Instant Pot Mashed Sweet Potatoes are fluffy, creamy, and super easy to make. The perfect dinnertime side dish or Thanksgiving dinner vegetable, enjoy these delicious pressure cooker mashed sweet potatoes served sweet, savory, or somewhere in between.
Mashed Sweet Potatoes in the Instant Pot
Unless I’m in the mood for baked sweet potatoes with crispy skin and a creamy center, the Instant Pot will always come out on top when it comes to preparing creamy mashed sweet potatoes.
Less water-logged than boiling, cooking sweet potatoes in the Instant Pot or electric pressure cooker also frees up the oven and stovetop for more demanding main dish recipes like baked chicken thighs or pan-seared garlic butter pork chops.
Start to finish these mashed sweet potatoes take approximately 30 minutes to make in your Instant Pot or other electric pressure cookers. If you know that you are especially slow preparing ingredients, then perhaps it will take a few minutes longer.
A great base for any recipe that calls for mashed sweet potatoes, use this method to cook the sweet potatoes for sweet potato casserole (a Thanksgiving must-have!) or this family-favorite sweet potato and butternut squash shepherd’s pie.
How Does the Instant Pot Work?
The Instant Pot works by creating a very high temperature contained within a small space (the pot) that is trapped by a tight seal. This high temperature, much higher than the boiling point of water, creates and releases steam that can’t escape. The result is food that cooks more quickly and more efficiently than traditional stovetop or oven cooking.
This is why cooking potatoes, dry beans, and tough meats using our favorite Instant Pots and pressure cookers works so well.
How to Make Mashed Sweet Potatoes in the Instant Pot
1. Set up:
Place the Instant Pot trivet, a wire steaming basket, or a silicone basket (shown in the images) inside the bowl of your Instant Pot. Add 1 cup of cold water to the bottom of your Instant Pot.
If you plan to cook more than 3 pounds of sweet potatoes, increase the total amount of water to 1.5 cups.
2. Prepare the Potatoes:
Wash and peel your potatoes then chop them into 1-inch chunks. Place the peeled and chopped sweet potatoes inside the steamer basket or on top of the trivet.
- Can you leave the skin on? Yes. If you don’t mind mashed sweet potatoes with the fiber-filled skin mixed in there, then absolutely leave it on (it will also save you time!)
- Can you pressure cook the sweet potatoes whole? Yes. Learn how to cook whole sweet potatoes in the Instant Pot in this post.
3. Cook:
Set your Instant Pot to manual HIGH pressure and cook for 10 minutes. Allow approximately 10 to 15 minutes for your Instant Pot to build up pressure before the cooking time starts to count down.
After the cooking time has finished, switch the pressure valve to the venting position and perform a quick release. Carefully remove the lid.
4. Drain:
Immediately drain the cooked sweet potatoes in a large colander.
5. Mash:
Transfer the still-hot cooked sweet potatoes to the insert (inner pot) of your Instant Pot. Set the Instant Pot to WARM. Add the melted butter followed by the milk, kosher salt, and ground cinnamon. Use a potato masher, food mill, or potato ricer to mash the potatoes until the desired consistency is reached. Add additional milk, as needed, and season with additional salt, if desired.
Variations
Depending on your own personal taste and preference, you may prefer a sweet potato mash that is extra sweet, or somewhat savory. Here are a few ideas to change things up to suit your mood.
- Sweet(er) – add a couple of tablespoons of maple syrup or brown sugar or top with marshmallows.
- Rich – swap the milk for heavy cream or coconut milk.
- Savory – add chopped bacon, pecans, ground cumin, or chopped green onions.
Recipe tips and tricks
- For lighter, creamier mashed sweet potatoes, avoid over mixing. Overmixing any potato (not just sweet potatoes) causes them to release more starch. The more starch that is released, the gummier your potatoes.
- Along the same lines as above, mash the sweet potatoes while they are still warm first with the melted butter, followed by the milk or half and half. The butter coats the starch molecules preventing the water in the milk or half and half from combining with the starch molecules and becoming gluey.
Storing Leftover Instant Pot Mashed Sweet Potatoes
Keep leftovers stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave for 30-second intervals, stirring between each.
To freeze, allow your mashed sweet potatoes to cool completely before transferring to a freezer-safe bag or container. Remove as much air as possible. Transfer to the freezer for up to 4 months. Thaw before reheating in the microwave.
Have you tried making these Instant Pot Mashed Sweet Potatoes?
Tell me about it in the comments below! I always love to hear your thoughts. And tag me #theforkedspoon on Instagram if you’ve made any of my recipes, I always love to see what you’re cooking in the kitchen.
Instant Pot Mashed Sweet Potatoes
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 pounds sweet potatoes - peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 cup water
- 4 tablespoon unsalted butter - melted
- ½ cup whole milk - plus more if needed
- ½ teaspoon salt - plus more to taste
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Prepare Pressure Cooker: Place the Instant Pot trivet, a wire steaming basket, or silicone basket inside the bowl of your Instant Pot. Add 1 cup of water to the bottom of your Instant Pot.
- Prepare Potatoes: Wash and peel your potatoes then chop into cubes approximately 1-inch in size. Place the peeled and chopped sweet potatoes inside the steamer basket or on top of the trivet.
- Pressure Cook the Sweet 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 10 minutes. After the cooking time is finished, switch the pressure valve to the venting position and do a quick release. Carefully remove the lid.Note: it will take about 10 to 15 minutes for your Instant Pot to heat and build up pressure before the cooking time starts to count down.
- Drain: Immediately drain the sweet potatoes in a large colander.
- Mash your Sweet Potatoes: Transfer the drained sweet potatoes to the inner pot of your Instant Pot. Set the Instant Pot to WARM. Add the hot melted butter first. Then add the milk, salt, and ground cinnamon and use a potato masher to mash the potatoes until the desired consistency is reached. Add additional milk, as needed, and season with additional salt, if desired.
- Serve: Serve these creamy mashed sweet potatoes with a sprinkle of ground cinnamon or nutmeg and additional butter, if desired.
Jessica’s Notes
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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