20 Minute Garlic Herb Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes
This post may contain affiliate links. Please check our privacy and disclosure policy.
Learn how to make instant pot mashed potatoes flavored with garlic and herbs in 20 minutes right in your instant pot! These potatoes are creamy and smooth. Plus, you can easily double or triple the batch for larger parties!
Look at those pillowy, soft, instant pot mashed potatoes!
Have Merrrrcyy.
I knew these were going to be a hit the minute I was done putting them together. In fact, I knew these were going to be a hit the moment I turned the knob to ‘vent’ on the IP and the smell of rosemary, thyme, and GARLIC erupted in my kitchen like a fiery volcano. And so began the dilemma. To go with the recipe, I had originally intended to post, or push that back and share these instant pot mashed potatoes? So I did would anyone would do. I decided not to decide. I asked you guys! What’ll it be? A big thank you to all those that took the poll on my Insta stories. I for one, could not choose between cheesy tender beef sandwiches or these cloud-like 20-minute mashed potatoes.
And though it was incredibly close, the tators took the win just by a hair.
So here they are, you’re just 20 minutes away from the worlds best instant pot mashed potatoes.
Ultra creamy and incredibly smooth.
Nothing funny or weird to see here, folks. These mashed potatoes require just one pot, take less than 30 minutes from start to finish, and only a handful of everyday ingredients. That makes for some excellent news for those of us that like to fix shepherds pie or other types of casseroles that require mashed potatoes. I mean who needs the instant kind when you can have homemade mashed potatoes in almost the same amount of time?
Mashed potatoes are also just one of those sides that are sure to grace our Thanksgiving tables. And depending on who’s making them, it may be a hit or an awful, gloppy miss. Speaking of, you need to call up whoever is in charge of the T-day food list and tell them that you’re taking the mashed potatoes this year. Why wouldn’t you when they take 20 minutes to make!
I’m so glad I picked up an instant pot (affiliate link) during the Prime day sale last year. To tell you the truth, I figured I’d use it a few times here and there whenever I need to make dinner on the fly. Boy, was I wrong! This little workhorse has quickly become my most used kitchen tool.
Taking a look back through the archives, you’ll see that I’ve shared quite a few mashed potato recipes. There’s the stove-top version with cheddar, a roasted garlic slow cooker version, and now the instant pot mashed potatoes.
If I had to pick one, it would be these because of the quick prep time and the flavor. These are so extra you don’t even need the gravy.
Instant pot mashed potatoes all up close and personal:
- The potato: russet potatoes work best for mashed potatoes (IMHO) because they become light and fluffy when they’re pressure cooked. Yukon golds would also work though.
- The technique: When I shared the stove-top mashers with cheddar, I added a few cloves of garlic along with the potatoes when they were boiling, and you know what? It infuses the best garlic flavor through the potatoes as they cook and soften. So this time, I added in a handful of herbs and the taste is phenomenal, through and through.
- The add-ins: I added garlic, fresh rosemary, and thyme to my potatoes and finished them off with a handful of chopped chives. If you’re not into the garlic scene (gasp!) you can easily omit it. If you want a little extra butter in the mix, who am I to say no to that? You do you, friend!
- Purists: If you’re a mashed potato purist, you can just leave out the garlic and herbs (but, omg, please don’t) and make regular mashed potatoes. Just as delicious and perfect with almost anything!
Finally, can we just agree that instant pot mashed potatoes are one of the best things to come out of our instant pots?
Just look at those super smooth swoops!
20 Minute Garlic Herb Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes
Learn how to make instant pot mashed potatoes flavored with garlic and herbs in 20 minutes right in your instant pot! These potatoes are creamy and smooth. Plus, you can easily double or triple the batch for larger parties!
Ingredients
- 2 1/4 pounds russet potatoes
- 3 cups water
- 1 1/2 teaspoon salt (plus more to taste)
- 6 whole cloves garlic, peeled
- 1 sprig fresh rosemary + a small bunch of thyme sprigs
- 1/4 cup butter, melted
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 4 ounces cream cheese
- chopped chives or parsley, for topping
Instructions
- potatoes: peel the potatoes and chop them into 4-6 pieces depending on the size of the potato. If each of your potatoes weighs a pound, I'd suggest chopping them into 8 pieces.
- pressure cook: Add the potatoes, water, salt, garlic, rosemary, and thyme into the instant pot (affiliate link). Cover, seal the valve and cook on manual high pressure for 8 minutes. Don't wait for natural pressure release on this one, immediately turn the knob to 'vent', drain the potatoes, and discard the herb sprigs. You can keep the garlic or toss it out. I left it in (they mash and blend in so well!)
- mashed potatoes: Using a potato masher, break down the potatoes. This should be easy, the potatoes won't really push back. Using a rubber spatula, mix in the melted butter, sour cream, and cream cheese. Taste and adjust salt to preference. I needed an additional 1/2 teaspoon for our sweet spot. Plate and serve with chopped chives on top!
Notes
- potatoes: I highly recommend using russet potatoes for these mashed potatoes and they yield the lightest, fluffiest texture. Yukon golds will also work but I find they have a slightly more dense feel overall.
- keep in mind that all mashed potatoes (even the instant kind) thicken as they sit. To bring them back to your favorite consistency, you can stir in addition sour cream, milk, or butter. I find milk works best here, and all you need is a splash or two.
- If you’re a mashed potato purist, you can simply leave out the garlic and herb (but, omg, please don’t) and make regular mashed potatoes. Just as delicious and perfect with almost anything!
We are a participant in both the RewardStyle and Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, which are affiliate advertising programs designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com and through RewardStyle.
9 Comments on “20 Minute Garlic Herb Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes”
These are fantastic! Mine came out creamier than I normally prefer but that’s not a slight….still great. Perhaps I’ll lower cook time down to 6-7 minutes or larger chunks of potatoes. The herbs came off the stalks but I think it’s adding more flavor. Incredibly easy to make. Like another reader, I pre-made these & will reheat in the oven.
Thank you for sharing the recipe. Do you use unsalted or salted butter?
I usually only keep salted butter at home, so I used that but either would work here! If you’re using unsalted, just add a little more salt to preference! 🙂
Made it ahead in the afternoon so I can use my instant for your beef stew later on for dinner. Instead of water I used 3 cups of chicken broth. Didn’t have fresh thyme so I used half a teaspoon of dried thyme. Once I was finished, I Put it in a small glass pan in the fridge until dinner time and warmed it up (covered with foil) for about 45 minutes in the oven at 250°. So so so Delicious! Especially paired with your beef stew. Definitely making it again!
Very good! Love the silky texture of the mashed potatoes. Flavor is delicious as well!
Thanks for this delicious recipe.
Talk about a recipe that LOOKS like you’ve slaved over the stove for hours! Bookmarking this creamy, dreamy potatoes recipe!
Sorry, rereading a second time, gave me the answer!
You don’t drain the water off like you would when you cook on the stove? They look amazing. I may have to do a trial run for Thanksgiving.