Instant Pot Cheesy Parsnips and Carrots
An easy Instant Pot recipe for steamed carrots and parsnips with a rich, creamy, cheesy sauce. The perfect side dish for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or any fall dinner.
Servings: 8 servings
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 to 2 cups water
- 3-4 lbs carrots & parsnips (see note below)
- 1 can evaporated milk (12 oz)
- 2 teaspoons dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 4 oz sharp cheddar cheese
- 4 oz American or Monterey Jack cheese
Instructions
- Place the stainless steel pan in the Instant Pot and add the water (use the larger amount for an 8 qt). Peel the parsnips and carrots and cut into 1/2 inch chunks. Place the parsnips and carrots in a steamer basket for the Instant Pot and place the steamer basket in the stainless steel pot.
- Seal the lid, close the pressure release valve, and press “Pressure Cook” button until it’s on “Normal” and press the “Pressure Level” button until it’s on “High Pressure”. Then press the +/- buttons until it’s on “0” for 0 minutes. The time it takes to come up to pressure is enough to steam the carrots and parsnips.
- When it’s done, turn off the pressure cooker by pressing the “Cancel” button. Quick release the pressure by opening the pressure release valve, staying clear of the steam. Remove the lid when the float valve is down and carefully remove the steamer basked using the handle and an oven mitt.
- Set the steamed veggies aside, pour out the water from the stainless steel pot, and place the stainless steel pot back in the Instant Pot. Press the “Saute” button until it’s on “More”. Add the evaporated milk, mustard and salt and bring to a simmer (about 2 minutes). Turn off the Instant Pot by pressing the “Cancel” button, then add in the cheeses in several batches.
- Turn the Saute button to “Less” if the cheese hasn’t quite melted yet - you want just enough heat to melt the cheese, but not too much so it overheats and gets grainy.
- When the cheese has melted into the sauce, add in the steamed carrots and parsnips and gently mix through.
Notes
I generally use 2 lbs of carrots and 1 to 1.5 lbs of parsnips. If you can't find parsnips, you could also use all carrots. You can also substitute turnips for the parsnips or baby carrots for the carrots. 4 lbs is about the max that can fit in a steamer basket for the 6 quart Instant Pot.