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Sweet, cinnamon-flavored Tzimmes is one of the easiest holiday dishes that you can prepare using your pressure cooker! It is a colorful fall-theme side dish made of tender glazed veggies and dried fruits bursting with sweet and citrusy flavors. It’ll be ready in just 15 minutes.
Each bite of this sumptuous side dish is filled with sweet, warm, and tangy flavors. The combination of fork-tender yams and carrots plus the soft and chewy dried fruits is amazing. This is the perfect dish to make and bring to any special occasion and holiday celebration- easy, affordable, and flavorful!
What is Tzimmes?
This delicious vegetable stew is an Ashkenazi Jewish dish served as part of the Rosh Hashanah feast and is sometimes served at Hanukkah and other celebrations. Rosh Hashanah, also known as the Jewish New Year is often celebrated with sweetened treats to symbolize a sweeter year ahead. The term Tzimmes is a combination of two Yiddish words, Tzim and Esn. Tzim means “for ” and Esn means “eating.” The preparation takes longer than the actual cooking itself due to all the peeling and slicing you have to do. That is why the term “to make a Tzimmes” is an expression that means “to make a fuss.” But do not fret, this recipe omits the peeling and stirring parts to make it less fussy! It’s also great served alongside these must-try vegan Passover recipes.
Vegan Pressure Cooker Tzimmes
This recipe uses only plant-based ingredients, dried fruits, and spices and is cooked using the pressure cooker function from my Instant Pot. I find it quicker and more convenient instead of baking them. Aside from cutting down the cooking time, it also frees up precious oven space for you to make your traditional holiday entrees and desserts.
Is it healthy?
Absolutely! Aside from it being naturally vegan, it is also a gluten-free dish and packed with fiber. Yams, carrots, and prunes are all rich in vitamins and minerals plus antioxidants that benefit a lot of our body’s functions. If you are concerned about the sugar content, you can absolutely substitute it with healthier sugars or other natural sweeteners. You can also control how much you want to use for the recipe.
Ingredients Used
Nothing fancy, just your everyday simple food turned into a comforting bowl of Pressure Cooker Tzimmes.
- Red Yams – I used red yams because they are moister compared to paler ones. You can also try using the orange variety.
- Carrots – You can use any type of carrots for this recipe. Though, I prefer using the long thin orange ones for easier preparation. They also have thinner skin which is important because we are cooking them peel-on. Here’s a complete guide to carrots if you want to check it out!
- Orange juice – gives the side dish a bright tangy tone that balances the sweetness coming from the carrots and sugar. You can also use lime or lemon juice, or any citric juice you have on hand.
- Dried prunes and cranberries or raisins – Adds a fruity taste and chewy element that complements the tenderness of the yams and carrots.
- Brown sugar – This adds a deep caramelized taste to the dish. You can also use maple syrup or agave nectar as substitutes. If you’d like to switch up the brown sugar, you can also try vegan honey instead.
- Cinnamon – provides a warm, citrusy and strong clove taste to the dish.
- Salt and pepper – to taste.
How to Make Pressure Cooker Tzimmes?
Nothing can be easier than a quick dump and cook recipe like this! As I said, most of your time will be spent preparing the ingredients.
- Wash the yams and carrots thoroughly under running water. Dice the yams and slice the carrots. No peeling required!
- Place them in the pressure cooker basket and add the rest of the ingredients. Mix them all together until well combined.
- Seal and turn the manual pressure on for 2 minutes. Afterward, do a quick release to dissipate the pressure inside quickly. Serve and enjoy!
Tips when Making Pressure Cooker Tzimmes
- Cut the yams and carrots as equally as possible so they cook evenly. If you have bigger portions, they will be undercooked.
- Make sure to let the pressure out immediately after the cooking time is over. Letting it naturally release will make the potatoes too soft and mushy.
- If there is too much sauce after cooking, you can press the saute button to reduce the liquid. The Tzimmes should not be soupy.
- If you want to make the sauce thicker, you can add some cornstarch or flour to the sauce and stir.
FAQs
- Do I have to peel the yam and carrots? – Only if you want to. I like to keep the peel on because of the additional nutrients and because I love saving time.
- Can I add other vegetables? – Yes, you can! You can add beets, Brussel sprouts, or sweet potatoes.
- Can I bake it instead? – You can. Just preheat your oven to 325 degrees F and place the seasoned veggies in a greased baking pan. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes.
Make-Ahead and Storing
You can make the Pressure Cooker Tzimmes ahead of time and refrigerate it first. Just make sure that you place it in a lidded container to keep the moisture in. Serve it chilled or you can reheat them in the microwave, stovetop, or oven.
Any leftovers can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Here are some more Pressure-Cooker dishes to try:
- Barley Vegetable Soup – No need to spend hours in the kitchen in order to enjoy a comforting dinner! This Barley Vegetable Soup in the Pressure Cooker cooks itself!
- Instant Pot Pinto Beans – This Instant Pot Pinto Beans recipe only takes about 1 hour to cook and almost no effort or advanced cooking skills are required.
- Brocolli and Potato Soup – This Broccoli and Potato Soup recipe is simple, very affordable, and really delicious. It’s the best way to turn a bag of potatoes into an amazing meal with minimum effort.
Photos by Alfonso Revilla
Pressure Cooker Tzimmes
Ingredients
- 2 large red yams about 2 pounds, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1 pound carrots sliced
- ½ cup orange juice
- 1 ½ cup dried prunes
- ½ cup dried cranberries or raisins
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a 6-quart electric pressure cooker, add in all the ingredients and stir together until well-combined.
- Place the lid on and turn the manual pressure on for 2 minutes. When it’s finished, let the pressure out using the quick release.
- If it’s more liquid than you’d like, keep the lid off and turn the saute button on until it evaporates to your liking. It shouldn’t be soupy.
Notes
Nutrition
Disclaimer: Although plantbasedonabudget.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, kindly note that these are only estimates. Nutritional information may be affected based on the product type, the brand that was purchased, and in other unforeseeable ways. Plantbasedonabudget.com will not be held liable for any loss or damage resulting for your reliance on nutritional information. If you need to follow a specific caloric regimen, please consult your doctor first.
