Instant Pot Mashed Sweet Potatoes

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For the creamiest and easiest holiday side dish, you’ll love these Instant Pot Mashed Sweet Potatoes! They pressure cook in just 10 minutes and can easily be made in advance. This time saving recipe should be on your Thanksgiving menu this year!

I’m in love with the creamy texture of these quick and simple mashed sweet potatoes! The Instant Pot cooks them to a soft and tender texture making them incredibly easy to mash. 

The flavor is also undeniably cozy with subtle hints of nutmeg, ginger and garlic perfectly complementing the natural sweetness of the potatoes.

We eat a lot of sweet potatoes in our house! Normally, we keep it simple with these air fryer sweet potatoes but, when we’re craving a lot of flavor, I usually make these baked sweet potato slices with harissa honey glaze.

And don’t forget breakfast! This sweet potato hash recipe with ham and eggs is brunch perfection!

When it comes to the holidays, however, there’s nothing more nostalgic than mashed sweet potatoes. 

Since oven and stovetop space are at a premium during Thanksgiving or Friendsgiving celebrations, I’m excited to share this Instant Pot mashed sweet potato recipe!

Check out the Instant Pot mashed sweet potatoes story!

Why this recipe works

1. The sweet potatoes are cut into cubes, so they pressure cook quickly - in just 10 minutes!
2. Using the Instant Pot means you free up valuable stovetop space so you can cook other side dishes like these spicy braised green beans or these sauteed Brussels sprouts with bacon.
3. To make this recipe even easier for the holidays, the mashed sweet potatoes can be made in advance and stored in the fridge or freezer!

Ingredients

For the full list of ingredients and quantities, refer to the recipe card below.

You’ll need 3 pounds of sweet potatoes for this recipe, peeled and cut into 2-inch cubes. Sweet potatoes come in different varieties, so you’ll want to use the traditional type with reddish skin and orange flesh. 

The sweet potatoes are cooked in chicken broth. You can use store-bought or homemade (like this Instant Pot chicken bone broth), or you can substitute with vegetable broth.

For a hint of savory, 1 garlic clove is minced and cooked with the sweet potatoes. If you like your food a little more garlicky, feel free to add another clove.

To add a little nutty flavor, I like to add a ¼ teaspoon of nutmeg. This spice can be a little intense, so I would just stick with ¼ teaspoon, even though it may not seem like a lot.

While sweet potatoes are naturally sweet, to enhance this sweetness, they’ll be cooked with 2 tablespoons of brown sugar. You can substitute coconut sugar if you prefer.

To balance the sweetness a bit, the recipe calls for 1 teaspoon of grated ginger. For the best flavor, use fresh ginger. It might seem like an overpowering flavor, but when it cooks, it will mellow.

For mashing the sweet potatoes, you'll want ¾ cup of heavy cream and ½ cup of unsalted butter. These two ingredients will add to the creamy texture. 

If you prefer milk over cream, you can use whole milk, but the sweet potatoes will not turn out as creamy. As for the butter, if you only have salted butter, just reduce the amount of salt you add to the potatoes.

Step by step instructions

Place all the ingredients, except the cream and butter, in the Instant Pot and pressure cook for 10 minutes.

Use the quick release to release the pressure.

Turn the Instant Pot off and add the cream and butter to the pot.

Use a potato masher or a fork and mash the potatoes until they are mostly uniform in consistency. **It's okay if there are a few lumps, it gives it texture.

Add additional salt to taste. 

Recipe variations

• Top with cooked crumbled bacon, pecans or toasted pumpkin seeds.
• For additional sweetness, drizzle a little maple syrup on before serving.
• Add a smoky flavor with smoked paprika or a hint of heat with some cayenne pepper.
• For a warming flavor, use a little garam masala.
• Cook the potatoes with some dried herbs like oregano or basil, or fresh herbs like thyme or rosemary.

Expert tips

1. To ensure even cooking, cut the potatoes into roughly the same size cubes. I cut mine into 2-inch cubes.
2. If you cut the potatoes into larger cubes, they will take longer to cook. 
3. Use the quick release to release pressure. If you naturally release the pressure, the potatoes will over cook.
4. For the best results, I prefer to use a potato masher or a fork. The sweet potatoes are so soft, there is no need to use a blender or food processor to achieve a creamy texture.
5. Be careful not to over mash the sweet potatoes as they might take on a gummy texture. 
6. If your mashed sweet potatoes seem watery, you can turn on the saute mode on your Instant Pot and cook off the liquid. (Do this carefully as the potatoes can burn quickly).
7. If the potatoes seem a little dry, just add a little more butter or cream. 
8. While the sweet potatoes need just 10 minutes to pressure cook, you’ll want to factor in time for pressure to build and release in the Instant Pot.

Common questions

Make ahead instructions

You can make these mashed sweet potatoes a day in advance and store them in the fridge. To reheat, just warm them in the microwave or on medium heat on the stovetop. (You may need to add a little extra cream or butter to make them creamy again).

These mashed sweet potatoes can also be frozen. Just let them cool completely in the fridge and then divide out portions into freezer safe bags or containers. Freeze for up to 6 months.

To defrost, let them thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat on the stove over medium heat or in the microwave. (Again, you may need some additional butter or cream to mix in as you reheat the potatoes).

Make it a holiday meal

We love mashed sweet potatoes as a Thanksgiving side dish with these sous vide turkey thighs, sous vide ham or sous vide whole chicken.

Other side dishes that go well with mashed sweet potatoes include air fryer carrots, southern green beans and sweet and spicy Brussels sprouts.

For Thanksgiving or Christmas, don’t forget the traditional stuffing and cranberry chutney!

Complete your meal with these pecan pie bars or pumpkin pie bars.

Other Instant Pot side dishes

• Instant Pot Acorn Squash
• Instant Pot Cauliflower
• Instant Pot Broccoli
• Instant Pot Cabbage

Did you make this recipe? Leave a comment below and let me know how it turned out!