Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the ratio of water and milk for instant mashed potatoes? ›

Pour 1 c (240 mL) of water and 0.5 c (120 mL) of milk into a large microwave-safe bowl. Stir in 1/4 teaspoon (1 g) of salt and 1 1/2 tablespoons (21 g) of butter or margarine. Substitute the milk with chicken stock, vegetable stock, or extra water for a dairy-free option.

Heavy cream can make instant mashed potatoes taste indulgent. Half and half or even regular milk (whole is better than skim, but 2% will do) adds extra creaminess. To give your mashed potatoes a light tanginess, go with buttermilk or sour cream.

Once there is too much starch in your mashed potato mixture, the texture will quickly turn from fluffy to gummy. Instead of using an electric hand mixer, food processor, or blender — all of which will overwork the potatoes — use a ricer, food mill, or hand masher to gently break down the spuds, per The Spruce Eats.

Try to get evenly sized potatoes to ensure they are all evenly cooked in the Instant Pot. Water — Use enough to cover all your potatoes but also make sure you use enough to get the Instant Pot to pressure. You only need 1 cup of water for the 3-quart and 6-quart to get to pressure and 2 cups for the 8-quart.

03/6​Pressure cooker method

Place the 4 potatoes in the cooker and close the lid. Don't add too much water, 1 glass of water for 4-5 potatoes is just enough to boil them to perfection. Cook on high heat for one whistle. Now lower the flame and cook for 1-2 whistles more.

Most instant potato varieties call for you to combine the potatoes with water, but if you want your potatoes to taste a bit more indulgent, use milk instead. Whole milk will yield delightfully rich potatoes, but 2 percent milk works well too.

Then, prepare the potatoes: Bring 1¼ cups water to boil in a small saucepan. Once bubbling away, remove from heat, add 1 cup instant mashed potatoes (2 oz.), and gently fluff with a fork.

Instead of regular milk, pro chefs generally use a generous helping of buttermilk and plenty of half-and-half or (even better) heavy cream in their potatoes. If you think the bartenders up front are pouring heavy, they've got nothing on the cooks in the back who are in charge of the mashed potatoes.

Add a Thickening Agent

This is the most common way to thicken mashed potatoes. You can use what you have on hand: Flour, cornstarch, or powdered milk are all solid options that are probably already in your pantry. Potato flour and potato starch would work as well.

Are instant mashed potatoes bad? ›

Nutritionally speaking, instant mashed potatoes offer roughly the same vitamins and minerals as the real mashed potatoes with the exception of Vitamin C. To please palates, they tend to be higher in sodium, significantly higher than the amount of salt home cooks would add when making them at home from scratch.

In general small or cubed potatoes will take about 10 to 15 minutes to boil, while larger, whole potatoes will take between 20 to 25 minutes. To check potatoes for doneness, insert a knife into one. If it slides in without much effort, you're good to go!

Boiled Potatoes Time Guide

Peeled, cubed potatoes cut into small, one-inch pieces should cook in 10 to 12 minutes, once the water reaches a boil. Larger pieces (about 2 inches across) may need longer, around 15 minutes. Medium whole potatoes should boil 20 minutes before they'll be tender.

Select the “Manual” or “Pressure Cook” setting on your Instant Pot. Adjust the cooking time according to the amount of water and your desired results. For boiling water, a short cooking time, such as 1-2 minutes, will suffice. Press the “Start” button to begin the cooking process.