Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes
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Super creamy, fluffy mashed potatoes are easy to make in a fraction of the time thanks to the Instant Pot.
This recipe has just 6 ingredients and delivers the smoothest, most flavorful mashed potatoes ever! You can even make them ahead of time – perfect for holiday meals and comfort food dinners.
This post may contain affiliate links.
Do you have an Instant Pot? I’m obsessed with mine! I have so many recipes to add to my Instant Pot recipe category here on Big Flavors, but I haven’t had enough time to write them all up.
But don’t fret – I’m working on it! And you’re in for a lot of deliciousness. Pinky promise!
First up is this gorgeously fluffy Instant Pot mashed potato recipe.
I first made these mashed potatoes for Thanksgiving last year. In fact, I made almost all of my Thanksgiving side dishes in my Instant Pot!
I happen to enjoy potato skins and a few lumps in my mashed potatoes, but the holidays call for something special. So I like to spend a little extra time to give these mashed potatoes a silky smooth texture.
**Note that if you’re using a ricer, you don’t need to peel your potatoes! The skins come off while you’re pressing them through. Extra easy!!**
One thing that seems to make prep go easier if you’re peeling is to soak your potatoes. Do it for at least 15 minutes or up to an hour, and the potatoes are much easier to peel.
Once they’re peeled, they go right into your Instant Pot insert whole, followed by chicken stock and butter. Pop it on high pressure for 12 minutes and you’re good to go!
If you’re really in a hurry, you could cut your potatoes in quarters and cook them for less time, but this is less work.
Have you ever used a ricer? This tool is key for making light, airy mashed potatoes. While the potatoes are still hot, place them into the ricer, one at a time, and squeeze over a large bowl. The potatoes kind of spurt out, so be careful that you don’t squeeze too hard to avoid getting burned.
If you’re intimidated by the medieval torture device look of the ricer, check out this guide for how to use a ricer over on The Spruce.
When I made these for Thanksgiving, I riced the potatoes into a bowl and transferred them back over to my Instant Pot before adding the remaining ingredients and stirring them together. I put the lid back on and set it to “Keep Warm” and they held perfectly for a few hours until we were ready to eat dinner.
I’ve made this recipe again after the holidays, and the leftovers keep really well. They reheat just fine in the microwave, too. I’m looking forward to trying to make potato croquettes out of the next batch I make.
Aside from serving mashed potatoes and gravy alongside Thanksgiving dinner, one of my very favorite ways to eat mashed potatoes is under a few scoops of Instant Pot Beef Goulash.
What’s your favorite way to eat mashed potatoes? I’d love to hear about it in the comments section below!
Looking for more simple side dishes? Check out some of our favorite recipes:
- Honey Balsamic Roasted Carrots
- Patatas Bravas with Chipotle Aioli
- Skillet Garlic Parmesan Bread
- Bourbon-Orange Cranberry Sauce
- Asian Broccoli Slaw
- Garlicky Sun-dried Tomato Studded Couscous
- Rosemary Roasted Asparagus + Tomatoes with Toasted Sunflower Seeds
- Roasted Butternut Squash & Broccolini with Truffle Salt
- Falafel-Spiced Chickpea Salad with Tahini-Lemon Vinaigrette
- Roma Salad with Caper-Dill Vinaigrette
- Quick Chickpea Salad with Lemon-Dill Vinaigrette
- Creamy Cucumber, Avocado, Chickpea, & Sun-Dried Tomato Salad
- Bourbon-Orange Cranberry Sauce
Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 10-12 Servings 1x
- Category: Side Dishes
- Method: Instant Pot
- Cuisine: American
Description
Super creamy, fluffy mashed potatoes are easy to make in a fraction of the time thanks to the Instant Pot! This recipe has just 6 ingredients and delivers the smoothest, most flavorful mashed potatoes ever! You can even make them ahead of time – perfect for holiday meals and comfort food dinners.
Ingredients
- 5 pounds golden potatoes
- 1 cup chicken stock or bone broth
- 4 ounces salted butter (add 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt if unsalted)
- 1 1/2 cups whole milk
- 4 ounces cream cheese
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
- 3 tablespoons minced parsley
Instructions
- Peel potatoes if desired* (leave whole) and place in the insert of your Instant Pot. Add chicken stock and butter. Close the lid set it to high pressure for 12 minutes.
- Once the timer goes off, quick release the pressure and carefully open the lid. While the potatoes are still hot, one at a time, rice the potatoes into a large bowl.
- When the potatoes are all riced, place back in the Instant Pot insert and stir in milk, cream cheese, salt, pepper, and parsley until the butter and cream cheese are fully incorporated. Taste for seasoning and add more salt and pepper if necessary.
Notes
We like to soak whole potatoes in cold water for at least 15 minutes (up to an hour) before peeling. It seems to help make them easier to peel.
*If using a ricer, you don’t need to peel the potatoes – the skins will come off when you press them through!
Squeeze the ricer slowly at first to avoid scalding hot potatoes squirting out all over the place.
If you aren’t serving the mashed potatoes right away, close the lid and put on the Keep Warm setting until ready to serve.
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 327
- Sugar: 4.5 g
- Sodium: 296.4 mg
- Fat: 14.8 g
- Saturated Fat: 8.9 g
- Carbohydrates: 43 g
- Fiber: 4.8 g
- Protein: 7.2 g
- Cholesterol: 40.2 mg
Keywords: mashed potato, Thanksgiving, Instant Pot
Ashley
Ashley Covelli is a food photographer, recipe developer, and culinary instructor based in Ossining, New York. She loves helping people become enthusiastic and adventurous in the kitchen so that they can build skills and confidence to cook for themselves and their loved ones. She can almost always be found with at least 3 different beverages within arm's reach.
30 Comments
Carrie | Clean Eating Kitchen
Such a huge mashed potato fan, never thought to make them in an instant pot!! These look super fluffy and creamy!
Ashley
They turned out SO well! You could totally do this on the stovetop, too. It just happened a lot quicker with the IP 🙂
Sarah
My mom just got an Instant Pot and has been obsessed with it. I love that it can make things like this so quick and easy!!!! (And yes, I usually am a “skin and lumpy mashed potatoes” fan, but creamy is fab!!!)
Ashley
You could absolutely leave them unpeeled and use the same cooking method here but then just mash ’em so they’re skin-on and lumpy, too! Even quicker!
Gloria @ Homemade & Yummy
I don’t have an Instant Pot…but I did mashed potatoes for the first time in the slow cooker for Christmas. They were fantastic. These look delicious too.
Ashley
I haven’t tried slow cooker mashed potatoes yet, but that sounds like another great, low-maintenance way to cook ’em!
Leslie
I love mashed potatoes so much, but I always groan when I remember I need to peel, slice, boil water, wait, mash… blah. This sounds so much easier!
Ashley
Right? They’re so good but require a bit of attention. If you don’t mind ’em with the skins on and a little lumpy, you could use this same method but don’t bother with peeling or ricing them and it’ll come together MUCH quicker!
Amanda
I’m getting an Instant Pot tomorrow (finally taking the plunge!) and I think we’ll need to have these mashed potatoes with dinner tomorrow night. They look so creamy!
Ashley
OMG I’m so excited for you, Amanda!!! You’re gonna love it! I’m honored that you want to use it to make these so soon after you get it – I’d love to hear what you think of ’em!
Shannon
I LOVE mashed potatoes! Adding your recipe to my Instant Pot recipe list!
Ashley
I hope you enjoy them, Shannon 🙂
Stacey
We love our mashed potatoes! I love that it’s made in the Instant Pot…I’m going to have to make this soon!
Ashley
It’s such an easy way to make them – and I love that it frees up some space on the stovetop!
Carol Borchardt
I have GOT to get my Instant Pot out of the box and try this recipe! I use a different electric pressure cooker and it’s just so hard to switch, but I think this recipe is going to make me do it!
Ashley
I totally feel ya – you get used to something and how it works and then you have to deal with a learning curve for a new appliance or gadget. I’m sure this would work fine in your other pressure cooker, too!
Carol Borchardt
I have GOT to get my Instant Pot out of the box and try this recipe! I use a different electric pressure cooker and it’s just so hard to switch, but I think this recipe is going to make me do it!
Christine
I have yet to jump on the Instant Pot bandwagon, but I have to say that these mashed potatoes look pretty legit! So creamy and delicious!
Ashley
They’re TOTALLY legit!! You could make them on the stovetop, too, just cut the potatoes up and boil them until tender.
Rachel
These mashed potatoes look so moresome! I got an Instant Pot for Christmas and haven’t gotten around to trying mashed potatoes in it yet. I’m going to have to make this!
Ashley
I hope you love them!! I’m obsessed with my IP!
lauren
We just recently got an Instant Pot. I am in love! We’ve tried a few recipes like carnitas and rice (omg, I can finally make rice) but not potatoes! Can’t wait to try, these look simple and delicious!
Ashley
I haven’t done carnitas in mine yet but I hear they turn out SO well in there. And YES – this totally replaced my old rice cooker. Works every time!
Eileen Kelly
My family are mashed potato fanatics! I love your recipe in the Instant Pot, makes it so super easy to make them, I too love a ricer for mashed potatoes. The ricer makes such a difference. I am going to make your recipe for the family! It looks delicious!
Ashley
I hope they enjoy this version, Eileen! I’ve made it a few times now and they always turn out perfectly!
Kelly
Thank you for sharing how to make this!
Sherri
This potatoes came out perfect! It is so much easier than boiling them and draining them – plus fewer dirty dishes and one less thing on the stove! I did not rice the potatoes – just mashed them right in the instant pot. I will be making these every year for Thanksgiving.
Ashley
I’m so so glad these were such a hit for you, Sherri! I haven’t made them on the stovetop since I started this method. Happy Thanksgiving!
Katie Nunes
Have you ever done this without the cream cheese? I want to do the recipe for Thanksgiving and feel like we wouldn’t need he extra richness.
Ashley
I used to do something similar with a little sour cream instead of cream cheese and it was delicious also. I feel like it’d be fine without but it’s definitely a nice addition. This also makes a LOT of mashed potatoes, so I don’t feel like it ends up being tooooo much cream cheese per serving. Let me know how it goes if you try it out!