Description
Flavorful, creamy, slightly herby, garlic mashed potatoes are made easy by using the Instant Pot. The perfect side dish to serve at any holiday, party, or even steak night.
Ingredients
Instant pot potatoes
- 1.5 pounds russet potatoes (about 2 large potatoes)
- 1 pound yukon gold potatoes
- 1 teaspoon salt
- about 4 cups filtered water
Flavorings
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, divided
- 4 to 5 large garlic cloves, minced
- 3/4 cup milk (can use any type of milk you liked, I have used but 2% and whole milk)
- 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- Optional: fresh herbs, such as: thyme, rosemary, and/or sage (see notes)
- 2 to 3 tablespoons cream cheese, room temperature
Options For garnish
- fresh cracked black pepper
- chopped parsley or chives
- pats of room temperature butter
Instructions
- Prep the potatoes: Wash and scrub all of your potatoes. I like to leave the skin on the yukon gold potatoes, the skins are nice and tender and adds a nice texture – I peel the russet potatoes. However, depending on what you like you can leave on all skins or peel all the potatoes, just depends on what you like. Chop the potatoes into 2 inch chunks. This is better than leaving the potatoes whole so that they cook evening since some parts of the potatoes are different sized than others.
- Cook the potatoes: (see notes for stove top directions). Place all of the chopped potatoes in the instant pot along with the salt, and mostly cover them with water (about 4 cups). Secure the instant pot lid making sure the nozzle is set to “sealing”. Select “high pressure” setting and set the instant pot timer for 4 minutes. (it takes about 16 minutes for the IP to come up to pressure).
- Saute the garlic/make warm the milk and butter mixture: While the potatoes are being brought to pressure prepare the flavors for the potatoes. First, if using thyme use kitchen twine to tie it into a little herb bundle for easy removal, the rest of the herbs are fine. Heat a small sauce pot over medium low heat, add 1 tablespoon of the butter. Once melted add the garlic and saute for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the milk and remaining 3 tablespoons of butter, along with the salt and pepper – turn the heat up to high so the butter melts. Add the herbs, leaving them whole on their stems, along with the thyme bundle. Allow the milk mixture to simmer for 2 minutes, making sure the herbs are mostly submerged – don’t allow it to come to a boil. Remove from the heat, pop a lid on the sauce pot and allow the herbs to steep while the potatoes continue to cook. Just before the potatoes are done cooking use tongs to remove all of the herbs, and discard – keep in mind we want all that yummy garlic to go into the potatoes.
- Drain potatoes: Once the potatoes are done cooking force release the pressure, by carefully moving the nozzle to “venting”. Allow the steam to release, it takes a minute – have a hot pad next to the IP, a colander in the sink, hot pads, and a potato masher at the ready. Once the steam has released remove the lid, carefully remove the IP insert and drain the potatoes. Return the potatoes to the insert and set the IP to “saute”. Place the insert with the potatoes back into the hot IP, allow the water to cook off, giving the potatoes one quick stir (about 1 minute) – quickly remove the IP insert and place it on your hot pad. Add the cream cheese and use your potato masher to begin mashing. Gradually add all of the milk mixture, stirring a few times so everything is well mixed – be careful not to over mix otherwise the potatoes get gummy. Taste the potatoes and adjust any seasonings at this time.
- Serve Potatoes: (see notes for making potatoes in advance/re-heating). Transfer the potatoes to a serving dish and top with any of the garnishes, as desired. Serve with room temp butter for guests to add to their potatoes as desired. Serve hot.
Notes
Herbs: The herbs are very subtle, as more of a hint or background of herb-y flavor in the potatoes. You can either use one or all of the herbs I suggest (you can’t overdue it), or you can omit them completely. If you are serving gravy with your potatoes you probably won’t taste the herbs at all. Just make sure to use fresh herbs, dried really won’t do much.
Stove top directions: Keep in mind that the cooking time will increase for this method. Follow all of the same prepping directions as the directions above. Place the potatoes in a large stock pot along with the 1 teaspoon of salt and enough water to just covered. Bring to a boil and allow the potatoes to boil for 8 to 10 minutes, or until they are fork tender (this is an estimate of time, so keep your eye on them). Drain the potatoes and follow the remaining directions as stated above – including cooking the remaining water out of the potatoes, just place the pot with potatoes in it on a low heat for 1 minute, (this allows us to add more of the milk and butter, the yummy stuff).
Tips to prep/make potatoes in advance:
Store raw, cut potatoes: You can prep your potatoes in advance and store them in the fridge, covered with water for up to 8 hours.
To re-heat them, you have a few options:
You can make these potatoes in advance. Allow them to cool completely before transferring and storing in an air tight container in the fridge.
- Microwave: Place the potatoes in a microwave safe dish, cover with plastic wrap and poke a few holes in the plastic wrap. Microwave on medium powder, until hot, stirring every few minutes.
- Instant Pot: Transfer the cold potatoes to your IP or presser cooker. Hit the “keep warm” setting, cover and allow it to warm for about 1 hour or until the potatoes are hot. Feel free to add a little more milk and butter if the potatoes happen to dry out.
- Oven: Transfer the to potatoes to a 9×9 baking dish. Heat in a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes, or until hot. The top will brown a little and become slightly crunchy, if you don’t want this to happen cover with foil. If you have an electric oven you may need to keep a better eye on your potatoes so the top doesn’t burn.
Cooking tips for mashed potatoes are from Gimme Some Oven.
