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Cooking sweet potatoes in the Instant Pot is the easiest way to enjoy fluffy, creamy, perfectly tender sweet potatoes! Just like my recipe for Instant Pot Baked Potatoes, this Instant Pot Baked Sweet Potato recipe includes tried and true timing based on the size of the sweet potatoes, ensuring perfect results every time.
Kristen's Keys for Instant Pot Sweet Potatoes
The process of making baked sweet potatoes in the Instant Pot is SUPER simple, but there are a few key tips I want to share with you before we break the recipe down in detail to help ensure perfect results.
- Select sweet potatoes that are similar in size. This way they will pressure cook in the same amount of time.
- Always add cold water to the inner pot. NEVER use warm water as this will change the amount of time it takes for the Instant Pot to come to pressure, which will change the cooking time!
- Always use the trivet to keep the sweet potatoes from sitting in the water. This will keep the sweet potatoes from becoming soggy.
How to "Bake" Sweet Potatoes in the Instant Pot
Whether you are learning how to use your Instant Pot or a seasoned pro, this section will guide you through the process of how to make fluffy, creamy sweet potatoes using the Instant Pot.
- Prepare Instant Pot. Pour 1½ cups of cold tap water into the inner pot and insert the trivet.
- Prepare Sweet Potatoes. Scrub the sweet potatoes well and prick with a fork or knife to allow steam and pressure to escape as they pressure cook--trust me, this is important!
- Pile the sweet potatoes on trivet. Place the prepared potatoes onto the rack inside the inner pot. It will not impact the cooking time if you are cooking 1 or 8 sweet potatoes.
- Pressure Cook. Place the lid on the inner pot and be sure the vent knob is sealed. Set the cooking time to HIGH pressure and adjust the time according to the size of your sweet potatoes (see chart below).
- Let the Pressure Release Naturally. Allow the pressure to release naturally for at least 10 minutes. This just means to DO NOTHING and leave your instant pot alone. If after 10 minutes the pressure has not released fully, you can turn the valve to the venting position to release any remaining pressure.
- Serve. Cut the sweet potato open, dollop with butter and season with and salt and pepper or cinnamon sugar and serve.
Determining Cook Times
Sweet potatoes vary in weight, length, and width. Use the width of the sweet potato for the most accurate timing. In other words, ask yourself, Is my sweet potato fat or skinny? While that sounds silly--it works! Fatter sweet potatoes need longer to cook, while skinnier sweet potatoes need less time--regardless of their length or weight.
- Skinny Sweet Potatoes (Less than 2 inches in width): 16 minutes on high pressure
- Average Sweet Potatoes (2-2.5 inches in width): 22 minutes on high pressure
- Large Sweet Potatoes (2.5-3 inches in width): 26 minutes on high pressure
- Extra Large Sweet Potatoes (3.5 to 4 inches in width) 35 minutes on high pressure
Serving Suggestions
- As a Side Dish: Serve Instant Pot Sweet Potatoes alongside steaks, baked salmon, or bacon-wrapped pork tenderloin, etc.
- For Breakfast: Top a warm sweet potato with yogurt, granola, and/or nut butter for a delicious breakfast sweet potato.
- Stuff Away: Ditch the bun or tortilla and top the sweet potatoes with taco meat, Instant Pot BBQ chicken, or pulled pork.
- Make Sweet Potato Puree: Use the flesh of the baked sweet potato to make sweet potato puree and then use that puree to make sweet potato oatmeal, sweet potato pancakes, or sweet potato casserole.
More Favorite Instant Pot Recipes
Instant Pot Sweet Potatoes
Video
Ingredients
- 1-8 sweet potatoes, scrubbed clean
Instructions
- Pour 1-½ cups cold tap water into the inner pot. Place a trivet or metal rack inside the inner pot.
- Scrub sweet potatoes and pierce them several times with a fork or knife. Place the sweet potatoes on the trivet, stacking on top of each other if needed.
- Hit the manual or pressure cook button and be sure HIGH pressure is selected. Adjust cook time to 16 minutes for skinny sweet potatoes, 22 for average sweet potatoes, 26 minutes for large sweet potatoes, and 35 for extra large sweet potatoes (see notes for more details on determining size).
- Allow pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes before releasing pressure manually. Then serve
Notes
- Skinny Sweet Potatoes (Less than 2 inches in width): 16 minutes on high pressure
- Average Sweet Potatoes (2-2.5 inches in width): 22 minutes on high pressure
- Large Sweet Potatoes (2.5-3 inches in width): 26 minutes on high pressure
- Extra Large Sweet Potatoes (3.5 to 4 inches in width) 35 minutes on high pressure
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This post was originally published in December 2017 and updated in 2025.
I accidentally dropped and broke one of my sweet potatoes. Could I put that one back together and wrap it in foil and then cook in the instant pot with the other potatoes?
I would so that if I were you...it may not be pretty, but still tasty.
I never tried this method before but I just tried it and I love love love it. I wouldn't try it any other way.
I am so glad you gave this recipe a try! Thanks for taking the time to leave a review.
Made these today and next I'm on to the sweet potato casserole. Or maybe I'll just top one with butter and cayenne pepper sauce? Sweet potato is extremely easy in the Instant Pot. I'll be making sweet potato more often. Thank you! I'll share the link to your page with my friends. Stay well!
I am so glad you enjoyed so much Cheryl! I agree--super easy and so versatile. Either option sounds great to me. Thanks for sharing and for leaving a review.
Have you ever cut the sweet potatoes so they are similar in size? Sweet potatoes can be so large. Have you ever cooked potatoes and sweet potatoes at the same time?
Hi Karen! I never cut the potatoes when cooking, unless I am making mashed sweet potatoes. To do so, would allow the moisture to get inside the potatoes, changing the texture. You can cook with really large potatoes if desired, as the cook time is similar.
My sweet potatoes came out perfectly! Thank you. Whipped them up for an Easter sweet potato casserole.
I am so glad you had success. Happy Easter Lori.
Perfect sweet potatoes!
They really are 🙂 Glad you had the same results.
This looks great! I saw below that you can also cook 1 or 2 sweets. Do you have to adjust the time at all?
Thanks!
John
Hi John! I have not needed to adjust the timing for just 1 or 2 potatoes. Ironically enough, I have to add time when cooking just 1 or 2 russet potatoes.
I just tried this with 6 medium sweet potatoes, so I cooked them for 20 minutes, and let the pressure release for 20 minutes. Oh my gosh! They are so creamy! Thank you! I am eating a lot of sweet potatoes on this diet I am on. I will never use the microwave to cool them again. And the skin just slid off!
IP sweet potatoes are the BEST! So glad you gave them a try Kelly!
Delicious! Soft and fully cooked as promised. Thank you so much.
You are so welcome Jeanette! I am so glad you enjoyed!