The One-Pot Trick That Makes Potatoes Impossibly Fluffy

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Perfectly cooked boiled potatoes in the Instant Pot — fast, foolproof, and fluffy every time. Skip the stovetop and get tender potatoes with minimal effort using this simple method.

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Disclaimer: This post is not sponsored by Instant Pot.

Before I discovered that an Instant Pot can boil potatoes, I used my stovetop pressure cooker. FYI, I actually ended up tossing out that pressure cooker, as it was just causing me too much stress! But that’s another story!

Maybe it is just me, but I could never get the timing right. The potatoes would either still be raw in the center or get mushy and absorb water.

What Has Changed Since Making Instant Pot Boiled Potatoes?

Potatoes are steamed, so they absorb no excess water while cooking.
The potatoes are ready at the same time, every time!
No monitoring needed so you can just sit back and relax.

So if you recently bought yourself an Instant Pot, I hope you try this recipe and have a breeze preparing mashed potatoes for the next social gathering!

I like having boiled potatoes on hand so I can always prepare my favourite meals such as North Indian Potato Samosas, Potato Brunch Roll and Punjabi Aloo Paratha.

How to Boil Instant Pot Potatoes

1. Thoroughly rinse potatoes and scrub any dirt off.

Water being poured over yellow potatoes in a metal strainer basket inside an Instant Pot.

2. Insert trivet in the Instant Pot and place potatoes on trivet

3. Pour between 1/4 to 1/3 cups of water over potatoes.

Four yellow potatoes placed on a metal trivet inside an Instant Pot inner pot.

4. Close lid and ensure Instant Pot is in Sealing Mode.

Instant Pot lid closed in sealing mode with valve set to seal for pressure cooking potatoes.

5. Select Steam setting and cook for 10-12 minutes, let pressure release naturally.

Instant Pot Duo Plus display showing 10 minutes cooking time on Steam setting at Normal pressure.

7. Try inserting a fork or knife to ensure the center of the potatoes are cooked.

Cooked yellow potatoes in an Instant Pot with steamer rack, hand inserting fork to test doneness.

And that’s it! This is such a simple process, and you’re guaranteed to have perfect potatoes ready for any occasion!

Tips for Perfect Instant Pot Boiled Potatoes

If your potatoes are larger than 6-7 oz each, cut your potatoes in half to ensure even cooking
If your potatoes are larger than 6-7 oz each, add 1 extra minute to the cook time for each additional ounce. For example, for 3 potatoes that are 8 oz, you’ll want to pressure cook for 12 minutes.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long do potatoes take in the Instant Pot?▼

Set it to the Steam setting for 10 to 11 minutes, then let the pressure release naturally. That's for medium potatoes (about 6 to 7 ounces each) cooked whole on the trivet.

How much water do I need?▼

Just ¼ to ⅓ cup of water poured over the potatoes on the trivet. They steam above the water rather than boiling submerged, which keeps them from getting waterlogged.

Should I peel the potatoes first?▼

No — rinse and scrub them and cook them whole with the skins on. They're easier to peel after cooking if your recipe needs them peeled, and the skins help them hold together.

How do I know they're done?▼

Slide a fork or knife into the centre of a potato — it should go in easily with no resistance. If they're still firm in the middle, reseal and cook a couple of minutes more.

Let me know what you think of this recipe in the comments! If you’ve tried this recipe, be sure to post it on social media and tag it with #cookingwithanadi and mention me @cooking.with.anadi. Thank you!

Recipe by Anadi Misra

How to Cook Boiled Potatoes in the Instant Pot

Perfectly cooked boiled potatoes in the Instant Pot — fast, foolproof, and fluffy every time. Skip the stovetop and get tender potatoes with minimal effort using this simple method.

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2 min

Prep

25 min

Cook

27 min

Total

potatoes

easy

Level

Ingredients

Tap any quantity to scale

potatoes (about 6-7 oz each* see notes) · make your ownShop →
water, as neededShop →

Instructions

1
Thoroughly rinse potatoes and scrub any dirt off.
Thoroughly rinse potatoes and scrub any dirt off.
2
Insert the trivet in the Instant Pot and place potatoes on the trivet.
Insert the trivet in the Instant Pot and place potatoes on the trivet.
3
Pour between ¼–⅓ cup of water over potatoes.
Pour between ¼–⅓ cup of water over potatoes.
4
Close the lid and ensure the Instant Pot is in Sealing Mode.
Close the lid and ensure the Instant Pot is in Sealing Mode.
5
Select the Steam setting and cook for 10-11 minutes, let pressure release naturally.
Select the Steam setting and cook for 10-11 minutes, let pressure release naturally.
6
Try inserting a fork or knife to ensure the centre of the potatoes are cooked.
Try inserting a fork or knife to ensure the centre of the potatoes are cooked.

Notes

•If your potatoes are larger than 6-7 oz each, cut your potatoes in half to ensure even cooking
•If your potatoes are larger than 6-7 oz each, add 1 extra minute to the cook time for each additional ounce. For example, for 3 potatoes that are 8 oz, you’ll want to pressure cook for 12 minutes.

Nutrition per serving

Calories

Protein

18g

Carbs

Fat

Fiber

Sugar

6mg

Sodium

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Tested & written in Anadi’s kitchen

What Has Changed Since Making Instant Pot Boiled Potatoes?

How to Boil Instant Pot Potatoes

Tips for Perfect Instant Pot Boiled Potatoes

Frequently Asked Questions