Creamy Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes (No Drain Recipe)
If you’re making mashed potatoes for a holiday meal, the last thing you need is another pot taking up space on the stove. That’s one of the reasons I love making instant pot mashed potatoes. The potatoes cook up perfectly tender, you don’t have a giant pot of boiling water to deal with, and everything comes together right in one pot. I first made these years ago and I haven’t made mashed ‘taters another way since!
This method makes creamy, fluffy mashed potatoes with simple ingredients you probably already have on hand. My favorite little trick? Give the potatoes a quick mash before adding the butter and milk. It helps release some of the extra steam, which gives you a better texture and keeps your mashed potatoes from becoming watery or heavy.
Whether you’re serving these for Thanksgiving, a Sunday dinner, or just a cozy weeknight meal, these Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes are an easy side dish everyone will love.
The Good Stuff Ingredient Swaps
At The Good Stuff, we focus on Simple Swaps to make family favorites a little cleaner. The list below isn’t the full recipe-it just highlights the specific ingredients we swapped out for real, whole-food alternatives to ditch the seed oils, dyes and fillers.
- The Butter Swap: Many butter spreads and margarines are made with added oils and extra ingredients to create a softer texture. For mashed potatoes, I like to stick with real butter made from cream and salt. It gives mashed potatoes that rich, classic flavor and creamy texture that just can’t be replicated with butter substitutes.
- The Salt Swap: Not all salt is created equal! While table salt works in a pinch, I prefer using a quality sea salt or mineral-rich salt for everyday cooking. Be sure to check out some of my favorite salty swaps!
The Secret to Creamy Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes
The Instant Pot makes mashed potatoes incredibly easy, but one small step makes a big difference in the final texture. Before adding the butter and milk, give the cooked potatoes a quick mash first.
Why? Potatoes hold onto a lot of steam while they cook. Mashing them briefly before adding your dairy ingredients allows some of that steam to escape, helping prevent watery mashed potatoes and giving you a creamier, fluffier result.
How to Make Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes
Making mashed potatoes in the Instant Pot is one of the easiest ways to get creamy, fluffy potatoes without taking up extra space on your stove. Here’s how to make them:
1. Prep the potatoes
Start by peeling your russet potatoes and cutting them into roughly 1 ½-inch chunks. Try to keep the pieces similar in size so they cook evenly. You can also absolutely leave the peels on! If the potatoes are fairly clean, I find myself just scrubbing them and leaving the peels on.
2. Add the potatoes to the Instant Pot
Pour about 1 to 1 ½ cups of water or broth into the bottom of the Instant Pot, then add the potatoes. Sprinkle them with salt, secure the lid, and set the valve to sealing.
3. Pressure cook the potatoes
Cook the potatoes on high pressure for 12 minutes. Once the cooking time is finished, carefully perform a quick release. Keep an eye on the steam release because starchy water can sometimes splatter. If that happens, switch the valve back to sealing for a moment and release the pressure slowly.
4. Let some steam escape before mashing
Once the pressure has released, open the lid and give the potatoes a quick mash before adding any butter or milk. This little extra step helps release some of the trapped steam from the potatoes, which helps create a creamier texture and prevents watery mashed potatoes.
5. Add the butter and milk
Add the softened butter and warm milk, then continue mashing until the potatoes reach your preferred consistency. Warm milk blends into the potatoes more smoothly and helps keep them light and creamy.
6. Season and serve
Taste the mashed potatoes and add more salt and pepper if needed. Serve warm with your favorite dinner, or keep them in the Instant Pot on the warm setting for an easy holiday side dish.
Ways to Jazz Up Your Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes
These creamy mashed potatoes are delicious just as they are, but they also make the perfect base for adding your own favorite flavors. Here are a few easy ways to switch things up:
Add Roasted Garlic or Garlic Butter
For garlic mashed potatoes, add a few peeled garlic cloves right into the Instant Pot with the potatoes before cooking. The garlic softens as it cooks and blends right into the potatoes for a mellow, delicious flavor. You can also stir in a little garlic butter at the end for an extra boost.
Stir in Cheese
Cheesy mashed potatoes are always a good idea! Try mixing in shredded cheddar, Parmesan, mozzarella, or even a little cream cheese after mashing. Just add a little at a time until you get the flavor and creaminess you like.
Add Fresh Herbs
Fresh herbs can take simple mashed potatoes to the next level. Try stirring in chopped chives, parsley, rosemary, or thyme for a pop of fresh flavor.
Make Them Extra Creamy
For an extra indulgent version, swap some of the milk for heavy cream, sour cream, or cream cheese. These are especially delicious for holiday dinners when you want a side dish that feels a little extra special.
Add Bacon and Cheddar
Turn your mashed potatoes into loaded mashed potatoes by stirring in cooked bacon pieces, shredded cheddar cheese, and green onions. They’re almost like a baked potato in mashed potato form!
Use Broth Instead of Water
For even more flavor, cook your potatoes in chicken broth or vegetable broth instead of water. Since the potatoes absorb the cooking liquid, this is an easy way to add extra flavor right from the start.
What to Serve Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes with:
Since this bake is packed with rich marinara and melted cheese, you’ll want fresh, vibrant sides to balance out the meal. To keep things clean and low-carb, here are my favorite pairings:
- Poor Man’s Brisket: Black Peppered Smoked Chuck Roast: A big old pile of brisket on top of these mashed potatoes would be amazing!
- Crockpot Ground Beef Philly Fix: Mashed potatoes would work as an excellent gluten free base for this Philly Fix.
More Clean-Eating Instant Pot Recipes to Try
If you love quick and easy clean-ingredient comfort foods like this one, be sure to check out some of my other tested favorites from the kitchen:
- Easy Instant Pot Mexican Rice (Also Called Spanish Rice): Another quick and easy instant pot side dish, perfect for taco night!
- The Best 10-Minute Instant Pot Mac and Cheese (Creamy & Easy!): Who doesn’t love a creamy cheesy bowl of mac and cheese, that is all made in the same pot?!
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you have to drain Instant Pot mashed potatoes?
No! That’s one of the best parts about making mashed potatoes in the Instant Pot. The potatoes cook with just a small amount of water or broth, so there’s no large pot of starchy water to drain. Once they’re tender, you can mash them right in the Instant Pot before adding your butter and milk.
What are the best potatoes for Instant Pot mashed potatoes?
Russet potatoes are my favorite for creamy mashed potatoes because they are high in starch and create a light, fluffy texture. Yukon Gold potatoes are another great option if you prefer a naturally buttery flavor and slightly denser texture.
How do you make Instant Pot mashed potatoes fluffy instead of gummy?
The biggest trick is to avoid overworking the potatoes. I like to give the potatoes a quick mash first after cooking and let them release some of the trapped steam before adding the butter and milk. Then mash just until creamy and avoid over mixing, which can make potatoes gummy.
Can I make Instant Pot mashed potatoes ahead of time?
Yes! Mashed potatoes are a great make-ahead side dish. Store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator and gently reheat with a little extra milk or butter to bring back their creamy texture. Or for a shorter time you an leave them on warm in the instant pot.
How many pounds of potatoes can I cook in an Instant Pot?
This recipe uses 5 pounds of russet potatoes, which works well. If using a smaller Instant Pot, make sure you don’t fill above the maximum fill line.
Can I use milk instead of cream for mashed potatoes?
Absolutely. Milk works beautifully in mashed potatoes, especially when combined with butter. Warm the milk before adding it to help the potatoes stay creamy and prevent them from cooling down too quickly.
Creamy Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes (No Drain Recipe)
These creamy Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes are an easy, no-drain recipe made with simple ingredients like russet potatoes, real butter, and milk. Cooking the potatoes in the Instant Pot saves time, frees up stove space, and creates fluffy, buttery mashed potatoes perfect for weeknight dinners, Sunday meals, or holiday gatherings.
Ingredients
- 5 pounds potatoes, cut into 1 ½-inch chunks, peeling is optional
- 1 to 1 ½ cups water or broth (maximum 1 ½ cups)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup butter, softened
- ½ cup milk, warmed
- Salt & Pepper to taste
Instructions
- Add 1 to 1 ½ cups water or broth to the bottom of the Instant Pot. Do not exceed 1 ½ cups of liquid.
- Place the potatoes in the Instant Pot and sprinkle with salt. Secure the lid, turn the valve to sealing, and cook on high pressure for 12 minutes.
- Once the cooking time is complete, carefully quick release the pressure. Watch closely during the release, as starchy water may occasionally splatter.
- Open the lid and give the potatoes a quick mash before adding the butter and milk. This helps release some of the trapped steam and creates a creamier texture.
- Add the warmed milk and softened butter. Continue mashing until the potatoes reach your preferred consistency.
- Season with additional salt and black pepper to taste. Serve warm.
Notes
-For a more rustic mashed potato, you can leave the peels on
-Avoid overmixing the potatoes, as this can make them gummy.
-For holiday meals, these mashed potatoes can be kept warm in the Instant Pot until ready to serve.
-Warm milk blends into the potatoes more smoothly than cold milk and helps maintain a creamy texture.
For more recipes like this, be sure to check out thegoodstuffbakeshop.com
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 10 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving:Calories: 262Total Fat: 6gSaturated Fat: 3gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 14mgSodium: 289mgCarbohydrates: 48gFiber: 5gSugar: 3gProtein: 6g
Nutrition information is calculated automatically as a courtesy and is an estimate only. Accuracy is not guaranteed as values can vary based on specific brands and preparation methods used.
