Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes are the easiest and fastest mashed potatoes you will ever make. Made with simple ingredients, this recipe for Pressure Cooker Mashed Potatoes results in light, creamy, buttery, and fluffy mashed potatoes.
Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes are just as good as classic mashed potatoes, but come together in less time. and make a perfect side dish for any family meal, like Rotisserie Chicken, Apple Pork Loin Roast, or Slow Cooker Pork and Sauerkraut.
One recipe I was hesitant to try to recreate in the pressure cooker was mashed potatoes.
I love my recipe for Perfect Mashed Potatoes on the stove--and I am always a bit nervous to mess with perfection!
But with a few tips, making creamy, dreamy Mashed Potatoes in the Instant Pot is possible! And best of all--it is done all in one pot in less than 30 minutes from start to finish!
What you Need
I keep this recipe super simple by using only butter, milk, and salt in addition to the potatoes and sour cream. This results in perfect buttery classic mashed potatoes.
- Potatoes: I recommend using Yukon gold or Russet potatoes for creamy classic mashed potatoes. I personally prefer Yukon Gold potatoes for restaurant-style, buttery mashed potatoes.
- Sour Cream: Sour cream is my secret to adding tang and creaminess to mashed potatoes. It is optional but highly encouraged.
Step-By-Step Directions
The process for making instant pot mashed potatoes is simple, but I do have a few tips that will help you achieve the most creamy, luscious pressure cooker mashed potatoes.
Step One: Peel and Cut Potatoes
Be sure to cut the potatoes into equal size cubes. This sounds silly, but trust me, if you want to ensure your potatoes cook evenly, be sure to cut them into equal sizes. It is also important to note to start cooking the potatoes with cold water. If you add warm water to your Instant Pot, it will change the amount of time it takes to come to pressure, which will change the cooking time.
Step Two: Pressure Cook Potatoes
Once the potatoes have been cubed, place in the inner pot of the instant pot and place in cold water--you only need 1 cup of water for the 3 or 6-quart and 1.5 cups of water for the 8 quart Instant Pot. Add in 1 teaspoon kosher salt, which will help to season the potatoes.
Cook potatoes for 10 minutes on high pressure. Once cook time has elapsed, let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes. You can do a quick release of pressure earlier than the recommended 10 minutes, but use caution, as the cooking liquid is very starchy and may spew out of the vent knob. To avoid this issue wait at least 5 minutes, if not a full 10 minutes.
Step Three: Drain the Potatoes
For the creamiest mashed potatoes drain off the potatoes well in a strainer, but also return the potatoes to the inner pot and place over the saute function for 1-2 minutes. This extra step gets rid of all the excess water and helps the mashed potatoes be creamy, not watered down.
Step Four: Mash the Potatoes
The number one tip for creamy mashed potatoes is to 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.
Step Five: Season the Potatoes
Once the potatoes have been mashed it is now time to add in the milk/cream and butter. It is best to use warm milk and butter so the potatoes will not seize up and get tough. Simply microwave your butter and milk/cream together until warmed through--about 1 minute.
I also like to add in a generous scoop of sour cream. It adds so much flavor to the Mashed Potatoes and keeps these potatoes light and fluffy.
Recipe Tips and FAQs
- Leftover mashed potatoes can be stored in the refrigerator for 3-4 days or frozen for up to 2 months.
- For the richest, creamiest mashed potatoes, I recommend cooking in water, draining, and then adding milk and butter.
- While cooking red potatoes in stock works great for smashed potatoes, Russet potatoes release a lot of starch as they cook, and therefore, you really want to drain off the cooking liquid before mashing. This will get rid of any starchy film and residue. Yukon Gold potatoes are not as starchy as Russet potatoes, but still contain more starch than red potatoes.
- To make dairy-free mashed potatoes, use vegetable broth in place of milk and non-dairy butter in place of butter. Omit the sour cream.
Instant Pot Side Dishes
- Instant Pot Green Beans
- Instant Pot Baked Sweet Potatoes
- Instant Pot Baked Potatoes
- Instant Pot Spaghetti Squash
- Instant Pot Corn on the Cob
I would love to hear how much you enjoyed this simple method for Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes. Please share a comment and review below.
Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes
Ingredients
- 3 pounds potatoes peeled and diced into 1 inch cubes use russet or Yukon gold
- cold water
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt divided
- 3 tablespoons butter melted
- ½ cup milk/cream warm
- ½ cup sour cream
Instructions
- 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 kosher salt.
- Place lid on the pressure cooker and cook on high pressure for 10 minutes.
- Once cook time has elapsed, allow pressure to release naturally for at least 5 minutes (10 minutes is best) and then release the remaining pressure.
- Drain potatoes and return to inner pot of instant pot. Hit the saute function on the Instant Pot and let any excess liquid cook off the potatoes for 1-2 minutes. Turn the Instant Pot OFF.
- Use a potato masher to mash potatoes until smooth.
- Microwave or warm butter and milk until butter is melted. Add to the inner pot and stir until evenly distributed into the potatoes. Stir in the sour cream. Taste and add in additional salt if needed.
Equipment Needed
Notes
- For the creamiest mashed potatoes, use russet or Yukon gold potatoes.
- Use heavy cream, half and half, or milk of any kind for these Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes.
- To Make 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
- For best results, use a potato masher, NOT a mixer or immersion blender. This will keep your potatoes light and fluffy.
- Leftover mashed potatoes can be stored in the refrigerator for 3-4 days or frozen for up to 2 months.
Nutrition
This post was originally published in 2018 but was updated with new pictures and tips in 2020.
Nick
If I leave out sour cream should I increase the milk and butter?
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Nick! I would start with the amount of milk and butter the recipe calls for. Once combined, if needed feel free to add in a bit more.