Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes is the quickest and easiest way to make perfect mashed potatoes.
Serve these mashed potatoes with Juicy Roast Chicken and a side of Roasted Carrots for the perfect dinner (don’t forget the Gravy).

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If you love classic Stove-top Mashed Potatoes, but want to save yourself some time and effort, this Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes recipe will become your go-to.
Easy Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes
We’re definitely making mashed potatoes way more often with the instant pot. Here’s why we love this method so much:
- Quick Cooking – Potatoes in the instant pot takes only 10 minutes on high pressure.
- Better Flavor – The potatoes are essentially steam-cooked on high pressure so the nutrients and flavor aren’t lost to the cooking water.
- No Draining Required – The potatoes absorb the liquid in the pot so you can skip the draining step.
- One-Pot – You can cook and mash all inside the bowl of the instant pot so there are fewer dishes to clean.
- Perfectly Cooked – Pressure cooking ensures the potatoes are fully cooked through, perfectly tender, and not lumpy.

The Best Potatoes for Mashed Potatoes:
Russet potatoes are the preferred variety for making mashed potatoes because of their lighter color and creamy texture. You can also use waxier potatoes like Yukon potatoes or gold potatoes, but they will be more yellow in color and have a slightly different consistency and flavor. We have tested both and often use whichever we have on hand.
Cooks Tip: You can use either water or low sodium chicken broth for the potato cooking liquid. Water will keep the potatoes lighter in color while broth adds more flavor.

How to Make Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes:
This mashed potatoes recipe is so simple. Make it once and you will probably have it memorized.
- Place metal trivet into 6 Qt instant pot and add 1 cup water (or broth) with 1 tsp salt.
- Add peeled and quartered potatoes over the trivet.
- Cover, seal and cook on manual high pressure 10 minutes with a quick pressure release. Potatoes should be easily pierced with a fork.
- Remove the trivet (it comes out easily) and coarsely mash potatoes.
- Add 1 cup warm milk, or add to desired consistency then blend in 6 Tbsp melted butter.
- Whip with an electric hand mixer for the smoothest mashed potatoes.

Tips for the Best Instant Pot Potatoes:
- Use a trivet so your potatoes are perfectly steam-cooked without any brown edges.
- Cut the potatoes so they are uniform in size and large enough to sit on the rack without slipping through.
- Salt to Taste after mashing and add more at the end if needed.
Have Leftover Mashed Potatoes? Use leftover potatoes to make our famous cheesy Mashed Potato Pancakes. They are family friendly, use simple ingredients and are quick and easy to make.

Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes is just another reason to love your instant pot. It’s a time saver and produces consistently great results every time.
More Instant Pot Recipes:
These reader favorites instant pot recipes will make you want to hug your pressure cooker (just not while it’s running please). See all of our Instant Pot recipes here.
- Instant Pot Whole Chicken – with the best chicken gravy
- Corn on the Cob – so sweet and juicy in the instant pot
- Instant Pot Chicken and Rice – a family-friendly dinner
- Ribs in the Instant Pot – super tender and juicy
- IP Crab Legs – so quicky, juicy and flavorful
- Instant Pot White Chicken Chili – quick & easy meal
Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes Recipe

Ingredients
- 5 lbs russet potatoes, peeled and quartered (about 7 medium/large potatoes)
- 1 cup water , or low sodium chicken broth
- 1 tsp of sea salt, or added to taste
- 3/4 cup warm milk, or added to desired consistency
- 8 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened or melted
- 1 Tbsp parsley or chives , (optional to garnish)
Instructions
- Insert trivet into instant pot bowl. Add 1 cup water or chicken broth and add 1 tsp salt.
- Peel the potatoes and cut them into quarters (large enough that they won’t fall under the trivet (about 1-inch thickness). Place potatoes over the trivet, adding the largest pieces first (so they don’t fall through).
- Cover with lid, set the valve to ‘sealing’ position then cook on manual high pressure for 10 min with a quick release. Once pressure has released, remove the lid then remove the trivet using tongs or an oven mitt. Don’t drain the water.
- Mash with a potato masher then add the warm milk to your desired consistency. Finally, mix in the softened butter just until blended. For a smoother consistency, blend the potatoes with an electric hand mixer until no lumps remain. Season to taste with more salt if desired.
Would I be able to make it home and transfer the mashed potato’s to instant pot, transport it to church, and keep it on warm and eat it 2 hours later? I’d like to take it to a church potluck but I’m not sure how to do this right. There is no way to make it there. Any recommendations so that the potatoes don’t burn or dry out?
Hi Natalie, these reheat well if you have that option on site, but you can keep them warm in a crockpot.
I veganized this recipe by using soymilk and vegan margarine. This was the easiest mashed potato recipe I’ve ever made. It was also the most delicious!
Wow!
That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review, Julie!
This was the easiest mashed potatoes I’ve ever made! Also, the most delicious! Wow!
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us, Julie!
Perfect mashed potatoes. No need to use a hand mixer- potatoes might get gluey.
Thanks for your review, Margaret!
I used this recipe for Thanksgiving and everyone loved it. Such an easy recipe and such a crowd pleaser. Thank you for my new go to mashed potato recipe. I also somehow forgot to put in the trivet and still came out perfect.
Hi Alicia! That’s wonderful. So glad that it was a hit.
I won’t make mashed potatoes any other way. They turned out perfect.
That’s so great! It sounds like you have a new favorite, Juli!
Great way to make mashed potatoes.the only thing I did differently was add the butter.milk,parsley after the potatoes.the potatoes they melted the butter in seconds.once melted I added the milk and parsley.came out great!! Thanks
Thanks for sharing, Michael! Glad to hear. 🙂
If I want to double the recipe do I need to add more liquid to cooking process
Hi Kristin! To be honest, I haven’t tried doubling this recipe to advise. I think if you double the whole recipe it should be fine but you’ll have to experiment with it.
I took my Instant pot camping with us last Thanksgiving and the mashed potatoes were the best ever. With limited cook space in the camper, this worked great. To make the mashed potatoes special for the holiday, I add half & half in place of the milk. Delicious!
Yum! I love that idea to use half and half to make it even richer for the holidays.
This was great. Thank you. Don’t think I’ll boil potatoes again.
So glad you liked this!
Hi Natasha, unfortunately I don’t have a trivet. Am I able to just sit the potatoes in the liquid and cook?
Hi Gina, I only make these with a trivet and all of the recommendations I’ve seen advise the use of a trivet or the potatoes won’t cook evenly and might end up with brown spots or get soggy sitting in the water.
A recipe that is Just easy and delicious 😋 especially with steak 🥩
That is right, this is so perfect with steak!
I usually make your stovetop mashed potatoes recipe in the stand mixer. I made the instant pot ones tonight and game changer! Both recipes are amazing. The instant pot pot one has less pots pans dishes to wash! Ty again Natasha for another great recipe. I also kept the skins on the potatoes and amazing. 🥰
So glad you loved them both, Karyn. Thanks for sharing that with us!
Such an easy way to make potatoes for a large party. No more standing around waiting for water to boil. 😄
If I were to double the recipe and use around 10 pounds of potato how long would I set the pressure cooker to?
Isn’t it the best?! I’m so glad you enjoyed it! I haven’t tried doubling in a larger pot (mainly because I don’t have a larger pot), but that should work fine to double the recipe. Make sure to add the milk to your desired consistency. You probably would need a little less milk if doubling. Let me know how it goes.
Quick question: If I am reducing this recipe to serve 2 instead of 8 (approximately 1/4 of the original recipe), how much liquid do I need? I don’t want to get a burn notice but I also don’t want ‘soupy ‘ mashed potatoes. I have made the full recipe in the past and it is wonderful but makes much more than my husband and I could (or at least should eat 😉). Wonderful and easy recipe.
Hi LuAnn, I recommend measuring your minimum Instant Pot liquid requirement and adjusting your recipe based on the minimum vs. two servings. I hope that helps!
How long would would you cook for 6 to 7 pounds of potatoes?
Hi Laura, the time shouldn’t change by much. If you make an adjustment, it may need a minute or two. I hope you love this recipe!
I tried this and it was so yummy! thank you!
You’re welcome, Charlene! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
i like this.when you don’t an electric hand mixer,it’senough to use potato masher? sorry about my english is few.thanks
That should work too. Let me know how it goes if you try the recipe.
I always hated making mashed potatoes because it was a hassle boiling in the pot and watching it while trying to cook everything else. This is my go-to every time now. So much simpler and saves me stove top space. And they turn out so good!
Hello Jane, nice to know that you enjoyed this mashed potato recipe. Thank you so much for your great feedback and review!
Hi, I am confused about the water. We don’t drain the water so does that mean we are using it to mash the potatoes with?
Hi, yes you do mas the water left in the pot into the potatoes and it absorbs it really well.
I was confused on that, too. It’s not in the written directions (just fyi!). Making the recipe now, so I haven’t tried these before but sure they’re great!