Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the ratio of water and milk for instant mashed potatoes? ›

Pour 1 c (240 mL) of water and 0.5 c (120 mL) of milk into a large microwave-safe bowl. Stir in 1/4 teaspoon (1 g) of salt and 1 1/2 tablespoons (21 g) of butter or margarine. Substitute the milk with chicken stock, vegetable stock, or extra water for a dairy-free option.

The Best Kind of Potatoes for Pressure Cooking

Cut them into 1 1/2-inch chunks, and they're ready in under 15 minutes (about ten minutes for the pot to come up to pressure, then three minutes for the potatoes to steam.) Take 'em out right when the timer goes off so they don't overcook, then use them however you like!

For a quick and delicious instant mashed potatoes recipe, all you have to do is simply add your potato flakes to hot water, gently fluff with a fork and serve.

Most instant potato varieties call for you to combine the potatoes with water, but if you want your potatoes to taste a bit more indulgent, use milk instead. Whole milk will yield delightfully rich potatoes, but 2 percent milk works well too.

Process the Potatoes

The potatoes need to be processed in a weighted pressure canner at 10 pounds pressure for 35 minutes for pint jars and 40 minutes of quart jars if you live at an altitude of 1,000 feet above sea level or less (Image 3).

For good measure: Be careful not to overcook potatoes you plan to mash, because the starch cells will break down and create a sticky mash. Cook them just until a thin-bladed knife meets a bit of resistance. It is also important to drain the potatoes well after cooking to prevent gumminess.

When potatoes are mashed, starch is released. The more you work the potatoes, the more starch gets released. When too much starch gets released, the potatoes become gummy, gluey, and unappetizing.

Make the Box Better

Those same add-ins—chopped fresh herbs like chives or parsley, chopped cooked bacon, crumbled blue cheese, roasted garlic cloves and so on—will enhance the instant variety as well. Butter (not margarine) is a must, as is sour cream.

Add Oil, Margarine and Milk

Drizzling in a little of either oil in makes a great substitute for butter in mashed potatoes. Though oil is healthier, it is even higher in calories than butter, however, so take care if you are weight-watching. A tablespoon of olive oil has 118 calories according to the USDA.

How to make instant mashed potatoes thicker? ›

You can use what you have on hand: Flour, cornstarch, or powdered milk are all solid options that are probably already in your pantry. Potato flour and potato starch would work as well. Stir in the thickening agent gradually, about a tablespoon at a time, until the potatoes have reached your desired consistency.

Nutritionally speaking, instant mashed potatoes offer roughly the same vitamins and minerals as the real mashed potatoes with the exception of Vitamin C. To please palates, they tend to be higher in sodium, significantly higher than the amount of salt home cooks would add when making them at home from scratch.

Then, prepare the potatoes: Bring 1¼ cups water to boil in a small saucepan. Once bubbling away, remove from heat, add 1 cup instant mashed potatoes (2 oz.), and gently fluff with a fork.

In fact, when you mix the potato flakes with the warm broth, the result is a creamier, more buttery-tasting bowl of spuds. You can also swap milk or half-and-half for the water required.

If you're hoping to keep the fat and sodium content low, then try using half water and half another liquid. Don't forget to mix in a little butter, sour cream, pepper, garlic powder, or whatever ingredients you typically add to your from-scratch mashed potatoes.

Put 88g of Smash into a bowl, add 425ml (approx. 3/4 pint) of boiling water and mix with a fork. Add more flake or water for desired texture.

Runny potatoes can happen for a few different reasons. Too much liquid: This is the most common reason. In the mashing process you may have added too much milk or broth.