These golden, buttery Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes are the ultimate side dish for everyday family meals or special holiday dinners! Using the Instant Pot makes it fast and easy to get perfectly creamy, fluffy, and flavorful mashed potatoes every time! Let’s make some.
The Instant Pot Makes Mashed Potatoes Fast.
Making mashed potatoes in the Instant Pot is fast, easy, and mostly hands-off. Gone are the days of undercooked or water-logged potatoes; cooking potatoes in the Instant Pot takes the guesswork out of cooking perfect potatoes for mashing. The result is seriously creamy and delicious mashed spuds. The whole family will love them. And you may never make potatoes any other way again.
Key Ingredients and Substitutions
Find the printable recipe with measurements in the recipe card below.
- Potatoes: What are the best potatoes for mashing? This depends on who you ask, but the general consensus is russet potatoes and Yukon Golds. Russet potatoes make light, fluffy, and smooth mashed potatoes when made properly. They are high starch, low moisture potatoes that absorb liquids like butter, cream, and broth well but turn gluey when overmixed. Yukon Gold potatoes, on the other hand, are naturally creamy and buttery and have a medium starch level, protecting them from turning gluey when overmixed (at least a little).
- Milk or Cream: For this recipe, I’ve chosen to use whole milk, but if calories are of no concern, heavy cream or half-and-half will give a richer flavor.
- Sour Cream: Sour cream in mashed potatoes is a must. The slight tanginess is so delicious! Use full-fat sour cream or substitute with full-fat plain Greek yogurt.
- Butter: Salted or unsalted is up to you. I always use salted butter, but if you’re concerned about the total sodium content, you may want to use unsalted, then season to taste.
How to Make Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes
I made these mashed potatoes in my 6-quart Instant Pot Ultra, which is no longer available. A great alternative is the 6-quart Instant Pot Duo.
1. Prepare the Instant Pot. Place the metal trivet or silicone basket inside the stainless steel cooking pot of your Instant Pot. Add 1 cup of cold water.
2. Prepare the potatoes. Peel the potatoes, then chop them into 1 to 2-inch chunks of equal size. Transfer the potatoes on top of the metal trivet or inside the silicone steamer basket.
3. Pressure cook the potatoes. Cover and switch the pressure valve to the sealing position. Cook on high pressure for 8 minutes. Note: The Instant Pot will take about 15 minutes to reach pressure before the countdown begins.
4. Quick release. Switch the steam release valve to the venting position for a quick release. Remove the lid once the valve pops.
5. Drain. Drain the potatoes in a large colander and set aside. Meanwhile, remove the inner pot from the Instant Pot and wash and dry well. Transfer the potatoes back to the Instant Pot.
6. Heat the dairy. Gently heat the butter, milk, and sour cream in a small saucepot set over medium heat until warm. Set the Instant Pot to “warm” and add the dairy mixture to the potatoes.
7. Mash the potatoes. Use a potato masher to mash the potatoes until the desired consistency is reached. Add additional milk or cream, as needed, and season with salt and black pepper to taste.
Storage and Reheating Tips
Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 4 days in an airtight container.
The best way to reheat mashed potatoes is in the oven. Transfer the potatoes to a large baking dish and spread them evenly. Add additional cream or broth and butter, cover with foil, and warm them slowly in a preheated oven set to 350°F.
Reheating on the stovetop leads to over-stirring, which (unintentionally) leads to gluey potatoes. If you prefer reheating on the stovetop, try the double boiler method. Transfer the mashed potatoes to a heatproof bowl and place the bowl over a pot of simmering water (making sure the water isn’t touching the bowl). Cover tightly with foil or a lid to retain moisture.
Reheating Mashed Potatoes in the Instant Pot
Add 1 cup of water to the Instant Pot, then place a trivet or a steamer basket inside the pot. Place the mashed potatoes in a heatproof bowl (the bowl should fit inside your Instant Pot) and cover the bowl loosely with foil. Set the Instant Pot to the “Steam” function for 5 minutes. Quick release, carefully open the lid, and remove the bowl. Stir the potatoes. If they are not warm enough, repeat for a few more minutes.
Recipe Variations
Potatoes on their own can taste very bland. My dad always made fantastic mashed potatoes thanks to four simple ingredients: butter, whole milk, sour cream, and salt. And lots of them. For even more flavor, you can try adding one (or more) of the following:
- Cream cheese or ulta-creamy mascarpone cheese
- Chopped chives or green onions
- Roasted garlic
- Bacon
- Browned butter
More Instant Pot Recipes
The Instant Pot is fantastic at cooking various recipes. Some of my favorites include oatmeal, butternut squash risotto, bone broth, beets, and mashed sweet potatoes! You can also use the Instant Pot to cook main dishes such as:
RECIPE CARD
Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 pounds russet potatoes - peeled and chopped
- 1 cup cold water
- 1 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
- Place the metal trivet or silicone basket inside the stainless steel cooking pot of your Instant Pot. Add 1 cup of cold water.
- Peel the potatoes, then chop them into 1 to 2-inch chunks of equal size. Place the potatoes on top of the metal trivet or inside the silicone steamer basket.
- Cover and switch the pressure valve to the sealing position. Cook on high pressure for 8 minutes. Note: The Instant Pot will take about 15 minutes to reach pressure before the countdown begins.
- Switch the steam release valve to the venting position for a quick release. Remove the lid once the valve pops.
- Drain the potatoes in a large colander and set aside. Meanwhile, remove the inner pot from the Instant Pot, wash and dry well, then transfer the potatoes back to the Instant Pot.
- Gently heat the butter, milk, and sour cream in a small saucepot set over medium heat until warm. Set the Instant Pot to “warm” and add the dairy mixture to the potatoes.
- Use a potato masher to mash the potatoes until the desired consistency is reached. Add additional milk or cream, as needed, and season with salt and black pepper to taste.
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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