These Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes are rich, creamy, and incredibly easy to make. Pressure cooking the potatoes creates perfectly tender potatoes every time while eliminating the need to watch a pot of boiling water. Whether you’re serving them alongside a holiday feast or a weeknight dinner, this recipe delivers fluffy mashed potatoes with minimal effort and maximum flavor.
With just a handful of simple ingredients, you’ll have homemade mashed potatoes that pair perfectly with everything from steak and roast chicken to short ribs, pork chops, and turkey.
Why You’ll Love These Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes
- No boiling water
- One pot
- Creamy every time
- Great for holidays
- Easy enough for weeknights
Tips
- Cut potatoes evenly
- Don’t overmix
- Taste before serving
What to Serve with Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes
- Braised short ribs
- Veal chops
- Pot roast
- Meatloaf
- Roast chicken
- Pork chops
- Turkey
- Salisbury steak
- Beef tips
Why Make Mashed Potatoes in the Instant Pot?
Cooking mashed potatoes in the Instant Pot saves time and simplifies the entire process. Instead of waiting for a large pot of water to boil and worrying about overcooking the potatoes, the pressure cooker cooks them evenly with very little hands-on effort. The result is fluffy, creamy mashed potatoes with less mess and fewer dishes to wash.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best potatoes for Instant Pot mashed potatoes?
Yukon Gold, Russet, and Red potatoes all work well, but each produces a slightly different result. Yukon Gold potatoes create rich, buttery mashed potatoes with a naturally creamy texture. Russet potatoes produce lighter, fluffier mashed potatoes, while Red potatoes make a heartier, more rustic mash with a slightly firmer texture, especially if you leave some of the skins on.
For ultra-creamy mashed potatoes, Yukon Golds are our favorite, but you really can’t go wrong with any of the three varieties.
Can I make Instant Pot mashed potatoes ahead of time?
Yes. You can prepare them up to two days in advance and store them in the refrigerator. Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave, adding a splash of milk or cream if needed to restore their creamy consistency.
Can I freeze mashed potatoes?
Absolutely. Allow the mashed potatoes to cool completely before transferring them to an airtight container or freezer bag. Freeze for up to two months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat with a little extra butter or milk.
Why make mashed potatoes in the Instant Pot instead of boiling them?
The Instant Pot cooks potatoes quickly and evenly without requiring a large pot of boiling water. It also reduces hands-on cooking time, making cleanup easier while producing consistently tender potatoes ready for mashing.
Can I double this recipe?
Yes. As long as your Instant Pot has enough capacity, you can double the ingredients without changing the pressure cooking time. The pot may simply take a little longer to come to pressure.
How do I keep mashed potatoes warm for serving?
After mashing, switch the Instant Pot to the Keep Warm setting and stir occasionally. If they begin to thicken, add a small splash of warm milk or cream until they reach your desired consistency.
Can I leave the potato skins on?
Definitely. Leaving some or all of the skins on creates a rustic-style mashed potato with extra texture and flavor. This works especially well with red potatoes or Yukon Golds.
Preparation: Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes
We’ll power through this quickly because it’s not complicated and you have things to do 😀
You can do this with red potatoes or gold potatoes. The flavor will be ever-so-slightly different but won’t matter with most pairings. Also, we will leave this at the user’s choice whether to peel the potatoes. We prefer skin-on potatoes but understand many of you may prefer to peel ahead of time. It’s simply a matter of preference.
For this preparation we used about 3 lbs. of potatoes, feel free to adjust accordingly. Place the potatoes directly in the pot and add enough water to just cover them. Salt the water (always!) with a few generous turns of a salt grinder or several pinches of loose salt. Set the pressure cooker to 8 minutes on high pressure.
Quick release the pressure once the time expires. Drain the potatoes in a colander and return to the pot. Gradually add the liquid ingredients and mash to desired consistency (anywhere from a rustic, chunky mashed potato to a smooth, creamy version). Stir in the remaining dry ingredients and mix thoroughly. Top with green onion or chive.
Use immediately or refrigerate for use later. Note: These can be frozen but will thaw a little watery. You’ll want to put them on the stove and mix thoroughly as they reheat. Additional butter or cream may assist as well. We’ve frozen these and brought them back to life numerous times without much trouble.
Pair these with our Wine Braised Veal Riblets or Veal Chops in Mushroom Herb Wine Sauce for a real treat!
Equipment: Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes
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You can certainly read about our affinity for the Instant Pot here. It really is a time saver for all kinds of meals. We definitely love it for quick meal preparation, especially on a weeknight. The one we use is below. There are certainly many other models to choose from but this is a good place to start. Well worth it in our opinion (affiliate link below)!
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Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Place the whole potatoes in the Instant Pot with just enough water to cover. Salt the water with a few generous turns of a salt grinder. Cook on high pressure for 8 minutes.
- Quick release pressure once timer expires and drain the potatoes.
- Return the potatoes to the pot. Gradually add liquid and mash potatoes adding as needed until reaching desired consistency. Stir in the salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Top with chives or green onions (if desired).
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