Get rich and creamy mashed potatoes with ease, thanks to your Instant Pot. A delicious and versatile side dish is just a press of a button away!
Life can get stressful sometimes. On days when I can’t seem to get everything done, I don’t sleep well, my car needs an expensive repair, or a million little stressful things pile up, I end up with tense shoulders and a racing mind. I know just about everybody can relate to that—nobody really has it easy, and adult life is typically hard.
But you know what I tell myself on days like that? “There’s always mashed potatoes.” Mashed potatoes are the balm to my hectic days. Like a stick of butter in a hot pot full of boiled potatoes, one bowl of my favorite spuds melts all the stress away. If you think I’m being dramatic here, you’ve clearly never tried to soothe your ills with mashed potatoes. Y’all, it works.
Let me introduce you to the fastest path to delicious, creamy mashed potatoes: the Instant Pot. In less time than a pot boiling on the stove, the Instant Pot delivers perfectly cooked potatoes via pressure-cooking. This recipe has all the right mix-ins for great potatoes: buttermilk, whipped butter, chives, and sour cream. They don’t need gravy on top, but you’re welcome to smother them in whatever sauce you like!
Are Instant-Pot Mashed Potatoes Healthy?
Potatoes are generally a healthy starchy vegetable that delivers potassium and vitamin C. They’re naturally free of fat and cholesterol and low in sodium. As with any potato-based dish, the nutritional value of mashed potatoes depends on how you cook them and what you add to them. This recipe contains a lot of dairy products, which add protein, B vitamins, and calcium. Light sour cream has less fat than the regular variety, and whipped butter has fewer calories and fat per tablespoon than regular butter. All the dairy adds some saturated fat, but as long as you stick to the amounts listed in the recipe (and stick to the serving size!), you won’t end up with a high-fat bowl of potatoes!
Overall, this recipe is vegetarian-friendly and gluten-free. You can make it vegan and dairy-free by using vegan buttermilk, sour cream, and butter.
All The Potato Choices
There are lots of potato varieties out there, but note that not all of them make excellent mashed potatoes. The three types of potatoes you’ll want to choose from for this mashed potatoes recipe are russet, Yukon Gold, or red.
I use russets because they have a high starch content, which means they will turn out nice and fluffy. Just don’t overmash them; all that starch will turn them gummy when overmashed.
Yukon Golds are another viable option, thanks to their golden color and buttery taste. They look the part and taste the part. If you use Yukon Golds, you’ll end up with less fluffy and creamier potatoes compared to russets.
Red potatoes are a bit different in that they aren’t as starchy. They are waxy instead, so they’ll hold their shape well during cooking. Reds are a great choice if you like a bit of chunkiness to your mashed potatoes.
How Do I Store Leftovers?
Let the mashed potatoes cool completely, then store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. For longer storage, transfer them to a freezer-safe bag and freeze them for up to 3 months. Keep in mind that all the dairy in your potatoes could potentially make the potatoes turn a little grainy after they’re frozen and thawed. To mitigate this, consider adding a little extra butter to the potatoes before you freeze them, and let them thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating them slowly, over low heat, on the stove.
Serving Suggestions
If you’re looking to make a meal around these potatoes, rather than using them to sooth your stressed-out soul as I discussed above, then you have plenty of classic options! I like them with a fresh vegetable side, like these Sautéed Green Beans or Crispy Air-Fryer Brussels Sprouts paired with a rich and comforting main dish, such as this Beef And Pork Meatloaf or a few slices of Smoked Brisket.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds russet potatoes peeled and quartered
- 1½ teaspoons kosher salt divided
- 2 tablespoons whipped butter
- ¼ cup light sour cream
- ⅓ cup buttermilk
- Fresh black pepper to taste
- Chopped chives or parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Place the quartered potatoes into the Instant Pot and add water until they are just covered. Stir in 1 teaspoon of kosher salt.
- Secure the lid on the Instant Pot and set to cook on high pressure for 10 minutes. After the timer goes off, perform a quick pressure release, then check if the potatoes are tender by piercing them with a knife.
- Drain the potatoes, reserving ½ cup of the cooking water. Add the whipped butter, light sour cream, buttermilk, the remaining ½ teaspoon of salt, and black pepper to the pot. Mash with a potato masher until smooth. If the potatoes look too stiff or dry, add some of the reserved cooking water a tablespoon at a time until you reach the desired texture.
- Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary. Garnish with chopped chives or parsley before serving.
Nutrition Info:
Nutrition information are estimates only and may vary based on the specific brands, ingredients, and portion sizes you use. This data is provided for informational purposes only.
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