Instant Pot Mashed Carrots

Here I am again in another "what do I call this recipe" crisis. This recipe is really less of a carrot mash and more of a carrot purée. Yep, purée. Like baby food but more sophisticated. I'm sticking with carrot mash though because the point of this is to replace mashed potatoes, not feed it to your infant who's starting on solids.

Why replace the classic comfort food made from fluffy starchy addicting potatoes that are absolutely delicious and at the same time have almost no flavor at all? I have to admit, I don't have a whole lot of love for that particular vegetable unless it's deep fried to a crisp and completely over-salted. Aside from taste, the reason I personally look for alternatives is because I don't feel good when I eat more than a small amount of white potatoes. I don't seem to be sensitive to all nightshades but potatoes and tomatoes both give me a lot of problems. If you are also sensitive to nightshades, I believe this recipe is nightshade-free but the dairy-free butter I recommend has natural flavors and I'm not sure if nightshades are ever included in that so be sure to find a butter, ghee, or dairy free alternative that works for you.

If you need a reason other than dietary need, these mashed carrots are just plain good. They turn out rich and buttery but at the same time, are surprisingly light with silky texture. I love mashed sweet potato (especially the white variety!), mashed cauliflower, and I even used to make a really good parsnip turnip purée all the time. My point is, these foods don't have to be mashed potato alternatives. They can just be a really good side dish that you enjoy having, maybe even alongside mashed potatoes.

Just a heads up - this isn't supposed to be a low carb alternative. I feel the need to point that out because a lot of people are mistaking my recipes for low carb and keto friendly lately. I haven't tried this yet but if you wanted to reduce the carbs, I think you could omit the brown sugar and add cinnamon to taste.

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Recipe

Instant Pot Mashed Carrots

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• Author: Meagan Fikes
• Prep Time: 10
• Cook Time: 5
• Total Time: 15 minutes
• Yield: 4 servings 1x
• Method: pressure cooking

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Description

Buttery yet light and silky, these vegan mashed carrots cook for 5 minutes in the Instant Pot. Perfect for Thanksgiving or enjoy them as a side anytime!

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Ingredients

• 2 lb carrots
• 1 C water
• 3 Tbsp dairy free butter, I used Earth Balance soy free baking sticks
• 3 Tbsp brown sugar
• ¼ tsp salt
• ½ tsp thyme

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Instructions

1. Peel and chop the carrots.
2. Add one cup of water to the Instant Pot and place a steamer basket inside. Put the chopped carrots into the steamer basket. (Note that my steamer basket doesn't have the little feet on the bottom to keep it from sitting in the water. To fix the problem, I put a steamer rack underneath it. See photos below.)
3. Secure the lid on your Instant Pot and set the valve to "sealing". Press the manual button and change the time to 5 minutes. Once the carrots finish cooking, do a quick pressure release by switching the valve to "venting". After all of the pressure is released, you can remove the lid.
4. Use oven mitts to remove the steamer basket of carrots and dump them into a food processor while they are still warm. Add the dairy free butter, brown sugar, salt, and thyme.
5. Purée the carrots in the food processor until all of the lumps are gone and everything is thoroughly mixed, then it is ready to serve.

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Notes

This recipe assumes the user is familiar with and knows how to use an Instant Pot. Always read and follow the manufacturers instructions before attempting to make a recipe in your Instant Pot.

Potential allergens in this recipe may vary due to brands of ingredients used, product reformulations, etc. Please verify that all your ingredients are safe for you to consume and always be mindful of allergen cross contamination while cooking.

Note that peeling the carrots is necessary for a smooth result.

If you don't have an Instant Pot, these can be made on the stovetop too. Put the peeled and chopped carrots in a saucepan on the stove and add just enough water to cover them. Put the lid on the saucepan and bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer until the carrots are very soft. Drain off the water then follow the instructions for finishing them in the food processor starting at step 4.