Sometimes a girl thinks she is onto something when she learns to make Mashed Potatoes in the Instant Pot. Then her friend Leesa is like, “Girl, you have to try it my way instead.” And then you try making Mashed Potatoes Leesa’s way and you fall down dead.
How is it that the best foods we all love can actually taste even better when we tweak a few ingredients and methods? Can it be that these Mashed Potatoes take so little effort to make? And is it actually possible that making Mashed Potatoes in the way I am about to describe actually adds more nutrients to this delicious dish?
Yes. So these potatoes are better tasting AND better for us, all without any extra work. Hoorah!
The BEST Mashed Potatoes in the Instant Pot
What takes these great Mashed Potatoes in the Instant Pot from good to BEST? Chicken broth. Indeed, instead of simply cooking our potatoes in water, then draining and adding milk and butter later – we are going to cook the potatoes in chicken broth and milk. No draining needed! The nutrients and flavor absorb into the potatoes, we mash them and add butter and salt, then voila. Amazing Mashed Potatoes in the Instant Pot!
NOTE: Never fear the fat! These are full of good fats, so let’s emphasize the GOOD in that sentence. Broth, real butter, and whole milk are all good, nourishing foods. Our brains need good fats for good health. So give a cheer for mashed potatoes that taste amazing and offer great nourishment too!
Don’t have an Instant Pot?
Make these in the Crock Pot instead! Cook on low for 8-10 hours or hi for 5 hours. Mash, add butter and salt, and serve!
Wait. You don’t have an Instant Pot?
I was with you for years, putting it off forever, not wanting to jump on the Instant Pot bandwagon. Then so many worked to convince me that I finally jumped. I’ve found that investing in this lovely appliance truly has saved me time and energy in my real food kitchen.
I LOVE my 8-Quart Instant Pot (because I always make large amounts of food). Some prefer the 6-Quart Instant Pot because it comes to pressure faster.
Beyond the mashed potato, my favorite way to use my Instant Pot is to cook 5-7 pounds of frozen hamburger meat in 30 minutes. For real!
And now for my friend Leesa’s wonderful Mashed Potato recipe and instructions!
The BEST Mashed Potatoes in the Instant Pot
- 5 pounds Yukon gold potatoes
- 1 cup chicken or beef broth
- 1 cup whole milk
- Butter to taste (I use one stick)
- Sea salt to taste
- Wash and quarter potatoes.
- Put them onto the trivet inside your instant pot along with the chicken broth and milk.
- Seal and cook at high pressure for 10 minutes.
- Quick release the pressure.
- Don't drain the liquid!
- Add butter and salt to your liking (the more butter the better, I always say!)
- Mash with a potato masher and serve!

These Mashed Potatoes are a must try! Let me know what you think!
I love making potatoes in the instant pot, except for draining! So I’m looking forward to trying this for sure. Do you suppose we really need the trivet, especially since we are mashing them? I don’t love fishing it out. I also grease the inside of my pot, I find it washes up easier that way.
I often question the use of a trivet for this too!!! But I’m afraid to test it so I keep fishing it out, time after time… ;)
I’ve heard a lot about Instant Pots and they sound great but after reading reviews on Amazon about pots not lasting long and the folks not getting their money back… I’m scared to try! Have you or your friends ever had any issues with your Instant Pots?
Mine has been nothing but wonderful!
Excited to try this! Yay!
How long would you say it took in the instant pot to come too pressure? Want for a reference so I know what time to put them in on Thanksgiving Day.
10 minutes maybe?
Wow! I’m eager to try this. I’m having 18 people over so I’m not sure if my 6 quart instant pot or 6 qt crockpot will be big enough for the 10 lbs I plan to make. In the past I’ve done your “get the family to peel potatoes the night before and put in pot of water on stove.” It has worked beautifully! I can’t remember when to use which kind of potato. I see that instant pot is nice to use the yukon gold. But will they be ok if i peel the YG and put in instant pot or will they be mushy? I don’t mind peels, but for Thanksgiving my kids really all love it best when the potatoes are light and fluffy without peelings. Not sure which way to go this time and which potatoes work best for peeling in the stove cook method…Thanks for any advice…
I still think YG are the way to go for this, peeled or no!
I made this recipe for Thanksgiving dinner. While they tasted great, texture and consistency was not good. I weighed out 5 pounds of partially peeled Yukon Gold potatoes. And added 1 cup each of milk and chicken stock. Cooked on high pressure 10 minutes, quick release, add 1 stick butter, mashed. For some reason they were very sticky and almost runny.