Instant Pot Mashed Sweet Potatoes are a great side dish that are the perfect alternative to traditional Mashed Potatoes. Cooking them in your electric pressure cooker is a foolproof way to get perfectly cooked creamy and soft sweet potatoes!
In this recipe you mix the sweet potatoes with a little brown sugar, butter, milk, garlic, balsamic vinegar and cinnamon. It is the perfect combo of sweet and savory, and that added hint of vinegar really rounds out all the flavors.
If you do not have an Instant Pot, follow this recipe for Savory Mashed Sweet Potatoes, it is similar in flavor!
Holiday Favorite
This sweet potato recipe is perfect for the Holidays, especially on your Thanksgiving menu!
When your appliances are all occupied by other dishes and your stove is crammed full of turkey and stuffing it is the perfect time to pull out your Instant Pot.
Ingredients
You will need some usual suspects for this recipe like butter and cinnamon, but this recipe also calls for some new ingredients like balsamic vinegar!
- 3 lbs sweet potatoes
- water
- salt
- fresh garlic cloves
- brown sugar
- butter
- milk
- cinnamon
Making Mashed Sweet Potatoes in the Instant Pot
Start by peeling and trimming the ends of your sweet potatoes. Cube them into 1 ½ inch chunks.
Pop the prepared sweet potatoes into your Instant Pot, pour in ¾ cup water and sprinkle in the salt.
Lock the lid in place and turn the pressure valve to seal. Set to cook on high pressure for 8 minutes. Do a quick release of the pressure at the end.
No need to drain the water, just add in the milk, butter, brown sugar, balsamic vinegar and cinnamon. You can mash everything together with a potato masher or a hand held mixer. Both will yield really creamy and smooth mashed sweet potatoes!
Freezing
You can make this dish ahead and freeze it for later, or freeze the leftovers for another dinner!
Line a baking sheet (that will fit in the freezer) with parchment or a reusable silpat. With a ¼ measure cup, scoop out mounds of sweet potatoes onto the baking sheet. Pop in the freezer and freeze, about 1 hour.
Then pop the pucks in a freezer safe baggie for up to 3 months.
Reheating
To reheat the frozen mashed sweet potatoes pour them into a nonstick skillet over medium/low heat. Add in a couple tablespoons of water. Let them simmer and steam, while stirring, until they are thawed and warmed through. Add more water as needed as they simmer. Taste for seasoning before serving.
Amount to Make
I usually plan on about ½ lb per person, just like traditional mashed potatoes. Then, if you have leftovers you can freeze them!
Troubleshooting
Hopefully this side dish turns out PERFECTLY, but if anything goes wrong along the way, here are a few ideas to save the day:
- Too sweet? Add acid in the form of a dash or two of balsamic vinegar.
- Mash got too salty? You will want to add a little more milk or cream.
- Too tangy? If the balsamic was too much for you, just add a little more brown sugar to counteract the acid.
- Too thick? Add more butter and milk (yum!).
- Too thin? If your sweet potatoes got a little too watery you can VERY CAREFULLY turn the pot onto low saute (get to low saute by pressing the “saute” button a couple times, you will see it scroll through the saute function on the display screen). Stir often and don’t leave the pot… let some of liquid steam off. If any of the potatoes burn the bottom do not stir it up into the potatoes, just stir more shallow. In a big pinch you can stir in a couple dry potato flakes to thicken.
Other Sweet Potato Recipes
If you love a sweet potato recipe definitely check out this one for BBQ Chicken in Parchment with Sweet Potatoes and Peppers or this recipe for Quinoa Sweet Potato Chili.
Instant Pot Mashed Sweet Potato Recipe
Instant Pot Mashed Sweet Potatoes
Ingredients
- 3 lbs whole sweet potatoes, peeled, washed and cut into 1 ½ inch chunks
- ¾ cup water
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 2 plump garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 3 tablespoon butter - plus 1 additional tablespoon for garnish if desired.
- ¼ cup milk
- 1 tsp balsamic vinegar
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon - plus a pinch for garnish if desired.
Instructions
- Peel and cut your sweet potatoes into 1 ½ inch chunks.
- Add the sweet potatoes, water, salt, and garlic cloves to the Instant Pot.
- Pop the lid on and close the vent to seal. Set to cook on high pressure for 8 minutes.
- Do a quick release of the pressure.
- No need to drain the water from the potatoes, just add in the brown sugar, butter, milk, balsamic vinegar and cinnamon. Using a potato masher or hand held mixer, mash the potatoes until they are creamy and smooth.
- Serve the mashed sweet potatoes up with a little extra butter on top and a sprinkle of cinnamon and/or parsley.
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