Instant Pot Whole Red Potatoes (10 Mins, Perfect Texture)

Forget using your oven to cook whole red potatoes, the Instant Pot pressure cooker does an absolute perfect job! In only 10 minutes cooking time, you’ll have creamy, fully-cooked potatoes that make a perfect side dish.

Instant Pot Recipes & Cooking

You might remember I made Sweet Potato Mash in the Instant Pot pressure cooker last Thanksgiving, and that recipe was such a hit. Then, my 3-ingredient cabbage recipe video went viral on FB. These two recipes are so simple that I almost didn’t post them. But, I think I finally got it through my thick skull that you like no-fuss, no-muss, easy recipes as much as I do, ha!

Not to mention, with the heat we’ve been having this summer even at the beach in California, I’m using my pressure cooker more and more to avoid heating up my kitchen. Share with me the ways you’re staying cool!

Are potatoes healthy or not healthy?

You’re not afraid of eating potatoes are you? The reason I ask is because there has been quite a change within the health community about the health status of potatoes. The strict paleo folks once argued that white potatoes are off-limits since they didn’t proliferate until agriculture got underway, and some other people like to say that potatoes are too high in carbohydrates to be considered nutritious.

I think potatoes are amazing and I include them as part of my real food, clean eating diet (read my definition of clean eating). In fact, for my friends who suffer from insomnia or difficulty sleeping through the night, it’s been proposed that consuming one serving of starchy food like potatoes (red, white, or sweet potatoes) or rice at dinnertime can help maintain a steady blood sugar level. The idea is that by topping off the liver glycogen levels with a reasonable amount of starch, the body has a source of fuel and it’s less likely you’ll wake up in the middle of the night. In this way, starch balances hormones!

Here are some more commonly asked questions about potatoes

Are red potatoes healthier than gold potatoes? Maybe, because the red skin likely has more antioxidants than plain skin. I couldn’t find any research about this though.

Aren’t potatoes unhealthy? Fried potatoes are not healthy, but whole cooked potatoes in the context of an overall balanced diet should not be consider unhealthy.

What do red potatoes taste like? They have a creamy texture, maybe because they’re starch level is a bit lower than that of a russet potato. I like to serve them with grass-fed ghee or coconut oil.

Aren’t potatoes in the nightshade family and therefore should be avoided? Yes, white potatoes are indeed a member of the nightshade family. Some people are sensitive to nightshades, but it’s dependent on each individual person.

How to cook potatoes in the pressure cooker

Now let’s get into the actual process of cooking potatoes. While I used to cook my potatoes in the oven for almost an hour, I get the same result with only 10 minutes cooking time in the Instant Pot. What a huge difference in time and efficiency! Honestly, I will never cook a potato in the oven again.

• The first step is to wash the potatoes and give them a pat dry with a clean towel. You’ll be able to cook about 4 small red potatoes in a 3-quarter Instant Pot pressure cooker or 6-7 small red potatoes at a time in a 6-quart Instant Pot pressure cooker.
• Next, prick each potato with a fork to ensure that the potatoes get cooked through.
• The last step is to add one cup of water to the base of your pressure cooker, place the stainless steel trivet in the bottom, and add the potatoes to the base on top of the trivet. Lock on the lid and set the timer to 10 minutes.
• Use either the natural-release or quick-release before opening.

 

As I mentioned, the texture is absolutely perfect! Serve your pressure cooker potatoes however you like: plain, with butter or ghee, with sour cream, or with coconut yogurt and a sprinkle of fresh chives. Delicious!!!

Here’s the printable recipe for these perfectly-cooked Instant Pot Red Potatoes:

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