Forget boiling your potatoes on the stove, steam them in your instant pot to make the easiest potatoes that are ready to be broiled, mashed, or sauteed. Not only are these Instant Pot “boiled” potatoes easy and hands off, but they maintain more of their potato flavor by being steamed instead of boiled.
Mash these potatoes to make garlic mashed potatoes, this easy no-mayo potato salad, or undercook them and sautee them quickly with pork in this one pan pork chop recipe.
How will these potatoes make your life easier?
I just steamed 2 potatoes and then refrigerated them. I made baked potatoes, mashed potatoes, and found a couple parts that weren’t as soft and sauteed them to have pan fried potatoes. It’s a great basic to batch cook and use in a few recipes through the week. You can also add a bit to a creamy soup to make it extra creamy! Do the same with sweet potatoes and winter squashes. They’re easy to steam in the Instant Pot and are really versatile.
Serve baked potatoes with this Grilled Lamb Steak or mashed potatoes with Pulled Pork. They’re easy and versatile.
What makes them so good?
- Water
- Russet potatoes
How do I make them?
Wash and scrub potatoes thoroughly. Pierce potatoes at least 7 times with fork-all over potato.
Expert Tip: Piercing the potatoes allows them to release steam, they’ll maintain their shape better by piercing them.
Pour 1 cup of water into bowl inside Instant Pot. Place trivet in bowl, and place the 2 potatoes in it.
Expert Tip: You can cube the potatoes to cook them faster. Steam them for 5-7 minutes.
Place lid on top, twist to seal. Set vent to sealing. Set to MANUAL and cook for 17 minutes (for 2 ~12 oz potatoes). Potatoes will take about 35-40 minutes from start to finish.
Once timer goes off, quick release the pressure by setting vent to venting. Let steam release. Once done, twist lid to open.
Test doneness by piercing potato with a fork. If the fork goes in and out easily, potatoes are done.
Eat as ‘baked’ potatoes, transfer back to bowl to mash, or save for another potato recipe.
Expert Tips
- Choose similarly sized potatoes
- Piercing the potatoes allows them to release steam, they’ll maintain their shape better by piercing them.
- You can cube the potatoes to cook them faster. Steam them for 5-7 minutes.
FAQ
How long do you steam potatoes in the Instant Pot?
It depends on how big your potatoes are. Most russet potatoes that I’ve seen are about 10-12 oz, and those should be cooked for ~17 minutes. Err on the side of undercooked, you can always cook them for a few more minutes. Plus an Instant Pot gets up to pressure more quickly after it’s been used.
Is it better to boil or steam potatoes?
Steaming is the way. Your potatoes will taste more potatoey, they’ll be cleaner (ie: no water boiling over, making a huge mess)
Why do my potatoes fall apart when boiled?
They’re overcooked, cook them less next time. Start by taking 10 minutes off the cooking time, and watch them after that.
How can I eat these steamed potatoes?
- Garlic mashed potatoes
- Easy no-mayo potato salad
- Undercook them and sautee them quickly with pork in this one pan pork chop recipe
- Slice down the center and eat as ‘baked’ potatoes. You can also broil them for a few minutes to get the skin crispy.
Did you make these Instant Pot “boiled” potatoes? Leave me a comment & rating to share how they turned out!
Instant Pot “boiled” potatoes
Equipment
- Instant Pot/Pressure Cooker
- Trivet
- fork
- Large serving spoon
- knife
Ingredients
- 1 cup water
- 2 large russet potatoes (mine were ~12 oz each)
Instructions
- Wash and scrub potatoes thoroughly. Pierce potatoes at least 7 times with fork-all over potato.
- Pour 1 cup of water into bowl inside Instant Pot. Place trivet in bowl, and place the 2 potatoes in it.
- Place lid on top, twist to seal. Set vent to sealing. Set to MANUAL and cook for 17 minutes (for 2 ~12 oz potatoes). Potatoes will take about 35-40 minutes from start to finish.
- Once timer goes off, quick release the pressure by setting vent to venting. Let steam release. Once done, twist lid to open.
- Test doneness by piercing potato with a fork. If the fork goes in and out easily, potatoes are done.
- Transfer back to bowl to mash or save for another potato recipe.
Video
Notes
- Choose similarly sized potatoes
- Piercing the potatoes allows them to release steam, they’ll maintain their shape better by piercing them.
- You can cube the potatoes to cook them faster. Steam them for 5-7 minutes.
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Amanda Wren-Grimwood says
I am really new to the Instant Pot so this is a great step by step recipe for me – thanks!
Rebecca says
great to hear! I was super intimidated by it at first, but it really is easy, you just have to get used to it and add enough water!
Luci says
Love how easy these instant pot potatoes are! I added mine in a soup and it was so tasty! And the garlic mashed potatoes you mentioned sound delicious, I’ll have to save those for another day!
Rebecca says
oh perfect way to prep potatoes for soup! yum
Donny says
Always looking for new IP recipes and this is perfect. Thanks!
Rebecca says
right?! I love my IP for cooking the basics
Linda says
Loved potatoes done this way! It left me my oven for cooking the meal and out came my potatoes at the same time nice and hot. I’ll have to give those yummy sounding garlic mashed potatoes a try next time.
Rebecca says
great timing! love when that happens!
Laura Tobin says
I cannot believe I never did it before. This trick will make my life so much easier. Thank you
Rebecca says
right?! it’s a game changer for sure