.

If you like a sweeter version, you could add a few tablespoons of maple syrup, honey, or brown sugar.

We love to add fresh herbs like chives, thyme, or parcely when they are in season. 

You can make spiced carrots with chili powder, garlic powder and onion powder. 

Or some people love the addition of cheddar or parmesan cheese to make cheesy carrots.

Can I use baby carrots?

Absolutely! If you want to make this recipe even easier, you can definitely use a bag or two of baby carrots.

How does the texture of this mashed carrots recipe compare to mashed potatoes?

Mashed carrots are a great alternative to traditional mashed potatoes but the texture is a bit different. Mashed carrots contain more moisture and aren’t quite as thick as mashed potatoes or mashed sweet potatoes would be.

An alternative option, if you wanted the best of both worlds would be to add a few potatoes in with your carrots to make a carrot potato mash.

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For more great side dishes:

Dutch Oven Spanish Rice
Roast Butternut Squash
No Peel Applesauce
Cast Iron Skillet Cornbread

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