Instant Pot Mashed potatoes are our absolute favorite Thanksgiving hack! These bad boys are made in literal minutes in your electric pressure cooker—no more babysitting boiling potatoes on the stove. No more trying to time it to where your mashed potatoes are still hot when it’s time to serve.
These mashed potatoes are just as creamy, dreamy, and decadent as your favorite stovetop recipes, but they take a fraction of the time and stay warm while you finish up other dishes! Let us show you how.
Protip: Have a stress-free Thanksgiving!
Want to streamline your Thanksgiving meal prep so it doesn’t feel stressful at all? Check out our Ultimate Stress-Free Thanksgiving Dinner Planner. It has a schedule, shopping list, and all the recipes you need to make dinner a breeze!
How do you make mashed potatoes in the Instant Pot?
You are never going to go back to making mashed potatoes on the stovetop after you try them in your Instant Pot. Here’s how you make them:
- Peel and quarter potatoes and drop them in your Instant Pot with the garlic. Cover with enough chicken broth that all the potatoes are submerged. Seal the vent and pressure cook on high pressure for 9 minutes.
- Once the cook time is complete, do a manual quick release of the pressure. Drain the potatoes, then return the potatoes to the Instant Pot.
- Add in butter, sour cream, salt, and whole milk—mash until smooth.
- Keep the potatoes in the Instant Pot on the warm setting until you’re ready to serve. Easy!
Protip: Taste those taters!
Mashed potatoes require a LOT of salt for proper seasoning. It’s important to taste your mashed potatoes as you mash to check for seasoning—adding more salt and pepper as necessary.
What are the best potatoes for mashing?
There are really two schools of thought when it comes to mashed potato potatoes—and both are delicious!
- Russet potatoes have a high starch content, which ensures that your mash will be velvety smooth. Plus, they’re readily available and affordable, making them perfect for your Thanksgiving shopping list.
- Yukon gold potatoes are a bit less starchy but have a very rich and buttery flavor, which makes them another great option for mashing.
Either option works for this recipe—although if you’re going for traditional creamy and smooth mashed potatoes, Russet potatoes are going to be your winner.
Protip: Try the slow cooker!
Is the Instant Pot unavailable? Our slow cooker mashed potatoes are just as smooth and creamy as this recipe!
What is the best potato-mashing method?
When it comes to mashing, there are two schools of thought: the traditional potato masher and the ricer. Both can yield fantastic results, but if you’re aiming for ultimate creaminess, reach for the potato ricer. It easily transforms cooked potatoes into fine, fluffy grains, ensuring a silky-smooth consistency in your mashed potatoes. If having a few lumps doesn’t stress you out, go for the hand masher.
Whatever you do: put down the electric appliances like your hand mixer or immersion blender! While in careful hands a mixer can result in creamy and smooth potatoes, more often than not, they result in overmixed, gummy potatoes. Using hand tools is going to be your best bet.
Can you leave the skin on the potatoes?
Sure can! Leaving the skin on your potatoes adds a rustic touch to your mashed potatoes (and saves a ton of time). Just be sure to wash the potatoes thoroughly before cooking. Of course, skin-on mashed potatoes will be less creamy and smooth, but some prefer the rustic texture.
Protip: Peel your Russets!
Russet potatoes do tend to have a tougher peel than potatoes like Yukon Gold, so we recommend peeling Russets.
Eek! How do you fix runny Instant Pot mashed potatoes?
Sometimes, things don’t go as planned, and you might end up with runny mashed potatoes. No worries, though—here’s a quick fix:
- Return the runny mashed potatoes to the Instant Pot.
- Set it to “Sauté” mode on low and stir continuously.
- The excess moisture will evaporate, leaving you with perfect mashed potatoes.
How much mashed potatoes should you make per person?
The rule of thumb for mashed potatoes is 1/2 pound of potatoes per person. This recipe below calls for five pounds of potatoes, which will feed ten people as a side dish without any leftovers for Thanksgiving dinner. Add more if you’d like leftovers!
We have more answers to the “how much to make” question in our Ultimate Stress-Free Thanksgiving Dinner Planner.
How do you keep mashed potatoes warm?
The easiest way to keep this mashed potato recipe warm is to keep your potatoes right in the Instant Pot! Just put it on the warm setting, close the lid, and go back to cooking the rest of your Thanksgiving dinner. When it’s time to serve, spoon the mashed potatoes into your serving dish.
Protip: Keep them creamy!
If it’s been a few hours since you finished the potatoes and they have thickened and dried slightly—no problem! Just stir in milk a couple of tablespoons at a time until the potatoes are creamy again.
How do you store leftover Instant Pot mashed potatoes?
Place your potatoes in an airtight container and store them in the fridge for 3-5 days.
What do you do with leftover mashed potatoes?
Made too much? That’s a good problem to have! Here’s what to do with them:
- Freeze them. Mashed potatoes freeze wonderfully. To freeze, portion them into airtight containers or freezer bags. When you’re ready to enjoy them again, simply thaw them in the refrigerator and reheat them on the stovetop or in the microwave, adding a bit of milk to restore creaminess.
- Make potato soup. Our Mashed Potato Soup is literally designed to use Thanksgiving leftovers! Easy.
- Make shepherd’s pie. This hearty, comforting dish has a layer of mashed potatoes on top.
- Make potato cakes. Mix two cups of mashed potatoes with two eggs. Form them into patties and pan-fry them in oil until crispy. Try some fun mix-ins like shredded cheese, cooked bacon, or chives. Yum!
Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes Recipe
Get rich, creamy, delectable mashed potatoes in an instant with our family-favorite Instant Pot mashed potatoes recipe. Perfect for saving time on Thanksgiving!
Ingredients
- 5 pounds yellow or Russet potatoes, peeled and quartered
- 6-8 cups chicken or vegetable broth (enough to cover the potatoes completely)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 3/4 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
- 1/4 - 1 cup whole milk
- Fresh chopped chives, for garnish
Instructions
- Place the peeled/quartered potatoes in your Instant Pot and pour in enough broth to completely cover them. Add the garlic. Close the lid and pressure cook on high for 9 minutes.
- Once the cook time is complete, quick release the pressure using the steam valve. Drain the potatoes, then place the drained potatoes back into the Instant Pot.
- Add the butter, sour cream, garlic, salt, and 1/4 cup whole milk into the pot and mash until smooth. If needed, add more milk 1/4 cup at a time until you reach the desired consistency.
- Sprinkle with fresh chives if desired and serve!
Notes
- Cook time for the potatoes is only 9 minutes. The remaining time is how long it took our Instant Pot to come up to pressure. The time it takes your Instant Pot to pressurize may vary slightly!
- You can cook your potatoes with water instead of broth if you prefer.
- These mashed potatoes reheat really well! You can store them in an airtight container for up to 3 days or freeze them for up to 3 months.
- This is a great recipe for Thanksgiving because it frees up a burner and frees you up from babysitting boiling potatoes!
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 12 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 456Total Fat: 21gSaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 108mgSodium: 275mgCarbohydrates: 41gFiber: 4gSugar: 3gProtein: 27g
At Wholefully, we believe that good nutrition is about much more than just the numbers on the nutrition facts panel. Please use the above information as only a small part of what helps you decide what foods are nourishing for you.
