Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes

Ingredients

Scroll down to the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and amounts.

• Potatoes - I prefer Yukon Gold or yellow potatoes for their rich, buttery, and creamy texture. For a fluffier consistency, go with russet potatoes.
• Butter - While I typically use unsalted butter in my baking to control the flavors, this is one recipe where both salted and unsalted butter work perfectly. Since you season at the end, you can easily adjust the salt to your taste.
• Dairy - While whole milk is more commonly used, I prefer to use half-and-half—equal parts milk and heavy cream—for a richer, more indulgent flavor. Feel free to stick with all whole milk if you prefer.

👩‍🍳 Butter to potatoes ratio? More the better! I add 6 tablespoons of butter along with some heavy cream for the most luxurious mashed potatoes. However, feel free to scale down the butter for a lighter version suitable for a weeknight dinner. Looking for a healthier alternative? Try our healthy mashed sweet potatoes.

Best potatoes to use for mashed potatoes

The best potatoes for mashed potatoes are typically starchy or waxy varieties, each offering a different texture.

Russet potatoes have a high starch content, causing their cells to break apart easily with minimal effort, resulting in light and fluffy mashed potatoes. In contrast, Yukon Gold potatoes are less starchy and require more work to separate their cells, which gives them a creamier, silkier texture, though not as light and fluffy as russets.

Russets also take longer to cook due to their larger size, while smaller potatoes like Yukon Gold or red potatoes cook more quickly. Red potatoes are waxy and hold their shape well when boiled, making them perfect for chunkier mashed potatoes with some texture. They’re also great if you prefer mashed potatoes with the skin on.

Take away - Use russet potatoes for a fluffy texture and Yukon gold for a creamy consistency.

Variations

The beauty of these Instant Pot mashed potatoes lies in their simplicity, providing a perfect base for endless flavor variations. Feel free to get creative and enhance them with your favorite seasonings and add-ins.

• If you’d like a little bit of garlic, add one or two cloves and let them boil with the potatoes.
• Add minced chives when mashing.
• Switch up your dairy and add sour cream or cream cheese.
• Add ranch seasoning.
• Mix in your favorite cheese, such as cheddar, parmesan, or goat cheese.
• Sprinkle crispy bacon bits and thinly sliced scallions before serving.
• Replace some of the milk or cream with buttermilk for a slightly tanginess.
• Use a combination of russet and yukon gold for a creamy and fluffy texture.

1. Wash, peel and cut the potatoes into thick slices.

2 & 3. Cover with water (about 4 cups) and add 1 teaspoon of salt. You need enough water to cover the potatoes in the pot.

👩‍🍳 Tip: Starting them in cold water helps them cook more evenly and also strengthens some of the pectin, which keeps them from totally falling apart.

4. Place the lid on the instant pot and set the valve to seal. Cook on manual pressure for 8 minutes. When the timer goes off, let in be in warm mode for 5 to 7 minutes and release pressure.

💡 Did you know? "As potatoes cook, the pectin breaks down and individual cells expand and separate, releasing starch granules, which absorbs water, eventually popping and releasing sticky starch molecules" - J. Kenji Lopez - Alt

Drain the potatoes and return to the instant pot. Add butter, hot half and half, salt and pepper. Mash using a potato masher until smooth.

Tip: How much liquid to use? Potatoes can differ in their absorbency, so adjust the amount of half and half as necessary until you achieve your desired level of creaminess.

Recipe tips

• This has been made in a 3qt instant pot; cooking time in other models may vary.
• Toss in one or two garlic cloves along with the potatoes if desired.
• Use a potato masher, ricer or electric hand mixer. Do not overmix or they can become gummy.
• Use whole milk instead of half and half.
• Don't have half and half? Use equal parts heavy cream and milk.
• Adjust salt according to your taste.
• Use softened or room temperature, which melts into the hot potatoes immediately.
• Reduce butter to make it lighter.
• Add hot half and half or milk.