Easy Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes Recipe

If you love the taste of homemade mashed potatoes, you need to make this Easy Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes Recipe! It's a perfect side dish for any family dinner or Thanksgiving feast!

I am a huge fan of mashed potatoes, but I'm not a fan of the time it takes to make them from scratch. For a long time, this was one of those things I treated myself to when I went out to dinner. It didn't seem worth the effort to make them at home.

But then I got my handy dandy Instant Pot and my life changed dramatically!

Check out my Ultimate Guide To Using Your Instant Pot for tips and tricks to make the most of your Instant Pot!

Having an Instant Pot has allowed me to make time consuming foods in a fraction of the time it used to take. And my family is thrilled when I whip up these Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes.

Not only are they a great side dish, but they're also fabulous as the base for Shepherd's Pie or Amish Chicken and Noodles.

Making mashed potatoes in the Instant Pot saves a ton of time. Rather than spending an hour over a hot stove, I can pop them in the Instant Pot and in about 35 minutes I have amazing homemade mashed potatoes.

Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes Ingredients

• 2 lb Bag Potatoes (Peeled)
• 1 Cup Chicken Stock
• 1/4 Cup Milk
• 1/2 Stick Butter
• 1 tsp Salt
• 1 tsp Pepper (my kiddos don't like pepper so I omit this when making it for them)

How To Make Mashed Potatoes In Your Instant Pot

Start by peeling all of your potatoes. This is a great task to delegate to your kiddos. Just make sure they know how to safely peel potatoes.

Place the potatoes in your Instant Pot.

Pour in Chicken Stock, then place on lid and seal it tight with pressure valve closed.

Set timer for 15 minutes and let cook until done by pressing Start/Cancel button to turn off heat after cooking time is up {if not already turned off automatically}.

Use the Quick Release when your potatoes are done cooking. {Be very careful when opening the quick release valve. I recommend using a long-handled spoon or silicone mitts so as not to burn yourself while doing this task.}

Mash potatoes with a potato masher. {If you your Instant Pot has a non-stick surface on the inner pot, make sure to use a silicone potato masher so it doesn't scratch your Instant Pot.}

Next add your milk to the potatoes.

And last and definitely not least, you'll want to add your butter.

Season with salt and pepper.

Chow down! These potatoes are soooo delicious!

Frequently Asked Questions

What kind of potatoes should I use?

My go-to potato for Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes is Russet Potatoes. They are super starchy and don't have a lot of moisture, so they absorb dairy like a dream!

My second choice is Yukon Gold. They're a little waxier than Russet Potatoes, but not as waxy as some other potatoes (I'm talking about you Red Bliss). If you use a potato that is super waxy, your mashed potatoes will be gummy and nasty!

You can also do a mix of Russet and Yukon Gold which when combined gives great texture to your Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes.

Can I leave the skins on the potatoes?

If you prefer your potatoes to have skins in them, you can totally leave the skins on. And while you can leave the skins on all of them, I highly recommend only leaving the skins on about half of the potatoes.

Also, I've found that Yukon Gold potatoes work best when you want mashed potatoes with skins in them.

If you choose to leave the skins on, I recommend scrubbing your potatoes well. This veggie scrub cloth is the best thing I've found for cleaning potatoes well. It gets my potatoes super clean.

I also recommend poking a few holes in your potatoes before tossing them in the Instant Pot or cutting them up into cubes.

Last, but not least, it may be challenging to use a potato masher on potatoes that still have the skin on them. If you opt to make Instant Pot mashed potatoes with the skins in them, I recommend emptying your potatoes into a separate bowl after cooking them in the Instant Pot, adding the milk and butter, then using a hand mixer to get your desired consistency.

How do I get my potatoes to be creamier?

For creamier potatoes, I recommend replacing your milk with cream or half and half. You can also increase the amount of butter you add for creamier potatoes.

Pro Tip: Heat your milk, cream, and/or butter before mixing it into your potatoes. This will ensure that your dairy absorbs well into your potatoes making for super creamy potatoes.

What kind of milk should I use?

You can use any kind of milk. Keep in mind that the higher the fat content, the creamier the potatoes will be.

What else can I add to my mashed potatoes?

There are so many things you can add to mashed potatoes to intensify the flavor. Some of my favorites include sour cream, ranch seasoning, cream cheese, garlic, rosemary, thyme and chives.

Recipe Variations

Garlic Mashed Potatoes: Roast a head of garlic in the oven while your potatoes are cooking in the Instant Pot. Add the garlic when you add the butter and mix well.

Loaded Mashed Potatoes: Add shredded cheese, sour cream, bacon, and chives for an out-of-this-world side dish that is loaded with flavor.

Cheesy Mashed Potatoes: Add a blend of sharp cheddar and parmesan for some delicious cheesy potatoes. Other great cheese options to add to your potatoes are gouda, goat cheese, and colby jack.

Cheesy Bacon Ranch Potatoes: Mix in sharp cheddar cheese, ranch seasoning, and a few slices of crumbled bacon for a mouthwatering burst of flavor.

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