Loaded with buttery flavor, hearty potatoes and a hint of garlic, Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes the perfect side dish to just about any meal. Easy enough to pull together on busy weeknights, and tasty enough for holiday menus this is sure to become your potato go to! Warm and fluffy they are comfort food at its finest.
Quick Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes are a classic side dish for any holiday gathering. And preparing your potatoes in the Instant Pot means you get to free up both oven and stove top space which there never seems to be enough of during the holidays.
Looking for more favorite holiday side dishes? Don't worry, our soft Dinner Rolls, homemade Sausage Stuffing, easy stovetop Macaroni and Cheese or holiday Cheese Ball should help round out the menu.
And if you happen to be a lover of potatoes and can never get enough - you've got to try our other delicious potato options, like easy Au Gratin Potatoes and Funeral Potatoes.
🥫 Ingredients
Surprisingly mashed potatoes can be a difficult thing to get just right. But with this quick instant pot mashed potato recipe it all becomes pretty fool proof. There really is no easier way to get a fabulous flavor, smooth and silky mashed potatoes all in one pot.
- Potatoes
- Water
- Salt and Pepper
- Butter
- Garlic Powder
- Sour Cream
🥣 Step by Step Instructions
Firstly, go ahead and peel your potatoes and cut each one into 4 or 5 large round pieces. When done place the potato pieces in the Instant Pot. Then go ahead and rinse and drain your potatoes once or twice to remove any excess starch.
Once rinsed add water to the pot until the potatoes are just covered. Then adding the salt to the pot, give it a quick stir.
Afterwards place the lid on the Instant Pot and seal the valve. Then go ahead and set the Instant Pot to cook on manual pressure for 8 minutes.
Once the timer goes off you will want to quick release the pressure by turning the valve on top of the pot.
Then immediately after, drain your potatoes to keep them from further cooking. Being sure NOT to rinse the potatoes or they will loose much of their heat. Instead, place the pot back in the pressure cooker to keep everything insulated.
Next, add your butter, garlic, pepper, salt and sour cream to the potatoes. While still in the pot mash the potatoes to combine the rest of the ingredients. Continue this until your mashed potatoes have reached your desired smoothness.
Lastly, transfer your instant pot mashed potatoes to a serving dish and top with fresh parsley or a pat of butter and enjoy!
👩🏻🍳 Make it Your Own
We are huge fans of taking a recipe and tweaking it to your needs or tastes. Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes are the perfect dish for doing just this. Try adding extra flavor and fun to your dish with any of these suggestions:
- Shallot and Chive Potatoes - add 3 ounces of Boursin Shallot and Chives Gournay Cheese
- Garlic and Herb Potatoes - add 3 ounces of Boursin Garlic and Fine Herbs Gournay Cheese
- Cream Cheese Potatoes - add 3 ounces of cream cheese
- Hearty Potatoes - add 2 cups beef or chicken broth to your potatoes and water before cooking
- Cheddar Bacon Potatoes - add 1 cup shredded cheddar and ½ cup warmed bacon bits or crumbles
- Loaded Ranch Potatoes - add 2 tablespoons ranch mix powder, ½ cup warmed bacon bits or crumbles, and ¾ cup cheddar cheese
💬 Top Tips
Removing Extra Starch
Before cooking in the Instant Pot be sure to rinse the sliced potatoes and drain off any excess water. This simple step helps to remove excess starch buildup that will happen while boiling.
Trust me, this may not seem essential but if you don't do it you will open your pressure cooker to find a frothy grey ring around the waterline. Save yourself the trouble and give your sliced potatoes a quick rinse before adding salt and water to cook.
Keeping Them Hot
There is nothing quite like hot, steamy mashed potatoes. With a few simple steps it is easy to keep your mashed potatoes nice and hot till ready to serve!
After your potatoes are cooked and drained DO NOT rinse them. Instead, to preserve your heat, place the inner pot back in the pressure cooker after draining. This will help keep your pot insulated. Then go ahead and mash your potatoes and season them right there in the Instant Pot's inner pot.
📋 FAQ's
Can you make mashed potatoes in an Instant Pot?
The quick answer is ABSOLUTELY!
Surprisingly mashed potatoes can be a difficult thing to get just right. But with this quick instant pot mashed potato recipe it all becomes pretty fool proof. There really is no easier way to get a fabulous flavor, smooth and silky mashed potatoes all in one pot.
Is it better to whip or mash potatoes?
I prefer to use an electric mixer when I make my mashed potatoes. It's easy and quick. But technically it does mean that my potatoes are whipped potatoes versus a more traditional mashed potato.
If looking for a true mashed potato just grab a potato masher, ricer or fork and get to work! Any of these methods are fine. It really just comes down to your preference and the desired texture you want!
How do you keep mashed potatoes hot?
There is nothing quite like hot, steamy mashed potatoes. With a few simple steps it is easy to keep your instant pot mashed potatoes nice and hot till ready to serve!
After your potatoes are cooked and drained DO NOT rinse them. Instead, to preserve your heat, place the inner pot back in the pressure cooker after draining. This will help to keep your pot insulated. Mash your potatoes and season them right there in the Instant Pot's inner pot.
📖 Recipe
Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes
Creamy, silky potatoes perfectly seasoned plus a fail-proof recipe makes this Instant Pot Mashed Potato a true one pot wonder!
Ingredients
- 6 medium potatoes
- 5 cups water, just enough to cover potatoes
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 4 tablespoons butter
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup sour cream
Instructions
- Peel potatoes and then cut into 4-5 large rounds. Place the potatoes in Instant Pot. Rinse and drain potatoes once or twice to take excess startch off.
- Cover potatoes with water. Add teaspoon of salt to pot.
- Place lid on the Instant Pot and seal the valve. Set to cook on manual pressure for 8 minutes.
- When timer goes off quick release the pressure.
- Drain the potatoes to prevent them from cooking any further. Do NOT rinse the pot before placing the potatoes back into the Instant Pot (this is key to keep them HOT).
- Add the butter, garlic, pepper, salt and sour cream. Mash potatoes and ingredients till the desired smoothness.
- Serve topped with parsley or pat of butter if you would like.
Notes
- Rinse the potatoes once or twice to take startch off. Trust me - it is better, otherwise you will see frothy startch residue around the top of the water line. Nobody has time for that.
- After potatoes are cooked and you drain them do NOT rinse the pot before returning the potatoes to it. Be sure to place the inner pot back into the pressure cooker. These steps will help the potatoes to stay piping hot until ready to serve.
- If you like your potatoes a little thinner try adding ¼ cup milk, slowly to desired consistency reached.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 276Total Fat: 10gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 26mgSodium: 797mgCarbohydrates: 43gFiber: 5gSugar: 3gProtein: 5g