Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes

As avid foodies, visiting a 3 Michelin Star restaurant has always been our dream. A bucket list item yearning to be ticked off.

We’re still in disbelief that our dream came true in our recent trip to New York.

It was a crazy experience from the moment I got through the phone at 5am (after a long wait) making the reservation! We’ve since been planning, dreaming, and counting down to this day…

Definitely a life-changing experience.

The food was truly mind-blowing!! They made our tastebuds scream in awe.

There were moments when we just looked at each other amazed, wanting to scream WOW!! But reminded each other it’s probably inappropriate to do so. hehe~

Oh man! Their ability to balance the complex combination of flavors and mouthfeel was simply stunning.

Dungeness Crab Cake

As recipe developers, this was a once-in-a-lifetime, eye-opening experience.

As we were still savoring our dream moment, we were invited to go behind the scene for a private kitchen tour!

Can you imagine the thrill & excitement plus huge smiles on our faces?!!!

We love absorbing new inspirations as we’re always striving to be better. So, it was simply an honor to experience and learn from the best of the best as we continue to improve our craft.

I must confess I’m obsessed with all things potatoes. <3

So, we’re a little crazy on testing & tasting, always looking for ways to make better mashed potatoes.

After a spoonful of this Michelin-Star Inspired Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes, we instantly fell in love.

I know you will too… 😉

How can something SO simple tastes THIS good?!!

From now on, this is how we’ll serve our mashed potatoes. 😀

Cooking Tips for Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes 

1. Choose the Right Potatoes

Not all potatoes are created equal. If you want fluffy mashed potatoes, stick with starchy potatoes like Russets or Yukon Golds. We used Russet potatoes for this recipe.

2. Use Steamer Rack

Placing the quartered potatoes on the steamer rack rather than directly in the inner pot will further failproof the pressure cooking process.

3. Food Mill vs. Potato Masher

Which tool is better for mashing potatoes is a matter of personal preference. They each produce a different texture of mashed potatoes (read more below). But for this recipe, we prefer to use the Food Mill.

Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes Mini Experiment

Left: Food Mill; Right: Potato Masher

We had a fun little mashed potatoes experiment with these tools – Food Mill & Potato Masher.

Which tool is better for mashing potatoes? How big of a difference would they make? 

Here are the results:

Left: mashed with Food Mill; Right: mashed with Potato Masher

Food Mill (left): makes almost airy, silky smooth, lump-free mashed potatoes. It’s definitely lighter, fluffier, and creamier than the one mashed with Potato Masher.

Potato Masher (right): makes creamy chunkier mashed potatoes with more texture. The tool is actually easier to use, clean & store compare to the Food Mill.

Conclusion

It’s a matter of personal preference which texture & tool is better. However, for this particular recipe, we prefer to use the Food Mill.

Ingredients for Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes

• 4 pounds (1816g) russet potatoes, peeled & quartered
• 1 cup (250ml) cold water
• ¼ cup (57g) – 1 pound (454g) unsalted butter, room temperature
• ½ cup (125ml) whole milk, hot
• Kosher salt to taste

Tools for Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes

• Instant Pot Electric Pressure Cooker
• Trivet or Steamer Rack
• Large Serving Bowl
• Food Mill or Potato Masher
• Silicone Spatula

How to Make Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes

Prepare Potatoes

4 pounds (1816g) russet potatoes, peeled & quartered
¼ cup (57g) – 1 pound (454g) unsalted butter, room temperature

Bring unsalted butter to room temperature by placing it on counter 2 hours prior to cooking.

After peeling and washing the potatoes, cut them into quarters.

Pressure Cook Potatoes

1 cup (250ml) cold water
Quartered potatoes, from above

Place 1 cup (250ml) of cold water and a steamer rack in Instant Pot Pressure Cooker.

Place quartered potatoes on the steamer rack.

*Pro Tip: placing quartered potatoes on the steamer rack rather than directly in the inner pot further failproof the pressure cooking process.

Close lid and pressure cook at

• Pressure Cooking Method: High Pressure for 8 minutes, then Quick Release.

Heat Milk & Cut Butter

½ cup (125ml) whole milk, hot
Room temperature unsalted butter, from above

Once Instant Pot gets up to pressure, heat milk over medium low heat on the stove.

Once the milk has reached simmer, turn off the heat.

Cut room temperature unsalted butter into cubes.

Mash Potatoes

Open the lid carefully.

Let the Instant Pot stay in Keep Warm Mode.

Transfer the potatoes to a large serving bowl.

Discard the water and remove the steamer rack from inner pot.

Rinse and dry the inner pot really well with a towel. Place inner pot back in the Instant Pot.

If you are using a food mill, layer the food mill on the inner pot and mash the potatoes back into the inner pot (as shown in photo below).

If you are using a potato masher, transfer the potatoes back in the inner pot and mash the potatoes.

Give the mashed potatoes a few quick stir with a silicone spatula.

Melt Butter & Add Milk

Cubed room temperature unsalted butter, from above
Hot milk, from above
Kosher salt to taste

*Pro Tip: If it is for special occasions, we strongly recommend using ¾ lb (341g) – 1 lb (454g) unsalted butter. It simply tastes super amazing!

Switch Instant Pot to Slow Cook Less Mode.

Add half of the room temperature unsalted butter and melt it into the potatoes by stirring gently with a silicone spatula. Add in remaining unsalted butter and repeat this step.

Change Instant Pot to Keep Warm Mode.

Pour hot milk onto the mashed potatoes and gently stir it in. Allow the potatoes to absorb the milk.

Season with Kosher salt and taste to adjust until desired saltiness.

*Reference: We used approx 4 pinches of coarse kosher salt.

Check out this creamy, buttery smooth, fluffy mashed potatoes!!

Serve Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes

Serve immediately as a main side dish. 😛

*Pro Tip: It can stay in the Keep Warm Mode for roughly an hour. If the butter starts to separate from the mashed potatoes after an hour, gently stir it back together with a silicone spatula.

We simply couldn’t stop eating this Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes!!
Be prepared to be addicted😉

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Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes

Course: Brunch, Dinner, Lunch, Party Food, Side Dish, Super Easy, Vegetables

Cuisine: American, British, European

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 35 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

Servings: 10 people

Author: Amy + Jacky

How to make Michelin-Star Inspired Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes Recipe: super easy homemade classic mashed potatoes with 4 simple ingredients. Creamy smooth, fluffy, buttery rich mashed potatoes take your tastebuds to heaven.

Ingredients

• 4 pounds (1816g) russet potatoes , peeled & quartered
• 1 cup (250ml) cold water
• ¼ cup (57g) - 1 pound (454g) unsalted butter , room temperature
• ½ cup (125ml) whole milk , hot
• Kosher salt to taste

Instructions

1. Prepare Potatoes: Bring unsalted butter to room temperature by placing it on counter 2 hours prior to cooking. After peeling and washing the potatoes, cut them into quarters.
2. Pressure Cook Potatoes: Place 1 cup (250ml) of cold water and a steamer rack in Instant Pot Pressure Cooker. Place quartered potatoes on the steamer rack. Close lid and pressure cook at High Pressure for 8 minutes, then Quick Release.
3. Heat Milk & Cut Butter: When Instant Pot has got up to pressure, heat milk over medium low heat on the stove. Once the milk has reached simmer, turn off the heat. Then, cut room temperature unsalted butter into cubes.
4. Mash Potatoes: Open the lid carefully. Let the Instant Pot stay in Keep Warm Mode.

   
   

   Transfer the potatoes to a large serving bowl. Discard the water and remove the steamer rack from inner pot. Rinse and dry the inner pot really well with a towel. Place inner pot back in the Instant Pot. 

   
   

   If you are using a food mill, layer the food mill on the inner pot and mash the potatoes back into the inner pot. We used a food mill, but if you are using a potato masher, transfer the potatoes back in the inner pot and mash the potatoes.
   

   
   

   Give the mashed potatoes a few quick stir with a silicone spatula.
   

5. Melt Butter & Add Milk: If it is for special occasions, we strongly recommend using ¾ lb (341g) - 1 lb (454g) unsalted butter. It tasted super amazing.

   
   

   Switch Instant Pot to Slow Cook Less Mode. 

   
   

   Add half of the room temperature unsalted butter and melt it into the potatoes by stirring gently with a silicone spatula. Add in remaining unsalted butter and repeat this step.
   

   
   

   Change Instant Pot to Keep Warm Mode.
   

   
   

   Pour hot milk on the mashed potatoes and gently stir it in. Allow the potatoes to absorb the milk. 

   
   

   Season with Kosher salt and taste to adjust until desired saltiness. We used approx 4 pinches of coarse kosher salt.
   

6. Serve: Serve immediately as a side dish. 

   
   

   *Pro Tip: It can stay in the Keep Warm Mode for roughly an hour. If the butter starts to separate from the mashed potatoes after an hour, gently stir it back together with a silicone spatula.

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