Maple Glazed Carrots with Thyme in the Instant Pot, Vegan

This recipe for vegan Maple Glazed Carrots with Thyme is made quick and easy in the Instant Pot. Make with vegan butter, maple syrup, and thyme for a flavorful savory-sweet side dish.

It’s been really fun (and delicious!) experimenting with cooking in the Instant Pot. Yes, most recipes you could make on the stovetop. And these Instant Pot Carrots are no exception. You could certainly make steamed carrots on your stovetop and then mix in the herbs and syrup at the end. But I find it so much easier to pressure cook in an Instant Pot. You can pretty much set it and forget it.

This side dish buttery savory-sweet instant pot carrots recipe always has a place on our holiday table. Though you don’t have to wait for a special event! This recipe is quick and easy enough that you could make and serve these savory-sweet carrots any day for any reason. With very little prep and time involved, you’ll get these delicious flavored cooked carrots on the table in no time at all! See below for more vegan Instant Pot Recipes.

Reasons to love making these instant pot carrots

• savory/sweet
• buttery – made with vegan butter
• herbal undertones
• made with maple, not processed sugars
• perfect side dish for your holiday meal – or any other meal!
• fast cook time
• easy
• tender carrots

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Cooking Instant Pot vegetables

When you cook Instant Pot vegetables you can either steam them in a steamer basket and add the seasonings later, or cook them in the inner pot and infuse the vegetables with flavor while they are cooking. This pressure cooker carrots recipe uses the second method of cooking. No steamer basket is necessary. You just need to make sure to add enough liquid to the inner pot when bringing to pressure so that your pressure cooker carrots will be flavorful fork-tender carrots.

Ingredients needed to make savory-sweet baby Instant Pot Carrots

• maple syrup
•  water
• dried thyme
• onion powder
• garlic powder
• 2 pounds of baby carrots – make sure they are fresh and moist
• butter – I use vegan butter
• salt to taste
• fresh thyme for garnish
• To make carrots in the Instant Pot, you will of course also need a pressure cooker. I use the 6qt Instant Pot

special note about the ingredients for maple glazed carrots

The baby carrots

When you cook baby carrots it is important to make sure the carrots you use are very fresh and moist. We only use one-half cup water in this recipe to bring the Instant Pot to pressure and if your carrots are old and dry then that might not be enough liquid for your pressure cooker to come to pressure.

You can look in the package of carrots and see if the carrots are whitish and dry or dark orange and moist. You’ll also see water droplets on the baby carrots in the package itself.

For this reason, I recommend using baby carrots rather than sliced carrots. If you do decide to use sliced or chopped carrots, then add in an extra quarter cup of water before bringing to pressure so they will be perfectly cooked.

I also recommend buying two one-pound bags of carrots rather than one two-pound bag. I have found that the larger bags lose moisture more quickly.

The butter

We are a vegan family and so use vegan buttery sticks. Use the buttery sticks with the best flavor because that will impact the flavor of your cooked carrots. If you are not vegan, then obviously use what you wish.

The thyme

I use dried thyme in this recipe because I don’t have the patience to pull the little leaves off from fresh thyme. If you use fresh thyme then know that the rule of thumb is three times the amount of fresh herbs as you would use dry according to this article by The Spruce Eats on how to convert dry herbs.

Of course, I love to use fresh herbs for garnish. Fresh thyme is so beautiful and delicate and really adds to the aesthetics of your special dish.

How to make Maple Glazed Instant Pot Carrots

Once I learned to make Instant Pot Carrots, I never looked back! It is so easy – just put your ingredients in, set it and forget it! Read on for some recipe tips for this yummy vegetable side dish.

Step 1: Add the ingredients to the Pressure Cooker

There is no reason to use a steamer basket for this Instant Pot recipe. We cook carrots in the liquid and seasonings so that they are infused with flavor.

In the inner liner of an Instant Pot, stir together the water, maple syrup, dried thyme, onion, and garlic powders.

Open the packages and dump in the baby carrots. Wait until just before cooking to open the packages to retain the most moisture. I use two 16 ounce packages. Slice the vegan butter on top. And that’s it!

Step 2: Pressure Cook the carrots in the Instant Pot

Close the lid of your pressure cooker, making sure the vent is also closed. Set it on high pressure manually for three minutes. Even though the carrots have a quick cook time, it will take about ten minutes to come to pressure.

After the three minutes have been counted down, carefully quick release and open the lid. I use a long-handled wooden spoon or rubber spatula to assist with my quick release.

Cooking carrots in the Instant Pot on high pressure for three minutes makes softer carrots. This is the way my family likes it. If you don’t want softer carrots, but firmer crisp carrots, then pressure cook for only two minutes on high pressure.

Serving suggestions

I don’t strain out the cooked carrots but add the liquid to the carrots in my serving dish. Then I top with a little extra butter, salt, and sprigs of fresh thyme.

Leftover carrots can be stored in an airtight container along with the liquid for about five days in the refrigerator. I’m personally okay with eating them cold or at room temperature. But I realize I’m a little weird. Just spoon out the portion of carrots, cook for a couple of minutes in the microwave and you’ll have steaming hot carrots in no time.

For some more Instant Pot recipes – all vegan, try

• Creamy Brussels Sprouts
• Herbed Lemon Brown Rice
• Cuban Black Beans
• Red Lentils with Korean BBQ Inspired Flavors
• Vegan Taco Meat with Lentils
• The Best Vegan Mac and Cheese

The printable recipe card for Instant Pot Carrots with Maple Thyme Glaze