This tender, flavor-packed Corned Beef and Cabbage Recipe is made in the Instant Pot. It’s perfect for St. Patrick’s Day Dinner and can be on the table in just 1 hour and 30 minutes. Instant Pot Corned Beef and Cabbage is so easy to make and tastes delicious!
CORNED BEEF AND CABBAGE
Do you enjoy celebrating St. Patrick’s Day by eating a delicious dinner of Corned Beef and Cabbage? We just started making this every year as a family even though I grew up eating it a few times a year. It was a family favorite for me back then.
WHAT IS CORNED BEEF?
There are two different cuts of corned beef: point cut and flat cut. Flat cut is like the name suggests: flat. This makes it easier to cut. Point cut can have more marbling but is usually not uniform in size. Either one works great for this recipe!
Corned beef brisket usually comes with a spice packet which includes peppercorn, mustard seeds, and bay leaves. For extra flavor, you can use the spice packet but you don’t need to because of the spice already added in the recipe.
IS CORNED BEEF AND CABBAGE REALLY IRISH?
After some research I discovered that corned beef and cabbage isn’t a meal that anyone raised in Ireland would recognise. However it is an Irish-American tradition, developed by Irish migrants in mostly jewish neighborhoods, where corned beef was the cheapest substitute for traditional Irish bacon and cabbage.
It is Americanized and is now associated with St. Patrick’s Day even though its not really an Irish dish or staple.
CAN I MAKE CORNED BEEF AND CABBAGE IN THE SLOW COOKER?
You can make this exact recipe in a crockpot or slow cooker, or even a pressure cooker like my mom did when we were growing up. But, out of all of these options I prefer the instant pot or the slow cooker.
To make this slow cooker corned beef and cabbage, simply follow the recipe and add all the ingredients to a slow cooker and cook on low heat for 6-8 hours or high heat for 3-4 hours. Just check to make sure that the beef is cooked all the way through and it falls apart when you go to serve it.
SUPPLIES FOR MAKING CORNED BEEF AND CABBAGE
- Instant Pot
- Instant Pot rack
- meat carving knife
- liquid measuring cup
- measuring cups
- measuring spoons
- wooden spoons
- aluminum foil
- slotted spoon
- baster
- slow cooker
- hand towel
- hot pad
INGREDIENTS IN CORNED BEEF AND CABBAGE
- corned beef brisket
- cloves of garlic
- water
- bay leaves, whole
- mustard seeds
- pickling spices
- whole allspice
- salt and pepper
- red potatoes
- carrots
- head of cabbage
HOW TO MAKE CORNED BEEF AND CABBAGE
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Place rack in the Instant Pot and place corned beef on top of the rack.
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Pour the water into the pot. Make sure you have at least a cup of cooking liquid.
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Add the garlic cloves, bay leaves, mustard seeds, allspice, salt and pepper to the top of the beef.
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Seal the Instant Pot lid and the valve.
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Cook on high pressure for 90 minutes.
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Do a quick release and release all the pressure before opening the lip.
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Take out the corned beef and wrap in aluminum foil and set aside.
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Add the bay leaf and garlic cloves back to the juice if needed (off the top of the beef).
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Place potatoes, cabbage wedges and carrots into the pot.
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Shut the lid and seal.
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Cook for 5 minutes on high pressure.
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Do a quick release and open the lid.
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Take the corned beef out of the tin foil and slice it against the grain. The beef should be fork-tender and cut easily.
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Remove vegetables from the pot with a slotted spoon if you want to take them out with out any liquid. Serve vegetables immediately with the corned beef.
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Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge.
CORNED BEEF AND CABBAGE VIDEO TUTORIAL
CORNED BEEF AND CABBAGE RECIPE
Instant Pot Corned Beef and Cabbage Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 lbs corned beef brisket
- 4 cloves of garlic
- 4 cups of water
- 2 bay leaves whole
- 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
- 1/2 tsp whole allspice
- salt and pepper to taste
- 2 lbs of potatoes quarters
- 2 cups carrots
- 1 head of cabbage cut into slices or wedges
Instructions
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Place rack in the Instant Pot and place corned beef on top of the rack.
-
Pour the water into the pot.
-
Add the garlic cloves, bay leaves, mustard seeds, allspice, salt and pepper to the top of the beef.
-
Seal the Instant Pot lid and the valve.
-
Cook on high pressure for 90 minutes.
-
Do a quick release and release all the pressure before opening the lip.
-
Take out the corned beef and wrap in tinfoil and set aside.
-
Add the bay leaf and garlic cloves back to the juice if needed (off the top of the beef).
-
Place potatoes, cabbage wedges and carrots into the pot.
-
Shut the lid and seal.
-
Cook for 5 minutes on high pressure.
-
Do a quick release and open the lid.
-
Take the corned beef out of the tin foil and slice it against the grain. The beef should be fork-tender and cut easily.
-
Serve vegetables immediately with the corned beef.
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Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge.
Recipe Notes
*You can add any other vegetables to this recipe. For instance, I have seen multiple recipes that add onions into the mix. Just throw them in the instant pot with your other veggies!
INSTANT POT CORNED BEEF AND CABBAGE
With the Instant Pot, I can make the exact same tender and juicy beef, in a lot less time…an hour and a half to be exact! So I feel a lot more motivated to make this dish for the family and I to enjoy on what sometimes can be a busy weeknight and holiday!
Now you can make it to enjoy on the holiday with your family too! It literally could not be any easier…or faster to make this for your St. Patrick’s Day Dinner. And, now that it is so easy, you might find yourself wanting to make it a couple times of year too!
CORNED BEEF CABBAGE ADD-INS
If you want to change up your corned beef dish with a few of your favorites, you can easily add any of the following without compromising how your corned beef turns out. These additions can add some extra flavor and textures to your final dish!
- beef broth
- coriander seeds
- large carrots
- red potatoes
- beets
- turnips
- russet potatoes
- fresh parsley
- sauerkraut
- shredded cheese
HOW TO USE LEFTOVER CORNED BEEF AND CABBAGE
One of the best things about this recipe is using the leftovers. I love the leftovers maybe even a little bit more than the meal on the first day. One of our favorite things to do with the rest of the corned beef cabbage is to grab some rye bread and make a delicious reuben sandwich. We love to add Swiss cheese, sauerkraut, Russian dressing (or thousand island dressing) and press them in a panini maker.
Corned beef also tastes great on nachos with your favorite tortilla chips and all the toppings! You can also make Corned Beef Hash. This is made with chopped corned beef, cooked potatoes or frozen hash browns, onions, and spices which you will fry up in a pan until tender and warm. That mixture is often served with poached or fried eggs.
Will you be making it this year on St. Patrick’s Day?
INSTANT POT GUIDE
Are you new to using an Instant Pot and need some help getting started? Check out our guide for How to Get Started With Your Instant Pot here. I also created a printable Instant Pot Cooking Times sheet to help you take some of the confusion out of how long to cook something in your Instant Pot. You can grab that here.
In case you are interested, this is the Instant Pot that I have!
Check out our other Instant Pot Recipes if you are looking for some more ideas!
INSTANT POT RECIPES
- Chicken Tacos
- Chicken and Rice Burrito Bowls
- Pot Roast
- Hot Cocoa Recipe
- Corned Beef and Cabbage
- Barbecue Pulled Chicken
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Lori says
Your recipe ingredients do not include the corned beef. What size do you recommend? Thanks so much.
Thanks for catching that!! I just updated the recipe! I forgot to add it!
Thanks for the recipe. I can’t wait to try iy.
Lori- I hope you do try it out. Its delicious!
Corned beef and cabbage? What an interesting combo, I’m curious to give it a try!
Diego- I hope you do….it’s delicious!
The total time did not include the time it takes to come to pressure when you add the corned beef and when you add the vegetables. This added an extra half hour. However it was a great recipe. My family enjoyed it. Will definitely do it again!
Reina- I will have to change that. Glad you enjoyed it.
This recipe was amazing! Super delicious and I could eat my fill. I have gestational diabetes and ate about 2/3 of a row and my blood sugar was 85 an hour after the meal. I will definitely be making this again. Thank you!!!
Shaon- I am thrilled that you enjoyed this recipe! Thanks for following along.
Which cut of meat do you recommend? I always seem to buy one with way more fat than meat.
Sandy- Brisket (Flat Cut) is less fattening, so I would use that cut if you are going for less fat.
How long do you cook it in the slow cooker please
Megan- Cook on high pressure for 90 minutes.
Looks amazing. this will be on our table. YUM!
Ivory- It is pretty darn good! Enjoy!
Love this instant pot version!! We love making this around St. Patty’s Day. My family all loves it! I love how tender & tasty it is!
Natalie- It has been a fun family tradition for us too.
I am with you, the instant pot makes this so much easier & more appealing to make! I don’t know why I wait to make this for St. Patrick’s, because it’s so good & great all year long!
Kristyn- Such a time saver! I have loved it so much!
What size instant pot do you recommend for the recipe?
Terri- I use my 6 quart Instant Pot to make this recipe. It works great.
Hi looks good I just wanted to mention that if you cut your beef against the grain it would not be so stringy and more tender to eat.
Carol- Great tip. Thank you for sharing.