Mashed potatoes were one of my absolute favorite foods growing up. Donuts were a close second, but that’s another story! Creamy homemade mashed potatoes, perfectly seasoned, thinned a bit with whole milk and dripping with butter. I never realized just how much time my mom spent baking, mashing and seasoning the potatoes, and it makes me appreciate them even more. It also makes me appreciate Instant Pot potato recipes even more too!
Instant Pot Potato Recipes for White Potatoes
Potatoes actually hold the 4th place in the top 10 food staples worldwide. They’re an inexpensive, versatile and filling whole food that can be prepared in an endless number of ways.
From potato pancakes or Cheesy Hashbrown Casserole for breakfast to french fries or a potato bar for lunch. And then there’s Shepherds Pie and hundreds of hearty potato soup recipes for a delicious comfort food dinner. Many of these classics can now be made in a fraction of the time using Instant Pot potato recipes!
Here are a few of my favorites …
Instant Pot Baked Potatoes
Remember how you always had to wrap washed potatoes in aluminum foil and bake them for a good hour? Instant Pot Baked Potatoes only require 12 minutes of actual cook time! Even with the extra time it takes for the pot to come to pressure, that’s so much faster than the conventional oven baked method.
And you don’t have to wrap the potatoes in foil either. Just add a cup of water and your potatoes to the pot, set the timer and walk away to fix the rest of your meal or enjoy a little family time. That’s why it’s one of my favorite Instant Pot potato recipes!
Baked potatoes are a wonderful side for lots of dinners. Or make them the main course with toppings like Chili, Buffalo Chicken or Brie, Bacon, and Chicken Stuffed Baked Potatoes.
Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes
During busy Mama seasons, I actually resorted to instant mashed potatoes a time or two. They have their place and they weren’t completely terrible, but Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes are so quick and easy there’s really no reason to use the boxed variety.
Just look at that butter! Beyond the gloriously melted butter, Instant Pot mashed potatoes are one of my personal favorites because of their easy cleanup and the fact that it frees up oven and stovetop space for other recipes. And of course, I don’t have to watch a pot of boiling potatoes to make sure it doesn’t boil over, leaving one more mess to clean up.
Instant Pot Potato Recipes for Sweet Potatoes
There has been some debate as to which is healthier – the white potato or the sweet potato. The answer to that question really depends on your own health goals.
White potatoes contain more protein and fiber and less fat and sugar than their sweet potato counterpart. At the same time, sweet potatoes boast fewer carbs and calories and more vitamin A and vitamin C. I figure it’s best to just play it safe and include both in our family dinners!
As a child, I thought sweet potatoes were reserved for Thanksgiving dinner. Who could resist the dessert-like quality of sweet potato casserole with the crumbly cinnamon brown sugar and pecan topping? As an adult, I’ve learned that they’re just as versatile as white potatoes, especially with all the Instant Pot potato recipes.
Instant Pot Baked Sweet Potatoes
It used to be that people reserved sweet potatoes for the Thanksgiving table. But in recent years, the flavor and health benefits of sweet potatoes have made them quite popular year-round. Instant Pot Sweet Potatoes cut the extra long cook time down dramatically, making them a weeknight dinner staple.
Our family favorites include Sweet Potatoes with Chicken Apple Sausage and Apples, Pulled Pork over the top of baked sweet potatoes, or just baked as a side with butter and a generous sprinkle of cinnamon. However you prefer them, sweet potatoes are sure to be one of your favorite Instant Pot potato recipes.
Here’s the amazing thing about using the Instant Pot to bake these – it’s only a 20 minute cook time for 8 potatoes! Granted it will still take some time for your pot to come to pressure, but it still beats the 90 minutes that I used to allow for baking sweet potatoes. That makes them a realistic dinner option at the end of a long day.
Instant Pot Mashed Sweet Potatoes
If you’re a fan of mashed potatoes, then you’ll definitely enjoy mashed sweet potatoes. And if you’re a fan of spending more time enjoying your family around the table than cooking dinner, then you’re really going to love Instant Pot Mashed Sweet Potatoes!
I really like them as a side for fish, but they work with any cut of meat. Just buttered with a little salt and cinnamon is delicious.
If you’re feeling adventurous you can add all kinds of things -crumbled bacon, cinnamon and a dash of garlic powder, cloves or allspice, or the cinnamon sugared pecans for the classic Thanksgiving day flavor.
Instant Pot Potato Recipes
It really is amazing that so many of these classic recipes can now be prepared in a fraction of the time thanks to the convenience of an Instant Pot.
If you’re looking to get the most out of your Instant Pot, and who isn’t?, then check out my free Instant Pot School. It comes with downloadable recipes, an Instant Pot meal plan and color-coded grocery list, and several other perks that you definitely don’t want to miss!
And tell me – what’s your favorite potato recipe? Have you tried them in the Instant Pot yet?
Potatoes actually hold the 4th place in the top 10 food staples worldwide. And then there’s Shepherds Pie and hundreds of hearty potato soup recipes for a delicious comfort food dinner.