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Learn how to make instant pot mashed potatoes flavored with garlic and herbs in 20 minutes right in your instant pot! These potatoes are creamy and smooth. Plus, you can easily double or triple this side dish for larger parties!
Look at those pillowy, soft, instant pot mashed potatoes!
Have Merrrrcyy.
I knew these were going to be a hit the minute I was done putting them together. In fact, I knew these were going to be a hit the moment I turned the knob to ‘vent’ on the IP. The smell of rosemary, thyme, and GARLIC erupted in my kitchen like a fiery volcano.
Nothing funny or weird to see here, folks. These mashed potatoes require just one pot, take less than 30 minutes from start to finish, and only a handful of everyday ingredients. That makes for some excellent news for those of us that like to fix shepherd’s pie or other types of casseroles that require mashed potatoes. I mean who needs the instant kind when you can have homemade mashed potatoes in almost the same amount of time?
So here they are, you’re just 20 minutes away from the world’s best instant pot mashed potatoes.
Ingredients for instant pot mashed potatoes:
- Potatoes: I like to use russet potatoes for this recipe as the texture of russet potatoes is perfect! You can also use Yukon gold potatoes or white potatoes if you’d like.
- Water: We’ll cook the potatoes in water so you’ll need just enough to bring the instant pot to high pressure.
- Seasonings: salt and pepper are what I use. I prefer to use white pepper when making mashed potatoes so that the black speckles don’t show up in your fluffy potatoes!
- Garlic: A few garlic cloves go right in with the potatoes! This allows the garlic flavor to come through better at the end. If you like roasted garlic, you might like these mashed potatoes!
- Fresh Herbs: I use a sprig of fresh rosemary, a bunch of fresh thyme, and a few chopped chives or parsley to finish the potatoes at the end.
- Butter: melted unsalted butter gets stirred into the potatoes once we’ve cooked them in the pressure cooker.
- Sour Cream: A dollop of sour cream adds a nice tang and richness to the potatoes. You could also use greek yogurt instead, but sour cream gives these better flavor!
- Cream Cheese: softened cream cheese adds flavor and a delicious texture to fluffy mashed potatoes!
How to make instant pot mashed potatoes recipe:
- Prep the potatoes. Start by peeling the potatoes and chopping them into 4-6 pieces. It’s important to roughly chop the potatoes to the same size so that they cook evenly.
- Pressure cook. Add the potatoes, your fresh herbs, garlic, and salt to the pressure cooker. Cover, seal the lid and cook on high pressure for several minutes. Then, you’ll want to do a quick release by turning the valve to vent to stop the potatoes from cooking right away. This is essential so that the potatoes don’t become too waterlogged if you allow for a natural pressure release! You can keep the garlic or toss it out, I like to leave it in and let it get mashed with the potato masher!
- Make mashed potatoes. Drain the potatoes. You can add them to a bowl or do this right in the instant pot liner. Mash the potatoes using a potato masher or a potato ricer. I avoid using an electric mixer or hand mixer for this recipe, though it does work, I think it makes the potatoes a bit gummy! Then, just stir in the melted butter, sour cream, cream cheese, and taste and adjust with salt as you’d like. You can even add a big dash of garlic salt if you’d like these to have a more prominent garlic taste! But be sure to not oversalt the potatoes if you’re serving these with gravy!
Tips for better instant pot mashed potatoes:
- The potato: russet potatoes work best for mashed potatoes (IMHO) because they become light and fluffy when they’re pressure cooked. Yukon golds would also work though.
- The technique: When I shared the stove-top mashers with cheddar, I added a few cloves of garlic along with the potatoes when they were boiling, and you know what? It infuses the best garlic flavor through the potatoes as they cook and soften. So this time, I added in a handful of herbs and the taste is phenomenal, through and through.
- The add-ins: I added garlic, fresh rosemary, and thyme to my potatoes and finished them off with a handful of chopped chives. If you’re not into the garlic scene (gasp!) you can easily omit it. If you want a little extra butter in the mix, who am I to say no to that? You do you, friend!
- Purists: If you’re a mashed potato purist, you can just leave out the garlic and herbs (but, omg, please don’t) and make regular mashed potatoes. Just as delicious and perfect with almost anything!
Finally, can we just agree that instant pot mashed potatoes are one of the best things to come out of our instant pots?
Just look at those super smooth swoops!
If you like this recipe, you might also like:
- Herb Roasted Thanksgiving Turkey
- Perfect 1-Hour Roasted Chicken
- Cheddar Mashed Potatoes
- Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes
- The Best Baked Potatoes
- Sweet Potato Casserole
20 Minute Garlic Herb Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes
Learn how to make instant pot mashed potatoes flavored with garlic and herbs in 20 minutes right in your instant pot! These potatoes are creamy and smooth. Plus, you can easily double or triple the batch for larger parties!
Ingredients
- 2 1/4 pounds russet potatoes
- 3 cups water
- 1 1/2 teaspoon salt plus more to taste
- 6 whole cloves garlic peeled
- 1 sprig fresh rosemary + a small bunch of thyme sprigs
- 1/4 cup butter melted
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 4 ounces cream cheese
- chopped chives or parsley for topping
Instructions
- potatoes: peel the potatoes and chop them into 4-6 pieces depending on the size of the potato. If each of your potatoes weighs a pound, I’d suggest chopping them into 8 pieces.
- pressure cook: Add the potatoes, water, salt, garlic, rosemary, and thyme into the instant pot (affiliate link). Cover, seal the valve and cook on manual high pressure for 8 minutes. Don’t wait for natural pressure release on this one, immediately turn the knob to ‘vent’, drain the potatoes, and discard the herb sprigs. You can keep the garlic or toss it out. I left it in (they mash and blend in so well!)
- mashed potatoes: Using a potato masher, break down the potatoes. This should be easy, the potatoes won’t really push back. Using a rubber spatula, mix in the melted butter, sour cream, and cream cheese. Taste and adjust salt to preference. I needed an additional 1/2 teaspoon for our sweet spot. Plate and serve with chopped chives on top!
Notes
- potatoes: I highly recommend using russet potatoes for these mashed potatoes and they yield the lightest, fluffiest texture. Yukon golds will also work but I find they have a slightly more dense feel overall.
- keep in mind that all mashed potatoes (even the instant kind) thicken as they sit. To bring them back to your favorite consistency, you can stir in addition sour cream, milk, or butter. I find milk works best here, and all you need is a splash or two.
- If you’re a mashed potato purist, you can simply leave out the garlic and herb (but, omg, please don’t) and make regular mashed potatoes. Just as delicious and perfect with almost anything!
Like This? Leave a comment & rating below!
When using the potato ricer, I just cook the potatoes with the skins on. When they are done, I put them through the ricer and it peels them at the same time. I pull the peels out between loading the ricer again.
These were delicious! What would the cook time be if I wanted to triple the batch? I’m going to make these for Thanksgiving for 20 people.
Hi Samantha! I’m so glad you enjoyed these mashed potatoes. I think if you were to make a triple batch, you may need to do so in an 8-10 qrt pressure cooker or in batches. The cooking time should remain about the same, maybe another minute or two!
I made this recipe twice and it was so good. I really like how everything is done in the instant pot and how quick it comes together. I made extra the first time so I would have enough for a second meal. The great thing was that because no cream or milk is used (causing liquid to separate from potatoes) it stays exactly the same for the second meal. I plan on making this for Thanksgiving as well. Thank you for such an easy and tasty recipe.
Hi Mary! I am so glad to hear you enjoyed these! And what a great idea to make extra so you have leftovers for a second meal! Hope everyone at Thanksgiving enjoys them to the fullest 🙂
These are fantastic! Mine came out creamier than I normally prefer but that’s not a slight….still great. Perhaps I’ll lower cook time down to 6-7 minutes or larger chunks of potatoes. The herbs came off the stalks but I think it’s adding more flavor. Incredibly easy to make. Like another reader, I pre-made these & will reheat in the oven.
Thank you for sharing the recipe. Do you use unsalted or salted butter?
I usually only keep salted butter at home, so I used that but either would work here! If you’re using unsalted, just add a little more salt to preference! 🙂
Made it ahead in the afternoon so I can use my instant for your beef stew later on for dinner. Instead of water I used 3 cups of chicken broth. Didn’t have fresh thyme so I used half a teaspoon of dried thyme. Once I was finished, I Put it in a small glass pan in the fridge until dinner time and warmed it up (covered with foil) for about 45 minutes in the oven at 250°. So so so Delicious! Especially paired with your beef stew. Definitely making it again!
Very good! Love the silky texture of the mashed potatoes. Flavor is delicious as well!
Thanks for this delicious recipe.
Talk about a recipe that LOOKS like you’ve slaved over the stove for hours! Bookmarking this creamy, dreamy potatoes recipe!
Sorry, rereading a second time, gave me the answer!
You don’t drain the water off like you would when you cook on the stove? They look amazing. I may have to do a trial run for Thanksgiving.