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A white oval dish filled with mashed potatoes topped with a pat of butter and fresh herbs, surrounded by a plate of butter, a bowl of garlic, and a glass of drink on a light surface.

Home › Recipes › Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes Recipe

Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes Recipe

This Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes recipe is our go-to side dish for holiday dinners and cozy comfort food meals. Using a pressure cooker makes mashed potatoes incredibly quick and easy, without sacrificing flavor or texture. My husband loves to whip up a batch during Thanksgiving or whenever we serve hearty dishes like Beef Bourguignon. The potatoes come out perfectly tender every time, ready to be mashed into a creamy, buttery side everyone loves.

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By Janine Waite · Published on Aug 5, 2025
Affiliate Disclosure: This Post May Contain Affiliate Links.

This Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes recipe is our go-to side dish for holiday dinners and cozy comfort food meals. Using a pressure cooker makes mashed potatoes incredibly quick and easy, without sacrificing flavor or texture. My husband loves to whip up a batch during Thanksgiving or whenever we serve hearty dishes like Beef Bourguignon. The potatoes come out perfectly tender every time, ready to be mashed into a creamy, buttery side everyone loves.

A white oval dish filled with mashed potatoes topped with a pat of butter and fresh herbs, surrounded by a plate of butter, a bowl of garlic, and a glass of drink on a light surface.

The best part about this Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes recipe is that you still get all that rich, buttery flavor even though the potatoes cook in just 10 minutes. It’s quick and easy and tastes like you spent way more time on it.

This Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes recipe has a flavorful twist—garlic herb butter infused using a simple sachet method. The potatoes cook fast in the pressure cooker, making this creamy side dish both easy and delicious.

Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes Recipe

Peeled and chopped potatoes on a wooden cutting board next to a chef’s knife, all placed on a speckled kitchen countertop.
Peeled and chopped potatoes submerged in water inside an electric pressure cooker, perfect for your next Instant Pot mashed potatoes recipe, on a brown countertop.

To start this easy Instant Pot mashed potatoes recipe, peel and quarter five pounds of potatoes. Place them in the Instant Pot insert and pour in enough chicken broth or water to cover the potatoes by about ½ inch. This helps them cook evenly and adds moisture. Secure the lid by twisting it into the locked position, then set the valve to the Sealing position. Select the Manual or Pressure Cook setting and set the timer for nine minutes. The pot will take a few minutes to come to pressure before the cooking countdown begins.


Just a quick heads-up—your Instant Pot will take a few minutes to build up pressure before the actual cook time begins. Once it reaches pressure, the timer will start counting down. When the cooking is done, you’ll hear a beep. At that point, carefully switch the valve from Sealing to Venting using an oven mitt, long spatula, or wooden spoon—hot steam will release right away, so keep your hands and face clear. Once all the steam has been released, the float valve will drop, letting you know it’s safe to open the lid.

The potatoes will be soft and not too soft that they are pulverized.

Remove the inner pot with oven mitt on and drain.

A metal measuring spoon with dried herbs, a small pile of herbs, and a white bowl with peeled garlic cloves sit on a beige cloth atop a wooden surface—perfect ingredients for an Instant Pot mashed potatoes recipe.
A small bundle of herbs wrapped in white cheesecloth sits in a white bowl. Loose dried herbs and a glass jar of herbs are nearby on a light surface, with a cork lid and a sprig of fresh greenery visible.

While the potatoes cook in the Instant Pot, take a few minutes to make the garlic-infused butter on the stovetop. That way, it’s ready to go as soon as the potatoes are done.

Wrap herbs in cheesecloth and tie with baking twine to make the herb sachet. Melt the butter in a small pot. Add herb sachet and garlic cloves, and simmer for at least 10 minutes, then let it rest while the potatoes cook. If you don’t have any cheesecloth, just add the herbs loose in the pot and strain them out when you mix the butter into the potatoes in the next step.

Once they’re cooked, drain them well and mash the potatoes in the Instant Pot with a masher. Add the garlic-infused butter, and remaining salt. Mix… but don’t overmix. If you over-mash the potatoes they’ll become starchy. Add milk if desired for a creamier texture – some people prefer it this way; my family prefers without.

A close-up of creamy Instant Pot mashed potatoes in a white dish, topped with a pat of melting butter and garnished with fresh sprigs of rosemary and sage.
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Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes Recipe

This Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes recipe is our go-to side dish for holiday dinners and cozy comfort food meals. Using a pressure cooker makes mashed potatoes incredibly quick and easy, without sacrificing flavor or texture.
Prep Time15 minutes mins
Cook Time9 minutes mins
Total Time24 minutes mins
Course: Dinner, Dinner recipes
Cuisine: American
Keyword: beef bourguignon instant pot recipe, garlic mashed potatoes, homemade thanksgiving recipe, Instant Pot, mashed potatoes, potato dishes, side dish, thanksgiving, thanksgiving recipe
Servings: 12 servings
Calories: 256kcal
Author: Janine Waite

Ingredients

  • 5 pounds Russet Potatoes or Yukon Gold Potatoes peeled and quartered

Garlic Butter Infusion

  • ¾ cup butter
  • 6-8 cloves garlic

Herb Sachet

  • 3 tbsp Herb de Provence Or any combination of staple herbs such as sage, thyme, tarragon, oregano, savory, and marjoram.
  • 2 tsp salt or more to taste
  • ½ tsp pepper or more to taste
  • milk Optional: Add milk at end of mashing for a more creamy texture (the butter infusion is so rich and garlicky, you probably won’t need it)

Instructions

Instant Pot

  • To start this easy Instant Pot mashed potatoes recipe, peel and quarter five pounds of potatoes.
    Place them in the Instant Pot insert and pour in enough chicken broth or water to cover the potatoes by about ½ inch. This helps them cook evenly and adds moisture.
    Secure the lid by twisting it into the locked position, then set the valve to the Sealing position. Select the Manual or Pressure Cook setting and set the timer for nine minutes. The pot will take a few minutes to come to pressure before the cooking countdown begins.
  • When the cooking is done, you’ll hear a beep. At that point, carefully switch the valve from Sealing to Venting using an oven mitt, long spatula, or wooden spoon—hot steam will release right away, so keep your hands and face clear. Once all the steam has been released, the float valve will drop, letting you know it’s safe to open the lid.
    The potatoes will be soft and not too soft that they are pulverized.

Butter Infusion

  • While the potatoes cook in the Instant Pot, take a few minutes to make the garlic-infused butter on the stovetop. That way, it’s ready to go as soon as the potatoes are done.
  • Wrap herbs in cheesecloth and tie with baking twine to make the herb sachet. Melt the butter in a small pot. Add herb sachet and garlic cloves, and simmer for at least 10 minutes, then let it rest while the potatoes cook. If you don’t have any cheesecloth, just add the herbs loose in the pot and strain them out when you mix the butter into the potatoes in the next step.
    Once they’re cooked, drain them well and mash the potatoes in the Instant Pot with a masher. Add the garlic-infused butter, and remaining salt. Mix… but don’t overmix. If you over-mash the potatoes they’ll become starchy. Add milk if desired for a creamier texture – some people prefer it this way; my family prefers without.

Mash and Mix

  • Once they’re cooked, drain them well and mash the potatoes in the Instant Pot with a masher. Add the garlic-infused butter, and remaining salt. Mix… but don’t overmix. If you over-mash the potatoes they’ll become starchy. Add milk if desired for a creamier texture – some people prefer it this way; my family prefers without.
  • Once they’re cooked, drain them well and mash the potatoes in the Instant Pot with a masher. Add the garlic-infused butter and remaining salt. Mix… but don’t overmix. If you over-mash the potatoes, they’ll become starchy. Add milk if desired for a creamier texture – some people prefer it this way; my family prefers without.

Storage

  • If your dinner is not ready leave the mashed potatoes in the Instant Pot and cover and place the temp to "Keep Warm."

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 256kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 31mg | Sodium: 489mg | Potassium: 807mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 395IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 50mg | Iron: 3mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @happyhappynester or tag #happyhappynester!
A close-up of creamy Instant Pot mashed potatoes in a white dish, topped with a pat of melting butter and garnished with fresh sprigs of rosemary and sage.

Helpful Tips

  • Potato Masher vs Electric Mixer: Years ago, my husband made mashed potatoes using our electric mixer—and let’s just say, it was a total flop. The potatoes turned out gummy and gluey, and sadly, we had to toss the whole batch. We later learned that using a mixer can easily overwork the potatoes, turning them into a starchy paste instead of that light, fluffy texture we all love. Ever since then, we’ve stuck to using a good old-fashioned potato masher. I especially love the one I have now—it rocks back and forth for easy mashing and even scoops up the potatoes so you can serve them right away.
  • Yukon Golds or Russets are Best: Yukon Golds are naturally creamy and buttery, while Russets are fluffier and absorb flavors well.
  • Cut Your Potatoes into Even Chunks: We found quartering the potatoes works well, and cutting them into the same size pieces allows them to cook evenly under pressure.
  • Make Them Ahead: Mashed potatoes reheat beautifully. Make them a few hours early and keep them warm in the pot, or reheat with a splash of cream or milk later.
  • Don’t set the cook time too long—4 to 5 minutes at high pressure is all you need for quartered potatoes. Overcooked potatoes can absorb too much water and turn out watery or mushy, making them harder to mash and less flavorful. Stick to the recommended time and do a quick release to keep the texture just right.
  • Gourmet Taste Alternative: A gourmet alternative to the infused butter: use drippings from herb-and-garlic rubbed chicken (bone-in, skin-on) slow-cooked in butter. This creates a rich, heavily-reduced, buttery broth that will

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A collage of mashed potato essentials, featuring tools for the perfect Instant Pot mashed potatoes recipe: an Instant Pot, ceramic baking dishes, potato masher, measuring spoons, cheesecloth, butchers twine, herb jar, oven mitts, and a covered casserole dish.

White Casserole Dish | Bakers Twine | Serving Spoons

Instant Pot | Potato Masher | Cheesecloth | Herbs de Provence

Casserole Dishes | Black Pot Holders

A dish of mashed potatoes topped with butter and fresh herbs sits on a table, surrounded by a glass of drink, a plate of butter, garlic cloves, a jar of herbs, and yellow flowers.

These yummy mashed potatoes pair nicely with my Beef Bourguignon and Sauteed Carrots Recipe! We love making these mashed potatoes for Thanksgiving and Christmas because they free up precious stovetop space in our busy holiday kitchen. Plus, you can keep them warm right in the Instant Pot with the lid on, so they’re perfect to make a little ahead of time—one less thing to worry about when everything else is going on!

Cheers,

Cursive text elegantly displaying the name "janine" in light gray, reminiscent of chic white fall decor.

Photo Credits: MyPhotography.com

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Oval white dish filled with creamy Instant Pot mashed potatoes, topped with a pat of butter and fresh herbs, set on a white surface with extra herbs and a glass nearby. Text reads "The best instant pot mashed potatoes recipe.

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Janine Waite
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Janine Waite
I named my blog Happy Happy Nester because I love everything related to the home. I’ve always enjoyed decorating my surroundings. Get cozy and stay for a bit, thanks for visiting!
Janine Waite
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Latest posts by Janine Waite (see all)
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