Make these super creamy Instant Pot Garlic Mashed Potatoes in under 50 minutes. This recipe is one pot with no drain, and the potatoes are melt-in-your-mouth soft and fluffy (vegetarian, gluten-free).

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About Instant Pot Garlic Mashed Potatoes
If you like mashed potatoes, this Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes recipe is just for you.
This technique to make mashed potatoes is super easy, mess-free, one-pot, and comes together in under 50 minutes.
The resultant mashed potatoes are super fluffy and creamy.
The best part is that this comforting side dish is a no-drain recipe. This means you don’t have to drain the extra water after cooking the potatoes. This one trick makes this recipe a notch higher than others.
These garlic mashed potatoes cooked in an instant pot are gluten-free and vegetarian, and the recipe can be easily doubled or tripled. I made this recipe in my 6-quart instant pot. If doubling or tripling, use an 8-quart pot. The time of cooking will remain the same.
If you own an instant pot, here are some more interesting recipes that you can try
- Mashed Purple Sweet Potatoes
- Instant Pot Chicken Stew
- Instant Pot Cauliflower Soup
- Instant Pot Black Beans
- Instant Pot Refried Beans
- Instant Pot Chicken Broccoli Pasta
- Instant Pot Cuban Chicken Soup
- Instant Pot Hot Chocolate
Ingredients


Potatoes – The best-mashed potatoes are prepared with Russet potatoes, Idaho potatoes, or Yukon Gold potatoes, as they are high in starch. But if you do not get any of these, use any potatoes you use for your regular cooking.
Red potatoes also work well.
You can replace regular potatoes with sweet potatoes and make instant pot sweet potatoes.
Garlic – Garlic adds a delicious and distinct flavor that makes it even more delicious. So do not skip this one.
Others – You will also need water, salt, extra virgin olive oil, salted butter, sour cream, and cream cheese.
Water can be replaced with vegetable stock (vegetable stock) or chicken stock (chicken broth) for extra flavor.
Add some freshly cracked black pepper for a spicy kick.
How To Make Instant Pot Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Preparation
Start by preparing the potatoes. You will need 2 pounds (1 kg) of potatoes. Wash the potatoes well and peel them using a vegetable peeler. You can leave the skin on if you like the earthy flavor.
Cut the potatoes into 1-inch cubes. Make sure the cubes are equal in size. You can also slice the potatoes into ½-inch thick round slices.
Keep the potato cubes soaked in water until ready to use; otherwise, they will become black due to oxidation. The best is to peel and chop the potatoes just when ready to cook.
Peel the garlic.
Bring the other ingredients to room temperature.
Make The Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Add the potato cubes to the instant pot along with 4-6 whole peeled garlic cloves, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ cup water and stir well.


Put the lid on the instant pot and secure it well.
Set the valve to the sealing position.
Press PRESSURE COOK and set the timer for 12 minutes on high pressure. The instant pot will take some time (approx 10-12 minutes) to build the pressure and start the timer.

Once the timer goes off, let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes.
Release the remaining pressure by moving the valve to the venting position. Use a kitchen towel or the back of a spoon to move the valve to avoid steam burn.
Once the pressure is released, open the lid.

Mash the potatoes using a potato masher. There is no need to drain the water.

Add
- 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoon salted butter
- ¼ cup sour cream
- ¼ cup cream cheese
to the pot and mash until the potatoes are smooth and creamy.
Check for salt and add more if needed.


Transfer the potatoes to the serving bowl. Keep a tab of butter on top and garnish with chopped herbs and red pepper flakes. Serve warm.

Frequently Asked Questions
Making garlic mashed potatoes in an instant pot (electric pressure cooker) is much better than cooking them over the stovetop. Here are a few reasons.
1. This technique is one-pot and mess-free. I have also worked on this recipe and made it no drain, which makes it even easier.
2. The texture of the mashed potatoes is very creamy and fluffy.
3. You can make mashed potatoes. Switch on the keep warm setting; the potatoes will remain warm until you are ready to serve them.
Use leftover mashed potatoes as the topping for a shepherd’s pie or cottage pie. Layer cooked ground beef or lamb with vegetables and top with mashed potatoes, then bake until golden brown.
Form leftover mashed potatoes into patties and fry them until golden brown. Serve as a side dish or as a vegetarian main course.
Mix mashed potatoes with sour cream, shredded cheese, and chopped herbs, then bake until bubbly and golden brown.
Top mashed potatoes with bacon, chives, shredded cheese, and sour cream for a loaded baked potato-style dish.
Pro Tips By Neha
Add some milk if the potatoes look dry.
Cook the potatoes in chicken or vegetable broth instead of water for a more complex flavor.
You can keep the peel on for rustic, no-peel mashed potatoes.
If you want a strong garlic flavor, you can fry some smashed garlic cloves in butter and olive oil until they are slightly browned, and then add the butter to the potatoes. You can add roasted garlic instead of raw garlic for a more prominent flavor.
You can also use fresh herbs like fresh chives, green onions, rosemary, or thyme to flavor these creamy mashed potatoes.
Add ¼ cup of shredded parmesan or cheddar cheese to make these mashed potatoes creamier and cheesier. You can also add some ranch dressing or heavy cream to them.
If sour cream is not available, you either use only cream cheese or add some milk in place of it. This is a very forgiving recipe. Play around with available ingredients.
Always use a potato masher or a potato ricer to mash the potatoes. Never use a hand mixer or immersion blender, as they will make the potatoes gluey.
You can add Greek yogurt instead of sour cream to make these potatoes a little healthier 🙂
All the ingredients added to the potatoes must be at room temperature for better absorption by potatoes.
Serving Suggestions
These potatoes are versatile and comforting for any main course dish.
Mashed potatoes are a classic side dish with roast beef or chicken, often served with gravy.
Serve mashed potatoes alongside sausages and gravy for a traditional British dish called bangers and mash.
Mashed potatoes taste delicious alongside fish and chips for a comforting and filling meal.
Serve them as a traditional side dish for Thanksgiving or Christmas alongside turkey, stuffing, and cranberry sauce for a delicious holiday meal.
You can also serve it for your English breakfast with sausages, stir-fried vegetables, eggs, and toast.
Storage Suggestions
You can make these mashed potatoes 48 hours in advance. Transfer them to an airtight container and refrigerate until use.
When ready to serve, transfer them to an ovenproof dish and bake for 30-40 minutes at 200 degrees F. Add some milk or cream if the potatoes have thickened.
You can also microwave these in intervals of 30 seconds and mix well after each interval.
This recipe freezes very well. Transfer the mashed potatoes to a freezer-safe container or zip lock and freeze for 6 months. Thaw and use when needed.
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Recipe Card

Instant Pot Garlic Mashed Potatoes Recipe (No Drain)
Ingredients
- 2 pounds potatoes (1 kg, peeled and cubed)
- ½ cup water
- 4-6 whole cloves of peeled garlic
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons salted butter (room temperature)
- ¼ cup sour cream (room temperature)
- ¼ cup cream cheese (room temperature)
Instructions
- Add the potato cubes to the instant pot along with garlic cloves, salt, and water, and stir well.
- Put the lid on the instant pot and secure it well.
- Set the valve to the sealing position.
- Press PRESSURE COOK and set the timer for 12 minutes on high pressure. The instant pot will take some time (approx 10-12 minutes) to build the pressure and start the timer.
- Once the timer goes off, let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes.
- Release the remaining pressure by moving the valve to the venting position. Use a kitchen towel or the back of a spoon to move the valve to avoid steam burn.
- Once the pressure is released, open the lid.
- Mash the potatoes using a potato masher. There is no need to drain the water.
- Add olive oil, butter, sour cream, and cream cheese to the pot and mash until the potatoes are smooth and creamy.
- Check for salt and add more if needed.
- Transfer the potatoes to the serving bowl. Keep a tab of butter on top and garnish with chopped herbs and red pepper flakes. Serve warm.
Saurabh Verma
Hi Neha
Nice recipe with nutrition facts
keep serving delicious recipe
Neha Mathur
I am glad you liked it.
Kimberley Pereda
Fabulous snack to make. Creamy, delicious and tasty. No need to stress yourself because it’s easy to prepare. Ingredients are all healthy for our body. My kids will also love it.
Neha Mathur
Thnx 🙂
aatif suleman
that’s a lovely blog thanks for posting such a nice blog..