Perfect Instant Pot Sweet Potatoes
An easy recipe for perfect Instant Pot Sweet Potatoes. Learn how to cook sweet potatoes in your Instant Pot pressure cooker, with cook times for different sizes of sweet potatoes. Perfect for serving with sweet or savory toppings, as a side dish or main course.
Ever since I shared my recipes for baked sweet potatoes, air fryer sweet potatoes and foolproof Instant Pot Baked Potatoes, readers have been asking how to cook sweet potatoes in the Instant Pot. So, I started recipe testing!
I cooked over 25 sweet potatoes of every size I could find in my two Instant Pots, a 6 quart and an 8 quart. Just as I’ve found with Russet potatoes, the time needed to cook sweet potatoes varies based on how wide the potatoes are at the thickest part. Below you’ll find my best method and cook times for Instant Pot whole sweet potatoes.
This Instant Pot sweet potatoes recipe makes whole “baked” sweet potatoes that are perfectly cooked with creamy flesh. My favorite way to serve them is with a little butter, salt and pepper. They’re also delicious with brown sugar or maple syrup. If you are looking for mashed sweet potatoes, try my Instant Pot Mashed Sweet Potatoes recipe.
Serve your sweet potatoes as a side dish with salmon or baked chicken. You can also make them a main dish by loading your sweet potatoes up with toppings, such as black beans, cheese and salsa. Or try one of these six ways to stuff a sweet potato.
If you’re new to using an Instant Pot, you might find my post with beginner’s Instant Pot instructions helpful.
How to cook sweet potatoes in a pressure cooker
The method for cooking whole sweet potatoes in your Instant Pot is really simple. You’ll start by scrubbing your sweet potatoes to remove any dirt. You don’t need to prick the sweet potatoes before cooking.
Pour 1 cup of cold water into the bottom of the Instant Pot inner pot. If you are using an 8 quart pot, increase the water to 1.5 cups.
Next, put the metal trivet in the pot. You will cook the potatoes on the trivet to keep them out of the water so they don’t get soggy. Put the potatoes on top of the trivet. You can cook as little as one sweet potato or as many as will fit in your Instant Pot. The cook time doesn’t change with the number of sweet potatoes.
Close the Instant Pot lid and turn the steam release valve to the sealing position.
How long to cook sweet potatoes in an Instant Pot
The pressure cooking time depends on the size of your sweet potatoes. I have tested many, many sweet potatoes of different sizes to determine these cook times. I recommend cooking potatoes that are similar in size so that they will cook in the same amount of time. To determine the size of your sweet potatoes, measure the width of the potato at the thickest part.
- Small Sweet Potatoes (2 inches wide): 18 minutes at high pressure plus 10 minutes natural pressure release
- Medium Sweet Potatoes (2 1/2 inches wide): 24 minutes at high pressure plus 10 minutes natural pressure release
- Large Sweet Potatoes (3 inches wide): 30 minutes at high pressure plus 10 minutes natural pressure release
- Very Large Sweet Potatoes (more than 3 inches wide): 35 or more minutes at high pressure plus 10 minutes natural pressure release
If you’re not sure about the cook time for the exact size of your sweet potatoes, I would err on the side of adding an extra minute or two to the cook time. I’d rather end up with softer sweet potatoes than under-cooked potatoes and having to do a second pressure cooking cycle.
Cooking Tips for Instant Pot Sweet Potatoes
- Be sure to put the sweet potatoes on the metal trivet to keep them from touching the water in the bottom of the pot.
- Remember to allow the Instant Pot to naturally release for 10 minutes (just let the Instant Pot sit after the cook time ends) before quick releasing the remaining pressure.
- I have found that there can be some natural variation in the time needed to cook sweet potatoes, even when they are similar in size. The cook times listed in this recipe are what has worked best for me, in my Instant Pots.
- Depending on if you prefer your baked sweet potatoes softer or more firm, you can adjust the pressure cooking time by a minute or two.
You might also enjoy these easy Instant Pot recipes and other Instant Pot vegetables like Instant Pot Spaghetti Squash, Instant Pot Corn and Instant Pot Green Beans. I also have many similar Air Fryer vegetable recipes like sweet potato fries in the air fryer, Air Fryer Asparagus, and Air Fryer Cauliflower.
Instant Pot Sweet Potatoes
Ingredients
- 4 sweet potatoes, scrubbed
Instructions
- Pour 1 cup of cold water into the bottom of the Instant Pot inner pot. (Use 1 ½ cups of water for an 8 quart Instant Pot.) Place the metal trivet in the pot.
- Put the sweet potatoes on top of the trivet in the Instant Pot. You do not need to prick the sweet potatoes, and it is ok if they are stacked on top of each other.
- Close the Instant Pot lid and turn the steam release valve to the sealing position.
- Press Pressure Cook/Manual and set the cook time: 18 minutes for small (2 inch wide) sweet potatoes, 24 minutes for medium (2 ½ inch wide) sweet potatoes, 30 minutes for large (3 inch wide) sweet potatoes. If your sweet potatoes are larger than 3 inches at the widest part, you will need to cook them for 35+ minutes.
- The Instant Pot will take 8 to 10 minutes to reach pressure and then the cook time will start counting down. When the cook time ends, let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes by leaving the Instant Pot alone. Then quick release any remaining pressure by carefully turning the steam release valve to the venting position.
- When the float valve drops down, open the Instant Pot lid. Serve sweet potatoes as desired.
Notes
- Recipe can be adapted to cook more or less sweet potatoes. The instructions and cook time remain the same.
- In testing this recipe, I found that there is some natural variation between sweet potatoes and the cook time that they need, even between potatoes of the same size. The cook times given in the recipe are what worked best for me when I tested 25+ sweet potatoes of various sizes. You may need to adjust the cook times slightly based on how soft or firm you like your baked sweet potatoes.
I have a kitchen scale, if possible can you please give the weight of the potatoes, grams, ounces or both, in addition to the measurements.
Hi Harriott,
Weight is not what determines the pressure cook time for potatoes. What matters is the thickness at the widest part of the potato.
This isn’t about sweet potatoes, but polenta. My instant pot takes over 30 minutes to start the countdown when i make polenta. I only used 1 cup polenta/4 cups water. That isn’t normal, right?
Hi Debbie,
It can take quite a long time for the pot to come to pressure with a lot of ingredients and water but I agree 30 minutes does seem a little high. I don’t think mine takes more than about 20 minutes with that many cups of ingredients. Make sure the valve is set all the way to sealing and the sealing ring in the lid is seated properly and not broken. If you are also having multiple instances of undercooked recipes then I would contact customer support about your pot.
This is amazing! Thank you for doing all the work and giving foolproof timetable !