Instant Pot mashed sweet potatoes are a vibrant and flavorful twist on traditional mashed potatoes. The pressure cooker effortlessly softens the dense sweet potatoes, making them easy to mash into a smooth, creamy side dish.
If you can’t get enough of these orange tubers, try my other delicious recipes for roasted sweet potatoes, baked sweet potatoes, and stovetop mashed sweet potatoes.
Recipe Science
- Cut them into 1-inch pieces for quick and even cooking. Anything smaller will cause them to crumble apart too easily.
- High-pressure cooking at 13 psi cooks the cubed sweet potatoes with enclosed steam in just 10 minutes.
- Mash the sweet potatoes with butter to coat the starches. This helps maintain a creamy texture without turning them gluey.
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Featured Comment 27
“I made sweet potatoes this way for Thanksgiving, and everyone who went for seconds took more sweet potatoes. Thank you, Jessica! I have had my instant pot for 5 years and have never cooked sweet potatoes in it. This was a great way to cook them.”—Kris W.
Why It Works
The pressure built up in the Instant Pot elevates the cooking temperatures while using hot steam to soften the potato cells within minutes. The result is tender potatoes that can be made into a creamy puree. Sweet potatoes already have plenty of natural sugar, so I add warm holiday spices like cinnamon and nutmeg to balance the taste. It’s like dessert in a bowl but without guilt!
For this pressure cooking technique, all that’s needed are a few pounds of chopped sweet potatoes and water. You can add additional mix-ins, as this recipe makes for a versatile base for creating a sweeter or more savory flavor.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Potatoes: Although various types of sweet potatoes are available at the grocery store, I recommend orange-fleshed spuds like Garnet sweet potatoes. Their flesh cooks up to be very sweet and moist.
- Water: To get the pot up to pressure and properly cooked, you only need 1 cup of water for 2 pounds of sweet potatoes.
- Butter: The fat and milk solids and richness and flavor of the mashed sweet potatoes.
- Seasonings: Cinnamon and nutmeg add a sweet, warm spice flavor, while salt enhances the earthy taste of the spuds.
- Herbs: Add fresh herbs like chives, thyme, rosemary, tarragon, basil, or parsley.
See the recipe card below for all ingredients and measurements (US and metric).
Ingredient Substitutions
This Instant Pot mashed sweet potato recipe is easy to customize! Try these tasty options:
- Sweet Potato Substitutes: Other sweet potatoes, such as purple, Jewell, Japanese, Okinawa, and Hannah, can be used. However, they may have a slightly different texture.
- Spice Options: Add cardamom, allspice, cloves, ginger, or mace. My homemadepumpkin pie spice is delicious!
- Add Sweetener: A drizzle of pure maple syrup or honey would also be tasty. You can add a pinch or two of brown sugar for those with a sweet tooth like me.
- For A Lighter Consistency: After mashing, fold in some warm cream or milk until the desired consistency is reached. You can make it dairy-free with almond, cashew, or coconut milk.
How to Make Instant Pot Mashed Sweet Potatoes
Step 1: Prepare the Sweet Potatoes
Wash the sweet potatoes to remove dirt, then peel the skin. Cut them into 1-inch pieces for quick and even cooking. Anything smaller will cause them to crumble apart too easily.
Add the sweet potato chunks and water to the Instant Pot, ensuring the release valve is set to the “Sealing” position. Secure the lid by turning and locking it in place. This step is crucial for building the right amount of pressure to cook the sweet potatoes evenly and quickly, giving them that perfect soft texture for mashing.
Pro Tip: If you prefer a drier and fluffier texture, insert the steamer basket into the bottom of the pot, then put the cut potatoes on top. Elevating the ingredients will allow the steam to cook the potatoes evenly without becoming waterlogged.
Step 2: Pressure Cook
Pressure cook on high pressure using the “Manual” setting. Set the timer for 10 minutes. Building pressure will take 10 to 15 minutes, with some steam releasing. Once done, carefully quick-release the pressure by turning the steam release handle to “Venting,” then remove the lid.
Step 3: Drain the Liquid
After pressure cooking, drain the sweet potatoes thoroughly to remove excess moisture. This step is crucial because it prevents the sweet potato mash from becoming too watery, ensuring a smoother, creamier texture.
Step 4: Mash the Sweet Potatoes
Add butter, cinnamon, salt, and nutmeg to the sweet potatoes. A pinch of salt balances the flavors, preventing the dish from becoming too sweet and bringing out the potatoes’ earthy undertones.
It’s important to mash the sweet potatoes with butter using a potato masher. The fat helps coat some of the starch particles so that the texture stays creamy but not gluey.
Expert Tip: For smoother consistency, puree it in a food processor for a few seconds. I use this technique for my sweet potato casserole recipe.
Frequently Asked Questions
Using an electric pressure cooker is an efficient alternative to other methods. With the high-pressure setting, sweet potatoes become tender and fork-flaky quickly. At around 13 psi, whole unpeeled sweet potatoes cook for 15 to 16 minutes, while cubed pieces take just 10 minutes. If you don’t have time to make baked sweet potatoes, this Instant Pot method is a great option.
This mashed sweet potato recipe can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 7 days or frozen for 1 month. Reheat on the stovetop over medium-low heat, adding milk or water if needed to thin the consistency. Microwave in 15 to 30-second increments until hot.
More Instant Pot Recipes
If you tried this Instant Pot Mashed Sweet Potatoes, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below!
Mashed Sweet Potatoes (Instant Pot)
Ingredients
- 2 pounds sweet potatoes
- 1 cup water
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- Prepare Sweet Potatoes – Wash, peel, and cut the potatoes into 1-inch pieces. Add the sweet potatoes and water to the Instant Pot. Make sure that the release valve is in the "Sealing" position. Place the lid on, turn and lock.
- Pressure Cook – Press the "Manual" button on the Instant Pot on high pressure, and then set the timer to 10 minutes using the "+" or "-" controls.It will take about 10 to 15 minutes for the pot to heat and build up pressure. You will see some steam release from the lid, and then the time will start on the display. Once the cooking time is complete, carefully quick-release the pressure from the pot by turning the steam release handle on the lid to the "Venting" position and then remove the cover.
- Drain Liquid – Drain the potatoes and transfer them to a large bowl.
- Mash Sweet Potatoes – Add butter, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt to the potatoes. Mash using a potato masher until a smooth puree is created with some small chunks. Adjust seasonings as desired.
Notes
- For A Drier Texture: Place the steamer basket in the pressure cooker with the cut potatoes on top. Cook according to recipe directions.
- Add Liquid: For a lighter consistency, after mashing, add in warm milk, cream, or plant-based milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the desired consistency is reached.
- Storing: Mashed sweet potatoes can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 7 days or frozen for 1 month.
- Reheating: Cook on the stovetop over medium-low, adding milk or water as needed to thin the consistency. Alternatively, microwave in 15 to 30-second intervals until hot.
- Make it Whole30: Use Ghee instead of butter. Use sea salt instead of kosher salt.
- Make it Dairy-Free or Vegan: Use coconut oil or olive oil instead of butter.
Nutrition Facts
Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000-calorie diet. All nutritional information is based on estimated third-party calculations. Each recipe and nutritional value will vary depending on the brands you use, measuring methods, and portion sizes per household.
Luanne says
Made these sweet potatoes, but used 1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice instead of the cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Also, I pressured the whole potatoes with the skins on them for 10 minutes and then slipped the skins off. To me, that’s easier than peeling raw potatoes. I drained the water well, and used the whisk on my immersion blender to mix in the spice and butter. They turned out delicious and just the right consistency. Thanks for the recipe!
Jessica Gavin says
Thanks for your helpful feedback on the instant pot mashed sweet potatoes recipe! I’ll have to try cooking the potatoes with the skin on next time.
Eliza says
Sorry, I just saw the list of ingredients and “peeled and cut” is specified. Forgive my oversight.
Eliza says
Am I correct in assuming the sweet potatoes are peeled before cutting into cubes?
I’m planning on making this for Thanksgiving and need to know.
Kris Washburn says
I made sweet potatoes this way for Thanksgiving and everyone that went for seconds took more sweet potatoes. Thank you Jessica. I have had my instant pot for 5 years and have never cooked sweet potatoes in it. This was a great way to cook them.