Instant Pot Mashed Sweet Potatoes are an easy and delicious side dish that add a pop of colour to any meal. Make it sweet (brown sugar cinnamon) or savoury (garlic rosemary)!
Add 1 cup of water to the Instant Pot insert. Place the diced sweet potatoes in the steamer basket and place in the pot. If you don't have a steamer basket, you can place the potatoes right in the pot with the water. Close the lid, set the vent to sealing and pressure cook on Manual High pressure for 8 minutes (your Instant Pot model may have a "Pressure Cook" button rather than a "Manual" button). At the end of cooking time, do a controlled quick release of the pressure (see note 1).
Thoroughly drain the water, then return the cooked sweet potatoes to the pot, add the butter and mash with a potato masher.
Add the salt and the mix-ins for your desired flavour. Continue to mash and stir until smooth. Season with more salt to taste, garnish with pepper if desired, and serve. Store any leftovers in a sealed container in the refrigerator and eat within 4 days.
Video
Notes
Controlled quick release: letting out pressure in short bursts rather than opening the vent all at once. This helps to control splatter.
To double the recipe: double all ingredients except the water. No change to cook time.
To freeze: transfer to a storage container, cool to room temperature, then cover and place in the freezer. Eat within 3 months.
To thaw: Place in the refrigerator overnight.
To reheat: In the oven – place in an even layer in a casserole dish, cover and bake at 350 °F for 20-30 minutes, stirring once halfway through. In the microwave – heat at half power, stirring once or twice for even heating. For both methods, check that it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
This recipe was tested in both 6-quart and 8-quart Instant Pot models.
Inactive time indicates the time it takes for the Instant Pot to come to pressure and release pressure.