Here’s a step-by-step guide for how to boil potatoes in an Instant Pot pressure cooker. This easy method results in fork-tender potatoes that can be served in a variety of ways. Use Russet potatoes, red potatoes, gold potatoes, baby potatoes, or white potatoes.

fork pricking a boiled potato in an instant pot pressure cooker.

If you’ve always boiled your potatoes on the stovetop, then you’ll be thrilled to know you can transfer that task to the pressure cooker. No more standing over a hot stove!

The Instant Pot does an excellent job of steaming the potatoes which gives you the exact same result as boiling the potatoes on the stovetop.

Contents hide
1 Why You Need This Recipe
2 Key Ingredients
3 Recipe Steps
4 Recipe Tips & Substitutions
5 Recipe FAQs
6 More Easy Instant Pot Potato Recipes You May Like
7 Don’t Miss These Helpful Instant Pot Resources!
8 How to Boil Potatoes in Instant Pot

Why You Need This Recipe

  • Boiling potatoes in the Instant Pot is one of the easiest ways to cook potatoes. You can serve the potatoes right out the pot, or you can transfer them to a serving bowl to make mashed potatoes or potato salad.
  • This comprehensive guide includes instructions for cooking almost any type or size of potato. From Yukon gold potatoes to Idaho potatoes, I’ve got you covered.
  • For most people, potatoes are considered to be a healthy food. Boiled potatoes are rich in nutrients and are a great source of carbohydrates. Potatoes are also budget-friendly and easy to find throughout the year. See all of my tips for eating clean on a budget.

Key Ingredients

You only need potatoes and water to make boiled potatoes in the Instant Pot. You can use any size of Instant Pot.

You’ll also need a trivet, steamer basket, or a few balls of bunched up aluminum foil to keep the potatoes out of the water.

labeled picture with labels of items needed to make instant pot boiled potatoes.

Please see the recipe card at the end of this post for the exact ingredients and measurements.

Recipe Steps

Let me show you how easy it is to make Instant Pot potatoes of any type. Serve them as an easy side dish or make Instant Pot Potato Salad!

Step One

Scrub your potatoes and rinse them under cold water from the faucet.

Use a sponge to break off any sprouts that may have formed on the outside of your potatoes.

uncooked red potatoes in a colander.

Step Two

Place the trivet and a cup of water inside the base of your Instant Pot. Then, place your uncooked whole potatoes on top of the trivet to keep them out of the water in the bottom of the pot.

Please see the recipe card at the end of this post for the exact ingredients and measurements.

Step Three

Lock on the lid and set the time to 10 minutes at high pressure (the cook time will vary depending on the size of the potatoes). Be sure to set the sealing position to “sealed.”

See the notes section in the recipe card below for suggested cook times for other sizes of potatoes.

red potatoes cooked in an instant pot pressure cooker.

Step Four

When the cooking time is up, let the pressure come down naturally for about 10 minutes. 

Then, use the quick release to get rid of any remaining pressure after using the natural pressure release.

Step Five

Remove the lid and use tongs to transfer the boiled potatoes to a serving dish. Serve them with your choice of salt and pepper, chopped chives, butter or ghee, sour cream, or any other topping you like.

I hope you agree that this is the easiest way to make perfect potatoes.

bowl of instant pot boiled potatoes ready to serve.

Recipe Tips & Substitutions

  • You can use any type of potato you like. The cook time will vary depending on the size of the potato.
  • SMALL POTATOES (1-inch long): use a cook time of 6 minutes and a 10 minutes natural pressure release (NPR). Also, use a steamer basket instead of the trivet for very small potatoes that would otherwise fall through the spaces of the trivet. You might also want to check out my recipe for Instant Pot Baby Potatoes.
  • MEDIUM POTATOES (2 inches long): use a cook time of 10 minutes and a 10 minutes NPR. Add an extra 2 minutes to the cook time if want to mash your boiled potatoes.
  • LARGE POTATOES (3-4 inches long): use a cook time of 20 minutes and a 10 minutes NPR. Add an extra 5 minutes to the cook time if want to mash your boiled potatoes.
  • You can cook up to about 5 pounds of potatoes at one time in a 6-quart Instant Pot. Just remember never to fill the pot past the max line.

Recipe FAQs

Do I need to poke holes in the potatoes to keep them from exploding?

No, you do not need to poke holes in the potatoes.

How do I cook baby potatoes in the Instant Pot?

Use a cook time of 6 minutes and a 10 minutes natural pressure release. Also, use a steamer basket instead of the trivet for very small potatoes that would otherwise fall through the spaces of the trivet.

Can I use the steam function to boil potatoes?

The steam function on the Instant Pot is essentially the same as cooking at high pressure. If you use the steam function, use the up or down arrow to adjust the time to the correct number of minutes based on the size of your potatoes.

Can I peel the potatoes before boiling?

Yes, you can peel your potatoes before boiling them in the Instant Pot. The cook time remains the same.

More Easy Instant Pot Potato Recipes You May Like

Don’t Miss These Helpful Instant Pot Resources!

20+ Healthy Instant Pot Soup Recipes

25+ Easy Instant Pot Recipes for Beginners

20+ Healthy Instant Pot Side Dishes

Instant Pot Meal Prep Gift Guide (Plus Recipes)

I hope you make this recipe! If you do, please leave a comment and a starred review below.

And, consider following me on social media so we can stay connected. I’m on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, and YouTube!

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instant pot boiled potatoes in a pot with a fork

How to Boil Potatoes in Instant Pot

★★★★★

5 from 7 reviews
Print Recipe

Here’s a step-by-step guide for how to boil potatoes in an Instant Pot pressure cooker. This easy method results in fork-tender potatoes that can be served in a variety of ways. Use Russet potatoes, red potatoes, gold potatoes, baby potatoes, or white potatoes.

  • Total Time: 35 minutes
  • Yield: 4 1x

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 1 pound medium potatoes, scrubbed and rinsed
  • 1 cup water

Instructions

  1. Scrub your potatoes and rinse them under cool running water.
  2. Place the trivet in the bottom of the Instant Pot. You can use any size of Instant Pot, but just don’t fill the pot past the “max” line.
  3. Add a cup of water.
  4. Then, place your potatoes on top of the trivet.
  5. Lock on the lid and set the time to 10 minutes at high pressure. See the notes section below for suggested cook times for other sizes of potatoes.
  6. When the cooking time is up, let the pressure come down naturally for about 10 minutes. 
  7. Then, use the quick-release to get rid of any remaining pressure.
  8. Remove the lid and use tongs to transfer the boiled potatoes to a serving dish.
  9. Serve warm.
  10. Refrigerate any leftovers in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. 

Equipment

Notes

  1. You can use any type of potato you like. The cook time will vary depending on the size of the potato.
  2. You can cook up to about 5 pounds of potatoes at one time in a 6-quart Instant Pot. Just remember never to fill the pot past the max line.
  3. SMALL POTATOES (1-inch long): use a cook time of 6 minutes and a 10 minutes NPR . Also, use a steamer basket instead of the trivet for very small potatoes that would otherwise fall through the spaces of the trivet
  4. MEDIUM POTATOES (2 inches long): use a cook time of 10 minutes and a 10 minutes NPR. Add an extra 2 minutes to the cook time if want to mash your boiled potatoes
  5. LARGE POTATOES (3-4 inches long): use a cook time of 20 minutes and a 10 minutes NPR. Add an extra 5 minutes to the cook time if want to mash your boiled potatoes
  6. You can peel your potatoes before boiling them in the Instant Pot. The cook time remains the same.
  • Author: Carrie Forrest, MPH in Nutrition
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 10 minutes
  • Category: Side dish
  • Method: Instant Pot pressure cooker
  • Cuisine: American
  • Diet: Vegetarian

Keywords: instant pot boiled potatoes, instant pot steamed potatoes

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About the Author: Carrie Forrest is the author of the best-selling Instant Pot-authorized cookbook, The Healthy Meal Prep Instant Pot Cookbook. She has a master’s degree in public health with a specialty in nutrition and receives more than 7 million annual visitors to her site. Send Carrie a message through her contact form.