Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes
This post may contain affiliate links. Please see our privacy policy for details.
Oh-so-creamy buttermilk Ranch mashed potatoes! It does not get any easier or quicker than this. One pot, 10 min. MIND BLOWN.
Mashed potatoes. One of the most quintessential Thanksgiving side dishes.
Some people like them whipped with peas and onions, some people like them with lumps, and some people like them in the form of tots. But then again, this is just based on Phoebe, Ross and Joey.
No, but really, we all have a different preference on how we want our mashed potatoes, and it’s very hard to please everyone. Except these mashed potatoes will truly please EVERYONE.
For starters, it’s made in the IP, pressure cooked in just 10 min. 10 WHOLE MINUTES. That is it. (No cold water needed here – the cold water that takes 20 long minutes to come to a rolling boil!)
Once your potatoes are perfectly softened, you can add all your fix-ins: milk, sour cream, Ranch Seasoning and all the butter your heart desires.
The end result: perfectly creamy, fluffy and rich. Serve with additional melted butter on top (because why not) and chopped chives.
Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes
Ingredients
- ¾ cup water
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 3 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and quartered
- ½ cup buttermilk
- ¼ cup whole milk
- ½ cup sour cream
- 1 1-ounce package Ranch Seasoning and Salad Dressing Mix
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cubed
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
Instructions
- Add water and 1 teaspoon salt to a 6-qt Instant Pot®. Place metal trivet into the pot. Gently add potatoes on top of the trivet.
- Select manual setting; adjust pressure to high, and set time for 10 minutes. When finished cooking, quick-release pressure according to manufacturer’s directions.
- Remove potatoes and trivet from the Instant Pot® and drain excess liquid before returning the potatoes to the pot. Stir in buttermilk, milk, sour cream, Ranch Seasoning and Salad Dressing Mix and butter.
- Using a potato masher, mash potatoes until smooth. If the mixture is too thick, add more milk as needed until desired consistency is reached. Stir in chives; season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Serve immediately.
Did you make this recipe?
Tag @damn_delicious on Instagram and hashtag it #damndelicious!
Good morning!
Thank you for all the wonderfully delicious recipes. I make your Instapot Mashed Potatoes for Thanksgiving and they are always a hit. I am looking at making my Thanksgiving prep easier and was wondering if you know if these potatoes freeze well and how to reheat on the big day?
I absolutely love all of your recipes your site is always my go to and everything always comes out amazing. A quick question though what about using the basket that it comes with for my air fryer? As I’m pretty sure all the potatoes will fall off the trivet
I was looking for a basic recipe on how to cook potatoes in an instant pot for mashed potatoes. Many of the recipes I found required 4-5 cups of water, covering the spuds in order to cook them. This one was perfect, requiring just under a cup. The potatoes were perfectly done and not over cooked to mush so it was easy to remove the potatoes carefully out of the pot.
These look awesome for Thanksgiving. If I make them the night before, how would you suggest I hear them?
These are SO good! My family devoured them and is already asking when I can make more! I skipped the sour cream because I was out and they were still so delicious!
Great recipe. Made it quickly for a BBQ side dish. Everyone loved it. Rich and creamy! Went amazingly with the BBQ steak we had. Thank you.
Personal preference only…I really did t like the addition of the ranch dressing mix. I made a second batch without it and loved it. Next time, I plan to play around with some different mixes or just add some cheese.
Question, if I triple this recipe, do I triple the water a f cooking time?
Fantastic and easy for my first try at mashed potatoes. Im in charge of them for Thanksgiving. Can I double this recipe?
Not a review, just a question – can this be doubled in the same size IP?
I have 6 qt IP. Max is 5 lbs potatoes.
This is a dreamy recipe for mashed potatoes. The buttermilk creates a luxuriously smooth texture and rich flavor that leaves any baked potato behind in the dust. The inclusion of the dressing mix makes this an easy recipe to put together. I used onion soup mix for my potatoes rather than the Ranch dressing mix, as I am not a fan of Ranch dressing. I will definitely be making these again!
Thanks for the idea! I know my boyfriend doesn’t like ranch either. I think I’ll do the same.
I always have to look this up when I am making potato’s! I make them allot and use your cooking times at the very least if I don’t have everything handy. Thank you! I also use a few other recipes of yours!
Draining the liquid is a wasted step IMO. Leave the trivet in the drawer. A little hot starchy water blends right in.
My Marine son was coming home to visit and I asked him what he wanted to eat. Homemade mashed potatoes topped his list. I decided to use my Instant Pot that I received as a gift.
“Mom, these are the best mashed potatoes you have ever made” was his verdict! USMC approved! Thank you, thank you, thank you.
Tried the recipe today, exactly as given here. The potatoes turned out light and fluffy, cooked perfectly and they blended just right with the other ingredients to form a good consistency for the mash. Unfortunately, the Ranch dressing was absolutely overpowering, so it was inedible due to the taste. We used standard grocery store Ranch mix, called exactly as it was in the ingredient list, 1 oz. I will likely try this recipe again but omit the ranch entirely.
Thanks for saying this! I am not a fan of Ranch Dressing mixes (dislike the processed ingredients & the flavor) — so I will likely make this same recipe omitting the ranch mix.
These came out amazing and so easy to make! I’ve never made mashed potatoes before, but this is gonna be the only way I make them. I might just have a bowl of this as my dinner.
These came out great. I didn’t add in whole milk because I didn’t have any. These were the most light mashed potatoes I’ve ever made.
The best and easiest mashed potatoes ever! Will never make them another way again! Thank you!!
Instead of water, I use stock, and then mix the liquid into the mashies, instead of draining. I also use several sprigs of fresh rosemary.
If you didnt follow the recipe as written, you should not leave a rating. I hate it when people dock stars from recipes that they modified. Go post your own recipe somewhere and rate it there. Otherwise rate the recipe given. If you did try the recipe as written, and you are just offering a variation that you tried that improved the recipe, then write about this recipe first and why you gave it 4 stars and then offer your 2 cents on your variation after.
Cooking is about giving guidelines. It is not always an exact practice or measure. Without creativity there would never be new dishes and culinary discovery. What if someone wanted to try this instant pot mashed potato recipe with stock? With her review they can gauge a 4/5 star rating. Stop being such a snobby poor critic.
My go-to mashed potato recipe, and it’s so easy! I only add about half of the ranch & add in some salt and pepper
Easiest potatoes EVER! Going to make this every time!
Made this for Friendsgiving and now making it for Thanksgiving because it was such a hit!
Can I use golden or red potatoes instead of russet? If so, do I need to change the cooking time at all?
Could you use yellow potatoes instead of russet potatoes?
Absolutely!
Yellow actually tastes much better!
If I need to double the recipe do I literally double the whole recipe?? Also do I need to chance the cooking time???
Thanks
No instant pot say use at least 1 cup of water to achieve pressure. I usually use 1 1/2 cups and do not change the cooking time. Works fine.
This was hands down the best mashed potatoes I have ever eaten. I enjoyed them very much and I only added 4 TBS of butter instead of 6. Thank you so much for your time and devotion to sharing such wonderful recipes.
Thank you so much, Dale!
Will be making these this weekend! For Thanksgiving is it okay to make them a day ahead? Any recommendations if they’re going to be reheated?
Donna, mashed potatoes can be made almost completely ahead. Reheat right before serving, adding butter at the last minute. 🙂
I tried this recipe tonight in my instant pot and my potatoes came out gluey instead of fluffy. Do you know what causes that?
Gluey potatoes typically means overworked potatoes.
When potatoes are mashed, starch is released. The more you work the potatoes, the more starch gets released. When too much starch gets released, the potatoes become gummy, gluey, and unappetizing. 🙁
We have an IP but it did not come with a trivet. Or if it did, the trivet was thrown out by mistake. We definitely want to make your mashed potato recipe but can we do it without the trivet?
The metal trivet is required to prevent the potatoes from burning. We recommend using one for the best results possible.
You can use a steamer basket if you can’t locate a trivet
two questions:
1)I’m eager to try this on my family first before debuting for the Tgiving crowd. How would you adjust downward for four people? (Not sure about the InstantPot factor , for example, re water to potato ratio )
2)I need to cut back some of the dairy for one person; which ingredients above would you reduce or cut entirely and yet still retain that inimitable creamy, delicious mashed potato essence?
I usually use the leftover liquid, I reserve it, and use it instead of milk.
This looks really good and I just bought and Instant Pot. I want to try this, but am nervous about putting a metal trivet in the Instant Pot. Is this absolutely necessary? What if I don’t have one?
Don’t be nervous, Vicky! It’ll be so great! 🙂
The metal trivet is required to prevent the potatoes from burning. We recommend using one for the best results possible.
I used my trivet but my potatoes fell off trivet and my instant pot said burning food. I think I might have cut my Potatoes to small. Any ideas would help. I put 3/4 cup of water in it but it was bone dry when I opened the lid.
But how long does it take to come up to pressure?
It should take about 10-15 minutes to come to pressure.
Hi there. I appreciate the instant pot popularity but I have no desire to own another appliance so I wonder if you would add a slow cooker option to your instant pot recipes. I would love to try these potatoes but I am not sure how long to cook and how to tweak the liquid (if at all). Thank you so much!
Hi Elizabeth! We have a few recipes for mashed potatoes that do not require an Instant Pot. 🙂
https://damndelicious.net/2017/11/17/slow-cooker-cauliflower-mashed-potatoes/
https://damndelicious.net/2015/11/12/garlic-ranch-mashed-potatoes/
https://damndelicious.net/2014/11/14/slow-cooker-garlic-mashed-potatoes/
We hope you get to give these a try! Have a great holiday season! 🙂
This will be perfect for Thanksgiving w/out tying up burners! Thanks for the recipe!