- How long to cook sweet potatoes in the Instant Pot
- Ingredients and Substitutions
- How to Make Sweet Potatoes in the Instant Pot
- The steamer basket I use!
- The Instant Pot I L❤️VE!
- Oops! What did I do wrong?
- Instant Pot sweet potato FAQs
- Instant Pot Sweet Potatoes Recipe
- What to make with Instant Pot sweet potatoes
- More sweet potato recipes
The no-foil, no-smoke-alarm way to make Instant Pot sweet potatoes
We LOVE sweet potatoes in our house. So you can believe my delight when I discovered how easy it is to make an Instant Pot sweet potato!
No more tearing off tons of pieces of aluminum foil, wrapping each one individually, and then hearing your smoke detector go off because all of the oil hit the bottom of the oven! (Yep, that totally happened.)
Nope! You simply toss your unwrapped, un-oiled, no-fuss sweet potatoes in the Instant Pot and watch the magic unfold.
All it takes is a cup of water, a trivet or steamer basket, and about 17 minutes under high pressure for medium potatoes. Perfectly fluffy potato flesh that is made entirely in the Instant Pot quickly and easily!
Cook a batch on the weekend and you’ve got a head start on BBQ Chicken Stuffed Sweet Potatoes or a quick bowl of Mashed Sweet Potatoes all week long.
Your smoke detector (and your oven floor) will thank you.
How long to cook sweet potatoes in the Instant Pot
Cook time depends on the size of your sweet potatoes, not how many you put in the pot. Go by the biggest potato in your batch and match it to this chart.
| Size | Weight | Width | High pressure time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small | 6 ounces or less | About 2 inches | 12 to 15 minutes |
| Medium | About 8 ounces (½ pound) | About 2 to 3 inches | 16 to 18 minutes |
| Large | 12 ounces or more | About 3 inches or more | 20 to 22 minutes |
Every size gets a 10-minute natural release after the timer beeps. Plan on about 10 extra minutes for the pot to come up to pressure, too.
Not sure what counts as medium? Here’s how many sweet potatoes are in a pound.
Don’t have an Instant Pot? Learn how to bake sweet potatoes, make an air fryer baked sweet potato, or boil sweet potatoes instead.
Ingredients and Substitutions
For the exact measurements and detailed instructions, please see the recipe card below.
- Sweet potatoes: Pick ones that are close in size and shape so they all finish at the same time. Give them a good scrub, since you’ll be cooking (and eating!) them skin-on.
- Water: Cold water in the bottom of the pot creates the steam that cooks the potatoes. Skip it and your Instant Pot will throw an error.
- Toppings: A pat of butter, a pinch of salt and pepper, and a sprinkle of cinnamon is the classic way to go. Or stuff them with black beans and your favorite protein (sweet potatoes are secretly SO good with black beans).
How to Make Sweet Potatoes in the Instant Pot
Please see the recipe card below for the full instructions, ingredient amounts, and a printable recipe.
Scrub and pierce.
Scrub the sweet potatoes until they’re squeaky clean, then pat them dry. Poke each one 5 to 6 times with a fork so a little steam can escape while they cook.
Add water and the trivet.
Pour 1 cup of cold water into a 6-quart Instant Pot. Set the trivet or steamer basket inside and arrange the sweet potatoes on top.
A steamer basket makes it SO much easier to lift them out. The trivet that comes with most pressure cookers works just fine, though.
The steamer basket I use!
I use this OXO steamer basket for pretty much ALL my steamed veggies. (The plastic handle is a lifesaver – you can grab it right out of a hot pot without burning yourself!)
It fits inside most pots and collapses for easy storage.
Pressure cook.
Lock the lid, turn the pressure release valve to sealing, and cook on high pressure. Medium potatoes take 16 to 18 minutes and large ones take 20 to 22 (check the chart above for small).
The Instant Pot I L❤️VE!
Not all pressure cookers are the same. The 6-quart Duo Plus is the one I reach for, since the sauté function does real work before the lid goes on and the controls are simple enough that you don’t need the manual.
Let it release naturally.
When the timer goes off, let the sweet potatoes sit in the Instant Pot for 10 minutes. Then carefully turn the valve to venting to let out any leftover steam.
Keep your arm clear of the steam valve. A long wooden spoon is perfect for flipping it to venting without getting a face (or arm) full of steam.
Fluff and serve.
Slice each sweet potato down the middle and fluff the insides with a fork. Top with butter, salt, and a sprinkle of cinnamon, or stuff them with whatever you’ve got.
Oops! What did I do wrong?
Why are my sweet potatoes still hard in the middle?
They were probably on the bigger side for the time you set. Lock the lid back on, cook at high pressure for a few more minutes, and check again with a fork.
Why did my Instant Pot show a burn error?
That usually means there wasn’t enough water in the pot. Make sure the full cup goes in before you start.
Why are my sweet potatoes soggy?
They were likely sitting in the water instead of above it. Always use the trivet or steamer basket so they steam instead of boil.
Can I get crispy skins in the Instant Pot?
Not really, since it cooks with steam. If crispy skins are your thing, my Air Fryer Baked Sweet Potato is the way to go.
Instant Pot sweet potato FAQs
Sweet potatoes are done cooking when you can easily pierce the thickest part of the middle with a fork and the flesh is tender and caramelized.
While the size and type of the potato play a role in how long it takes, sweet potatoes typically cook faster than traditional white potatoes, like russets.
Yes, just make sure they’re all sitting on the trivet or in the steamer basket above the water. Go by the size of the biggest potato for your cook time.
Store leftover sweet potatoes in an airtight container for 4 to 5 days. Alternatively, wrap cooked sweet potatoes tightly and freeze for up to 3 months. The flesh gets softer and a little watery after thawing, so frozen ones are best for mashing, purées, or casseroles.
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Instant Pot Sweet Potatoes Recipe
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Equipment
- Instant Pot 6-quart
- Steamer basket or trivet
Ingredients
- 4 medium sweet potatoes about ½ pound each, scrubbed clean
- 1 cup cold water
Instructions
- Scrub the sweet potatoes clean and pat them dry. Using a fork, poke holes in each sweet potato 5 to 6 times.4 medium sweet potatoes
- Pour the cold water into a 6-quart Instant Pot. Place a trivet or steamer basket inside and arrange the sweet potatoes on top.4 medium sweet potatoes, 1 cup cold water
- Cover with the lid, make sure the pressure release valve is set to sealing, and cook on high pressure for 16 to 18 minutes for medium (about 8 ounce) potatoes. Cook small potatoes (6 ounces or less) for 12 to 15 minutes and large potatoes (12 ounces or more) for 20 to 22 minutes.
- When the timer goes off, let the sweet potatoes sit in the Instant Pot for a 10-minute natural pressure release. Carefully turn the valve to venting to release any remaining pressure before opening the lid.
- Slice each sweet potato open and fluff the insides with a fork. Serve with a bit of butter and salt, or stuff with your favorite toppings and enjoy!
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Notes
- Cook time by size: Small (6 ounces or less) takes 12 to 15 minutes, medium (about 8 ounces) takes 16 to 18 minutes, and large (12 ounces or more) takes 20 to 22 minutes on high pressure. Every size gets a 10-minute natural release.
- Pick similar sizes: Choose sweet potatoes that are close in size so they all finish together. If they vary, set the time for the biggest one.
- Don’t skip the water or trivet: The water creates the steam (and prevents a burn error), and the trivet keeps the potatoes out of the liquid so they don’t get soggy.
- Make ahead: Cook them 1 to 2 days before you need them and keep them in the fridge.
- Storage: Keep leftover sweet potatoes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4 to 5 days.
- Freezing: Wrap cooked sweet potatoes tightly and freeze for up to 3 months. The flesh gets softer and a little watery after thawing, so frozen ones are best for mashing, purées, or casseroles.
- Reheat: Warm them back up in the oven or the microwave.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
What to make with Instant Pot sweet potatoes
A plain sweet potato with butter is great, but a batch of cooked ones is a head start on SO many dinners. Split them open and pile on the filling for BBQ Chicken Stuffed Sweet Potatoes or Mexican Stuffed Sweet Potatoes.
Scoop out the insides for the CREAMIEST Mashed Sweet Potatoes, or blend them into a smooth Sweet Potato Purée for babies and baking.
They also make a quick topping for Sweet Potato Shepherd’s Pie. And come Thanksgiving, they’re a shortcut base for Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecans.
More sweet potato recipes
Can’t get enough sweet potatoes this time of year? Same, so here are a few more ways to get them on the table.
What a great idea! Trying this out tonight!
Thank you, Stephy!! Thanks so much for your comment and rating!
I use cinnamon butter spread, from Land of Lakes, on my sweet potatoes.
That sounds incredible, Susan!! Perfect for breakfast or dessert 🙂