Instant Pot mashed potatoes are the ultimate shortcut for America's favorite side dish. No peeling, boiling or schlepping, and you get perfect, fluffy mashed potatoes every time using the pressure cooker.
This Instant pot mashed potato recipe is virtually hands-free and always delicious with my Baked Chicken Thighs, Broiled Salmon, or Roast Turkey Breast. I actually don't peel my potatoes and mash the skins right in. It's SO much faster and more nutritious ... but you can call me lazy 😂. No matter what, heavy whipping cream is the secret to the BEST mashed potatoes you’ll ever eat.
Ingredients for THE BEST mashed potatoes
- Russet potatoes - or any variety will work
- water - or chicken broth
- heavy whipping cream - or preferred milk
- butter - or olive oil
- salt and pepper
Russet potatoes - these are the starchiest potatoes, which makes the fluffiest mashed potatoes. You can use any potatoes though. They will all make mashed potatoes that no one will complain about because ... they're mashed potatoes 🙂
Water (or chicken broth) - You only need 1 cup of liquid when you cook potatoes in the Instant Pot.
Heavy whipping cream - this is THE secret sauce for how to make mashed potatoes rich and creamy. I used to always add half and half or plain milk to my mashed potatoes. Then I discovered that heavy whipping cream makes mashed potatoes...unforgettable.
Butter - I use unsalted butter for all cooking because, well, I love to control the salt in my recipes. But, salted butter will work perfectly fine for mashed potatoes, just be sure to reduce the added salt indicated in the recipe.
Salt and pepper - I use Kosher salt for this recipe, so if you're using sea salt or table salt, you'll probably want to cut it in half, taste it, and adjust accordingly.
Tips on how to make THE BEST mashed potatoes
Following a few simple tips will ensure that your mashed potatoes are always silky smooth, fluffy, and deliciously creamy.
#1: Choose starchy potatoes. For mashed potatoes, you want to choose potatoes with high starch content. Russet potatoes are a great choice for this, as are Yukon gold. Any potatoes can be cooked and mashed though. I love them all!
#2: Using the trivet in the Instant Pot. It's not required but since there is only 1 cup liquid in this recipe, I use it as a precaution against potential "burn warnings" and to promote evenly cooked potatoes.
#3: Draining the potatoes is optional. This recipe uses 1 cup liquid that 1) gets absorbed by the potatoes and 2) steam-released. This leaves very little liquid at the end of the cook cycle. You can drain, if preferred, or not. Many people love to use chicken broth or veggie broth and mash it into the potatoes.
#4: Don’t overcook the potatoes. The potatoes only need to be cooked to the point that they are soft. Some believe that over cooking them causes them to have an undesirable texture.
#5: Don’t overwork mashed potatoes. To avoid potatoes with the consistency of paste, mash them just until they reach a well-combined consistency. Then stop mashing. I know, it's tempting, but don't do it. Reserve the remaining activity for stirring during the reheat.
#6: Add warm dairy ingredients (instead of cold) to mashed potatoes. When adding dairy ingredients like butter, milk, or whipping cream, you want them slightly warm instead of straight out of the refrigerator. This 1) prevents your dairy products from curdling when they hit the hot potatoes AND 2) your potatoes won't get overworked by you trying to incorporate the cold solids into them.
#7: To peel or not to peel. For this mashed potato recipe, you can save a lot of time by not peeling or dicing the potatoes. But, if you have extra time and are an avid skin-off potato eater, by all means, go for it!
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How many potatoes can you cook in the Instant Pot?
The 6-quart Instant Pot Duo can accommodate about 5 lb of whole Russet potatoes, and possibly up to 7 lb if the potatoes are chopped or cut into smaller segments.
How many potatoes per person for mashed potatoes?
A good rule of thumb to calculate how many lbs of mashed potatoes you need to make is 1 cup per person. My mashed potato recipe uses 3 lbs of potatoes yielding 6 cups, so it serves 6 people.
Can you make Instant Pot mashed potatoes ahead of time?
Yes! You can definitely cook the potatoes several hours before serving. Your Instant Pot will switch to and remain in "keep warm" mode until you are ready to mash. Or, once they're done, go ahead and mash them with the other ingredients, and "keep warm" until ready to serve.
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How to make mashed potatoes a few days ahead
Step 1. Refrigerate
Make the full recipe and refrigerate the mashed potatoes in an airtight container up to 2 days in advance of serving. Do not skimp on the "airtightness" of the seal.
Step 2. Rehydrate
Upon reheating, add small amounts of liquid (half-and-half, heavy whipping cream, or milk) to the mashed potatoes as they will probably appear somewhat dry after being stored for a few days. Don't worry, a little heat and added moisture will bring them right back to life!
Step 3. Reheat (2 reheat options)
Option 1: Microwave the mashed potatoes on a 50% power setting in two-minute intervals until they’re warmed through, stirring as needed. The larger the batch, the longer they'll take, naturally.
Option 2: Heat the mashed potatoes on the stove over medium or med-high heat, stirring as needed, but don't overwork the potatoes and make them lose their fluffiness.
Instant Pot tips for perfect mashed potatoes
Tip 1: Anytime a pressure cooking cycle ends, the Instant Pot will beep and the digital reading will start counting upward. As a result, you will know how long ago the cycle ended. This happens naturally after you've done a natural pressure release (NPR).
Tip 2: Anytime you select the "keep warm" option, the IP will naturally count upward from zero. This allows you to keep track of how many minutes the cooker has been in warming mode.
Tip 3: Potatoes cook in the Instant Pot much faster under pressure than they will on a stovetop. Plus, you don't have to stay in the kitchen as they cook.
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Recommended tools
How to make vegan mashed potatoes
So simple. Just swap the butter out with your favorite, dairy-free butter, and swap the cream with your favorite vegan milk or vegan sour cream (at room temperature, to avoid ruining the texture).
Make Shepherd's Pie with Instant Pot mashed potatoes
Once you have the foundation for the perfect mashed potatoes, you can make my scrumptious Shepherd's Pie. This recipe is a veggie-loaded casserole that uses leftover turkey or shredded chicken. Everyone will love this dish as much as they love mashed potatoes!
Serve mashed potatoes with these dinner recipes
- Greek Lemon Roasted Chicken Thighs
- Garlic Butter Grilled Salmon
- Oven Baked Chicken Thighs
- Broiled Salmon
- Chicken Legs
- Herb Roasted Turkey Breast
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Easy side dishes
- Instant Pot Corn on the Cob
- Loaded Baked Potato Salad
- Garlicky Oven Roasted Mushrooms
- Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad
- Baked Smashed Potatoes
- Maple Roasted Brussels Sprouts
More Easy Instant Pot Recipes
- Instant Pot Shredded Chicken Breast is the easiest meal prep protein you'll ever make. Virtually hands-free (except the shredding part).
- Vegetarian Instant Pot Recipes are your ticket to Meatless Monday convenience.
- Browse our entire collection of Instant Pot Recipes where there's something for everyone.
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Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes
Ingredients
- 3 lbs Russet Potatoes or preferred potatoes
- 1 cup water or broth
- 1 tsp Kosher salt
- 1 cup Heavy Cream also called heavy whipping cream
- 1/4 cup Unsalted Butter softened or melted
- 1 tsp Kosher Salt
- Black Pepper to taste
Note: This recipe yields 6 cups * See recipe footnote about increasing batch size
RECIPE VIDEO
Recipe Instructions
- Place trivet or steam basket inside the stainless inner pot of the Instant Pot *see recipe footnote
- Pour in WATER and SALT, then stack whole POTATOES on the trivet.
- Close and lock the lid, turn pressure valve knob to the “sealing” position.
- Select MANUAL or PRESSURE COOK for 10 minutes on HIGH pressure. When cook cycle completes, allow it to sit undisturbed for a 10-minute natural pressure release (NPR).Note: From dry-to-done, this process takes about 30 minutes.
- Carefully release any remaining steam. Unlock and open the lid, remove the trivet, and drain potatoes (there will be very little liquid, so you could leave it in there).
- To the potatoes, add BUTTER, HEAVY CREAM, SALT, and PEPPER; mash with a vegetable masher to the desired consistency (do not overwork the potatoes).
- Serve warm. You can keep mashed potatoes in the Instant Pot on "keep warm" mode, if preferred.
Storage and Reheat Instructions
- Refrigerate mashed potatoes in an airtight container up to 2 days in advance of serving.
- To reheat, add a splash of liquid (half-and-half, heavy cream, or milk). Heat over medium-high heat on the stove until warmed through, stirring as needed. Or, microwave the mashed potatoes on a 50% power setting in two-minute intervals until they’re warmed through, stirring as needed.
RECIPE NOTES
Do I need the trivet?
It's not required but since there is only 1 cup liquid in this recipe, I use it as a precaution against potential "burn warnings".How many potatoes can you cook in the Instant Pot?
The 6-quart Instant Pot Duo can accommodate up to 5 lbs whole potatoes and up to 7 lbs chopped potatoes (the smaller they are, the more you can fit). To increase the batch size, the same recipe instructions apply. Do not change the pressure cook time ... the Instant Pot magically does this for you.How many potatoes per person for mashed potatoes?
A good rule of thumb to calculate how many lbs of mashed potatoes you need to make is 1 cup per person. My mashed potato recipe uses 3 lbs of potatoes yielding 6 cups, so it serves 6 people.TOOLS NEEDED
- Instant Pot Steamer Rack Trivet (optional)
- Potato masher
- Oven mitt (to grip cooker while mashing)
Nutrition
Nutrition data provided as courtesy estimates using unbranded ingredients from a nutrition database. Please consult preferred resource for precise data.
A good rule of thumb to calculate how many lbs of mashed potatoes you need to make is 1 cup per person. My mashed potato recipe uses 3 lbs of potatoes yielding 6 cups, so it serves 6 people.
Yes! You can definitely cook the potatoes several hours (or a few days) before serving. If making days before, simply refrigerate and reheat the potatoes as needed. If making a few hours ahead, your Instant Pot will switch to and remain in "keep warm" mode until you are ready to mash. Or, once they're done, go ahead and mash them with the other ingredients, and "keep warm" until ready to serve.
Choose starchy potatoes like Russets. Don't overcook the potatoes, which keeps their fluffy texture intact. Don't overwork the potatoes by stirring too much once you mash them. Add warm dairy ingredients to prevent curdling dairy and prevent overmixing.
I hate potatoes so I RARELY cook them for my husband. So if I wanted to make enough for just him ( or tell him how to 😉) how would I cook just 2 or 3 potatoes? I heard they are amazing - I’ll just take everyone’s word for it 😎.
Thanks,
Hi Jenn, yep, just use 2 or 3 with same recipe instructions. Of course you'll want to scale down the other ingredients as well 🙂 Let me know if you have any other questions. Thanks!
The potatoes came out perfect..2,7 lbs of russet and two baby leftover yukons. Better than bullion broth 1.5 cups. (8qt pot) potatoes on the trivet. Removed the potatoes and drained the broth. (reserved) Cream was 1cup, butter 3/4 stick and added broth until I liked the consistency. With a dash of garlic salt and a couple grinds of black pepper it was very tasty.
Then...as there is just the two of us, there was plenty still in the pot on warm. My wife suggested dicing up some leftover ham (applewood smoked) about a cup. Then.....about a cup of mixed blend shredded cheese. It just kept getting better. Between the two of us (multiple taste tests) we ate almost half the pot.
As an idea for the remainder......excellent consistency to make pan fried potato patties. Brown one side till firm, flip and use a spoon to make a depression on the now top surface, crack a room temperature egg into the depression and cover the pan. The egg will cook as the bottom of the patty browns. Tomorrow morning's project. Cj
Well you sure know how to make some yummy things! I'm so happy to have been part of the inspiration 🙂 Thanks so much for the detailed feedback and I'm glad you both enjoyed! Cheers!
These are THE BEST mashed potatoes! I made them today for our Thanksgiving feast & they went over very well.
So easy to make with only a few ingredients. I love that the potatoes are whole and cook perfectly. Saves me time since by leaving them whole.
Thank you so much for sharing this! It’s going to be my go-to for mashed potatoes.
Yay, Leigh! So glad to hear that everyone loved them 🙂 Thanks for the feedback and Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours 🙂
I have the mini 3qt instant pot and looking for new recipes. By any chance would your instructions still work for me or do I cut it in half ( between the lbs of potatoes and water ratio and time). Thank you still haven't really used it yet.
Hi Samantha, one way to figure it out before actually making the recipe is to fill the pot with the 3 lbs of whole potatoes stated in the recipe. If they're not above the "max fill" line, you should be all good to proceed with the instructions as they are. If it overfills the pot, you can cut the recipe in half. You'll use same cooking time no matter what. Hope that helps! 🙂
Finally got an instant pot and been loving it! Can’t wait to try mashed potatoes in it.
Awesome, Matt! You're gonna LOVE it!
This looks like a great way to prep ahead for a big family gathering!
Exaaactly! Or just the two of us LOL b/c we lovvvve potatoes! 😉
The easiest mashed potatoes ever thanks to the instant pot! So delicious!
Thanks, Taylor! Could not agree more! 🙂
These mashed potatoes look so creamy and delish. I can wait to try them in my IP.
Thanks, Heidy! They are crazy easy and super delish 🙂
Oh my goodness! All the convenience of instant potatoes without all the additives?!?! Yes please!!
Ahhh, thank you! Instant Pot mashed potatoes practically are instant 🙂
I didn't realize how easy making mashed potatoes in the instant pot was and the quantity it can make. Perfect for serving a large crowd.
Thanks! Total crowd-pleaser too 🙂