Corned beef and cabbage only takes 2 hours in the Instant pot, and is an easy dinner to make. Traditionally, it’s served with potatoes, but we have a keto friendly option!
The boy loves corned beef and cabbage. It’s actually one of his favorite meals. When they go on sale, I grab a few of them and stash them in the freezer for a delicious treat. When (and IF) we have leftovers, they make great Ruben sandwiches or Ruben in a bowl meals, too.
Making a corned beef in the Instant Pot means that you have a hands-off meal that still winds up juicy and tender. It takes about 2 hours to cook, and 30 minutes total to heat and release pressure. That is my favorite option to make it. However, if you want to cook a corned beef using other options:
- in the crockpot on low for 8-10 hours
- in the oven at 300 degrees F for about 5-6 hours
HOW TO CHOOSE THE BEST CUT OF CORNED BEEF
There are 3 cuts of corned beef commonly available in the grocery store: the flat, the point, the whole brisket.
- The “flat” cut – more consistent thickness, and less fat
- The “point” – thicker part of the brisket, has more marbling throughout the muscle. This also tends to be more tender after cooking
- A whole brisket- this is both the flat and the point, giving you the best of both. This tends to be more tough, and needing of a long, low slow cooking.
What is in the spice packet for corned beef?
Corned beef that comes from the store will usually have a spice packet inside to season your brisket with. This seasoning packet commonly contains:
- yellow and brown mustard seeds
- whole black peppercorns
- whole white peppercorns
- coriander seeds
- whole allspice
- whole cloves
- bay leaves
To make a corned beef in the Instant Pot, you can use the store bought packet OR you can make your own seasoning blend.
To make your homemade corned beef seasoning, try this recipe:
- 1 teaspoon each yellow and brown mustard seeds
- 3 bay leaves, crushed
- 10 Allspice berries
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
To make your corned beef in the Instant Pot:
Add the juice that comes with the brisket and the seasoning packet to the bottom of your Instant Pot. I lay mine fat side UP to allow the seasoning to get into the fat part. I like to add the juice to the bottom first, and bring that to a boil, THEN add the meat. This helps get the Instant Pot to pressure faster. Of course, you can totally skip that step and just add it all at once, but the time to get to pressure can be increased as much as 20 minutes.
Make sure your Instant Pot valve is pointed toward the “sealing” part so that the pressure can build. Once it’s at pressure, the silver valve will pop up and the timer will begin. Set the time on “manual” for 120 minutes. Allow the Instant Pot to release the pressure naturally. If you do a quick release with this, the meat can become very tough.
One the full pressure has released naturally, remove the brisket to a platter and cover with foil to keep warm. Allow the juices to stay in the Instant Pot. Add the quartered cabbage and radishes, salt and pepper to the juices and replace the lid. Set on manual for 7 minutes and do a quick release of pressure. The radishes will lose their color a bit, but come out soft, tender and without a super peppery bite.
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Ingredients:
- corned beef (either point, flat, or brisket) about 3 pounds, with accompanying seasoning packet, or your own homemade seasoning
- 1 head of cabbage
- 16 ounces whole radishes
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions:
- Pour the juice from the corned beef cabbage into the Instant Pot and set on “sautee”. When the liquid begins to boil, turn off the Instant Pot, add the brisket and seasoning packet.
- Close the lid, set the valve to “sealing” and set on manual for 120 minutes.
- Allow the pressure to release naturally.
- Remove the brisket to a plate, tent with foil to keep warm.
- Cut the cabbage into quarters, removing the core. Add to the Instant Pot.
- Slice the root ends off the radishes, add to the Instant Pot on top of the cabbage.
- Season vegetables with salt and pepper.
- Replace the lid, set the valve to seal and the time on manual for 7 minutes. Release pressure quickly.
- Serve and enjoy!
Serve your corned beef with the yummy cabbage and radishes and enjoy your keto version! Do you enjoy corned beef all year long, or just around March 17? Be sure to let me know what you think!
Corned Beef and Cabbage In The Instant Pot

Ingredients
- corned beef (either point, flat, or brisket) about 3 pounds, with accompanying seasoning packet, or your own homemade seasoning
- 1 head of cabbage
- 16 ounces whole radishes
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Pour the juice from the corned beef cabbage into the Instant Pot and set on "sautee". When the liquid begins to boil, turn off the Instant Pot, add the brisket and seasoning packet.
- Close the lid, set the valve to "sealing" and set on manual for 120 minutes.
- Allow the pressure to release naturally.
- Remove the brisket to a plate, tent with foil to keep warm.
- Cut the cabbage into quarters, removing the core. Add to the Instant Pot.
- Slice the root ends off the radishes, add to the Instant Pot on top of the cabbage.
- Season vegetables with salt and pepper.
- Replace the lid, set the valve to seal and the time on manual for 7 minutes. Release pressure quickly.
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes
You can skip the sautee and bringing the liquid to a boil in step 1, but your time to get to pressure may be increased. Fat, protein, and carb counts are based on a 3 pound brisket, serving 6.
Recommended Products
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
- Instant Pot DUO60 6 Qt 7-in-1 Multi-Use Programmable Pressure Cooker, Slow Cooker, Rice Cooker, Steamer, Sauté, Yogurt Maker and Warmer
- REDMOND Real Sea Salt - Natural Unrefined Organic Gluten Free Fine, 26 ounce pouch (1 Pack)
- Simply Organic Pepper, Black Medium Grind Certified Organic, 2.31 Ounce Container
- Corned Beef Spices By Penzeys Spices 2.3 oz 3/4 cup bag
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
6Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 214 Total Fat: 112.2g Saturated Fat: 2g Trans Fat: 0g Unsaturated Fat: 3g Cholesterol: 14mg Sodium: 72404mg Carbohydrates: 9.5g Fiber: 4.2g Sugar: 9g Protein: 122g
Zach
Some of Zach's favorite keto resources include:
Perfect Keto: For those who are looking for easy supplements that support a Keto diet, Perfect Keto offers a variety of products that make it easy to stay in ketosis including keto bars, whey protein, and keto nootropics.
KetoLogic: For those who have a sweet tooth, KetoLogic sells keto-friendly chocolate candies with only 1g of net carbs & zero added sugars.
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