Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes

Michelin-Star Inspiration

Visiting a Michelin 3-Star Restaurant was definitely one of our dreams come true. As recipe developers, it was an eye-opening experience to taste and learn from the best of the best. Their passion and ability to balance the complex combination of flavors and textures were incredible.

But Michelin-star quality dishes don’t mean they must be complex or made with a long list of rare ingredients and special equipment.

Mashed Potatoes

Not all mashed potatoes are the same!

So when we began to draft our Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes recipe, we drew inspiration from the late chef Joël Robuchon’s legendary puréed potatoes. His silky buttery mashed potatoes are made of only four simple humble ingredients: Potatoes, Butter, Milk, and Salt.

So don’t judge this mashed potatoes Instant Pot recipe by how easy and short is the ingredients list!

This Michelin-star inspired mashed potatoes are creamy smooth, fluffy, and packed with rich buttery flavors. Not dense, dry, lumpy, bland, soggy, or gluey.

Plus, making mashed potatoes in Instant Pot means you don’t need to watch the stove! And with our tested cook times and method, you don’t have to worry about overcooked soggy potatoes or undercooked hard potatoes.

Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes Experiment

We tested which potato is best for mashing and which mashing tool yields best mashed potatoes with a more satisfying mouthfeel.

Best Potatoes for Mashing – Russet Potatoes vs. Yukon Gold Potatoes

Test #1 – Russet Mashed Potatoes: Fluffy, light, creamy smooth texture; less earthy potato flavors but fluffier texture compared to Test #2.

Test #2 – Yukon Gold Mashed Potatoes: Less starchy more sticky, deeper/more intense earthy potato flavors than Test #1. These mashed potatoes are more creamy like a smooth potato puree. It’s more silky smooth than Test #1 and Test #3, but not as light & fluffy as Test #1 and Test #3.

Test #3 – 25% Yukon Gold and 75% Russet Mashed Potatoes: Deeper potato flavors than using 100% Russet potatoes (Test #1), fluffier and lighter than using 100% Yukon Gold potatoes (Test #2).

Conclusion: It’s a matter of personal preference and what potatoes you have on hand. We like Test #3 the most because it got the best of both worlds. Fluffy creamy smooth texture with some weight (not like a silky puree) and deeper richer earthy potato flavors.

Which Mashing Method is Best – Food Mill vs. Potato Masher

Which tool is better for mashing potatoes? How big of a difference would they make? 

We had a fun mashed potatoes Instant Pot experiment with the Food Mill and Potato Masher.

Experiment Results:

Food Mill (left): makes almost airy, silky smooth, lump-free mashed potatoes. It’s lighter, fluffier, and creamier than the one mashed with Potato Masher.

Potato Masher (right): makes creamy chunkier mashed potatoes with more texture. This tool is easier to use, clean, and store compared to the Food Mill.

Conclusion: It’s a matter of personal preference which texture and tool are better. For this mashed potatoes Instant Pot recipe, we prefer the texture that was mashed with the Food Mill. You can also use a potato ricer if that’s what you have on hand.

How to Make Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes

Prepare the ingredients for making mashed potatoes in Instant Pot:

Potatoes

Not all potatoes are created equal! Based on our Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes Test Kitchen experiment, if you want fluffy mashed potatoes, use starchy potatoes like Russet potatoes. If you want deeper earthy potato flavors, use Yukon Gold potatoes. Or if you’re like us, we like the mashed potatoes made with a combination of Russet potatoes and Yukon Gold Potatoes the most.

Substitute with Red Potatoes: They’re less starchy, so it’s best to use Russets or Yukon Gold potatoes for this mashed potatoes Instant Pot recipe.

Unsalted Butter

We tested different “Butter to Mashed Potatoes” ratios to find the best mashed potatoes. For special occasions or serving a crowd, we strongly recommend using ¾ lb (341g) to 1 lb (454g) unsalted butter.

Substitute with Salted Butter: We develop recipes with unsalted butter so we can better control the flavors and adjust the saltiness to our tastes. If you’re substituting with salted butter, the mashed potatoes may turn out too salty depending on your butter’s sodium level.

Whole Milk

The whole milk helps the pressure cooker mashed potatoes achieve a rich creamy silky smooth texture. 

Substitute with 2% Milk: You can substitute it with 2% milk, it’ll come out slightly less creamy.

Substitute with Heavy Cream: You can substitute it with heavy cream, but make sure to adjust the amount according to how rich you want your mashed potatoes.

Tools for Mashed Potatoes Instant Pot Recipe

• Instant Pot Pressure Cooker (6qt)
• Trivet or Steamer Rack
• Large bowl
• Potato Masher, Food Mill, or Potato Ricer
• Silicone Spatula

Note: You can also make these pressure cooker mashed potatoes in Ninja Foodi Pressure Cooker.

Prepare Potatoes

First, bring unsalted butter to room temperature by placing it on the counter 2 hours before cooking.

After peeling and washing the potatoes, cut them into quarters.

Pressure Cook Potatoes

Place 1 cup (250ml) of cold tap water and a steamer rack in Instant Pot.

Then, place the quartered potatoes on the steamer rack.

With Venting Knob in Venting Position, close the lid, then turn Venting Knob to Sealing Position.

Pressure Cooking Method: Pressure Cook at High Pressure for 8 minutes, then Quick Release.

• Quick Release: When pressure cooking ends, immediately turn the Venting Knob to Venting Position to release all the pressure.

Heat Milk & Cut Butter

Once the Instant Pot gets up to pressure, heat milk over medium-low heat on the stove.

When the milk reaches a simmer, turn off the heat.

Then, cut the “room temperature unsalted butter” into cubes.

Mash Potatoes in Instant Pot

Open the lid carefully.

Let the Instant Pot stay in the “Keep Warm Mode“.

Then, transfer the potatoes in Instant Pot to a large bowl.

Discard the water and remove the steamer rack from the inner pot.

Rinse and dry the inner pot really well with a towel, then place the inner pot back in the Instant Pot.

Potato Masher Instructions: If you’re using a potato masher, transfer the potatoes back into the inner pot, then mash the potatoes in Instant Pot.

Food Mill Instructions: If you’re using a food mill, layer the food mill on the inner pot. Then, mash the potatoes into the inner pot (as shown in the photo below).

Give the mashed potatoes a few quick stirs with a silicone spatula.

Melt Butter & Add Milk

Switch your Instant Pot to “Slow Cook Less Mode“.

Add in half of the “room temperature unsalted butter” and melt it into the potatoes by stirring gently with a silicone spatula. Add in the remaining unsalted butter, then repeat this step.

Then, change the Instant Pot to “Keep Warm Mode“.

Pour hot milk on the mashed potatoes, then gently stir it in. Allow the potatoes to absorb the milk.

Season mashed potatoes in Instant Pot with kosher salt, then taste to adjust until your desired saltiness.

Serve Mashed Potatoes

Finally, serve these Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes immediately as a main side dish. 😛

What Goes Well with Mashed Potatoes

Mashed Potatoes are a popular versatile side dish that goes well with many main and side dishes. It’s great to serve it for many occasions. From weeknight dinners, parties, potlucks, holiday meals, BBQ, and more.

Here are some tasty recipes that go well with mashed potatoes:

Main dishes like Instant Pot Pot Roast, Instant Pot Roast Beef, Instant Pot Beef Stew, Instant Pot Short Ribs, Instant Pot Whole Chicken, Instant Pot Pork Chops, and Instant Pot Pork Loin.

For a traditional Thanksgiving, Easter, or Christmas dinner, you can serve these Michelin-Star Inspired Mashed Potatoes with Instant Pot Turkey Breast, Instant Pot Ham, Instant Pot Lamb Shank, Instant Pot Green Beans, Instant Pot Cranberry Sauce, gravy, dinner rolls, stuffing, and corn.

If you’re looking for mashed potatoes alternatives, you can also make Instant Pot Sweet Potatoes or Instant Pot Mashed Sweet Potatoes for your guests to enjoy.

Enjoy Michelin-Star Inspired Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes!

Other Instant Pot Potatoes Recipes

• Instant Pot Baked Potatoes
• Instant Pot Roasted Potatoes
• Instant Pot Potato Soup
• Instant Pot Potato Salad