Name: Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 3 pounds russet or Yukon Gold potatoes; 1 to 1½ cups cold water (*see directions for amount); 1-½ teaspoons kosher salt (divided); 3 tablespoons unsalted butter (melted); ½ cup milk or cream (warmed ); ½ cup sour cream

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Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes results in creamy, buttery, fluffy mashed potatoes in under 30 minutes. It doesn't get much easier than this Instant Pot Mashed Potato recipe.

When it comes to potato recipes, Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes, Instant Pot Baked Potatoes, Instant Pot Potato Salad, and Instant Pot Potato Soup, deliver perfect results FAST!

Bowl of creamy instant pot mashed potatoes topped with butter and chives in white bowl.

Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes Done Fast!

When it comes to side dishes, does it get any more comforting than creamy, buttery mashed potatoes? Not in my book!

And the quickest way to deliver fluffy, creamy mashed potatoes is using the Instant Pot! This Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes recipe delivers perfectly cooked, perfectly fluffy mashed potatoes in under 30 minutes in one pot! Talk about easy!

Simple Ingredients

Ingredients for instant pot mashed potatoes labeled on counter.

Potatoes: I recommend using Yukon gold or russet potatoes for creamy classic mashed potatoes. Yukon gold potatoes will result in buttery, deep yellow mashed potatoes, and russet potatoes yield a more traditional result. Both are delicious.
Butter: Unsalted butter is best to control the sodium content and to add a rich finish to the mashed potatoes.
Milk/Cream: While you can use cream, half and half, or milk, keep in mind that the higher the fat content of your milk or cream, the richer, and more luxurious your mashed potatoes will be.
Sour Cream: Sour cream is my secret to adding tang and creaminess to the mashed potatoes and to help keep them super light and fluffy. It is optional but highly encouraged to turn good mashed potatoes into spectacular mashed potatoes.

How to Make Creamy Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes

The following tips are provided to help you achieve perfect results. You will find the detailed instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Be sure to cut the potatoes into equal-sized cubes. This sounds silly, but trust me, if you want to ensure your potatoes cook evenly, be sure to cut them into equal sizes. Add them to the inner pot, along with cold tap water and kosher salt. That's it!

cubed potatoes inside inner pot of Instant Pot.

Pressure Cook. Pressure cook the potatoes on high for 10 minutes. After the cooking time has elapsed, let the pressure release naturally for at least 5 minutes. I don't recommend doing a quick pressure release, as potatoes contain quite a bit of starch, and that starchy liquid can clog the venting valve.
Drain the cooking liquid and sauté the potatoes. Because the cooking liquid is rather starchy, it is best to drain off the cooking liquid. But my tip for the BEST tasting mashed potatoes is to ensure they are not watered down. To do this, return the potatoes to the inner pot and turn on sauté for just a minute. This extra step evaporates the excess water and helps the flavor of the potatoes shine through.
Use a handheld potato masher, not a handheld mixer. Mixers overwork potatoes and make them gummy and starchy. Avoid this by mashing the cooked potatoes until smooth with a handheld potato masher. This will ensure super creamy mashed potatoes that never turn out gummy.

Side by side photo of cooked potatoes before and after mashing in the instant pot.

Add warm cream and butter. To prevent your potatoes from seizing up, slightly warm the butter and the milk or cream before adding the the potatoes. The potatoes will instantly absorb the warm liquid and be infused with amazing flavor and the texture will be super fluffy.
Finish with sour cream. Folding sour cream into the Instant Pot mashed potatoes adds a bit of balance to the butter and cream and keeps the mashed potatoes super light and fluffy. Feel free to add chives for additional flavor.

Spoon shown scooping creamy buttery mashed potatoes out of the Instant Pot.

Serving Suggestions

Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes are a perfect side dish for just about any entree. They are delicious enough for a holiday meal (hello Thanksgiving dinner!) but easy enough for any night of the week. Some of our favorite entrees to pair with these buttery mashed potatoes with are Rotisserie Chicken, Creamy Chicken Marsala, Pork Chops with Apples, and Slow Cooker Pork and Sauerkraut.

Storage & Reheating Instructions

Refrigerate: Allow the potatoes to cool slightly and then transfer them to an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Freeze: Cool the mashed potatoes fully and then transfer them to an airtight, freezer-safe container or bag. Store in the freezer for up to 2 months.
Reheat: To reheat frozen mashed potatoes, place frozen mashed potatoes in a casserole dish. Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Remove the foil, stir, and add 1-2 tablespoons of additional milk. Cover again with foil and continue to bake for 10-15 minutes, or until warmed through. For refrigerated mashed potatoes, simply reheat them in a heat-safe bowl with a heat-safe lid in 60-second intervals, stirring between intervals, until warmed through. Add a splash of milk if needed to thin.
Creative Leftover Ideas: Leftover Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes are perfect in recipes like Potato Cakes and Pierogi Lasagna.

More Favorite Instant Pot Side Dishes

I would love to hear how much you enjoyed this simple recipe for Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes. Please share a comment and review below.

Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes

Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes results in creamy, buttery, fluffy mashed potatoes in under 30 minutes. Perfect side for a busy weeknight!

5 from 16 votes

Print Pin Rate

Prep Time: 5

Cook Time: 10

Pressure Time: 15

Total Time: 30

Servings: people

Calories: 231kcal

Author: Kristen Chidsey

Ingredients

▢ 3 pounds russet or Yukon Gold potatoes
▢ 1 to 1½ cups cold water *see directions for amount
▢ 1-½ teaspoons kosher salt divided
▢ 3 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
▢ ½ cup milk or cream warmed
▢ ½ cup sour cream

Instructions

Wash and peel potatoes. Cut into 1-inch cubes. It is important to be sure your potatoes are cut into even cubes so that the cooking time will be accurate.
Place cubed potatoes in the inner pot of the instant pot. Pour in 1 cup of cold water for the 3 or 6-quart Instant Pot and 1.5 cups of water for the 8-quart Instant Pot. Stir in 1 teaspoon of kosher salt.
Place the lid on the pressure cooker, be sure the vent knob is pointed towards sealed, and set the cooking time to 10 minutes on high pressure. Hit manual or pressure cook and use the +/- buttons to adjust until the time shows "10."
Once the cooking time has elapsed, allow pressure to release naturally for at least 5 to 10 minutes, and then release the remaining pressure. It is fine to allow the pressure to release fully.
Carefully remove the inner pot from the Instant Pot using pot holders and drain off the cooking liquid over a strainer. Return the potatoes to the inner pot and then return the inner pot to the Instant Pot.
Hit the saute function on the Instant Pot and let any excess liquid cook off the potatoes for 1-2 minutes while stirring gently. Turn the Instant Pot OFF. Use a potato masher to mash potatoes until smooth.
Place the butter and milk into a heat-safe measuring cup and microwave for 30-45 seconds, or until the milk is warm to the touch and the butter begins to melt, about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Add the butter and milk to the potatoes and continue to mash until evenly distributed into the potatoes. Stir in the sour cream.
Taste and add in the additional ½ teaspoon of salt if needed. Serve with additional butter and chives if desired.

Equipment Needed

Electric Pressure Cooker (6 or 8 quart)

Notes

Milk/Cream: Use heavy cream, half and half, or milk of any kind for these Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes.

For best results, use a potato masher, NOT a mixer or immersion blender to mash the potatoes. This will keep your potatoes light and fluffy.

Dairy-Free or Vegan Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes: Replace the milk with vegetable broth and instead of butter use non-dairy butter. Omit the sour cream.

Storage: Allow leftover mashed potatoes to cool slightly and then transfer them to an airtight container. Store the potatoes in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. If needed, add a splash of milk or broth to loosen up the potatoes after reheating.

Freeze: Cool the mashed potatoes fully and then transfer them to an airtight, freezer-safe container or bag. Store in the freezer for up to 2 months. To reheat frozen mashed potatoes, place frozen mashed potatoes in a casserole dish. Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Remove the foil, stir, and add 1-2 tablespoons of additional milk. Cover again with foil and continue to bake for 10-15 minutes, or until warmed through.

Nutrition

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

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This post was originally published in 2018 but was updated with new pictures and a video in 2024.

Comments

5 from 16 votes (6 ratings without comment)