Instant Pot garlicky mashed potatoes using the no drain method—creamy, fluffy (lump-free) mashed potatoes that need so little effort! This game-changing technique will have you saying goodbye to the traditional draining and mashing process.
Why this recipe works
1. Tried and tested; extremely reliable recipe.
2. You do not have to do multiple drains and pots. So you use only one pot!
3. You peel and cut potatoes before boiling them, which saves you from peeling hot potato skins.
Are you ready for the creamiest, most flavorful mashed potatoes you've ever tasted? Your search stops here!
Not only does it save time and effort, but it also locks in all the delicious flavors of garlic and butter.
Mashed potatoes are a staple on every dinner table, and every household has a different recipe. This is usually last on my to-do list because it's one of the menu's easiest and most rewarding dishes.
The best part about making mashed potatoes in the Instant Pot is that you can keep them warm in the keep-warm setting and serve them fresh!
I love everything, potatoes! You must try making easy crispy top but fudgy inside Air fryer hasselback potatoes. Between Air fryer and the instant pot, my life has just become so much easier!
Ingredients for Mashed Potatoes
So here are the ingredients for making mashed potatoes. As we are using the no-drain method, the quantities, especially the ratio of potato to the boiling liquid, are important. You don't want it too runny or too stiff that you end up with a burn sign!
Potatoes- If you can, always get Yukon gold because they have higher starch content. They also make a creamier mashed potatoes with even little butter or fat because of their naturally buttery taste.
Russet potatoes are also a great choice for soft, pillowy mashed potatoes. They also have high starch content. If you can't find either, look for yellow potatoes that do not taste sweet.
Butter -A generous amount. For the vegan version, I suggest you get vegan butter instead of substituting it with oil because you want the taste of the telltale butter in the mashed potatoes.
If you are using salted butter, be mindful of the salt you add while pressure cooking. You can always leave it out and adjust it at the end. When I am entertaining, I like us use roasted garlic compound butter. It gives the mashed potatoes just a little bit of extra lift.
Garlic—You can use fresh garlic , garlic powder or roast garlic.I have a trick to make it in the air fryer in half the time.
Milk - Use whole milk or kick up the flavor a notch by using heavy cream instead. It will give the mashed potatoes a richer feel. You can also use sour cream or cream cheese in the mashed potatoes.
In fact, you can make a slightly healthier but nonetheless heavenly version of mashed potatoes by adding Greek yogurt instead. Here is a great dairy-free recipe for mashed potatoes with almond milk.
How to make Instant Pot Mashed potatoes
This is a no drain method of making mashed potatoes, which means, you skip another arduous step of straining the potatoes, before mashing them.
Yes, I am lazy, and I like to find shortcuts. LOL. They are worth it! especially on Thanksgiving or Christmas when you have a hundred other dishes to make.
Step 1: Prep
Peel and Cut the potatoes into 1-inch pieces. Peel the garlic. An Easy way to peel the garlic is to smash them. The garlic peel comes right off!
Step 2:Pressure Cook
Dump the potatoes, salt, and garlic into the inner pot of the pressure cooker.Add ¾ Cup water and close the lid.
Pressure Cook for 6 minutes and Quick Release.
Step 3: Mash
Open the pot. Add butter to the cooked potatoes. Mash with the potato masher. You can also use a fork or a large ladle for this.
Step 4: Whisk
Using a hand whisk or a stand mixer, whisk the potatoes, adding 1 tablespoon cream at a time. Whisk for 5-8 minutes till you get smooth potatoes.
If you do not have a whisk(or simply don't want to use one),skip the whisking and mash the potatoes with a potato masher instead.
Using the whisk will make your potatoes very smooth and silky in a lot less time than mashing them with a masher. It is worth taking out another gadget from your pantry. I promise!
Serve with roasted chicken or your favorite protein!
Possible Variations
Here are some variation options to up your mashed potatoes game!
For Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes- Oven or Air fryer roasted garlic cloves or garlic powder.
For Chive & Sour Cream Mashed Potatoes.
For Loaded Bacon Topped Mashed Potatoes - with bacon, cheddar cheese and scallions
Cheesy Mashed Potatoes - With parmesan cheese, sour cream and cheddar cheese
I have a lot more potato recipes here. You should try hasselback-style potatoes, either in the oven or in the air fryer. You can also make mashed sweet potatoes in the instant pot using the same method.
Then I also have a number of easy potato side dishes made in the air fryer - like these crispy sweet potato wedges and spicy potatoes and onions.
Here is also a quick link to a Thanksgiving menu . It has all the recipes you will need to make a fabulous spread with minimum fuss!
If you make these mashed potatoes using the no drain method, do leave me a note! I would love to hear about your experience!
Instant Pot Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Equipment
- Hand Whisk(Optional)
Ingredients
- 3 Pounds Potatoes Yukon Gold or Russet Potatoes
- ¾ Cup Water
- 4-5 Cloves Garlic
- 2 Tablespoon Heavy Cream or Milk/Sour Cream ;add more if needed
- 3 Tablespoon Butter
- Salt to Taste
- Black Pepper to taste
- 1 teaspoon Parsley or Chives to Garnish
Instructions
- Peel and Dice the potatoes into 1 inch Chunks.
- Add the potatoes, water,Garlic* and Salt to the instant pot.
- Select PRESSURE COOK for 6 minutes on HIGH PRESSURE with the pressure valve at SEALED position.
- Quick Release and open the instant pot.
- Add the butter and start mashing the potatoes with a potato masher.(see note)
- Optional Step - Using a hand whisk, whisk the potatoes while adding heavy cream, 1 tablespoon at a time. This will give extra smooth mashed potatoes. Add more cream to get the desired consistency.
- Scoop into a bowl, top with melted butter and garnish with chives or parsley.
Video
Notes
Important Notes
- The mashed potatoes get thicker as you whisk them and they cool down a bit.
- You can keep the potatoes in the warm setting for 1-2 hours in the instant pot.Do not keep it in that setting for longer because the bottom of the mashed potatoes will start drying up and burning.
Ingredient Notes
Potatoes - Yukon gold potatoes work best. If not, then try and pick a starchy potato which isn't sweet.Water/ Broth - Chicken broth is a great way to amp up not only the flavor but also the nutrient quotient
Garlic- Take this mashed potato a notch up by using roasted garlic instead!
Substitutions
Vegan Mashed Potatoes - I recommend using store-bought vegan butter and cashew or Ssoy cream/milk to make this recipe work. I don't recommend adding olive oil, coconut oil, or coconut-based milk. Richer Mashed Potatoes - Use Sour cream instead of milk.Go extra with these toppings
Nutrition
Vegan Mashed Potatoes
You can make absolutely delicious mashed potatoes without using any dairy whatsoever! I promise!
You can use non diary milk and cream alternatives like oat milk, cashew milk or pistachio milk instead. You can also whip up vegan cream by blending soaked cashews in a blender.
For fat, instead of dairy butter, you can use non dairy butter or avocado oil. Don't use oil like coconut and extra virgin olive oil as they will alter the taste a bit.
Do you need to Peel the potatoes
When I am making the mashed potatoes just for myself or my family of 3, I am not too picky. The potato peel carries a fair bit of nutrition.
When I making these Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes using the No Drain method, all you need to do then is just cube the potatoes with the skin on.
However, during holidays or special occasions, When I am making mashed potatoes for a formal dinner or a gathering or a special occasion like Thanksgiving or Christmas, I peel them.
If you are in the mood for something different, I suggest you try making Mashed Sweet Potatoes in the instant pot.
Here are some Frequently asked questions on instant pot mashed potatoes.
In this no drain mashed potatoes recipe, we have used about 1 cup of water for 3 pounds of potatoes.
You can make the same recipe by substituting the milk with cashew milk and the cream with cashew butter.
Instead of butter, you can use either vegan butter for the feel or skip it altogether.
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