Instant Pot Corned Beef and Cabbage

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By Kristen Chidsey

4.93 from 241 votes

Feb 24, 2026

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Instant Pot Corned Beef and Cabbage is, without a doubt, the easiest way to make this Irish-American classic. In a fraction of the time, you'll have fork-tender corned beef alongside perfectly cooked cabbage, potatoes, and carrots in a rich and savory broth. It's hearty, comforting, and practically cooks itself.

Looking for more holiday classics made in the Instant Pot? Don't miss my recipes for Instant Pot Pork and Sauerkraut, Instant Pot Ham, and Instant Pot Turkey Breast

Sliced corned beef in white platter, next to cooked cabbage wedges, next to potatoes and carrots next to Instant Pot.

My Family's Favorite Corned Beef & Cabbage Recipe - Sped Up!

While corned beef and cabbage is a St. Patrick's Day classic, it was also a regular meal in my household, one of my mom's favorites. With both of my grandparents being Irish immigrants, this Americanized Irish dish was a family staple, connecting my mom to the childhood and traditions she cherished growing up.

And while I loved the slow-simmered version she made, once I started preparing it in the Instant Pot, there was no going back -- for me OR my mom! It's faster, and honestly, the flavor is even better.

The sealed environment locks in the moisture and seasonings, giving you incredibly tender corned beef with impressive flavor. Add in perfectly tender cabbage and veggies, and after just one bite, you'll understand why this is my favorite way to make this Irish-American classic.

Happy Cooking! xo Kristen

5-star Reader Review

I can't believe I haven't left a review before now, been using this recipe for years now and have recommended it to many people. My husband and I love corned beef, we always buy extra in March and freeze for use year round. I used to use a crockpot recipe, which we liked, but after trying your instant pot recipe, I'm never going back, yours has excellent flavor, and is so easy to prepare. -PJR

Notes on Ingredients

Corned Beef Brisket, Guinness draught, red potatoes, carrots, garlic, and cabbage on counter.
  • Corned Beef: This recipe works as written with both a flat cut or point cut corned beef. I personally prefer the flat cut, as it is leaner and slices beautifully, but a lot of people like the marbling found in the point cut. Use whichever you prefer.
  • Pickling Spices: Most store-bought corned beef briskets come with a small spice packet made from mustard seeds, peppercorns, dill, allspice, cloves, and a few other spices. It is earthy and tangy and flavors the cured brisket perfectly. If yours does not, I recommend adding 1 tablespoon of prepared pickling spices.
  • Garlic: And lots of it! The whole garlic cloves work alongside the pickling spices to deliver robust flavor.
  • Stout Beer (Optional But Recommended): A stout beer, such as Guinness, adds depth, balance, and richness to the braising liquid. Prefer not to use beer? Replace it with additional beef broth.
  • Brown Sugar: Just a tablespoon helps balance the tangy, salty notes of the brined beef. It doesn't make the dish sweet, it simply rounds out the flavor.
  • Potatoes: Red potatoes, Yukon golds, or russets all work. Cut into 2-inch chunks for even cooking. Baby potatoes can be left whole.
  • Carrots: Use baby carrots or large carrots cut into 2-inch pieces.
  • Cabbage: Green cabbage works best. I recommend cutting into wedges, rather than chopping to prevent mushy cabbage.

What is Corned Beef?

Corned beef is simply brisket that has been brined and cured in a seasoned salt solution.

While it's easiest (and cheapest) to find around St. Patrick's Day, corned beef is available year-round in most grocery stores. But if you love this classic as much as I do, I recommend purchasing a couple while they are on sale to freeze for future use.

How To Make Instant Pot Corned Beef and Cabbage

Just like my Instant Pot Pot Roast, this Instant Pot Corned Beef and Cabbage uses a simple two-step cooking process to keep the vegetables from overcooking. But even with that extra step, you can have this classic on the table in just about 2 hours, rather than the 9+ hours traditional methods require.

Step One: Pressure Cook the Corned Beef

Start by pressure cooking the corned beef. Once it has finished cooking, let the meat rest while you quickly cook the vegetables.

  1. Rinse the corned beef under cold water and pat dry. This removes excess brine and prevents an overly salty result.
  2. Place the sliced onions in the bottom of the inner pot. They act like a natural trivet, helping to prevent the meat from scorching while still allowing the beef to stay submerged and soak up all the flavor from the cooking liquid.
  3. Add brisket to the inner pot. Then top with pickling spices, garlic, and brown sugar. Pour the beer and beef broth (or all beef broth if you aren't using beer) around the brisket.
  4. Secure the lid on the Instant Pot, make sure the vent knob is sealed, and set to pressure cook on HIGH pressure for 85 minutes.
  5. After cooking, allow at least 15 minutes of natural pressure release. This keeps the meat juicy and tender, while a quick release of pressure can cause the fibers to seize and tighten up.
  6. Once the pressure has released, open the Instant Pot, remove the corned beef to a platter, tent with foil, and let rest while the veggies cook.
Corned beef on top of onions and topped with seasonings inside inner pot. pressure cooker.
Cooked Corned Beef inside Instant Pot.

Step Two: Pressure Cook Vegetables

While the corned beef is resting, use that time to cook the cabbage, potatoes, and carrots. Because the liquid is already hot, the Instant Pot will come back to pressure quickly.

  1. Ladle out about 1½ cups of the cooking liquid, leaving about 2 cups of the cooking liquid left inside the inner pot. You really don't have to be exact here. We just want to remove enough liquid so that the cabbage is not fully submerged in the broth.
  2. Add the potatoes and carrots to the cooking liquid in the inner pot. Add the cabbage wedges on top of the veggies. The cabbage will not be fully submerged in the liquid, which is exactly what you want.
  3. Cook on HIGH pressure for 3-5 minutes, depending on texture preference. 3 minutes for firm cabbage or 5 minutes for very soft cabbage. I personally find 5 minutes to give me the same texture I grew up enjoying.
  4. Once the cook time has elapsed, let pressure release for 5 minutes, then perform a quick release of pressure to stop the cooking process. To do this, carefully knock the vent knob from sealed to venting. Stand back to prevent your face and hands from being burned by the steam released.
Potatoes, Carrots, and wedges of Cabbage layered in cooking liquid of corned beef inside inner pot of Instant Pot.

Serving Suggestions

Slice the corned beef against the grain, and then serve with the cabbage, potatoes, and carrots. Spoon a bit of the cooking liquid over everything for extra flavor.

I personally love to add a side of whole-grain mustard or horseradish cream for dipping and a Guinness beer for drinking, but both are completely optional.

Sliced pressure cooked corned beef in white platter, next to cooked cabbage wedges, next to potatoes and carrots next to Instant Pot.

Storage and Leftover Tips

Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or in a freezer safe container in the freezer for up to 3 months, keeping in mind the potatoes may become a bit mushy when defrosted.

While delicious when simply reheated, you may want to be get creative and use leftover corned beef in the following ways:

  • As an Appetizer: Use diced corn beef to make a creamy, cheesy Reuben dip or swap out the bacon for corned beef to make incredible Irish nachos.
  • Make a Classic Reuben Sandwich: Add sliced corned beef to rye bread, top with Swiss cheese, sauerkraut, and thousand island dressing, and pan fry in a bit of butter to toast.
  • Make a Corned Beef Hash: Pan-fry potatoes and corned beef with onions and peppers. Top with poached eggs and cheese.

Recipe FAQs

What Size Corned Beef Is Best?

As written, this recipe is designed for a 2½-3½ pound corned beef brisket. If your brisket is 1½ pounds or smaller, cut the ingredients in half and cook for 60 minutes on high pressure. If your brisket is between 4 and 5 pounds, I would double the liquid and spices and cook for 100 minutes on high pressure.

Can I cook more than one Brisket at once?

Absolutely! A 6-quart Instant Pot will fit two 3-pound corned beef briskets, while an 8-quart can fit up to three 3-pound briskets. Stack the beef roasts on top of each other, double (or triple) the braising ingredients, and cook for 85 minutes on high pressure, keeping in mind that it will take longer for the Instant Pot to come to pressure.

Can this Be made Gluten-Free?

Yes. Replace the beer with additional beef broth OR use a certified gluten-free beer and verify your spice packet is gluten-free.

Are the Vegetables necessary?

Not at all. Feel free to skip them altogether or simply cook the cabbage, rather than adding potatoes and carrots to the mix.

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4.93 from 241 votes

Instant Pot Corned Beef and Cabbage

By: Kristen Chidsey
Servings: 10
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 1 hour 30 minutes
Pressure Build-Up and Release: 35 minutes
Total: 2 hours 15 minutes
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Corned Beef and Cabbage on White Platter with Potatoes and Carrots.
This recipe for Instant Pot Corned Beef and Cabbage delivers a tender corned beef paired with perfectly cooked cabbage, potatoes, and carrots, all in a rich, tangy broth in record time.

Video

Ingredients 

  • 3 pound corned beef brisket
  • 1 large yellow onion, sliced
  • 1 seasoning packet from corned beef, or 1 tablespoon pickling spices
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  • 5 cloves garlic, peeled
  • 1 cup low-sodium beef broth
  • 1 cup stout beer, such as Guinness
  • 1 pound small red potatoes, cut in half
  • 1 pound baby carrots
  • ½ head green cabbage, cut into 2-inch wedges
  • salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions 

  • Rinse the corned beef brisket under cold water and thoroughly pat dry. This removes the brine from the brisket, preventing the dish from being too salty. 
  • Place the onion slices into the Instant Pot. Place the rinsed corned beef on top of the onion mixture. Sprinkle the seasoning packet evenly over the meat, then top with 5 cloves garlic and 1 tablespoon brown sugar
    Corned beef sitting on top of an sliced onion inside the inner pot topped with garlic, brown sugar, and pickling spices.
  • Carefully pour 1 cup low-sodium beef broth and 1 cup stout beer (or additional beef stock) around the corned beef, so that the seasonings stay on top of the beef.
    Corned beef sitting on top of an sliced onion inside the inner pot topped with garlic, brown sugar, and pickling spices with beef broth and beer poured around the brisket.
  • Place the lid on the pressure cooker and be sure the vent knob is sealed. Using the manual or pressure cook setting, set the cook time to 85 minutes on high pressure.
  • Once the cooking time has elapsed, let the pressure release naturally for 15 minutes. Once 15 minutes has passed, you can do a quick release of any remaining pressure, by carefully knocking the vent knob to the venting position. Stand back to prevent being burned by any residual steam.
    Cooked Corned Beef inside inner pot with onions and garlic.
  • Remove the corned beef from the Instant Pot and place it on a serving platter. Tent with foil and let rest while preparing the vegetables. Ladle out about 1½ cups of the cooking liquid, leaving about 2 cups inside the inner pot. You do not need to be exact here.
  • Add the potatoes and carrots into the cooking liquid inside the inner pot. Place the wedges of cabbage on top of the vegetables and season with salt and pepper, to taste.
    Potatoes, cabbage, and corn layered inside instant pot.
  • Place the lid back on the pressure cooker and ensure the vent knob is in the sealed position. Using the manual or pressure cook setting, set the cook time to 3 or 5 minutes on high pressure. 3 minutes for crisp-tender cabbage, 5 minutes for really soft cabbage. (I prefer 5 minutes). Once the cooking time has elapsed, let the pressure release naturally for 5 minutes then do a quick release of any remaining pressure by carefully knocking the vent knob from sealed to venting. Stand back to prevent your face and hands from being burned by the steam released.
  • Thinly slice corned beef against the grain and serve with potatoes, carrots, and cabbage. 
    Sliced pressure cooked corned beef in white platter, next to cooked cabbage wedges, next to potatoes and carrots next to Instant Pot.

Equipment

Notes

Corned Beef Choice: This recipe works with both a flat cut or point cut corned beef brisket. The flat cut is leaner, while the point cut is more marbled. 
Size of Brisket: As written, this recipe is designed for a 2½-3½ pound corned beef brisket. If your brisket is 1½ pounds or smaller, cut the ingredients in half and cook for 60 minutes on high pressure. If your brisket is between 4 and 5 pounds, I would double the liquid and spices and cook for 100 minutes on high pressure.
Beer: Feel free to use any dark stout beer you like, or beef stock if you do not drink beer. The beer adds a great amount of flavor but is not necessary.
Pickling Spices: Most packaged corned beef brisket comes with a pickling spice blend. If yours does not, you can use 1 tablespoon of generic pickling spices. 
Gluten-Free: Check your corned beef label carefully to be sure the brisket and seasoning packet does not contain gluten. Use a certified gluten-free beer or an additional beef stock in place of the beer.
Potatoes: You can use red potatoes, russet potatoes, or new potatoes. Cut your potatoes into 2-inch chunks or leave them whole if using baby potatoes.
Leftovers: Store the cooled leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. You can freeze the leftover corned beef brisket for up to 3 months. 
For a 3-quart model: You can fit a 3-pound brisket in the inner pot, but you will need to cut it in half to fit. Stack both halves on top of eachother in the inner pot and cook for 60 minutes on high pressure with a 15-minute natural pressure release. 
Please be sure to refer to Instant Pot High Altitude Conversion if needed. 

Nutrition

Calories: 364kcalCarbohydrates: 19gProtein: 22gFat: 20gSaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 73mgSodium: 1800mgPotassium: 873mgFiber: 4gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 6345IUVitamin C: 80.4mgCalcium: 70mgIron: 3.6mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Tried this recipe?Mention @amindfullmom or tag #amindfullmom!

This post was originally published in 2019 and updated in 2026. 

About Kristen Chidsey

Kristen is a wife, busy mom of two, and creator of A Mind "Full" Mom. From breakfast to dinner to dessert, it is her passion to share tried-and-true recipes that are big on flavor, made with easy-to-find ingredients, and family-approved!

Read More About Me

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328 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    Will only make it this way!! It was delicious and I just used better than bullion instead of beer. Thanks for this recipe!!!

    Reply

    1. I made 2 pots of these— one in IP & one in the slow cooker & BOTH turned out incredible for my St. Paddy’s dinner party! (I made Irish Carbomb Brownies for dessert) — there were ZERO leftovers! Total HIT! Thank you!!!! - Kim

      Reply

      1. Sounds fabulous Kim! And those brownies sound delish! Happy St. Patrick's Day!

  2. Im making this now.. I've never made corned beef in my life but I'm confident that this will turn out great according to everyone's comments.. thank you for the recipe and I also love my instant pot! ❤️😁

    Reply

      1. 5 stars
        Hi Kristen,
        I feel I’ve finally found a stop resource for my IP and I am over the moon! I’ve had my IP for 1.5yrs, all this time looking for a full service, easy follow, we’ll presented (audibly). I’ve loved it for hard boiled eggs, but know it can do soooo much more.

        Sunday I made the Corn Beef & Cabbage, my veggies got a little overdone. I’m sure that’s my bad we’re on high protein/low carb plan so I omitted the potatoes.
        Do you have a suggestion for cook time with just carrots and cabbage?

        Tonight your chicken breasts method.

        Also I just purchased the air fry lid and I see you help with that too!

        You’ve got a long time fan.

      2. Hi Pennie! You just made my night! I am so very glad you are enjoying my recipes! As for cooking just carrots and cabbage, try just 2-3 minutes next time. That may be better suited to the texture you are looking for.

      3. 5 stars
        I bought an instapot just to make this and even if I only use it once a year it’s 100% worth it!

        If I want to reduce the recipe to a 1.5 pound corned beef, what do you recommend for cooking time on both the meat and veggies? Thanks!

      4. So happy to hear you enjoyed so much. I would personally cook for 60 minutes on high pressure. The timing for the vegetables will remain the same, regardless of how much you prepare

    2. 5 stars
      First time cooking this dish and ot came out wonderful. It was a little salty because I didn't wash the meat before cooking it, my fault. It was cooked just right and tasted delicious. It was also the first time using our Instant Pot.

      Reply

      1. I am so honored that this was your first instant pot recipe! But I really love knowing you enjoyed the recipe. Thanks for sharing Dwight.

      2. Second time making this recipe. It’s delicious! I am not a wizard with my IP, but this recipe was more than achievable for my beginners skills. It came out wonderful, and the boys loved it (bonus)!

        How much more time would you recommend allocating for larger sized briskets?

      3. Hi Emily! I am so happy to hear you all enjoyed so much (and this recipe is easy to boot for you!) For cooking a larger brisket, I could add an additional 20 minutes per pound. That said, it is often better to cut the brisket in half and keep the cooking time the same (it will fit easier in your Instant Pot)

    1. Absolutely. I would follow the recipe as written, as it is so close to the 3 pounds. Enjoy.

      Reply

    2. Mine came out super tough. What could've went wrong? I cook corned beef and cabbage often and it had never come out like this.

      Reply

      1. I would be sure that you do a natural pressure release, that will help to keep the meat tender.

  5. 5 stars
    This is the best recipe for corned beef and I've tried many over the years. It's soooo easy with the instant pot and your recipe and instructions are easy to follow. I really like the idea of placing the corned beef on the onions. I'm making it again tonight since I had bought extras during St Patrick's Day. Hubby said this is the best he's tasted . I'm an avid cook and this is definitely on top of my list. Kudos to you!

    Reply

    1. Thanks so much Janis for sharing how you enjoyed the Corned beef! I love hearing that!

      Reply

  7. This is by FAR the best way to cook corned beef EVER! It came out so wonderfully tender and not over salty. Yummy!

    Reply