Amazing Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes

These Instant Pot mashed potatoes are the best potatoes on the planet! The most amazing part: the mashed potatoes can stay warm for HOURS before serving.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I made them for the first time. I will never again make mashed potatoes any other way! My family raved about them even the grandchild who never eats mashed potatoes. -Kathy

Why These are Literally the Best Mashed Potatoes Ever

I’m not even kidding, I haven’t made mashed potatoes any other way for the last ten years because these potatoes are phenomenal. Here are just a few of the reasons you should ditch your go-to mashed potato recipe and make these:

1. The recipe has the perfect ratio of potatoes to liquid so that the potatoes are thick and creamy without being glumpy and gluey. The garlic powder and sour cream give the perfect depth of flavor and hint of tang.
2. Using a pressure cooker is brilliant because not only do the potatoes cook in just eight minutes, but you don’t need to stand over a boiling pot or clean up that irritating starchy water that inevitably always boils over.
3. This might be the best reason to make these potatoes! The mashed potatoes can stay warm in the Instant Pot for HOURS without drying out. This is life-changing for holidays and big dinners when timing everything is tricky.
4. You can use your favorite variety of potatoes. This recipe works well with Yukon gold potatoes or russet potatoes.

➡️ Most importantly, these mashed potatoes are type of potatoes that people rave about. Trust me, it happens every time I serve these best-ever potatoes to anyone.

How to Make Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes

These potatoes are so easy to make! They can be cooked, mashed, and kept warm in the Instant Pot hours before you want to serve them.

1. Add the potatoes and salt to the Instant Pot.
2. Add 1 1/2 cups water or enough to cover the potatoes (either way is fine). Don’t exceed the max fill line.
3. Secure the lid and cook on high pressure for 8 minutes.
4. When the potatoes are done cooking, let the pressure naturally release for 10 to 15 minutes and then quick release the remaining pressure.
5. Warm the milk, butter and garlic powder in a saucepan or in the microwave until the butter is melted and the mixture is warm.
6. Drain the potatoes.
7. Return the potatoes to the insert of the Instant Pot, add the milk mixture and sour cream, and mash to your preferred consistency.
8. Add salt and pepper to taste.
9. 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 several hours.

A Few Important Additional Notes

• What type of potatoes to use: my favorite variety of potatoes for mashed potatoes are Yukon gold/yellow potatoes. However, red potatoes or russet potatoes can also be used without any alterations to the recipe.
• Amount of potatoes to use: This recipe calls for 4 pounds of potatoes. 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 can use a 5-pound bag of potatoes in a 6-quart Instant Pot as long as the max fill line isn’t exceeded after water is added. Increase the milk/butter/sour cream/garlic powder o account for the extra pound.
• Pressure cooker alternative: If you don’t have an Instant Pot or other pressure cooker, you can make the potatoes on the stovetop by boiling the potatoes in salted water, draining, and following the recipe for the liquid/seasonings. Serve them right away.

These Instant Pot mashed potatoes have ruined us on any other mashed potatoes forevermore. They are the only potatoes we make for Thanksgiving, when I make pot roast, or basically any time we want mashed potatoes.

They are fantastic smothered in gravy…but they are also incredibly tasty eaten without anything on top. Not many recipes truly fall into the “life-changing category,” but these potatoes are solidly at the top of that list.

Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes

Yield: 6 Servings

Prep Time: 32 minutes mins

Cook Time: 8 minutes mins

Total Time: 40 minutes mins

4.73 stars (311 ratings)

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Ingredients

• 4 pounds potatoes, peeled and cut into 1- or 2-inch cubes (see note)
• 2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt
• 1 cup milk, preferably not skim milk
• 4 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ cup sour cream

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Instructions 

• Combine the potatoes, water, and sal tin a 6-quart Instant Pot or other electric pressure cooker. Don't exceed the max fill line.
• Secure the lid and ensure the valve is set to seal (and not vent).
• Cook on high pressure for 8 minutes. Let the pressure naturally release for 10 to 15 minutes, then quick release the remaining pressure.
• If liquid bubbles from the valve, close the valve, wait a few minutes and try again.
• Drain the potatoes and return them to the pressure cooker.
• Warm the milk, butter and garlic powder in a saucepan or in the microwave until the butter is mostly melted.
• Add the milk mixture and sour cream to the potatoes and use a potato masher to mash to your desired consistency.
• Add salt and pepper to taste.
• Serve immediately OR place the lid on the Instant Pot and select Keep Warm. The potatoes can stay on this setting for up to 5 hours.
• When ready to serve, give the potatoes a good stir and a drizzle of warm milk, if needed.

Notes

Potato Variety: My favorite variety of potatoes for mashed potatoes are Yukon gold/yellow potatoes. However, red potatoes or russet potatoes can also be used without any alterations to the recipe.

Amount of potatoes to use: This recipe calls for 4 pounds of potatoes. 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 can use a 5-pound bag of potatoes in a 6-quart Instant Pot as long as the max fill line isn’t exceeded after water is added. Increase the milk/butter/sour cream/garlic powder to account for the extra pound.

Pressure cooker alternative: If you don’t have an Instant Pot or other pressure cooker, you can make the potatoes on the stovetop by boiling the potatoes in salted water, draining, and following the recipe for the liquid/seasonings. Serve them right away.

Author: Mel

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Method: Instant Pot

Serving: 1 Serving, Calories: 344kcal, Carbohydrates: 56g, Protein: 8g, Fat: 10g, Saturated Fat: 6g, Cholesterol: 29mg, Sodium: 891mg, Fiber: 7g, Sugar: 4g

Recommended Products

6-quart Instant Pot

Potato Masher

Over-the-Sink Colander

Recipe Source: adapted a little from a recipe/method a reader, Beth T., sent me (thanks, Beth!)

Recipe originally published March 2017; updated August 2026 with new photos, recipe notes, etc.

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