This entire side dish is made in 30 minutes using just one pot. Instant Pot mashed sweet potatoes are creamy, sweet, and savory, with a hint of cinnamon. They’re the perfect way to switch up any potato side dish!
Table of Contents
Prep, Cook, Serve When Ready!
Instant Pot mashed sweet potatoes are a quick way to prepare this colorful potato side dish that is an alternative to creamy mashed potatoes made on the stove. The pressure cooker ensures that the sweet potatoes cook evenly and become tender, making it a time-saving option when planning your Thanksgiving menu!
I’ve been making more and more dishes using sweet potatoes like these roasted sweet potatoes, candied yams and savory scalloped sweet potatoes and my entire family is loving them!
They’ve even requested Instant Pot mashed sweet potatoes make an appearance on this year’s table! They’ve got a beautiful orange color, a fluffy, creamy texture, and are incredibly flavorful.
That’s the beauty of creating a menu to serve a crowd for the holidays. You can have a variety of different dishes for people to choose from because more often than not, it’s the side dishes that shine!
Why This Recipe Works
- They offer something new! You can serve this sweet potato recipe instead of traditional mash or along with it as a different option. You can even turn them into a sweet potato casserole instead of baking sweet potatoes! This is a dish topped with a brown sugar crust and toasted pecans!
- Effortless & convenient. Everything is done in one pot (easy cleanup!) and using an electric pressure cooker frees up space in your oven and on your stove. The Instant Pot tenderizes the potatoes until they are pillowy and fluffy without having to wait for any water to boil.
- Healthy & flavorful. Much like white potatoes, sweet potatoes are high in fiber, antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals, and are naturally gluten-free. My kids don’t care about any of that yet, they just love them because of how delicious they taste!
Recipe Ingredients
Find the full printable recipe with specific measurements below.
- Sweet potatoes: I mention yams in the recipe card only because sometimes grocery stores will mislabel sweet potatoes. They are not the same thing! You want to pick up the sweet potatoes that look like larger russet potatoes and have orange flesh on the inside. Yams are much lighter and longer.
- Cinnamon: The beauty of sweet potatoes is that they pair well with sweet, savory, and warm spices. Cinnamon and sweet potato go hand in hand, as a cooked sweet potato has a similar flavor and texture as butternut squash or pumpkin does.
- Sour cream: Adds creamy richness and slight tang to the mashed potatoes. Along with the heavy cream, this is what takes them from soft and fluffy to deliciously creamy!
Variations
- Swap the unsalted butter with garlic herb butter for a savory flavor to balance the sweetness.
- For a sweeter version, you can mix in 1 to 2 Tablespoons maple syrup or brown sugar.
- You could also place Instant Pot mashed sweet potatoes in a baking dish and add marshmallows on top like I do in this sweet potatoes casserole with marshmallows. Broil for 1 to 2 minutes until browned.
How to Make Mashed Sweet Potatoes
- Peel and dice potatoes. Just as you would regular potatoes, peel them first. Place each one on a cutting board and use a sharp kitchen knife to cut it in half. Then, slice into quarters, then into 1″ chunks. Even sized pieces are helpful for even cooking.
- Add ingredients to the pot. Pressure cooking requires a liquid, however, because we’re not boiling the potatoes, we need to use a steamer basket or trivet to hold the potato pieces above the water. Add it into the pot then place the potatoes inside the basket. Add the water, salt, pepper, and cinnamon. Place the lid and pressure cook on high for 10 minutes.
- Quick release. Once the cooking timer goes off, carefully move the valve to venting. Keep your hands and face away from the splatter. Using an oven mitt or the end of a wooden spoon is helpful. I have a lot more tips and tricks on how to use the Instant Pot for you to check out if you’d like. Once the pin drops, remove the lid and allow the contents of the pot to sit and the liquid to evaporate. Drain any excess water.
- Mash them up. Add the melted butter and sour cream. Use a potato masher to mash the fork-tender taters and then add 1 Tablespoon of heavy cream at a time, if needed. If you like yours fluffier and less creamy, you may not need much cream at all. Mix in any desired herbs, a little extra salt, and pepper to taste. Top with fresh herbs like sage, fresh thyme, green onions, or parsley, and enjoy!
Make Ahead
Once the potatoes are cooked and mashed as directed, transfer them to a serving dish and place a few pats of butter on top. Cover the dish and keep it in the fridge. When you’re ready to serve, warm it in the oven at 175°F.
Expert Tips
- It takes time for pressure to build. When planning a larger meal, timing can be everything! Take into account the time it takes the Instant Pot to come to pressure.
- Do not over mash. The starch in potatoes can become gluey when overworked. This is easier done with regular white potatoes, but still, you want to make sure this doesn’t happen!
- Keep the lid on loosely. When you’re waiting to serve, keep them on the warm function and cover them loosely with the lid. Leave room for steam to escape, otherwise, the condensation will fall right back into the pot making your mash watery.
- If you don’t have a potato masher, you can also use an immersion blender or electric mixer to get the job done.
- Double the recipe: To feed a crowd make a double batch of this recipe that will serve 12-16 people. You will need to double all ingredients except water. There is no change to the cooking time.
Recipe FAQs
As far as vegetables go, this pairs well with other root veggies like balsamic roasted carrots, corn casserole, or a kale winter salad.
Enjoy it over the holidays with your oven roasted turkey and green bean casserole or use it during the week for dinner for a twist on your everyday mash.
Keep anything left in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
You can keep them in the freezer, however sometimes potatoes freeze funny. The texture isn’t quite the same once thawed, but if you’re ok with that, by all means, keep sweet potato mash stored in the freezer for up to 1 month.
If frozen, thaw in the fridge overnight. Then, reheat on the stovetop or the microwave with a splash of milk or broth to cream them back up again.
By all means! Use coconut milk instead of heavy cream and sour cream and swap the butter with your favorite vegan butter. You can even add a little vegetable broth for extra flavor.
Looking for more ways to make mash? Cheesy mashed potatoes or slow cooker mashed potatoes are both must-try recipes.
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Instant Pot Mashed Sweet Potatoes
Video
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 pounds yams (AKA orange sweet potatoes) , peeled and each cut into 6 pieces
- 1 cup water
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt , plus more to taste
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper , plus more to taste
- Pinch cinnamon , plus more to taste
- 4 Tablespoons unsalted butter , melted
- ¼ cup sour cream
- Heavy cream or milk , if needed
Optional Add-in's
- Freshly chopped herbs , such as green onions, thyme, or parsley
Instructions
- Place steamer basket into the Instant Pot (I used a 6 quart). Add potatoes and water. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and cinnamon. Stir together.
- Place the lid on with the valve turned to seal. Set to manual High pressure and cook 10 minutes. It will take about 10 minutes to build pressure before the timer begins.
- Once the timer goes off, do a quick release by carefully turning the valve. Remove the lid and let potatoes sit a couple minutes to let the extra steam/liquid evaporate. Drain off any extra water.
- Add the melted butter and sour cream. Mash with a potato masher. Add 1 Tablespoon heavy cream at a time, if needed to reach your desired consistency. Be careful not to overmash. Mix in any herbs, if using, and season with salt and pepper.
- Keep the lid on loosely and turn to the Warm setting until ready to serve.
Notes
- Once cooked and mashed, place the potatoes in a serving dish.
- Put a few pats of butter on top and cover.
- Refrigerate mashed potatoes until serving.
- Warm in oven at 175°F.
Nutrition
Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.
Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!
Categorized as: American, Christmas, Instant Pot, Nut-Free, One Pot, Potatoes, Side Dishes, Thanksgiving, Vegetables, Vegetarian
Jamielyn Nye is the founder and recipe creator at I Heart Naptime. She is the author of the I Heart Naptime Cookbook and shares easy family-friendly recipes and desserts for every occasion.
This was such a fun twist on traditional mashed potatoes. Thanks for the recipe.
I am glad you found success with this recipe, Wendy. So good for you too!
The sweet potatoes came out perfect from the Instant Pot! I’m going to use this cooking method from now on.
I am glad you found this helpful, Lisa. Always great to find a quick and easy way to get dinner on the table.
This is such an easy and delicious way to prepare sweet potatoes! I will be making this all the time, thank you.
The instant pot is a great time saver. I am glad you found this helpful, Gen. Love your email address!