Name: Easy Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: 2 pounds Yukon Gold Potatoes (washed, peeled, and cut into 1 inch cubes); 1 cup chicken broth; 4 tablespoons butter; 1 cup whole milk; 3 tablespoons sour cream (more or less as desired); 2 teaspoons salt; 1/2 teaspoon pepper; 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder; garnish with melted butter and parsley or chives

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These Easy Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes are incredibly rich and creamy and will become your go to mashed potatoes recipe. They are perfect for the holidays and ready in just 20 minutes!

mashed potatoes in a white dish with butter

Since they only take 20 minutes to make, you can whip these up just as quickly on a busy weeknight or a fancy holiday. They are as fantastic with your Thanksgiving Turkey as they are with Oven Baked Chicken Breasts and Cajun Pork Tenderloin.

The Instant Pot seriously makes life easier. It is such a multi-purpose tool and I haven’t found many things yet that don’t taste better cooked under the high pressure. Some of our family’s other favorites are Instant Pot Applesauce and Instant Pot Pulled Pork. Talk about a time saver!

The Secret to Perfect Mashed Potatoes

Mashed potatoes are definitely the side dish I look most forward to at holiday dinner, and I have to admit that I am a potato snob. There is nothing worse than showing up to Thanksgiving dinner and finding out the host is serving boxed mashed potatoes. Now that I have perfected my Instant Pot Mashed Potato recipe, I will definitely be offering to bring this easy side dish recipe to all the holiday get-togethers!

There are a few things that really put this recipe over the top:

The liquid in the instant pot steams the potatoes instead of the boiling, which makes them so soft and fluffy. You get an incredible texture once mashed.
Heat the butter and milk before adding it to the potatoes to get that really creamy texture. It is seriously a game-changing tip! They are still creamy and flavorful the next day for leftovers.
I use a silicone steaming basket to make potatoes in the instant pot. I purchased mine on Amazon and it is definitely a great tool to have if you have use a pressure cooker. If you don’t have the basket, you can use the metal trivet that comes with the pot and just set the potatoes on top to help keep them out of the liquid.

How to Make Easy Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes

Choose the right potato – I use Yukon Gold potatoes for their extra creamy texture, but russets and red potatoes are great too.
I highly recommend peeling your potatoes. Potatoes skins are great when they double baked and stuffed with cheese and sour cream, but they can be downright unpleasant in mashed potatoes. Quarter them for even cooking.
Place the trivet or silicone basket in the bottom of the IP and add some chicken broth and salt. As it steams this adds not only moisture but flavor.
Mashed potatoes in the Instant Pot only take about 8 minutes to cook. When the Instant Pot beeps, do a quick release to release the pressure, then remove potatoes from the pot.
Time to mash and add all that yummy cream and butter! Pour milk and butter into a microwaveable dish and heat until milk is warm and butter is melted. Add to the potatoes as you mash them along with sour cream and garlic powder. You can use a potato ricer or whip them with a hand mixer depending on how much texture you like.
Season with salt and pepper. I always do this last so I don’t end up with potatoes that are too salty.

Customizations and Variations

This recipe is just a basic mashed potato recipe, but you can customize it with so many things! Here are some ideas for making your mashed potatoes even more special:

Stir in some freshly grated Cheddar Cheese and sour cream.
Sprinkle in some Parmesan cheese and garlic powder.
Add some herbed cream cheese (my personal favorite) or a Boursin.
For loaded mashed potatoes, add crispy bacon, sliced green onions and your favorite shredded cheese.

The classic recipe here is delicious on its own, but you can definitely add in some additions if your family loves a creative mashed potato recipe.

I hope you are excited to spend the holidays with your family. This Instant Pot Mashed Potato recipe is the perfect way to add some classic flavor to the table.

How to Store Leftovers

Leftover mashed potatoes should be stored in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave or covered with foil in the oven.

Potatoes don’t usually do well in the freezer but mashed potatoes with loads of butter and cream are the exception. Keep them airtight in the freezer for up to 4 months, and thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.

More Side Dishes to Try

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