Name: Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes
Cook time: 5 minutes
Total time: 40 minutes
Yield: 6–8 servings
Ingredients: 4 lb. russet potatoes (about 8), peeled, cut into 2" pieces; 4 garlic cloves, lightly smashed; 4½ tsp. Diamond Crystal or 2¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt, divided; 1 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into ½" pieces, plus more for serving if desired; ½ cup whole milk; ¼ cup sour cream; 1 tsp. freshly ground pepper, plus more; Thinly sliced chives (for serving; optional)

Instant Pot mashed potatoes in a serving bowl with a pat of melted butter and chopped chives.

Photo by Elizabeth Coetzee, Food Styling by Mira Evnine

Having a good Instant Pot mashed potatoes recipe in your back pocket can free up valuable space on the stovetop. Whether cooking a Thanksgiving feast or simply trying to get dinner on the table during the workweek, utilizing an Instant Pot to make mashed potatoes from start to finish is an easy way to make a crowd-pleasing side dish. The trick is to use the machine’s pressure-cooking function, which cooks potatoes in a fraction of the time it would take to boil them.

The entire process (including the time it takes for the Instant Pot to come up to pressure) clocks in at about 30 minutes—nearly half the time it takes to boil potatoes starting with a pot of cold water. After cooking and straining, you’ll slide the spuds back into the Instant Pot to take advantage of its residual heat and mash them with milk, sour cream, and a generous amount of butter. The resulting potatoes have a smooth yet fluffy texture and subtle tangy flavor.

The best part? You can serve the silky, creamy potatoes directly from the Instant Pot by utilizing its “keep warm” function. This allows you to make the potatoes ahead of time without fear of the mash getting cold. For a showstopping appearance, use the back of a spoon to dramatically swoosh the mashed potatoes and top with a few more pats of butter and thinly sliced chives.

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Recipe information

Total Time
40 minutes
Yield
6–8 servings

Ingredients

4 lb. russet potatoes (about 8), peeled, cut into 2" pieces

4 garlic cloves, lightly smashed

4½ tsp. Diamond Crystal or 2¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt, divided

1 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into ½" pieces, plus more for serving if desired

½ cup whole milk

¼ cup sour cream

1 tsp. freshly ground pepper, plus more

Thinly sliced chives (for serving; optional)

Preparation

Step 1
Place 4 lb. russet potatoes (about 8), peeled, cut into 2" pieces, 4 garlic cloves, lightly smashed, 2 tsp. Diamond Crystal or 1 tsp. Morton kosher salt, and 4 cups water in an Instant pot. Lock lid and set Instant Pot to cook at high pressure 12 minutes. (Instant Pot will take about 15–20 minutes to come to pressure.) Manually release (quick release) pressure, then remove lid. Drain potatoes.
Step 2
Transfer potatoes back to warm Instant Pot insert. Using a potato masher, smash hot potatoes until mostly smooth. Add 1 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into ½" pieces, ½ cup whole milk, ¼ cup sour cream, 1 tsp. freshly ground pepper, and remaining 2½ tsp. Diamond Crystal or 1¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt and stir until butter is melted and sour cream is completely distributed throughout potatoes. If you’d like your potatoes smoother, continue mashing until you reach your desired consistency. Taste and season with more salt and pepper if needed.
Step 3
Transfer potatoes to a medium bowl and top with pats of butter, thinly sliced chives, and more pepper, if desired.