What kind of potatoes can I use for mashed potatoes?

You can use whatever you like! I have made mashed potatoes with white, potatoes, yellow potatoes, red, gold, and even sweet potatoes! (See my recipe for Instant Pot Mashed Sweet Potatoes ).

Do I need to drain the liquid after cooking the potatoes?

I find that you don't! The excess water or broth gets absorbed into the potatoes to help make them mashed. The only way that you would need to drain off the cooking liquid is if you cut this recipe in half.

Can I freeze cooked mashed potatoes?

Yes, absolutely! I usually end up freezing half of the batch for later. Then, you can just re-heat the defrosted mashed potatoes later on the stovetop or in the microwave.

Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes (Dairy-Free Option)

Name: Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes Recipe
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 8 min
Total time: 33 min
Yield: 12
Cuisine: Dairy-Free Option
Ingredients: 2 pounds white, red, or gold potatoes (about 8-12 medium sized potatoes); 1 cup broth or water; 3 tablespoons butter, ghee, or vegan butter; ¼ cup unsweetened almond milk (you can use regular milk or cream if you aren’t on a dairy-free diet); 2 teaspoons sea salt; 1/2 teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper

Ingredients

Units Scale

2 pounds white, red, or gold potatoes (about 8-12 medium sized potatoes)
1 cup broth or water
3 tablespoons butter, ghee, or vegan butter
1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk (you can use regular milk or cream if you aren't on a dairy-free diet)
2 teaspoons sea salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper

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Instructions

Scrub the potatoes and cut them in half. You can also leave the potatoes whole, but they will need to cook longer.
Add the potatoes to the pot, along with the water or broth.
Lock on the lid and push the button for pressure cooking. Set the time to 8 minutes if you are using chopped potatoes or 28 minutes if you are using whole potatoes.
Once the cooking time is complete, let the pressure come down naturally for about 5 minutes. Then, use the quick release to get rid of any remaining pressure.
Use a potato masher to mash the potatoes.
Add the ghee, butter, or vegan butter, and stir until combined.
Pour in the almond milk and give the potatoes one final stir.
Serve hot and season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Equipment

Instant Pot

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Notes

If you aren’t on a vegan or dairy-free diet, you can use regular milk in this recipe.
Serve your mashed potatoes with gravy! See my recipe for Dairy-Free Gravy.
Look for vegan butter in the refrigerator section of most grocery stores. You can buy it in a tub or in a stick (either one works).
Serve your mashed potatoes with almost any main dish. I particularly like them with my Air Fryer Whole Chicken, Instant Pot Pesto Chicken, Baked Paprika Chicken Thighs, or my Chicken Meatloaf.
Easily make a double batch of this recipe for holidays or gatherings (just don’t go past the max or water level). Or, make a double batch for your family today, and then freeze the leftovers for the future. Cooked mashed potatoes keep in the freezer for up to 2 months.

Author: Carrie Forrest, MPH in Nutrition
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 8 minutes
Category: Side dish
Method: Instant Pot
Cuisine: Dairy-Free Option
Diet: Vegetarian

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1/2 cup
Calories: 126
Sugar: 1.7 g
Sodium: 104 mg
Fat: 3.1 g
Saturated Fat: 1.8 g
Carbohydrates: 22.4 g
Fiber: 3.4 g
Protein: 2.6 g
Cholesterol: 8 mg