Size matters. A baby carrot (the tiny pre-cut ones) is done in 3 to 5 minutes. A baby potato (like a new potato) takes 10 to 15 minutes. Still longer.
But chop a carrot into coins—thin ones—and they’re soft in 4 minutes. Chop a potato into tiny cubes? You’re still waiting 8 minutes. Potatoes always win the slow cook contest.
Unless you’re lazy. Leave them whole? A whole carrot takes about 15 minutes. A whole baking potato? Over an hour. That’s like comparing a sprint to a marathon.
The Microwave Cheat Code
Want to speed things up? Use the microwave. A whole potato in a microwave: 5 minutes, and it’s done. Same carrot: 2 minutes.
But here’s the weird part: microwaved carrots turn wobbly fast. Potatoes hold their shape better. That’s because microwaves excite water molecules, and carrots are over 88% water. Potatoes? Only 79% water. Less water means slower cooking.
So in the microwave, carrots are still the hare. Potatoes are the tortoise. Every. Single. Time.
