Instant Pot Mashed Sweet Potatoes (30 Minute Recipe)
This recipe for Instant Pot Mashed Sweet Potatoes is so easy to make, and takes just about 30 minutes from start to finish. Skip standing over a hot stove to make your sweet potato mash. This is a delicious side dish that can be made dairy-free or vegan based on your dietary preference.
The Instant Pot electric pressure cooker makes it so much easier than cooking the sweet potatoes on the stovetop.
I think you’re really going to love this recipe. I make it every holiday season to go with my holiday meal, but I make it a lot just as a weeknight dish, too.
The flavor and texture of these Instant Pot Mashed Sweet Potatoes are really great. While sweet potatoes are naturally sweet already, the addition of just a touch of maple syrup takes them to the next level.
And, to make them super silky and creamy, I recommend adding butter (you can also use ghee or vegan butter depending on your dietary needs).
Why You Need This Recipe
- Sweet potatoes are a healthy food that is budget-friendly and available almost all year round. For people who have nightshade sensitivities or need to be on an Autoimmune Diet, they can usually eat sweet potatoes with no problems as they are not a nightshade.
- Even kids like sweet potatoes because of they are naturally sweet despite their savory flavor. I’ve included sweet potatoes on my list of vegetables for picky eaters.
- Sweet potatoes are considered a low histamine food so they can be consumed by people on a low histamine diet. This healthy food can also satisfy sugar cravings if you’re doing a sugar detox or a sugar-free diet.
Key Ingredients
- Sweet potatoes are naturally sweet and starchy which makes them delicious when mashed. They are one of my favorite gluten-free carbohydrates and are always on my clean eating shopping list.
- Maple syrup adds a hint of maple flavor while adding sweetness to the mash. You can also use brown sugar or coconut sugar, if you prefer.
- Vegan butter makes the sweet potatoes super creamy without any dairy! You can also use regular butter, ghee, coconut butter, or coconut milk depending on your dietary needs. See my article with tips for starting a gluten-free and dairy-free diet.
- Cinnamon adds a sweet spicy flavor that’s reminiscent of fall.
- Thyme adds an herbal and earthy flavor that pairs well with the warmth of cinnamon. If you don’t have thyme, you can leave it out or use another dried spice such as oregano or Italian seasoning.
See the recipe card at the end of this post for the full recipe.
Recipe Steps
Step One
I recommend using about five medium to large sweet potatoes (about two pounds) for this recipe.
It ends up making about 8 servings which is perfect for a group or if you want to meal prep this recipe (see all of my meal prep tips).
Peel and chop the potatoes into 1-inch pieces.
Step Two
Add the chopped sweet potato to the inner pot of a 6-quart or 8-quart Instant Pot, along with 1 cup water, plus some salt, ground cinnamon, and dried thyme.
If you have fresh thyme on hand, you can use that instead of the dried thyme. You can also add ground black pepper if you like it.
Be sure to check the recipe card at the end of this post for the exact ingredients, measurements, and cooking times.
And, if you’re new to pressure cooking, check out my guide for how to use the Instant Pot.
Step Three
Next, lock on the lid and set the cook time to 8 minutes at high pressure.
When the cooking time is complete, use the quick pressure release to release the steam (be careful of the hot steam when using the quick release).
Step Four
Carefully remove the lid and stir in the maple syrup and your fat of choice into the bright orange flesh. For vegan, use coconut butter or vegan butter. For paleo diets, you can use ghee or coconut butter.
You’ll also note that you don’t need to drain the cooking water after the potatoes are cooked. The water helps keep the potatoes nice and moist.
I hope your family agrees that this is the perfect recipe for mashed sweet potatoes! Add it to your list of Thanksgiving recipe or for any weeknight dinner.
Serve the creamy potatoes as is, or use them as the topping of a sweet potato shepherd’s pie or for my gluten-free sweet potato casserole.
Recipe Tips
- You don’t need to use a steamer basket for this recipe since it’s a one pot healthy side dish. You also won’t need to use a hand mixer or immersion blender since the mashed potatoes will be so soft and tender. Just use a fork or potato masher to mash the cooked sweet potatoes in the bottom of your Instant Pot.
- You can also freeze your mashed sweet potatoes after doing the cooking process! Leave out the seasonings and freeze them flat in zip-top bags.
- VEGAN: use coconut butter or vegan butter instead of ghee. Don’t use any heavy cream or whole milk to keep the recipe plant-based.
- PALEO or Whole30: use coconut butter or ghee (or check out my recipe for Whole30 Mashed Potatoes). For dairy allergies, use vegan butter or coconut butter.
- Refrigerate any leftovers in a tightly-sealed airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Or, see how to freeze sweet potatoes.
Recipe FAQs
Cook them for 8 minutes with one cup of water, do a quick-release, and then mash them with a potato masher. You don’t even need to drain them.
Yes, but you might need to drain off about half the water once the cooking is done.
Yes! You only need about half the water in that case.
No, since this recipe is for mashed potatoes, the water will just get mixed into the final product.
Yes, absolutely!
Yes, you can.
More Instant Pot Recipes You Might Like
- Instant Pot Beets
- Instant Pot Kabocha Squash
- Instant Pot Carrots
- Instant Pot Cooked Cabbage
- Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes
- Instant Pot Whole Red Potatoes
- Instant Pot Boiled Potatoes
Or, if you want a main dish idea using sweet potatoes, check out this recipe for Instant Pot Chicken and Sweet Potato Dinner.
Don’t Miss These Instant Pot Round-Ups!
I hope you make this recipe! If you do, please leave a comment and a starred review below.
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Instant Pot Mashed Sweet Potatoes (30 Mins)
This recipe for Instant Pot Mashed Sweet Potatoes is so easy to make, and takes just about 30 minutes from start to finish. Skip standing over a hot stove to make your sweet potato mash. This is a delicious side dish that goes with many main dish recipes.
- Total Time: 28 minutes
- Yield: 8
Ingredients
- 5 large sweet potatoes, about 2 pounds
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme or your favorite seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 cup water
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup (optional)
- 2 tablespoons butter, vegan butter, ghee, or coconut butter
Instructions
- Peel and chop your sweet potatoes into approximately 1-inch chunks. Place the chunks into the base of a 6-quart or 8-quart pressure cooker.
- Add the salt, thyme, and cinnamon to the sweet potatoes and toss to combine.
- Pour in the water and lock the lid on the pressure cooker. Set the time to 8 minutes at high pressure.
- When the cooking time is up, use the quick-release to release the pressure.
- Carefully remove the lid and stir in the the maple syrup and butter, vegan butter, ghee, or coconut butter to the potatoes.
- Use a spatula or a potato masher to mix together and serve hot.
Notes
- VEGAN: use coconut butter instead of ghee. PALEO or Whole30: use coconut butter or ghee. For dairy allergies, use vegan butter or coconut butter.
- Refrigerate any leftovers in a tightly-sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat before serving.
- The total cooking time includes 10 minutes to come up to pressure, 8 minutes cooking time, and 10 minutes for a natural pressure release.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 8 minutes
- Category: Side dish
- Method: Instant Pot pressure cooker
- Cuisine: Healthy
- Diet: Vegetarian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/8 of recipe
- Calories: 159
- Sugar: 8.8 g
- Sodium: 188.1 mg
- Fat: 5.9 g
- Saturated Fat: 3.6 g
- Carbohydrates: 25.1 g
- Fiber: 3.8 g
- Protein: 2.3 g
- Cholesterol: 15.3 mg
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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 over 5 million annual visitors to her site. Send Carrie a message through her contact form.
Great article. Thank you!
My ‘sweet potatoes’ ended up looking gray, though they tasted good. Perhaps this has something to do with conventional ‘sweet potatoes’ vs. ‘yams’?
Interesting! Were your sweet potatoes yellow or orange-fleshed?
Fantastic! Super easy and tastes amazing! Great for a side dish in the fall or winter!
Yes, thanks Kim!!! I am getting so excited for fall now!
One of my favorite recipes!
I love my instant pot for potatoes! Happy to find this recipe for sweet potatoes. Question – don’t you need to drain the potatoes? Recipe does not say to so just checking……thanks!
Actually, the water gets absorbed into the potatoes! So, no need to drain. Enjoy!!!
This is so cool! I had no idea you could make this in the pressure cooker! I need more recipes as well for the pressure cooker, because what I have made so far is phenomenal in that little gadget but there isn’t many recipes for it! Thanks so much! 🙂
This looks fantastic – we LOVE sweet potatoes, and yet I’ve never thought to add thyme as a seasoning. So perfect, and goes with a million different mains!
Yum! This looks fantastic and a perfect substitution for traditional mashed potatoes. Love the addition of thyme.
I’ve never tried thyme with sweet potatoes. I’ll have to do this next time I want a sweet potato side dish.
These look so perfect! And I love that you’ve seasoned them with thyme. This is a must-try.
I love this! Sweet potatoes are a staple in our house and I just got an instant pot this CHristmas. I’ve been pressure canning for years but this is my first time pressure cooking and I am starting to love it!