Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes

5 from 2 votes
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Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes – Make the perfect creamy, tender buttery mashed potatoes with this super easy recipe!

I think mashed potatoes might be the most comforting side dish. They bring back memories of childhood, they were a staple on all of our holiday tables, and they are just so darn tasty!  My husband likes his with lots of flavor, so these Jalapeno Cheddar Mashed Potatoes are definitely one of his favorites. 

I on the other hand am more for the classic potatoes, but with lots of garlic!  So these Garlicky Mashed Potatoes are kind of my favorite. And my son really just loves gravy, so he will take any version I give him as long as there is gravy involved.  

A bowl of potatoes with butter

 

I am pretty obsessed with my Instant Pot lately.  We have had quite a few new recipes using it over the last month.  This Instant Pot Pork Tenderloin would go perfectly with these mashed potatoes as well, just in case you were curious. So if I am doing all sorts of main dishes, I figured I should try a classic side dish as well.  You never know, a dessert may be in my future too.  

What Are the Best Potatoes for Mashed Potatoes

Let’s start with the basics.  Your perfect creamy potatoes won’t happen if you don’t use the right kind of potato.  But what kind of potato is the right kind for mashed potatoes.  Well, you want one that has a higher starch content.  This is what helps give it that really creamy texture.  Something like a Yukon gold or a Russet potato is perfect. Those mash really well and don’t get pasty.  Red potatoes, fingerling potatoes and other more waxy potatoes tend to do better if you just want them smashed. If you really mash them to get them creamy, they turn into more of a paste. And that is not what we want for these.  

A plate of mashed potatoes with butter

How Do You Make Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes

  • Start with about 2-3 pounds of russet potatoes that you have washed really well.  If you want to peel your potatoes go for it.  But you can leave the skins on when making mashed potatoes, so whatever you like best works here.  
  • Add the water or chicken stock to the Instant Pot with the potatoes. These potatoes will NOT need to be drained after they are cooked.  They will absorb the cooking liquid and it will help making them creamy and easier to mash later.  
  • Seal your Instant Pot and set it for 20 minutes if you are cooking the potatoes whole or 8 minutes if you diced them into 1 inch cubes. 
  • Once the potatoes have cooked let the pressure cooker naturally release for 5 minutes. 
  • Get to mashing!  Once the potatoes and are fork tender mash them until they are creamy. If you like yours chunky than don’t mash them all the way.
  • Now you get to mix in whatever flavors you want.  I am staying basic with this recipe, just a little butter, cream, salt, pepper and garlic.  But you can go crazy with different herbs, cheese, jalapenos, sour cream for some tang and whatever else you can think of. 

A bowl of mashed potatoes with butter and chives

How Do You Mash Potatoes

If you have a potato masher than this is probably a silly question. But not everyone has a masher or wants to go out and buy one. So what do you use?  A heavy duty fork will work great, it just takes a little bit of time.  If you have a hand mixer or an electric mixer you can transfer the potatoes into something to mix them in. If you can crush and start to break up the potatoes a whisk can help finish the mashing process. And if you happen to have a rice or sometimes called a food mill, that works great too!  

Can You Freeze Mashed Potatoes

Yes, you can definitely freeze mashed potatoes.  I like to let them cool completely and then place them in a freezer safe bag.  This way I can get all of the air out, so I don’t get ice crystals that form on the potatoes.  It also makes storing them in the freezer really easy, and they don’t take up a lot of space. 

A bowl of mashed potatoes with a spoon

Mashed Potatoes go with just about anything, but Meatloaf is probably the most classic pairing. I like using the pressure cooker to make mashed potatoes for holidays, because it doesn’t take up the stove top or oven, and doesn’t need to be watched over.  You can even make them ahead of time and keep them warm in the Instant Pot, so you don’t have to worry about timing them perfectly. 

So the next time you are making a Baked Ham or even just pork chops, think about how easy these mashed potatoes are to make.  The perfect side dish for any night of the week. 

mashed potatoes in a bowl with melting butter and chives

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Insant Pot Mashed Potatoes 5 square
5 from 2 votes

Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes

By Erin
Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes - Make the perfect creamy, tender buttery mashed potatoes with this super easy recipe!
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 8 minutes
Additional Time: 20 minutes
Total: 33 minutes
Servings: 8

Equipment

Ingredients 

  • 3 pounds Russet potatoes, cubed
  • 3/4 cup water
  • 3/4 cup milk or heavy cream
  • 4 Tablespoons butter
  • 2 teaspoons salt

Instructions 

  • Add potatoes and water to the Instant Pot
  • Seal and cook under high pressure for 8 minutes. Let naturally release for 5 minutes before quick releasing to finish.
  • Open the Instant Pot and mash the potatoes. The liquid should mostly be absorbed, so there is no need to drain.
  • Mix in cream and butter and season with salt.
  • Serve immediately.

Notes

You can peel the potatoes or leave the peels on, that is up to you.
If you want to leave the potatoes whole to cook, set the pressure cook time for 20 minutes.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 240kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 21mg | Sodium: 665mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 2g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Author: Erin
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 8 minutes
Additional Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 33 minutes
Course: Side Dish Recipes
Cuisine: American
Servings: 8
Calories: 240
Like this recipe? Leave a comment below!

About Erin S

Welcome to Dinners, Dishes, & Desserts where my love of food meets my busy life. My name is Erin and I’m a casual home cook who loves to feed people. On this blog, you’ll find hundreds of quick and easy recipes made mostly from scratch. My days are spent in the kitchen, creating new recipes to share with family and friends.

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8 Comments

  1. Love this idea especially when holiday cooking. Helps to free up the stove top for other things. Thank you!

  2. Mashed potatoes are one of my favorite things in the IP. Much quicker and easier than the stove top.