Instant Pot Corned Beef and Cabbage

This Instant Pot Corned Beef and Cabbage Recipe is a one-pot meal that will have dinner on the table in half the time as regular methods! Enjoy this tasty, Irish-inspired meal of tender cabbage and perfectly cooked corned beef brisket for St. Patrick's Day or any occasion!

Corned beef slices on a plate with parsley, carrots, yellow potatoes, and cabbage.

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We're huge fans of corned beef! This Instant Pot recipe is ready in a fraction of the time compared to other methods, like our Dutch oven corned beef and cabbage.

This corned beef dinner has so much flavor. Pressure cooking this tough cut of meat is one of the easiest ways to prepare it, making for a delicious meal for the whole family.

Need more recipe ideas for St. Patrick's Day? Try our corned beef hash and eggs, this slow cooker Irish stew, this Reuben casserole, or this Baileys coffee recipe!

For more delicious beef recipes, check out our slow cooker sirloin tip roast, this bavette steak recipe, or this Dutch oven pot roast.

❤️Why we love this recipe

Classic dish. Perfect for St. Patrick's Day or a weeknight dinner!
Hearty, comforting & delicious. Perfectly cooked, tender, and flavorful, this recipe is truly a hit. It's satisfying and filling!
Quick & easy. Make this recipe in less time than other methods, with very little time spent prepping and cooking. It's definitely the fastest way to make the corned beef fork tender.
Less mess. The one-pot cooking method means less cleanup.
Simple, budget friendly ingredients. You can find what you need at most grocery stores, or in your pantry already. Plus, this recipe feeds a crowd or is great for leftovers!

🧅Ingredients

Here are the ingredients we used for this recipe. You can find more information for substitutions below.

Corned beef brisket - We prefer using flat cut brisket vs. point cut brisket for the perfect combo of lean and fatty pieces. Point cut tends to be on the very fatty side.
Seasonings - We use the seasoning packet that comes with the corned beef.
Yellow onions
Garlic cloves
Beef stock
Beer - We like to use a dark beer, like Guinness for even more flavor.
Bay leaves
Baby potatoes - We like using small potatoes since you don't have to do any cutting. Yellow or red potatoes work well.
Carrots - We used large, peeled carrots that we cut into large chunks. You can also use baby carrots.
Kosher salt & black pepper
Cabbage wedges
Unsalted butter - Optional, we like to drizzle it over the veggies when it comes time to serving.
Parsley - For garnish.

Visit the recipe card for the full quantities and nutritional information.

✨Substitutions & variations

Here are a few suggestions on additional flavors to try, or simple variations to this recipe.

Swap the veggies. Instead of cabbage, try using other vegetables Brussels sprouts, turnips, parsnips, or even cauliflower.
Low carb. Swap the potatoes for cauliflower, turnips, or rutabaga. You will probably also want to omit the Guinness.
No beer. If you don't drink, no problem, just use more beef broth or water instead.
Use water. You can use all water instead of beef broth and beer if you prefer, but the final product won't be as flavorful.
Add more herbs, spices & flavor. Try adding stone ground mustard, Worcestershire sauce, horseradish, apple cider vinegar, or tomato paste to the cooking liquid. You can also add more herbs like rosemary, or whole spices like whole black peppercorns, coriander seeds, or mustard seeds.
Add some sweetness. You could always add a touch of honey or brown sugar for a hint of sweetness to the final dish.

🔪Prep work

Peel the carrots and cut them into 3-4 roughly large chunks.
Slice onions thinly.
Peel and smash garlic cloves.
Wash potatoes, and if using large potatoes, cut them into large chunks.
Dry the corned beef brisket off with paper towels.
Measure out all the remaining ingredients.

📋Instructions

Season the corned beef with the seasonings from the packet, pressing lightly to adhere. (Image 1)

Add onion and garlic with salt and pepper to the insert of the Instant pot. Pour in the beef stock. (Image 2)

Add the thyme sprigs and bay leaves. (Image 3)

pouring beef stock into an instant pot with garlic and onions that have been seasoned with salt and pepper.

garlic, onions, beef stock, bay leaves, and fresh thyme in an Instant pot.

Place a rack on top of the onion and beef stock mixture, then add the seasoned corned beef. (Image 4)

Pour the Guinness over top of the beef. (Image 5)

seasoned corned beef in an instant pot with garlic, onions, herbs, and beef stock underneath it.

pouring a bottle of guinness overtop of a seasoned corned beef brisket.

Seal the lid and set the unit to HIGH pressure for 1 hour and 40 minutes. Cook. When the time is up, let the pressure release naturally for 20 minutes, then manually release the remaining pressure. (Image 6)

Remove the corned beef and place it on a dish or a cutting board, spooning a bit of the cooking liquid over the top. Cover with aluminum foil to keep warm.

Add the carrots, and potatoes straight into the cooking liquid. (Image 7)

Add the cabbage over top, and season with lots of salt and pepper. (Image 8)

Seal the lid and set the unit to HIGH pressure for 3 minutes, depending on how soft you like your vegetables. Quick release the pressure. (Image 9)

carrots and potatoes in an instant pot with salt and pepper with plenty of cooking liquid.

cabbage wedges in an instant pot with salt and pepper.

In a small bowl, make the optional butter sauce. Melt the butter in the microwave, then add minced parsley, and a pinch of salt and pepper to taste. Mix together and spoon it over the veggies! (Image 10)

butter sauce in a bowl with parsley, salt, and pepper with a hand mixing it over a plate of corned beef and cabbage.

Slice corned beef against the grain. Spoon a little bit of the reserved cooking liquid over the corned beef slices. Drizzle the veggies with the melted butter sauce and more parsley if desired. Serve with stone ground mustard. Enjoy!

corned beef and cabbage on a plate with yellow potatoes, carrots, parsley, and stone ground mustard, with guinness on the table.

✨Tips & tricks

Cut the brisket against the grain for the most tender bite.
Don't overcook the cabbage. Cook for just a few minutes until it's tender but still has a bit of crunch.
Don't overcook the vegetables. Adding the veggies later ensures they don't turn to mush! The Instant Pot cooks things very quickly, so you will want to add them later.
Don't skip the natural release! Allow the Instant Pot to natural release for 20 minutes, then carefully turn the venting knob to quick release to get rid of the remaining pressure. Letting the Instant Pot natural release for a while helps ensure it's safer to open the venting knob without getting sprayed with hot steam and liquid, and to make the corned beef even more tender!
Use a slotted spoon to remove the cooked corned beef and cabbage from the Instant Pot to prevent excess liquid from getting on your plate.
Don't discard the cooking liquid, you can use it as a base for a soup or stew!
Enjoy the leftovers! These leftovers are even better the next day, and can be made into corned beef hash and eggs or a reuben casserole.

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💭Frequently Asked Questions

How to store the leftovers?

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days. To reheat, you can use a microwave, the oven, or the stovetop. Add a bit of broth or water to keep the meat moist and prevent it from drying out.

To freeze, all the leftovers to cool at room temperature before transferring them to a freezer safe bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight, then reheat.

Can I use frozen corned beef brisket?

No, we don't recommend it. Make sure completely thaw the corned beef brisket before cooking for even cooking, and to ensure the beef doesn't become tough.

How long do I need to pressure cook the beef brisket?

The cooking time will depend on the size of the corned beef brisket, but in general, you will want to cook it on high pressure for about 90 minutes.

Can I use a slow cooker for this recipe?

Yes, you can cook corned beef and cabbage in a slow cooker, but it will take longer. Cook on low for 8-10 hours or on high for 4-6 hours, adding the potatoes and carrots in the last 3 hours of cooking, and the cabbage in the last hour of cooking.

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