Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes Recipe

Truly, the fastest mashed potatoes made from scratch are Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes. Nothing cooks them faster with fewer dishes, and still makes them totally delicious.

Making mashed potatoes in an Instant Pot is one of the simplest ways to make them. It’s fast, easy and you can adjust them any way you like to suit your tastes.

Instant Pot Mashed Potato Ingredients

• Potatoes – (3 large potatoes) I always use Russet potatoes, but you can also use Yukon or red potatoes. They all do well when making mashed potatoes.
• Butter – (½ cup) Use salted butter. Unsalted will work, but you’ll need to add more salt to the final mashed potatoes.
• Milk – (½ cup) I used a scant ½ cup, but the amount you add will depend on the size of your potatoes. Adjust as needed for the consistency you prefer in your mashed potatoes. I used whole milk.
• Salt – Add enough to suit your tastes. Everyone likes a different amount of salt. Just stir it in until you like the flavor.

Optional Additions

Some people like to add more to their mashed potatoes. Here are some suggestions:

• Sour cream – about 1/2 a cup for this recipe
• Cream cheese – 1 block for this recipe
• Herbed butter – replace the butter called for with herbed butter
• Garlic – about 1 tbsp. to start, then add more as needed
• Chives – Use about 3 tbsp. finely chopped fresh chives, or 1-2 tbsp. dried chives. Fresh has better flavor in this recipe.

How To Make Mashed Potatoes From Scratch

Typically, most people boil their potatoes until they are cooked through (easily pierced all the way through with a knife).

At this point you drain the potatoes, and mash them with your favorite additions.

It’s a clumsier approach to making them than in an Instant Pot, but it’s worked for as long as mashed potatoes have been a thing. So there ya go.

Why is is clumsier? Filling up a big pot with water to boil your potatoes and all that steam in the kitchen. Draining a big pot of water off your potatoes, it’s all just simpler in an Instant Pot.

How Long To Cook Potatoes In An Instant Pot

Cooking potatoes in an Instant Pot will vary based on the potatoes you use, the size they are, and whether you cut them up or not. It can also change up a bit based on what you want to do with your potatoes.

Whole, baked potatoes are often made using a trivet in the Instant Pot and you usually pierce them first before cooking (for baked potatoes). But if you are mashing the potatoes, you can simply set them down in the water.

Tips For Cooking Potatoes In An Instant Pot

• Use potatoes that are similar sizes for even cooking when cooking multiple potatoes.
• Pierce the potatoes before cooking if using a trivet.
• Don’t pierce them if cooking them in water.

• 2 lb. cut potatoes – 3-5 minutes
• 2 lb. whole potatoes – 12-18 minutes

How To Make Mashed Potatoes In An Instant Pot

Peel the potatoes. They don’t have to be perfect. (or you can leave them on if you like the peel.

Place the potatoes in the Instant Pot insert with the water and salt.

Place the lid on the Instant Pot.

Close the vent.

Press the manual butter and adjust time to 20 minutes at high pressure. When the cooking cycle is done, do a quick release and carefully remove the lid.

Drain the water off of the potatoes.

Mash the potatoes.

Add the butter and milk and mash it all together.

Adjust the salt to your liking.

Serve with a pat of butter for garnish.

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More Mashed Potato Recipes

• Instant Pot Baked Potatoes
• Holiday Mashed Potatoes
• Cauliflower Mash (Mock Mashed Potatoes)