Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes
Instant Pot mashed potatoes are an easy way to make creamy mashed potatoes without having to turn on the stove. They make the perfect addition to any holiday meal!
The holidays are right around the corner and mashed potatoes are one of the things I love the most…right along with a little southern cornbread dressing and a big slice of coconut cake for dessert. If you’ve been around here for awhile you know that we have an amazing recipe for mashed potatoes and this year I’m making them in my Instant Pot!
If you’re like us, then you’re always looking for ways to free up precious stovetop real estate during the holiday season. And using your pressure cooker to make some of the sides will allow you to do just that without sacrificing the taste and texture you love.
It’s also a great way to make them ahead of time and then keep them warm until it’s time for dinner!
Whether you’re making these to go along with Instant turkey breast or slow cooker turkey breast don’t forget to make some homemade turkey gravy to pour on top!
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Hosting a small gathering for the holidays this year? Check out our post on The Best Way to Cook Turkey Breast for Thanksgiving Dinner for 3 ways to make a juicy turkey!
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Potatoes – we prefer Yukon Gold potatoes, but you could use russet potatoes or other varieties if you prefer
- Salted butter – adds a bit of flavor and creaminess
- Cream Cheese – this combined with the butter gives you perfectly creamy mashed potatoes every time.
- Seasonings – salt adds a little flavor, but you can omit if you follow a low sodium diet
New to using an Instant Pot? Make sure you read our beginner’s guide on “How to Use an Instant Pot” to get started!
Instructions
Step 1 – Prep the potatoes. Wash off any dirt or other debris on your potatoes. Once they are washed, peel the potatoes and cut into 2 inch pieces.
Step 2 – Cook the potatoes in the Instant Pot. Place the prepared potatoes in the inner pot of your Instant Pot and fill with enough water to cover the potatoes. This is about 4 to 5 cups when using the 6 quart Instant Pot. Before closing the lid, add 1 tablespoon of kosher salt to the water.
Lock the lid in place and turn the valve to SEALING. Next, set it to HIGH PRESSURE for 10 minutes. Once the timer goes off, press cancel and let it naturally release pressure for 5 minutes.
Step 3 – Drain and mash the potatoes. Carefully turn the valve to VENTING and release the remaining steam. Then remove the lid and carefully remove the pot using oven mitts or a sturdy pair of tongs. Just be careful, it will be hot! Finally, drain the excess water by pouring the potatoes into a strainer.
Carefully put the potatoes back in the inner pot and add the butter and cream cheese. Use a potato masher or a hand mixer to mash the potatoes. If your potatoes are a little dry, you can add a small amount of milk until you reach the right consistency. We use a 1/4 of a cup at a time until we reach the right creaminess level.
Step 4 – Salt to Taste. Add salt to taste. You might not need anymore salt since the potatoes absorb the salt as they cook and you used salted butter but give them a taste and add a little more if you like. Serve, and enjoy!
An Easy Way to Keep Them Warm
Once they have finished cooking and you’ve added all the of the buttery, cream cheesy goodness that makes then the BEST mashed potatoes you’ll ever have, just press the “Keep Warm” button and let your Instant Pot keep them warm for you until you’re ready to eat.
Make sure to give them a little stir every 30 minutes or so just so they don’t overcook on the bottom, and if they dry out a little you can add just a little more milk to get them back to the right consistency.
Best Potatoes to Use
Yukon Gold potatoes are our preferred potato for this recipe. They are considered a waxy potato, which means they are a little more solid and smooth. Their texture gives you a perfectly creamy mashed potato. You can also use Russet potatoes, which are also starchy so you get a nice fluffy mashed potato.
And, yes, you can use red potatoes for this recipe. Just keep in mind, they will have a different flavor. They also don’t mash as smoothly. I suggest saving those for some delicious German potato salad, tangy Sour Cream potato salad, or roasted and served alongside your favorite weeknight dinner.
Can You Make Them Ahead of Time?
You definitely can make these ahead of time and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To heat them up, you can use either the microwave or on the stove top on low. When you reheat them, you should add a little bit of milk to help keep them fluffy and prevent them from being too dry. Start with a ¼ cup of milk and add more as they begin to dry.
You can also warm them up in the slow cooker or your Instant Pot, both are a great option if you’re cooking a big dinner and want to get the potatoes out of the way early.
Slow cooker – Take your potatoes out of the refrigerator and put them in the slow cooker, and set it to low. Once they are warmed through, set your slow cooker to warm and let them sit until you are ready to eat them.
Instant Pot – Take your potatoes out of the refrigerator and put them in the Instant Pot and press the “Keep Warm” function.
Both methods will reheat them very slowly over low heat so you’ll need to give them at least an hour probably closer to two hours. As they reheat, make sure to stir them every 30 minutes so they don’t overcook on the bottom. If they begin to dry out some, add a little milk until they reach your preferred consistency.
Looking for More Instant Pot Recipes?
- Instant Pot Sweet Potatoes
- Instant Pot Meatloaf and Mashed Potatoes – Pot-in-Pot (PIP) Recipe
- Instant Pot Pinto Beans {No Soak}
- Instant Pot Spaghetti Squash
- Keto Instant Pot Roast
- Instant Pot Butternut Squash Soup
- More Instant Pot Recipes…
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Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes
Ingredients
- 5 pounds Potatoes
- 1/2 cup Salted butter, cut into cubes
- 8 ounces Cream Cheese, cut into cubes
- 1 tablespoon Salt, plus more to taste
- 1/4 cup Milk, optional see step 8
Instructions
- Wash and peel the potatoes then cut them into 2 inch pieces.
- Place the potatoes in the pot of your Instant Pot and fill with enough water to cover the potatoes, approximately 4-5 cups. Add 1 tablespoon of kosher salt to the water.
- Lock the lid in place and turn the valve to SEALING.
- Set to HIGH PRESSURE for 10 minutes.
- When the timer goes off press CANCEL and then let it do a natural release for 5 minutes.
- Carefully turn the valve to VENTING and release the remaining steam.
- Remove the lid and carefully remove the potatoes (be careful it will be hot!) and drain the excess water by pouring the potatoes into a strainer.
- Put the potatoes back in the pot and add the butter and cream cheese. Use a potato masher or a hand mixer to begin mashing the potatoes. If your potatoes are a little dry you can add a small amount of milk until you reach the right consistency.
- Add salt to taste.
- Enjoy!
Nutrition
