Creamy Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes Recipe

The typical way to making mashed potatoes involves cutting the spuds up and then boiling them until they've reached the proper consistency to mash. But you can also cook them in an Instant Pot. Admittedly, this doesn't do a whole lot for speed. Once you add in the time it takes to heat up the pot to the point where the cooking countdown begins — recipe developer Miriam Hahn says it takes hers about 14 minutes — you're looking at over 20 minutes until the potatoes are soft. Still, Hahn likes to cook potatoes in the Instant Pot because, as she says, "you can leave it unattended, and [there's] no boiling over to worry about." If you prefer not to use (or don't have) this appliance, though, you can still boil the potatoes and then take this recipe from there.

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Hahn describes these mashed potatoes as "unbelievably delicious and creamy." She says this is due, in part, to her secret ingredient: mayonnaise. This ingredient, she tells us, "adds a little zing to the potatoes while adding to the creamy texture." She also favors Yukon gold potatoes, telling us "they have a silky texture and keep the mixture moist."

Collect the ingredients for these Instant Pot mashed potatoes

Besides the potatoes and the water in which to cook them, all you'll need is some stuff to flavor them with. While some mashed potato purists stick with butter, Hahn prefers to go all-out with butter, broth, sour cream, Parmesan cheese, mayonnaise, salt, and granulated garlic. If you want to garnish your mashed potatoes, chives are a classic option, while Hahn also suggests adding extra pepper.

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Prepare the potatoes

Scrub or rinse your potatoes to make sure they are clean, then peel them — or don't. Although Hahn does peel her potatoes, she allows that "you can definitely leave the peels on," adding that this "will save a step, and they come out fine" either way. The one thing you must do, though, is to cut the potatoes into chunks. This will greatly reduce your cooking time.

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Pressure cook the potatoes

Put the potato chunks in an Instant Pot steamer basket, then add the water to the pot and put the basket inside. If you don't have a steamer basket, Hahn says you can just put the potatoes directly in the pot and cover them with water. Seal the valve, set the cook time to 8 minutes, then wait until the pot heats up and the cook time ticks down. Set the valve to vent, then jump back quickly before that hot steam comes rushing out. Once the coast is clear, take the potatoes out of the Instant Pot and drain the water.

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Mash the potatoes

Either put the potatoes back in the Instant Pot or into a bowl, then mash them with all of the remaining ingredients until they are as smooth as you prefer them to be. 

If you won't be eating all of the potatoes right away, you can keep them warm in the Instant Pot for a short time, but you should store them in the refrigerator if it'll be more than 2 hours. Hahn says these potatoes can be kept in the fridge for 5 days and recommends reheating them in the microwave or oven.

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Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes Recipe

5 (32 ratings)

This method of making mashed potatoes utilizes the convenience of pressure cooking, but also gets a luxurious, creamy texture thanks to a surprise ingredient.

Prep Time
10
minutes
Cook Time
8
minutes
servings
6
Servings
mashed potatoes, hamburger and towel
Total time: 18 minutes

Ingredients

  • 3 pounds Yukon gold potatoes
  • 1 cup water
  • ¼ cup chicken or vegetable broth
  • ¼ cup (½ stick) butter
  • ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • ¼ cup sour cream
  • 1 tablespoon mayonnaise
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon garlic granules

Optional Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon chopped chives, for garnish

Directions

  1. Peel the potatoes, if desired, then cut them into large chunks.
  2. Place the potatoes in an Instant Pot steamer basket
  3. Add the water to the Instant Pot, then add the steamer basket.
  4. Seal the lid valve and set the cooking time for 8 minutes.
  5. When the potatoes are cooked, set the valve to vent to release the steam.
  6. Drain the water out of the Instant Pot.
  7. Add the cooked potatoes back to the Instant Pot or in a bowl. Mash them with all of the other ingredients until they reach your desired consistency.
  8. Top with chives if desired.

Nutrition

Calories per Serving 302
Total Fat 13.2 g
Saturated Fat 7.3 g
Trans Fat 0.3 g
Cholesterol 30.5 mg
Total Carbohydrates 40.2 g
Dietary Fiber 5.0 g
Total Sugars 2.1 g
Sodium 509.0 mg
Protein 7.1 g
The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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