Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes

The best part is I can make these Instant Pot mashed potatoes without boiling or draining a single pot of water. This easy side dish comes together fast, and it pairs with just about anything my family makes for dinner.

If you love mashed potatoes as much as we do, you’ll also want to try my Garlic Mashed Potatoes and Loaded Mashed Potatoes.

Why This Recipe Works

Making mashed potatoes in the Instant Pot means no big pot of boiling water to babysit and no draining a heavy pot of hot potatoes over the sink. You only need 1 cup of water, so the potatoes practically steam under pressure instead of boiling — which means more of their flavor stays in the potato instead of washing down the drain.

My family loves potatoes any way I make them, and mashed potatoes land on our table almost every Sunday. This is the version I keep going back to because it’s fast, foolproof, and leaves me with one less pot to clean.

Ingredients

Here’s what you need to make creamy Instant Pot mashed potatoes — you probably already have most of it in your kitchen:

• Potatoes – Russet potatoes give you the fluffiest mash, but red potatoes or Yukon Golds work great too. See the potato notes below for how each one turns out.
• Water – Just 1 cup gets the potatoes cooking under pressure. You don’t need to submerge them like you would on the stovetop, which is why there’s no draining required.
• Butter – Adds richness. Regular salted or unsalted butter both work, just adjust the added salt to taste.
• Milk – Whole milk makes these the creamiest. You can also use 2%, half and half, or even chicken broth for a different flavor (see Variations below).
• Salt and pepper – Season to taste, adding a little at a time.

Scroll to the bottom for the full recipe with exact amounts in the recipe card.

Variations Ideas

We love recipes that you can change the ingredients a bit or add to them to change the flavor.

• We like to add sour cream and cream cheese to change up the flavor. Just mix in ½ cup of either of these and it makes the potatoes so rich and creamy. 
• Add roasted garlic for delicious creamy garlic mashed potatoes that the entire family will love!
• Also, if you are following an unsaturated fats diet, you can use olive oil instead of butter in this recipe.  This recipe is easy to modify to make it perfect for your family.
• You can use chicken broth or heavy cream instead of water.
• Feel free to add in seasoning such as fresh herbs, thyme and rosemary. We even like to serve topped with chives for delicious flavor.

How to Make Mashed Potatoes in an Instant Pot

• Step 1 – Add 1 cup of water to the pressure cooker. Cut the potatoes into evenly sized chunks, about 1 to 2 inches, so they cook at the same rate. This recipe was tested in a 6-quart Instant Pot.
  

• Step 2 – Next place the lid on top and make sure your valve is sealing position.

• Step 3 – Then click the manual button (this may be called “Pressure Cook” on newer models) and turn it to 6 minutes.
  
• Step 4 – Use a long spoon or a kitchen towel to turn the valve, and keep your hand and face away from the steam — it’s very hot.
  
  Next Walk away and wait until it beeps.  Do the quick release on the top to relieve the high pressure.  Then add the whole milk and butter, salt and black pepper. The potatoes are done when a fork slides in easily with no resistance. If they still feel firm, seal the lid and pressure cook for 1-2 more minutes.
  

• Step 5 — Mix well with an electric hand mixer right in the instant pot or mash the potatoes with a hand potato masher until the potatoes are super smooth. Stop as soon as they’re smooth — overmixing is the #1 cause of gummy mashed potatoes

What Should I Use to Mash Potatoes?

We recommend using a hand mixer to mashed the potatoes. This way you can mash them directly in the instant pot and you don’t have to dirty up another bowl.

Why Are My Mashed Potatoes Gummy or Gluey?

If your mashed potatoes ever turn out gummy instead of light and fluffy, it almost always comes down to overmixing. Potatoes release starch every time you mix them, and the more you mix, the gummier they get. Here’s how to avoid it:

• Stop mixing as soon as they’re smooth. Whether you use a hand mixer or a potato masher, mix just until the lumps are gone.
• If you use a hand mixer, keep it on the lowest speed. A hand mixer works fast, so it’s easy to overdo it. If you’re worried about overmixing, start with a potato masher and only switch to the hand mixer for a few seconds at the end.
• Add the milk and butter warm, not cold. Cold dairy can make the starches seize up and turn the potatoes gluey. Thirty seconds in the microwave is enough to take the chill off.
• Add the milk gradually. Start with half of it, mix, then add more a little at a time until you reach the consistency you like — adding it all at once can leave you with potato soup.

Best Potatoes for Mashed Potatoes

We have used many different potatoes to make delicious mashed potatoes.

• Russet Potatoes – We typically use the russet potato. They seem to take a little longer to make but turn out perfectly.
• Red Potatoes – If I am using the red potatoes, I usually will leave the skin on. It doesn’t seem to bother my kids and I really like how they turn out.
• Yukon Gold Potatoes – Since these are a bit smaller, they don’t take as long to make. Still one of the favorites when making mashed potatoes.

How do I Keep Mashed Potatoes Warm?

I love that I can put the lid back on and the mashed potatoes stay nice and warm in the instant pot. You can also select the keep warm option on your instant pot.

One thing I have learn is to stir them frequently to keep them from burning or sticking to the bottom.

Can you Freeze Mashed Potatoes?

Yes you can freeze mashed potatoes by placing in a freezer safe container for up to 2-3 months. Thaw in the fridge when ready to reheat.

How to Use Leftover Mashed Potatoes

Did you know that you can use leftover mashed potatoes for another meal? It is easy to repurpose your leftover mashed potatoes. Here are some of my favorites:

• Shepherd’s Pie
• Mashed Potato Cakes
• Potato rolls
• Copycat KFC Bowl Recipe