Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes (no-drain)

For an easy, versatile side dish, try this recipe for Instant Pot mashed potatoes! It’s very quick and very simple to make (you don’t even need to drain the potatoes!), and the results are absolutely delicious. Once you try making mashed potatoes in your Instant Pot, you’ll never go back to the old way again!

Why you’ll love this recipe

When it comes to holiday side dishes, mashed potatoes are a classic. But making them can be time-consuming, especially if you’re doing it all from scratch.

This year, save yourself some time by using an Instant Pot to make your mashed potatoes. Instant Pot mashed potatoes are creamy and delicious, and they’ll free up your stovetop for other dishes.

Plus, they’ll be ready in a fraction of the time it would take to make them the traditional way.

Scroll down for the printable card for this Instant Pot mashed potato recipe, or read on for all the details!

What do you need?

Potatoes

Choose a floury, all-purpose type of potato for fluffy mashed potato. Russet potatoes, Maris piper, Sebago, red potatoes, or Yukon Gold potatoes are all ideal.

Water

You just need a small amount of water for this recipe. Because it is a no drain recipe, we need to use the smallest amount of water possible to cook the potatoes.

Salt

Salt helps to season them while they are cooking and speeds up the cooking process.

Butter and milk (or heavy cream)

You need a little of something creamy to offset the starch of the potatoes and stop them from being dry. This recipe uses butter and milk, but you could substitute heavy cream.

Other flavors you can add to mashed potatoes

• Garlic: add one of two cloves of minced garlic, or ¼ teaspoon of garlic powder.
• Cream cheese or sour cream to add a more tangy flavor. Goes really well with a sprinkling of chives or sliced green onions.
• Make cheesy mash by adding ½ cup of shredded cheddar. Try adding some bacon bits and ground black pepper for and extra tasty version!

How to make the mashed potatoes in the Instant Pot

It’s a very simple recipe, but there are a few specific steps and tips to get it just right:

1. Cut potato into equal-sized pieces around 2-inches across.
2. Place the potatoes in the Instant Pot bowl with the water and salt.

3. Pressure cook on HIGH for 8 minutes. The potatoes should be very, very soft when they have finished cooking.

4. No need to drain the potatoes, add the butter and milk (or cream) and mash with a potato masher until creamy and fluffy. You can use a stick blender or a hand mixer for extra creamy mashed potato, but be careful not to over-do the mashing as it can make the potatoes heavy and gluey.
5. Instant Pot mashed potato will keep warm for a while in the Instant Pot. Put the lid back on, but leave it switched off.

Serving ideas

So my favorite way to serve this mashed potato is as a side to just about anything, and completely slathered in this amazing gravy (made from stock).

But, one of the great things about mashed potato as a side dish is that you can get creative by adding new ingredients to make it your own. Here are some fun ideas to try:

• Top with butter and sprinkle with fresh chives
• Add ¼ cup of grated Parmesan cheese and stir through
• Stir through some goat cheese

Serve it alongside your favorite air fryer steak, slow cooker pulled pork, or roast chicken.

>> Related article: What Goes with Mashed Potatoes?

Storage and reheating

If you have any leftover mashed potatoes, store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator and use within three days. You can also freeze it for up to two months.

Reheating in the microwave for around 2-3 minutes on high until piping hot. Stir it and microwave for an extra minute or two if needed.