Classic Pressure Cooker Mashed Potatoes

Fluffy, creamy, buttery classic pressure cooker mashed potatoes are the side dish you’ll reach for all week long. Preparing mashed potatoes in the pressure cooker is quicker than boiling a huge pot of water, and more hands-off so you can focus on other dishes for your meal. This recipe makes a big batch, perfect for holiday meals and gathering with family throughout the year.

Classic mashed potatoes don’t have any fancy mix-ins, but they are perfect for pairing with your favorite main dishes. With only five ingredients, including the salt and pepper, this mashed potato recipe will quickly become your go-to for that homemade nostalgic flavor.

Really great mashed potatoes deserve a delicious gravy. Try this recipe for Swedish Meatballs with Creamy Gravy for a delicious combination!

Ingredients

I include ingredient notes here when I think they’ll be helpful, including ways to source, any preparation tips, or why I've chosen a particular ingredient. Be sure to check out the recipe card below for the full list of ingredients and their quantities!

• Russet Potatoes - Russet potatoes (you might also see them labeled as Idaho potatoes in the US) have the perfect starchy makeup with a drier texture that makes for fluffy mashed potatoes.
• Salted Butter - This recipe was developed with salted butter. If you only have unsalted butter, add an additional ¼ teaspoon of salt.
• Milk - The recipe calls for 2% milk, but you can always increase the richness of the mashed potatoes by substituting whole milk, half and half, or even heavy cream.
• Kosher Salt and Pepper - Potatoes seem to soak up salt and other seasonings! If your mashed potatoes seem bland, more salt is probably needed. Kosher salt is what was used to develop the recipe. If you commonly use table salt, you may need to add less than what is called for in the recipe. Kosher salt crystals are larger, so less salt gets packed into a teaspoon measure.

Instructions

Rinse off the potatoes and peel them. Slice the potatoes into 1-inch disks.

Add one cup of water to the pressure cooker insert and then the potato disks on top of the water.

Lock the top of the pressure cooker and cook the potatoes for 11 minutes using manual high pressure. When the cooking time has elapsed, perform a quick release of the pressure. The potatoes should be tender and easily pierced with a fork.

Drain the potatoes using a strainer and let the potatoes sit for a few minutes to dry completely.

Add the milk, butter, salt, and pepper to the insert of the pressure cooker and replace the lid.

The residual heat from the cooker will melt the butter and warm the milk.

You can use a potato ricer for the smoothest texture in your mashed potatoes. Either rice the hot potatoes over a bowl or directly into the pot of melted butter and warm milk.

Alternatively, and this is our most common path, add the potatoes to the warmed milk and melted butter and mash them with a potato masher.

Stir the riced or mashed potatoes well to combine them with the milk and butter mixture. Taste for seasoning and adjust as needed.

Transfer the mashed potatoes to a serving dish and drizzle them with additional melted butter if desired. Serve immediately.

Equipment

Here are some of the kitchen tools that make preparing these pressure cooker mashed potatoes easy:

• Pressure Cooker - I use an Instant Pot brand pressure cooker, and love how many different ways I use a single appliance in a given week.  Besides perfectly fluffy mashed potatoes, stews and braises, rice, pasta, soups, and more can be cooked in the countertop appliance. The pressure cooker pictured in this post has a capacity of 6 quarts.
• Chef’s Knife - An 8- or 10-inch chef’s knife is an essential tool in any kitchen.  I use it for slicing up the potatoes and the wide blade makes this an easy step. I have some pretty expensive knives in my collection, but the one I’m reaching for most often right now is a plastic handled one from Gordon Food Service that is lightweight and fits comfortably in my hand.  It sharpens easily, too, which keeps it in constant use.
• Potato Masher - A heavy duty potato masher will make quick work of mashing potatoes or ripe bananas for banana bread. You can find wire ones like the one pictured in this recipe or flat disks with a grid for the potato pieces to work their way through. I will always prefer mashed potatoes over whipped potatoes, the risk of over-working the potato is smaller with a masher.

Serving Suggestions

Serve your pressure cooker mashed potatoes as a side dish to any grilled or roasted meats, braises, or as the base to a barbecue pork dinner bowl. There’s no better combination, though, than mashed potatoes with gravy!

Storage

You can store mashed potato leftovers for up to 5 days in a sealed container. Mashed potatoes tend to dry out in the refrigerator. Add milk or broth when reheating your potatoes on the stovetop or in the microwave for best texture.

Make-Ahead Options

Making your mashed potatoes ahead of time for a big holiday meal is a really great sanity saver. You can prepare the potatoes, transfer them to a baking dish, and cover it with foil before refrigerating. When you are ready to reheat mashed potatoes, preheat the oven to 350°F and drizzle them with butter. Keep the foil on to preserve moisture and heat them for 40-45 minutes for an almost hands-off side dish.