Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes
These Instant Pot mashed potatoes are the best creamy, fluffy mashed potatoes I’ve tasted! This recipe is the perfect quick and easy way to make homemade mashed potatoes.
Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes
I’m going to let you in on a little secret. This Instant Pot mashed potatoes recipe is my very favorite way to make mashed potatoes. Why? Cooking mashed potatoes in the Instant Pot makes them so creamy and fluffy, every time. It’s like magic. I also love this recipe because it is so quick, easy and hands-off!
These Instant Pot mashed potatoes are easy enough to make on a weeknight, and I’ve also made this recipe for holiday meals, including Thanksgiving. My family loves them with Baked Chicken Thighs, Braised Short Ribs and Baked Salmon. Now grab some potatoes and let’s get cooking!
Ingredient Notes
- Potatoes: The best kind of potatoes for mashed potatoes are starchy potatoes, such as russet potatoes. Russet potatoes make light and fluffy mashed potatoes and they are my preference for this recipe. Yukon gold potatoes also work well and will give you a richer flavor. If using Yukon golds, you can leave the skins on for more texture in your mashed potatoes.
- Water: Water is needed to cook the potatoes and to allow the Instant Pot to pressurize. You need enough water to cover the potatoes in the pot.
- Butter: For mashed potatoes with rich, buttery flavor, you need plenty of butter! When it comes to mashed potatoes, I don’t recommend skimping on the butter. I use at least one tablespoon of butter per pound of potatoes.
- Salt and Pepper: Since tastes can vary, I always recommend seasoning your mashed potatoes with salt and pepper to taste.
- Milk: Milk makes the potatoes creamy. Different potatoes can vary in how “thirsty” they are, so add more or less milk until the mashed potatoes reach your desired creaminess. Warm the milk before stirring it in to help it absorb better into the potatoes and to keep the potatoes hot. I use whole milk because I love the richness that it brings to the potatoes. You could also use heavy cream or half and half for an even richer flavor.
How to Make Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes
These Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes come together in just a few simple steps. If you are new to Instant Pot cooking, you might find my beginner’s guide on How to Use an Instant Pot helpful.
Pressure cook the potatoes. Quarter or halve the potatoes, depending on their size. Place them in the Instant Pot and add enough water to just cover them. Cook on high pressure for 10 minutes, then quick release the pressure.
Drain well. Transfer the potatoes to a colander to drain and then return them to the empty inner pot of the Instant Pot. Put the inner pot back in the base with the Instant Pot on “warm.” The hot pot will help more of the water to evaporate from the potatoes, resulting in fluffier mashed potatoes.
Mash and season. Use a potato masher to mash the potatoes. Add the butter, salt and pepper and continue mashing to combine. Stir in the warm milk, a little bit at a time, until the potatoes are creamy. Then taste the potatoes and add more salt, pepper and/or butter, as needed.
Storage and Reheating Tips
- Make Ahead: You can make the mashed potatoes ahead and keep them in the Instant Pot on the “keep warm” setting for up to 2 hours. If they start to dry out, stir in a little more warm milk.
- To Store: Mashed potatoes can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Be sure to refrigerate leftover potatoes within 2 hours of cooking. Potatoes tend to dry out over time, so stir in more milk when reheating to make them creamy again.
- To Reheat in the Microwave: Microwave on high power, stirring occasionally, until hot. Add more milk as needed.
- To Reheat in the Oven: Stir a little milk into the potatoes and spread them out into an even layer in a baking dish. Cover with foil and bake at 350° F until hot (this will take about 30 minutes), stirring once or twice.
Recipe Variations
If you’d like to season your potatoes with more than butter, salt and pepper, try one of these ideas:
- Add chopped chives.
- Mix in roasted garlic.
- For extra creamy mashed potatoes, mix in sour cream, cream cheese or plain Greek yogurt. Be sure to bring all cold ingredients to room temperature before mixing them into your mashed potatoes.
- For more mashed potatoes seasoning ideas, see my classic Mashed Potatoes Recipe.
Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes
Ingredients
- 3 pounds Russet potatoes*, 4-5 medium, peeled and quartered (halve if using small potatoes)
- 4-5 cups water
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces
- ½ teaspoon salt, or to taste
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
- ½ cup whole milk, warmed, plus more as needed
Instructions
- Place the potatoes in the Instant Pot inner pot. Add enough water to just cover the potatoes.
- Close the Instant Pot lid and move the steam release valve to the sealing position. Press the Manual/Pressure Cook button and cook on high pressure for 10 minutes. The Instant Pot will take about 15 minutes to reach pressure and then the cook time will begin counting down.
- Once the cook time ends, quick release the pressure by carefully moving the steam release valve to the venting position. Wait for the steam to escape and the float valve to drop down, and then carefully open the Instant Pot lid.
- Transfer the potatoes to a colander and drain well. Meanwhile, make sure the exterior of the inner pot is clean and dry. Return the drained potatoes to the empty inner pot and put it back in the base with the Instant Pot on "warm" to keep the potatoes warm.
- Use a potato masher to mash the potatoes. Add the butter, salt and pepper and continue mashing to combine.
- Stir in the warm milk, a little bit at a time, until the potatoes reach the desired creamy consistency. Taste the mashed potatoes and add more salt and pepper, as needed, to taste.
Notes
- You may use Yukon gold potatoes instead of russet potatoes. Gold potatoes can be halved instead of quartered and do not need to be peeled unless you prefer to do so.
- A double recipe will fit in a 6 quart Instant Pot.
- For richer potatoes, you may substitute half and half or heavy cream for the milk.
- Seasoning Ideas: You can add roasted garlic, chives, cream cheese, sour cream, or plain Greek yogurt to your mashed potatoes, as desired for flavor.
- Make Ahead: You can make the mashed potatoes ahead and keep them in the Instant Pot on the “keep warm” setting for up to 2 hours. If they start to dry out, stir in a little more warm milk.
- To Store: Mashed potatoes can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Be sure to refrigerate leftover potatoes within 2 hours of cooking. Potatoes tend to dry out over time, so stir in more milk when reheating to make them creamy again.
- To Reheat in the Microwave: Microwave on high power, stirring occasionally, until hot. Add more milk as needed.
- To Reheat in the Oven: Stir a little milk into the potatoes and spread them out into an even layer in a baking dish. Cover with foil and bake at 350° F until hot (this will take about 30 minutes), stirring once or twice.
Why not put milk and butter in the instant pot after you drain the potatoes and before your return the potatoes to the pot. You can pour the milk into a measuring cup and then pour on the potatoes as you mash them.
You could do that, if it is easier for you. I find it’s just as easy to warm the milk in a mug in the microwave. 🙂
When doing a double recipe, do you still need to add enough water to cover the potatoes? Seems like that would be a lot of water…wouldn’t it work still to just use the 1 cup of water usually needed to create pressure?
I haven’t tried that, but my guess is that it would work. The potatoes will steam rather than boil that way. If you try it, let me know how it works out.
Love this recipe! If I double the volume of ingredients, should I also double the cooking time? Thanks:)
The cook time will be the same for a double recipe. Enjoy!
Can I make them a day before and reheat in the instant pot?
Yes. I recommend stirring in some warm milk and butter as they warm to make them creamy. I would try warming them on low using the saute setting and then switching to keep warm. You can also make them ahead the same day and keep them on the warm setting in the Instant Pot for up to 2 hours.
Do you find the warm setting keeps them hot enough without cooking the edges like my slow cooker does?
Yes, I do. The Instant Pot retains quite a bit of heat when the insert is in the base. The warm setting isn’t hot enough to cook the edges, as sometimes happens in the slow cooker.
If you were going to make the pork tenderloin and the mashed potatoes how would you do it all to have it all ready and warm to go on the table at the same time?
If you want to make the mashed potatoes in the Instant Pot, the best way is to have two Instant Pots. 🙂 I understand that that’s not reasonable for everyone, though, so I would recommend making mashed potatoes on the stove if you want to make the pork in the Instant Pot. You could also make the mashed potatoes first, cover them, and then reheat in the microwave.
Can you use gold potatoes?
Yes, you can! You can leave them whole if small or cut them in half if they’re on the larger side.
Can you tell me the brand of your potato masher?
Hi Janet, my masher is probably 20 years old, I think it is an Analon nylon masher.
I’ve since replaced my potato masher with a stainless steel one that I purchased on Amazon.
I used low sodium chicken stock with 5 pounds of russets and all I needed was one and half cups of the chicken stock. Then I used a hand mixer and added butter salt and pepper. just use the chicken stock for the liquid. No need to drain. I did have to add about 3/4 of a cup of milk but using chicken stock and using a hand mixer. Delicious. Thank you so much for this recipe.
Made it with a little cream cheese and sour cream! Delicious!
Thank you