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.

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instant pot sweet potatoes cooked whole

I think you’re going to love how easy and efficient it is to make 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 an electric pressure cooker. To make gloriously soft sweet potatoes with a silky-smooth flesh, all you have to if follow these steps.

Step One

Wash and pat dry your sweet potatoes.

Step Two

Place them on a trivet inside the Instant Pot. If you have a steamer basket, you can use that too (see my favorite Instant Pot meal prep accessories).

Add one cup of water.

Step Three

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

  • Small sweet potatoes – 12 minutes
  • Medium sweet potatoes (most common size) – 18 minutes
  • Large sweet potatoes – 25 minutes
whole sweet potatoes in the pot

Step Four

Cook on high pressure and then let the pressure come down naturally for about 10 minutes. Use the natural release, remove the lid, and use tongs to transfer your perfect sweet potatoes to a serving plate.

Expert Tips

  • Buy organic sweet potatoes if you plan to eat the skin. Otherwise, conventional sweet potatoes are fine.
  • Serve your cooked potatoes with whatever toppings you like. Most people like a little butter or vegan butter. For a treat, add a sprinkle of cinnamon and brown sugar (or maple syrup or coconut sugar).
  • To make them a main dish, you can stuff them with meat, beans, cheese, or whatever you like.
  • You can cook regular potatoes the same way! See my complete blog post on how to boil potatoes in an Instant Pot.
stuffed sweet potatoes served on a plate

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. 

I even make a Sweet Potato Smoothie recipe that tastes like sweet potato pie. 

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!

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. This recipe is great for baby food too!

uncooked sweet potatoes

More Easy Instant Pot Recipes You Might Like

See my entire index of healthy Instant Pot recipes.

Watch me make this recipe on YouTube!

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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cooked sweet potato on a white plate with gold forks

Instant Pot Whole Sweet Potatoes

★★★★★

5 from 12 reviews
Print Recipe

Description

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

Ingredients

Scale
  • 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

  1. 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)
  2. 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.
  3. 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. 
  • 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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