Life-Changing Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes

• servings: 6 servings
• active time: 32 minutes
• total time: 40 minutes

Ingredients

4-5 pounds potatoes (peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes, see note about type of potatoes)(mixture of red and russet)

2 teaspoons coarse (kosher salt)

1 cup milk (preferably not skim)

4 tablespoons butter (cut into tablespoon-size pieces)

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 cup sour cream or cream cheese

Directions

Add the potatoes and salt to the Instant Pot insert (6-quart). Add water-enough to cover the potatoes. Don't exceed the max fill line.

Secure the lid on the Instant Pot, making sure the valve is set to "seal" and not "vent."

Select Manual and then dial up or down to 8 minutes. The IP will start on its own.

While the potatoes cook, warm the milk, butter and garlic powder in a saucepan or microwave-safe container until the butter is melted and the mixture is warm.

When the potatoes are done cooking, quick release the pressure. If liquid bubbles and spurts from the valve, cover loosely with a damp dishcloth while the pressure releases.

Drain the potatoes in a colander over the sink, discarding the cooking liquid.

Return the potatoes to the insert of the Instant Pot and coarsely mash.

Add the 2/3 of the butter/milk mixture along with the sour cream, and mash until the potatoes are the desired texture, as smooth or as chunky as you like, adding more of the remaining milk/butter mixture if you want creamier, less stiff mashed potatoes (I usually add it all).

Add salt and pepper to taste.

Serve immediately OR return the insert to the Instant Pot, secure the lid, and select Keep Warm. The potatoes can stay on this setting for up to three hours.

When ready to serve, give the potatoes a good stir and a drizzle of warm milk, if needed.

Notes

I’ve found the milk can be reduced some-to 1/2 or 3/4 cup depending on amount of potatoes.

For garlic mashed add garlic to the potatoes when cooking. Add another 1/2 tsp garlic powder to mashed potatoes after cooked plus 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, 1/4 tsp pepper. Add salt as needed for taste plus onion and or garlic salt if needed. You can also add 1 tsp or more of ranch dressing powder. When reheating mashed potatoes on another day, add milk to soften and fluff them.

NOTES

Potatoes: my favorite type(s) of potatoes to use for mashing are a combination of red potatoes and Yukon gold potatoes. But you can definitely vary the type of potato used in this recipe without altering cooking time.

Instant Pot: I buy potatoes in bulk (I do live in Idaho after all), so I always weigh out the 4 pounds (or 8 pounds if using my 8-quart Instant Pot) for this recipe, but you should be able to fit in a commonly sold 5-pound bag of potatoes into the 6-quart Instant Pot, as long as the max fill line isn’t exceeded after water is added. Just increase the milk/butter/sour cream/garlic powder a smudge to account for the extra pound.

Nutrition

• Calories: 344 kcal
• Total Fat: 10 g
• Saturated Fat: 6 g
• Cholesterol: 29 mg
• Sodium: 891 mg
• Total Carbohydrate: 56 g
• Dietary Fiber: 7 g
• Total Sugars: 4 g
• Protein: 8 g