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Instant Pot Mashed Potato Recipe

Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings 15 servings
Author Si Foster, A Bountiful Kitchen

Ingredients

  • 5 lbs potatoes washed and scrubbed I recommend either Red or Russet, peeling optional
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 12 tablespoons butter melted
  • 1 1/2 cups half and half more may be needed if potatoes are dry
  • 1/2 cup sour cream optional
  • Sea Salt to taste

Instructions

  1. Turn the Instant Pot to heat up the pot.
  2. Pour 1/2 cup of water into the pot.
  3. Place washed potatoes into the Instant Pot.
  4. Place the lid on the pot, making sure the seal is in place inside the lid.
  5. Turn the lid to the closed position, and make sure the top is set to the "seal" position.
  6. Use the Manual setting and turn the Instant Pot on and set the time for 15 minutes.
  7. While the potatoes are cooking, melt 12 tablespoons of butter and warm the half and half in a measuring cup in microwave for about 1 minute, or just until warm. Set aside until potatoes are finished cooking.
  8. After the timer goes off, manually release the steam by turning the vent to the VENTING position, make sure to not place arm in the way of the steam vent!
  9. After all pressure has been released, remove the lid. Drain the excess water out of the Instant Pot.
  10. Add the melted butter and half and half and salt to the hot potatoes in the Instant Pot.
  11. Using a potato masher or an electric hand mixer, mash the potatoes until desired consistency.
  12. Add sour cream and about 1 1/2 teaspoons salt to taste. If the potatoes are not creamy enough, add more sour cream and or half and half.
  13. Leave mashed potatoes in the Instant Pot on warm setting until ready to serve.
  14. Taste and add more salt if needed.

Recipe Notes

-I add sour cream to keep the potatoes smooth even after re-heating.
-Often times, I don't drain the water that I added to the Instant Pot to cook the potatoes. One less step! ** When I first started experimenting with this recipe I used 1/2 cup water, but have found that 1 cup water works better in cooking the potatoes thoroughly. When I use 1 cup of water, I drain off the water before adding the remaining ingredients!
-If you are using Russets, always remove the peel. Russet skins are quite tough. You can leave the skins on the Russets when they cook, they will pop right off after being steamed in the Instant Pot, then mash and add butter and other ingredients.
If using Red Potatoes, try leaving the skins on, they blend nicely into the mashed potatoes!