One of my absolute favorite recipes to make in the Instant Pot is mashed potatoes. Why?! Because the potatoes cook up in a fraction of the time!
By adding in the right amount of sour cream and milk, you get that perfectly, irresistibly creamy texture, too.
But that’s not all! They have TONS of flavor thanks to a garlic-infused herb butter that is slowly sautéed while the potatoes cook.
Get restaurant-quality mashed potatoes quickly and from the comfort of your own home.
These are impressive enough for a Thanksgiving, Christmas, or holiday spread. Then, you can use up the leftovers to make this Shepherd’s Pie or these Mashed Potato Pancakes!
Want a sweeter twist? Check out these Mashed Sweet Potatoes!
Ingredients
The simple ingredients you need to make this Instant Pot Garlic Mashed Potato recipe include:
- Potatoes. The best potato for this recipe is Russet, these are starchy and give you a fluffier and creamier texture. Waxier varieties, such as red or Yukon gold potatoes, can be used, but will have a totally different mouthfeel.
- Sour cream. Regular or a vegan alternative can be used. Tofutti makes an awesome one that I use when making these dairy-free!
- Milk. Regular works great, but you can even splurge on heavy cream for a truly rich flavor. Or a full-fat plant-based kind like oat milk or cashew milk can be used, as well.
- Butter. Salted is best here, but you can go with unsalted butter if that’s what you have. Be sure to add in extra salt, though. You can use a vegan butter alternative or even oil, but it will have a very different taste.
- Garlic. Fresh, finely minced garlic infuses the flavor perfectly throughout. Garlic powder can be used, but it is not recommended.
- Herbs. A mix of finely chopped fresh herbs adds so much to these potatoes. Rosemary and thyme are classic, but you can even throw in some sage or tarragon. If you opt for dried herbs, you will need to reduce the amount you use by half.
How to Make Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes
These are the steps to follow to make this Instant Pot Mashed Potato recipe:
Prepare the Potatoes
When choosing potatoes, be sure they are as close to the same size as possible, this makes it easier to cut them uniformly.
Thoroughly rinse the potatoes, then dry them off with a paper towel. Use a vegetable peeler to remove the skin, as well.
Slice each potato into 1-inch chunks.
Pressure Cook
Add the potatoes, water, and 1 teaspoon of salt to a 6-quart Instant Pot. Be sure the valve is sealed, set the electric pressure cooker to high, and cook for 8 minutes.
When the timer goes off, turn the valve to quick release.
Make the Garlic Herb Butter
While the potatoes are cooking in the Instant Pot, get a small skillet or saucepan out.
Heat up the butter over medium-low heat. Once it is completely melted, add in the garlic and herbs.
Sauté for 5 minutes, or until fragrant. Be sure to stir occasionally to keep the garlic from burning.
Set aside until ready to use.
Mash and Season
Once the quick release is through, remove the lid. Drain the potatoes into a colander in the sink.
Add the drained potatoes back to the Instant Pot, and pour in the garlic herb butter, sour cream, milk, salt, and black pepper.
Use a potato masher to mash the potatoes. The longer you work them, the smoother their consistency will be. Stop when your mashed potatoes are to your liking.
Serve in a bowl or as a side with a bit of butter, fresh chives, and any extra herbs you like! These potatoes are delicious with your favorite steak, turkey, chicken, or country style ribs recipe.
Enjoy!
Meal Prep and Storage
- To Prep-Ahead: You can chop the herbs, or peel and dice the potatoes a day before.
- To Store: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 to 5 days.
- To Freeze: You can either freeze single-sized portions for easy use, or place all of the cooled potatoes in a freezer-safe bag for up to 2 to 3 months.
- To Reheat: Warm mashed potatoes back up in a saucepan on the stove or in the microwave.
Dietary Modifications
The recipe you’ll find below is already vegetarian and gluten-free as written. Here are some adjustments and substitutions you can make to help it fit your other dietary requirements:
- Dairy-free: Opt for a dairy-free butter and sour cream, or stick with oil.
- Vegan: Choose a vegan sour cream and butter.
FAQs
Depending on how large the chunks of potatoes are, they should cook in 8 to 12 minutes. This recipe calls for 1-inch cubes that soften in about 8 minutes.
When you want to enjoy your leftover mashed potatoes, warm them back up in a saucepan on the stove and add in more cream or milk to get that smooth texture again.
The trick to good mashed potatoes is infusing the butter with garlic and herbs before mixing it in.
Expert Tips and Tricks
- Keep it small. Keep the potato chunks around 1-inch so they cook quickly and completely.
- Don’t skimp. Be sure to add enough water to the Instant Pot so you don’t get a burn error.
- Quick release. Turn the valve to quick release as soon as the timer goes off.
- Infused is best. The garlic herb butter adds so much flavor to these potatoes!
- Change it up. Choose your favorite herbs to get a different taste to the mashed potatoes.
What to Serve with Mashed Potatoes
This classic and comforting side dish goes with so many recipes, these are some of my favorites:
Air Fryer Meatloaf and Spatchcock Chicken are classics to serve with a side of mashed potatoes! (Or give it a flavor upgrade with this Mozzarella-Stuffed Italian Meatloaf.)
Air Fryer Salmon and Olive Garden Chicken Marsala also have incredible sauces for the potatoes to soak up.
Or drizzle on Gravy without Drippings!
More Potato Recipes
Potatoes are versatile and oh so delicious, try one of these recipes next:
- Instant Pot Potato Soup
- Air Fryer Baked Potato
- German Potato Salad
- Instant Pot Potato Salad
- Loaded Hasselback Potatoes
- Duchess Potatoes
- Homemade Scalloped Potatoes
- Mashed Potato Pancakes
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Instant Pot Garlic Mashed Potatoes
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Ingredients
- 3 lbs. russet potatoes rinsed and scrubbed
- 5 cups water
- 4 Tbsp. butter salted
- 4 cloves garlic finely minced
- ½ tsp. thyme fresh, finely chopped
- ½ tsp. rosemary fresh, finely chopped
- ⅓ cup sour cream or a dairy-free alternative
- ⅓ cup milk or a full-fat plant-based alternative
- 2 tsp. salt divided
- ¼ tsp. black pepper to taste
Instructions
- After thoroughly rinsing and drying the potatoes, peel using a vegetable peeler and cut into 1-inch chunks.
- Add the cubed potatoes to a 6-quart Instant Pot along with the water and 1 teaspoon of salt. Turn the pressure cooker to high pressure and set the timer for 8 minutes. Quick release the pressure once the timer goes off.
- While the potatoes are cooking, add the butter to a small skillet or saucepan over medium-low heat. Once melted, add the garlic and herbs. Saute for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the garlic and herbs become fragrant.
- Drain the cooked potatoes in a colander in the sink and then add them back to the pot along with the garlic herb butter, sour cream, milk, 1 to 1 ¼ teaspoons of salt, and black pepper.
- Mash the potatoes using a potato masher until they reach your desired consistency.
- Serve with a pat of butter and additional fresh herbs and enjoy!
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Notes
Meal Prep and Storage
- To Prep-Ahead: You can chop the herbs, or peel and dice the potatoes a day before.
- To Store: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 to 5 days.
- To Freeze: You can either freeze single-sized portions for easy use, or place cooled potatoes in a freezer-safe bag for up to 2 to 3 months.
- To Reheat: Warm mashed potatoes back up in a saucepan on the stove or in the microwave.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I’m getting ready to make this but I don’t have fresh rosemary and thyme. Will it taste ok with that? Thanks!
It will, but it won’t be quite as flavorful! If you have some dried herbs I would try adding those in 🙂
Looks delicious!
Thank you so much, Stephanie!!