Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes | Tasty, Creamy & Vegan

Mashed potatoes are the ultimate comfort food. Just picture them on your table – smooth, creamy, and perfectly seasoned. We’ve tweaked our mashed potatoes to make them dairy-free, and therefore vegan! And trust us, our Instant Pot version is every bit as tasty as “regular” mashed potatoes. In fact, we think the peace of mind that comes from removing animal products makes this dish taste even better!

Can you Teach an Old Veggie New Tricks?

The traditional boiling method for preparing mashed potatoes works well, so why use an Instant Pot? Well, firstly, it’s fast! And secondly, it’s much more “hands-off.” You add potatoes, water, and salt to the Instant Pot and walk away for 10 – 20 minutes. You don’t even need to slice or chop them! Therefore, it’s much easier to multitask in the kitchen (very important when cooking a big holiday meal).

We also find that the potatoes cook more evenly using the Instant Pot. As a result, it’s much easier to avoid lumps and make them smooth and creamy. Of course, most of the steps we talk about in this recipe also apply to potatoes made the “old fashioned” way. So, read on and find out how we make delicious vegan mashed potatoes!

Skin Off or On?

We prefer to leave the skin on our mashed potatoes for a couple of reasons. Firstly, there loads of nutrients in the skin of a potato (check out the notes below to see how much of various nutrients are in the skin vs. the flesh). Secondly, we enjoy the “chewy” texture of the potato skin, which complements the smooth, creamy mash.

If you remove the skin you’re leaving behind about:

• 50% of the Protein
• 70% of the fiber
• 30-50% of several important vitamins (B6, C, thiamin, niacin)
• 80% of the iron and 60% of the potassium

These numbers are approximate and based on the USDA Food Data Central entries for peeled potato, and potato skin.

How to make Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes

If you leave the skin on the potatoes, you’ll need to chop them before cooking. Otherwise, the skin will stop them from cooking evenly. In contrast, if you peel them, put your potatoes into the instant pot whole. If you pressure-cook peeled, chopped potatoes, they’ll be overcooked and go mushy.

Cooking times

• The chopped skin-on potatoes need 10 minutes in the Instant Pot on the High setting.
• If you’re cooking whole, peeled potatoes instead, give them 20 minutes on High.

Important: when the Instant Pot finishes cooking, vent the steam immediately. Then, remove and drain the potatoes as quickly as possible. Cooked potatoes go mushy when left in hot water after cooking.

Smooth it Out

To get smooth mashed potatoes, you don’t need a potato ricer or anything other than a regular masher (or even a fork!). The tricks to this are:

• Dry your potatoes well before you start mashing.
• When the potatoes are “smashed” and still a bit chunky, add minced garlic, pre-warmed plant-based creamer and non-dairy butter. These ingredients are added warm because this makes it easier to mix them into potato quickly.
• Now ditch the masher and finish mixing your potatoes with a spoon. They should now be super-smooth!
• Taste and adjust the salt and pepper too suit your taste ?

Creamer Tip: always use a nut or soy-based based creamer. A product made with coconut leads to some odd tasting potatoes!

Make them Perfect

Here are a few problems people have with mashed potatoes, and some thoughts on how to avoid them:

Gummy/gluey texture: this problem is often due to the type of potato used. Mashed potatoes need a starchy or “floury” type, like russet, Yukon Gold, or Idaho. Avoid waxy ones like Red Bliss or New Potatoes, which have a low starch content and can cause this “gummy” or “gluey” effect.

A gluey texture can also result from overworking the potatoes. They release too much starch and “gum up.” So, mash your potatoes just enough to make them smooth and creamy. Also, always mash and mix by hand. Food processors and blenders are too aggressive.

Bland flavor: there probably isn’t enough seasoning! Be sure to add some salt to the water when you cook them. You can also adjust the seasoning when you finish mashing.

Can you make Mashed Potatoes Ahead of Time?

To make these in advance you simply do everything up to mashing the potatoes. However, don’t add the non-dairy butter and creamer, or the fresh herbs. The potatoes will keep in the fridge for 1-2 days. When you’re ready to serve them, reheat the potatoes and mix in those remaining ingredients. This process makes sure the potatoes come out tasting fresh.

We hope this recipe helped you make some delicious vegan Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes. If you tried it, please let us know what you thought with a comment and rating. Every bit of feedback helps make the blog even better.

And if you’re looking for some more satisfying sides, you might like our Cornbread, Potato Salad, and Hasselback Potato recipes.

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