These Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes are light, creamy, fluffy, and so full of flavor. The perfect side dish for everyday family meals or special holiday dinners, the pressure cooker helps make mashed potatoes both fast and easy to make!
The Best Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes Recipe
Mashed potatoes made easier thanks to a little help from our favorite kitchen appliance (is it an appliance? or a tool? or maybe just a gadget?) anyway, our favorite kitchen helper, the Instant Pot.
True story, these mashed potatoes are basically the same thing as my stovetop mashed potatoes recipe. And, yes, they’re both crazy easy to make and super delicious.
But! There’s something about the Instant Pot that always manages to make things a little easier. It takes the guesswork out of cooking. No more asking, “is it done yet?” And, in the case of these potatoes, it prevents the potatoes from being over-cooked and waterlogged.
Serve these perfect weeknight mashed potatoes with all your favorite easy recipes, family dinners, or special holiday meals.
Related: Potato Types: A Guide to Popular Types of Potatoes
How to Make Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes
1. Start by getting everything set up. Place the Instant Pot trivet (the metal thing that came with your pressure cooker) or silicone basket inside the inner pot of your Instant Pot. Add 1 cup of cold water.
2. Peel and wash your potatoes then chop into quarters. My potatoes weren’t that big, approximately medium in size. If your potatoes are extra-large (as russet potatoes can sometimes be), chop them into sixths, or even eighths. The key is to chop all of your potatoes so that they are approximately equal in size.
Place the peeled and chopped potatoes on top of the trivet or inside a silicone steamer basket.
3. Place the cover on your Instant Pot and switch the pressure valve to the sealing position. Set to manual HIGH pressure and cook for 8 minutes. After the 8 minutes is complete, carefully switch the pressure valve to the venting position and do a quick release. Remove the lid once the valve pops.
Carefully transfer the potatoes to a large bowl.
4. To heat the milk and butter you may:
- Heat the butter, milk, and sour cream in a small saucepot on the stovetop until warm.
- Remove the inner pot from your electric pressure cooker, wash, rinse, and dry thoroughly. Place back in your Instant Pot and set to SAUTE mode. Add the butter, milk, and sour cream and heat, whisking as needed, until warm.
5. Finally, mash the potatoes.
Add the potatoes back to the Instant Pot. Add the warmed milk and butter and use a potato masher to mash the potatoes until the desired consistency is reached. Add additional milk, as needed, and season with salt and black pepper, to taste (I added approximately 2 teaspoons salt to this batch of mashed potatoes).
To Make-Ahead and Store
When making these pressure cooker mashed potatoes ahead of time, keep in mind that potatoes will absorb and dry out as they chill in the refrigerator. For this reason, I like to add additional milk ( at least 1/2 cup) and butter.
Mashed potatoes store well in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days in a sealed container.
Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop, adding additional milk, as needed.
How to Make Mashed Potatoes Taste Better
The truth is that plain mashed potatoes taste pretty boring and maybe even a little (or a lot) gross. I grew up eating fabulous-tasting mashed potatoes because my parents always added 4 simple ingredients,
- A ton of butter
- Whole milk – none of that skim stuff
- Sour cream
- Probably way too much salt
A few tablespoons of butter or a teaspoon salt just won’t cut it when it comes time to make really good mashed potatoes. It’s also why I only make them for special occasions.
Other delicious add-ins,
- Cream cheese
- Mascarpone cheese
- Heavy cream
- Fresh herbs
- Garlic
- Other cheeses like goat cheese, parmesan cheese, or mozzarella cheese
Potato Masher, Potato Ricer, or Electric Mixer: Which One Should You Use?
You want to mash some potatoes. Which one of these handy little devices will get me the best mashed potatoes?
- Potato ricer: The general consensus is that this is the go-to contraption for ultra, super-smooth potatoes. Personally, I do not own one, so I cannot speak from experience on this one.
- Potato masher: I always use a potato masher, but only because it’s so convenient and takes up so little space in my dishwasher. Potato mashers will give you denser, less silky smooth mashed potatoes.
- Electric hand mixer: The machine to use if you want super light, fluffy, whipped mashed potatoes. This is what my parents always used. Looking back, I feel like my dad would whip the potatoes for a long time, but I never experienced gluey, gummy mashed potatoes from him. That is a risk, however, with this method, so avoid over-mixing or mashing and add additional milk!
More Instant Pot Recipes,
How to Cook Instant Pot Butternut Squash (Whole and Cubed)
Instant Pot Butternut Squash Soup Recipe
Instant Pot Chicken with Potatoes Recipe
If you try making these yummy Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes, please leave me a comment and let me know! I always love to hear your thoughts.
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Easy Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 pounds russet potatoes - peeled and quartered
- 1 cup cold water
- ½ cup butter - plus more for serving
- 1 cup whole milk - or half-and-half
- 1 cup sour cream - or plain Greek yogurt
- Salt - to taste
- Black pepper - to taste
Instructions
- Prepare Pressure Cooker: Place the Instant Pot trivet or silicone basket inside the bowl of your Instant Pot. Add 1 cup of water to the bottom of your Instant Pot.
- Prepare Potatoes: Peel and wash your potatoes then chop into quarters. If your potatoes are extra-large (as russet potatoes can sometimes be), chop them into sixths. Transfer the peeled and chopped potatoes atop the trivet or inside the silicone steamer basket.
- Pressure Cook Potatoes: Place the cover on your Instant Pot and switch the pressure valve to the sealing position. Set your Instant Pot to manual HIGH pressure and cook for 8 minutes. After the cooking time is finished, switch the pressure valve to the venting position and do a quick release. Carefully remove the lid.
- Heat the Milk and Butter: Carefully transfer the potatoes to a large bowl.Heat the butter, 1 cup milk, and sour cream in a small saucepot over medium heat until warm. Alternatively, remove the inner pot from your pressure cooker, wash, rinse, and dry thoroughly. Place back in your Instant Pot and set to SAUTE mode. Whisk the butter, milk, and sour cream until warm.
- Mash Potatoes: Add the cooked potatoes back to the inner pot of your Instant Pot. Add the warmed milk and butter (if it isn't already in the pot) and use a potato masher to mash the potatoes until the desired consistency is reached. Add additional milk, as needed, and season with salt and black pepper, to taste (I added approximately 2 teaspoons salt to this batch of mashed potatoes).
- Serve: Serve these creamy mashed potatoes with a sprinkle of fresh chopped parsley or chives and additional butter, if desired.
Jessica's Notes
- You may use salted or unsalted butter.
- The best potatoes for mashed potatoes: starchy potatoes including russet potatoes or Yukon gold potatoes, or some combination of the two.
Nutritional Information
(Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and specific brands of ingredients used.)
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