Name: Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 3 pounds russet or Yukon Gold potatoes; 1 to 1½ cups cold water (*see directions for amount); 1½ teaspoons kosher salt (divided); 3 tablespoons unsalted butter (melted); ½ cup milk or cream (warmed ); ½ cup sour cream

Jump to Recipe

This recipe for Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes results in perfect mashed potatoes made fast. They are creamy, buttery, and fluffy, just like good mashed potatoes should be!

Creamy instant pot mashed potatoes in instant pot topped with butter and chives.

One recipe I was hesitant to try to recreate in the Instant Pot for quite some time was mashed potatoes. I love my recipe for Perfect Mashed Potatoes on the stove and I am always a bit nervous to mess with perfection!

But with a few tips, making creamy, dreamy Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes is not only possible but incredibly easy. And best of all, it is done all in one pot in less than 30 minutes from start to finish!

Notes on Ingredients

This recipe for Instant Pot Mashed is a classic recipe for creamy mashed potatoes, requiring simple ingredients you likely always have on hand.

Ingredients for instant pot mashed potatoes labeled on counter.

Potatoes: I recommend using Yukon gold or russet potatoes for creamy classic mashed potatoes. Yukon gold potatoes will result in buttery, deep yellow mashed potatoes, and russet potatoes yield a more traditional result. Both are delicious.
Butter: Unsalted butter is best to control the sodium content and to add a rich finish to the mashed potatoes.
Milk/Cream: While you can use cream, half and half, or milk, keep in mind that the higher the fat content of your milk or cream, the richer, and more luxurious your mashed potatoes will be.
Sour Cream: Sour cream is my secret to adding tang and creaminess to the mashed potatoes and to help keep them super light and fluffy. It is optional but highly encouraged to turn good mashed potatoes into spectacular mashed potatoes.

Tips to Make the Best Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes

The following tips are provided to help you achieve perfect results. You will find the detailed instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Be sure to cut the potatoes into equal-sized cubes. This sounds silly, but trust me, if you want to ensure your potatoes cook evenly, be sure to cut them into equal sizes.
Use cold water. Do not be tempted to add warm or even lukewarm water to the inner pot to speed up the time it takes to come to pressure. If you add warm water to your Instant Pot, it will change the amount of time it takes to come to pressure, which will ultimately change the cooking time.
Drain the cooking liquid. When using russet potatoes to make mashed potatoes, you really want to drain off the cooking liquid before mashing. This will get rid of any starchy film and residue that russet potatoes are known to give off while cooking. Yukon Gold potatoes don't give off as much starch, but still more than if you were to use red potatoes.
Saute the potatoes. After draining the potatoes from the cooking liquid, return the potatoes to the inner pot and leave them on saute for a minute or two. This extra step gets rid of all the excess water and helps the mashed potatoes be creamy, not watered down.
Use a handheld potato masher, not a handheld mixer. Mixers overwork potatoes and make them gummy and starchy. Avoid this by mashing the cooked potatoes until smooth with a handheld potato masher. This will ensure super creamy mashed potatoes that never turn out gummy.
Warm the butter and milk. To prevent your potatoes from seizing up, slightly warm the butter and the milk so that they are instantly absorbed by the potatoes.

Bowl of creamy instant pot mashed potatoes topped with butter and chives in white bowl.

Instant Pot No-Drain Mashed Potatoes

If you would like to not drain your mashed potatoes after pressure cooking, you must use Yukon gold potatoes or unpeeled red potatoes, not russet potatoes. Russet potatoes release a lot of starch when they cook and that starchy liquid is not the best way to achieve flavorful, creamy mashed potatoes.

To make no-drain Instant Pot mashed potatoes, replace the water with low-sodium vegetable broth or Instant Pot chicken stock and cook as directed. Mash the potatoes without draining off the cooking liquid. Once smooth, add in melted butter, and stir to combine. If needed, add up to ¼ cup of cream to loosen the potatoes. And finally, stir in the sour cream for additional flavor.

Storage & Reheating Instructions

Refrigerate: Allow the potatoes to cool slightly and then transfer them to an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Freeze: Cool the mashed potatoes fully and then transfer them to an airtight, freezer-safe container or bag. Store in the freezer for up to 2 months.
Reheat: To reheat frozen mashed potatoes, place frozen mashed potatoes in a casserole dish. Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Remove the foil, stir, and add 1-2 tablespoons of additional milk. Cover again with foil and continue to bake for 10-15 minutes, or until warmed through. For refrigerated mashed potatoes, simply reheat them in a heat-safe bowl with a heat-safe lid in 60-second intervals, stirring between intervals, until warmed through. Add a splash of milk if needed to thin.

Serving Suggestions

Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes are a perfect side dish for just about any entree. I love to pair these buttery spuds with dishes like Rotisserie Chicken, Creamy Chicken Marsala, Apple Pork Roast, or Slow Cooker Pork and Sauerkraut. And if happen to have leftovers, use them to make Potato Cakes or Pierogi Lasagna.

More Instant Pot Side Dishes

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I would love to hear how much you enjoyed this simple recipe for Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes. Please share a comment and review below.

Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes

Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes come together easily with a few simple ingredients to create rich, creamy, fluffy mashed potatoes that are ready in less than 30 minutes from start to finish.

5 from 16 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 5

Cook Time: 10

Pressure Time: 15

Total Time: 30

Servings: people

Calories: 231kcal

Author: Kristen Chidsey

Ingredients

▢ 3 pounds russet or Yukon Gold potatoes
▢ 1 to 1½ cups cold water *see directions for amount
▢ 1½ teaspoons kosher salt divided
▢ 3 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
▢ ½ cup milk or cream warmed
▢ ½ cup sour cream

Instructions

Wash and peel potatoes. Cut into 1-inch cubes. It is important to be sure your potatoes are cut into even cubes so that the cooking time will be accurate.
Place cubed potatoes in the inner pot of the instant pot. Pour in 1 cup of cold water for the 3 or 6-quart Instant Pot and 1.5 cups of water for the 8-quart Instant Pot. Stir in 1 teaspoon of kosher salt.
Place the lid on the pressure cooker, be sure the vent knob is pointed towards sealed, and set the cooking time to 10 minutes on high pressure. Hit manual or pressure cook and use the +/- buttons to adjust until the time shows "10."
Once the cooking time has elapsed, allow pressure to release naturally for at least 5 to 10 minutes, and then release the remaining pressure. It is fine to allow the pressure to release fully.
Carefully remove the inner pot from the Instant Pot using pot holders and drain off the cooking liquid over a strainer. Return the potatoes to the inner pot and then return the inner pot to the Instant Pot.
Hit the saute function on the Instant Pot and let any excess liquid cook off the potatoes for 1-2 minutes while stirring gently. Turn the Instant Pot OFF. Use a potato masher to mash potatoes until smooth.
Place the butter and milk into a heat-safe measuring cup and microwave for 30-45 seconds, or until the milk is warm to the touch and the butter begins to melt, about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Add the butter and milk to the potatoes and continue to mash until evenly distributed into the potatoes. Stir in the sour cream.
Taste and add in the additional ½ teaspoon of salt if needed. Serve with additional butter and chives if desired.

Equipment Needed

Electric Pressure Cooker (6 or 8 quart)

Notes

Milk/Cream: Use heavy cream, half and half, or milk of any kind for these Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes.

For best results, use a potato masher, NOT a mixer or immersion blender to mash the potatoes. This will keep your potatoes light and fluffy.

To Make Dairy-Free or Vegan Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes: Replace the milk with vegetable broth and instead of butter use non-dairy butter. Omit the sour cream.

No-Drain Option: If you want to make no-drain mashed potatoes, I recommend using Yukon gold potatoes or unpeeled red potatoes, not russet potatoes. Replace the water with low-sodium vegetable broth or chicken stock and cook as directed. Mash the potatoes without draining off the cooking liquid. Once smooth, add in melted butter, and stir to combine. If needed, add up to ¼ cup of cream to loosen the potatoes. Finish the potatoes by stirring in the sour cream for additional flavor.

Storage: Allow leftover mashed potatoes to cool slightly and then transfer them to an airtight container. Store the potatoes in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. If needed, add a splash of milk or broth to loosen up the potatoes after reheating.

Freeze: Cool the mashed potatoes fully and then transfer them to an airtight, freezer-safe container or bag. Store in the freezer for up to 2 months. To reheat frozen mashed potatoes, place frozen mashed potatoes in a casserole dish. Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Remove the foil, stir, and add 1-2 tablespoons of additional milk. Cover again with foil and continue to bake for 10-15 minutes, or until warmed through.

Nutrition

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This post was originally published in 2018 but was updated with new pictures and a video in 2022.