You are going to love this no-fuss, foolproof method for cooking Instant Pot Sweet Potatoes. They’re an easy, healthy side dish that everyone loves.

instant pot sweet potatoes cooked whole

Instant Pot Sweet Potatoes

Compared to the time and effort it takes to cook whole sweet potatoes in an oven, cooking them in the Instant Pot is a cinch! They’re done about 60% faster and you don’t have to poke holes in the potatoes before you cook them. It’s honestly so convenient and I’ll never go back to using my oven to make delicious, healthy sweet potatoes that are perfectly cooked.

With the Instant Pot, you:

  • don’t have to prick the sweet potatoes to get them to cook evenly through
  • don’t have to pre-heat your oven and heat up your kitchen
  • can walk away and do other things while the Instant Pot does its magic

If you don’t have an Instant Pot and are ready to buy one, may I suggest the 6-quart Duo model that I have? I love it and it sells for less than $100 on Amazon.

baked whole sweet potato on a white plate with polka dots

Recipe Steps

You aren’t going to believe how easy it is to cook whole sweet potatoes in a pressure cooker. To make gloriously soft sweet potatoes with a silky-smooth flesh, all you have to if follow these steps.

Step 1

Wash and pat dry your sweet potatoes.

Step 2

Place them on a trivet inside the Instant Pot.

Step 3

Add one cup of water.

Step 4

Lock on the lid and set the time based on the size of your potatoes. 

  • Small sweet potato – 12 minutes
  • Medium sweet potato (most common size) – 18 minutes
  • Large sweet potato – 25 minutes

whole sweet potatoes in the pot

FAQs

What size of Instant Pot should I use to cook sweet potatoes?

I recommend a 3-quart, 6-quart, or 8-quart. It really just depends on how many you want to cook at one time.

How many sweet potatoes can I cook in the Instant Pot?

A 3-quart Instant Pot will fit up to 3 medium sweet potatoes, a 6-quart Instant Pot will fit up to 5 or 6 medium sweet potatoes and an 8-quart Instant Pot will fit up to 10 or more medium sweet potatoes.

How long does it take to cook a sweet potato in the Instant Pot?

  • Small sweet potato – 12 minutes
  • Medium sweet potato (most common size) – 18 minutes
  • Large sweet potato – 25 minutes

How do you serve cooked sweet potatoes?

The options are endless! Sweet potatoes can just be cut down the middle and served with some butter, ghee, or coconut oil. They also go great with a sprinkle of ground cinnamon.

You can also use them as a base for toppings like cooked beans or ground meat. Or, you can even make them into a Sweet Potato Soufflé or my delicious gluten-free Cinnamon Sweet Potato Bread!

uncooked sweet potatoes

Can I freeze cooked sweet potatoes?

Yes, but I like to remove them from the skin and just freeze the flesh.

Can I eat the skin of cooked sweet potatoes? 

Yes, but I recommend buying organic sweet potatoes if you want to eat the skin. Also, be sure to scrub them really well before cooking them.

Can I make mashed sweet potatoes in the Instant Pot?

Yes! But, I recommend peeling them and chopping them before cooking them. See my easy Instant Pot mashed sweet potato recipe for the details.

What else can I make in the Instant Pot?

So many things! I have just what you need with my FREE Instant Pot Clean Eating e-book! Yay!

Download my FREE Clean Eating Instant Pot recipes e-book!

Plus, here are some other easy Instant Pot veggie recipes you might like:

See my entire index of healthy Instant Pot recipes.

Watch me make this recipe on YouTube!

Here’s the printable recipe:

Print
cooked sweet potato on a white plate with gold forks

Instant Pot Whole Sweet Potatoes

★★★★★

5 from 12 reviews

  • Author: Carrie Forrest, MPH in Nutrition
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 18 minutes
  • Total Time: 33 minutes
  • Yield: 6 1x
  • Diet: Gluten Free
Print Recipe

Description

These Instant Pot Sweet Potatoes are cooked whole with no pricking. They’re an easy, healthy side dish that everyone loves.

Scale

Ingredients

  • 6 medium sweet potatoes, whole
  • 1 cup water

Instructions

  1. Wash the sweet potatoes, using a sponge or brush to scrape off any pieces of dirt. Pat dry with a clean towel.
  2. Place the trivet into the bottom of the Instant Pot. Add the water.
  3. Arrange the sweet potato on the trivet.
  4. Lock on the lid and set the cooking time to 18 minutes, making sure the pressure valve is set to “sealing.”
  5. When the cooking time is complete, let the pressure come down naturally for 5 minutes, and then quick release the remaining pressure.
  6. Remove the lid and use tongs to transfer the cooked sweet potatoes to a serving plate.
  7. Use immediately, or cover and refrigerate for up to 5 days.

Notes

Note: cooking times can vary based on the size of your sweet potato. Medium is the most common size. The small ones fit in the palm of your hand and the large ones are huge. Adjust the cooking time based on the size of your potatoes: Small sweet potato (12 minutes) Medium sweet potato (18 minutes) Large sweet potato (25 minutes)

  • Category: Side dish
  • Method: Instant Pot pressure cooker
  • Cuisine: Healthy

Keywords: how to cook sweet potatoes in the Instant pot, Instant pot sweet potatoes, how long to pressure cook sweet potatoes

 

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