Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes
Mashed potatoes are hard to screw up and certainly harder to screw up in the Instant Pot. I don’t know how anyone could possibly screw these delicious mashed potatoes up. They take just minutes and only really involve one pot.
I am the mashed potato queen in my house, and I cook them all year round – not just on Thanksgiving. I like my mashed potatoes buttery, creamy, and a little garlicky. I don’t care for herbed mashed potatoes because I prefer the chive potatoes, like at Wendy’s on a sick day home from school.
Let’s go over how to make this simple side dish (or main dish if you make enough) of Instant Pot mashed potatoes.
How to Make Mashed Potatoes in the Instant Pot
You’re going to start by peeling potatoes. If you’re using yellow potatoes or red potatoes, you can have Instant Pot mashed potatoes skin on. If you’re using Russet potatoes, they tend to be dirty, so please peel the skin first.
If leaving the potato skin on, wash your potatoes thoroughly. Then, you want to cut your potatoes in big chunks or quartered potatoes. You don’t have to be totally thorough with chopping your potatoes. Having them in chunks rather than one potato makes it easier to cook all the way through.
You’re going to put your potatoes in your inner pot and pout water with half the salt so your potatoes are able to pressure cook. Be sure to cover completely with water. That’s really all it takes before cooking for ten minutes.
Then, when the Instant Pot mashed potatoes are done cooking, you want to do a quick release. Drain your inner pot and add in your garlic, butter, cream cheese (or sour cream), optional parmesan cheese, broth (or milk), and chives.
Now, here’s the fun part! You’re going to get out your potato masher and mash until smooth. Fold in your mashed potatoes gently with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula. Now, don’t over mix, or they might be gummy. Add more milk/broth to reach the right consistency, if needed.
Add in salt and pepper to taste, and top off with some of your reserved chives and serve.
Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes Skin On
Leaving mashed potatoes skin on is up for debate in every household, I feel like. If I’m feeling extra lazy, I’ll leave the skin on. Also, I won’t leave the skin on with a Russet since they’re notorious for being extra dirty. If I want more country-style mashed potatoes, I’ll also leave the skin on.
I also think that if you have red potatoes, then it is absolutely fine to leave the skin on those. I find red potatoes to be rich and hearty. Yellow/gold potatoes are fine with the skin left on too. Whatever your fancy is, go with it!
Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes Cook time
If you’re using a large number of potatoes (say, over two or three pounds), then make it ten minutes in the pressure cooker on high. However, if you’re making a small serving of potatoes, under a couple of pounds of potatoes, then you can be safe at about eight minutes. I’ve tried it, and it works great. Just make sure you have your potatoes covered in water.
Serve Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes with a Side
You can serve Instant Pot mashed potatoes with practically anything, and they are a sure winner on Thanksgiving. Try these mashed potatoes with my Instant Pot Rotisserie Chicken or with some Instant Pot Brisket.
Find the Right Instant Pot Pressure Cooker for You
Need a pressure cooker? Pressure cookers and Instant Pots can fit your lifestyle. Look through the best pressure cookers and multicookers based on what your needs are as well as finding out how to use one. You won’t be disappointed!
Quick Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes
Ingredients
- 5 pounds of potatoes (yellow, Russet, or red), peeled (or unpeeled of red or yellow) and quartered into big chunks
- 4 tsp of salt divided (half for cooking and half for tasking)
- 2 sticks of unsalted butter (1 cup) Note: if using fewer pounds, do about half)
- 2-3 cloves of garlic or minced garlic (depending on your preference)
- 1 cup (one 8 oz package) of cream cheese OR 1 cup of sour cream
- ¼ cup of grated parmesan cheese
- ½ cup of low sodium chicken broth (or vegetable broth) OR milk (any preference, for texture)
- ½ cup of chives, with a portion, divided and reserved to top off.
Instructions
- Clean, chop and peel potatoes in large chunks (leave unpeeled if desired)
- Add in potatoes to the inner pot.
- Cover potatoes with water and 2 tsp of salt.
- Cover your Instant Pot with its lid and valve set to sealing.
- On manual/pressure set it to high for 10 minutes.
- Once time goes off, do a quick release.
- Drain your water, put potatoes back in the pot.
- Add in your butter, garlic, cream cheese (or sour cream), grated parmesan cheese (optional), garlic, broth (or preferred milk), and chives (optional).
- Mash potatoes with a masher, stir, folding with a wooden spoon or a rubber spatula.
- Add in more liquid broth or milk for texture, stir, folding with a wooden spoon or a rubber spatula. Add reserved salt and pepper to taste.
- Top with chives (optional) and serve.
