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Make the creamiest Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes in a fraction of the time! This easy pressure cooker recipe is perfect for weeknights, holidays, or whenever you need fluffy, buttery mashed potatoes fast. Read on for ingredients and instructions!
When you want to please a crowd, potatoes always do the trick! My Cheesy Ham and Potato Casserole and Best Potato Salad are two more reader favorites that you’ll love too.
Why you’ll love this creamy mashed potatoes recipe!
I’m all about the Instant Pot! So much so that I rarely even put it away at this point. It just lives on my countertop alongside my coffee maker now!
In the past, I’ve shared Instant Pot Corn On The Cob, Instant Pot Whole Chicken, and Instant Pot Penne Alfredo, but now it’s time to tackle that comfort food classic: mashed potatoes in the Instant Pot!
- Quick and convenient: Ready in about 25 minutes, because the pressure cooker cooks the potatoes faster than doing it on the stovetop!
- Perfect texture: Smooth, creamy, and seriously the best ever! This is thanks to the steam that’s generated during cooking, which breaks down the potatoes and makes them extra fluffy.
- So delicious: My secret is adding sour cream in addition to the usual butter and milk, which makes these Instant Pot mashed potatoes even tastier. Everyone always asks me my secret when I make mashed potatoes for a holiday and this is it!
Nestle these mashed potatoes alongside your Thanksgiving turkey and don’t forget a generous pour of your favorite turkey gravy!
Table of Contents
Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes Ingredients
You’ll just need a handful of ingredients to create the best mashed potatoes!
See recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.
- Russet potatoes – Make sure you cut them into evenly sized pieces so they’re all done cooking at the same time. You could also use a mix of Yukon gold potatoes and Russet potatoes.
- Unsalted butter – Salted butter is fine too, but you’ll want to add less salt when seasoning later.
- Milk – Whole milk is best, but other varieties will work; the mashed potatoes just won’t be quite as rich.
- Sour cream – Making mashed potatoes with sour cream gives them a rich, creamy texture and just the right amount of tangy flavor!
Variations
- Swap the sour cream for cream cheese for thicker mashed potatoes.
- Garnish the potatoes with minced fresh chives.
- Fold in shredded Parmesan cheese after mashing the potatoes.
- Enhance the savory flavor with roasted garlic cloves or fresh herbs like rosemary or thyme.
- Make loaded mashed potatoes by stirring chopped green onions, cheese, and bacon bits.
- To get a head start, make this Make-Ahead Mashed Potato Casserole.
How to Make Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes
- Cook the potatoes: Add the potatoes, water, and a few generous pinches of salt to an Instant Pot. Lock the lid in place, then set the device to manual, high, and 10 minutes of cook time.
- Mash the potatoes: When the timer goes off, turn the valve to “quick release.” Drain off any water. Then, transfer the potatoes to a large mixing bowl. Mash the potatoes with a potato masher until they’re smooth, with few to no lumps.
- Add the milk and butter: Slowly hot milk and butter to the mashed potatoes, stirring to combine.
- Finish: Stir in the sour cream, and season to taste with salt and black pepper to taste.
Serving Suggestions
- Thanksgiving and holiday favorites: If you’re preparing a holiday feast, these mashed potatoes pair wonderfully with all the classic options like Roast Turkey, Slow Cooker Green Bean Casserole, Cranberry Sauce, and Turkey Gravy.
- Weeknight dinner mains: Creamy mashed potatoes can also be served alongside everyday dinner staples such as Air Fryer Chicken Breasts, Baked Pork Chops, Salisbury Steak, or BBQ Ribs. Maybe with a side of Instant Pot Green Beans? Yes!
How to Store and Reheat Leftovers
- Refrigerator: Leftover mashed potatoes can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Freezer: Place the mashed potatoes in a freezer-safe container and store them for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to eat them, just thaw them overnight in the fridge and reheat as desired.
- To reheat: Warm leftovers in the microwave or on the stovetop when you’re ready to enjoy them again.
Frequently Asked Questions
To make mashed potatoes in the Instant Pot, you use the Instant Pot to cook the potatoes in water, then mash the potatoes and add the rest of the ingredients. Follow the instructions in the recipe card below.
Yes, you can! Just set your Instant Pot to the “Keep Warm” setting, and they’ll stay nice and hot until you’re ready to serve.
One of the keys to creating smooth and creamy mashed potatoes is to use starchy potatoes, such as Russets. When cooked properly, these potatoes will break down and become super fluffy, resulting in lump-free mashed potatoes. Additionally, make sure you cook the potatoes until they’re very soft before mashing them. If they’re not cooked through, they won’t mash up as smoothly.
As mentioned above, starchy potatoes like Russets are the best type of potato to use for mashed potatoes. However, other varieties like Yukon Gold potatoes or red potatoes will also work well. Just keep in mind that the texture won’t be quite as smooth or fluffy.
More Thanksgiving Classics
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Easy 5-Ingredient Corn Casserole
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Cranberry Sauce
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Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes
Equipment
- Instant Pot
- Small pot
- Potato Masher
- Mixing bowl
Ingredients
- 3 pounds Russet potatoes peeled and quartered
- 1 cup water
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup milk
- ½ cup sour cream
- Kosher salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Add the potatoes, water, and a couple pinches of salt to the Instant Pot, lock the lid in place, and set to manual, high, and 10 minutes cook time.3 pounds Russet potatoes, 1 cup water
- Add the butter and milk to a small pot and bring to a simmer on the stovetop. Remove from the heat and set aside.½ cup unsalted butter, 1 cup milk
- When the timer goes off, turn the valve to “quick release.” Drain any remaining water and transfer the potatoes to a large mixing bowl. Mash the potatoes with a potato masher until smooth.
- Slowly add the hot milk and butter to the potatoes and stir with a spatula to combine. Add the sour cream and stir. Season to taste with salt and black pepper.½ cup sour cream, Kosher salt and black pepper
Video
Notes
- Cut potatoes evenly for even cooking: If they’re all different sizes, they won’t all be done cooking at the same time.
- Don’t skip warming the milk and butter: Warm milk and butter before mashing to avoid gummy texture.
These look so creamy and delicious — perfect for any dinner!
Instant Pot mashed potatoes are a game changer — so creamy and done in minutes!
This mashed potato recipe is so good and creamy! My kind of recipe!
This mashed potato recipe is so good and creamy. Can’t wait to make this again next weekend!