Make mouthwatering Instant Pot garlic mashed potatoes with a super smooth and creamy texture — ready in 30 minutes from start to finish! This recipe combines yellow potatoes, cream cheese, and garlic to make flavorful mashed potatoes that will leave your guests coming back for seconds.
Today, I'm excited to share a game-changing recipe that will forever transform your mashed potato game: Instant Pot mashed potatoes with garlic.
We love mashed potatoes, and I enjoy experimenting with ways to keep them new and exciting on our dinner table.
From mascarpone mashed potatoes to garlic mashed red potatoes and Boursin mashed potatoes, we love them all.
Making garlic mashed potatoes in the Instant Pot is a personal favorite of mine.
This comforting Instant Pot side dish is not only flavor-packed but also incredibly easy.
If you love these Instant Pot mashed potatoes, don't miss my Instant Pot jasmine rice and Instant Pot wild rice.
Ingredients
- Potatoes: I recommend using yellow potatoes like Yukon Golds for this recipe.
- Broth: For a vegetarian version of this recipe, use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.
- Garlic: While eight cloves of garlic seems like a lot, pressure cooking mellows the flavors much like roasting garlic does.
- Butter: Vegan butter can also be used.
- Cream Cheese & Half-and-Half: For extra creaminess and tanginess, stir in cubed cream cheese and a little half-and-half until the mashed potatoes reach your desired texture. You can use heavy cream or sour cream if you prefer. To make this dairy-free, use non-dairy cream cheese and unsweetened nut milk.
Step by Step
For the full garlic mashed potatoes recipe for the Instant Pot with measurements, see the recipe card at the end of the post.
Tips & Tricks
- Adjust the Number of Servings: Three pounds of pressure cooker garlic mashed potatoes serves about 8 people; if you are serving more or less, feel free to use the slider in the recipe card to scale the recipe. Be conscious of the size of your Instant Pot so that you don't overfill it.
- Make ahead: To keep the mashed potatoes warm until you want to serve them, you can keep them on warm in your Instant Pot for up to 3 hours. Using your Instant Pot for something else? You can also transfer them to a slow cooker. If they get a little dry, add milk and stir just before serving.
- Add Fresh Herbs: Fresh herbs add a final pop of flavor to take this dish to the next level. Try finishing with freshly chopped parsley, chives, rosemary, or thyme.
- Consider Mix-Ins: Bacon, cheddar, or parmesan cheese are great additions to this creamy mashed potato recipe.
Adjusting the Texture of Mashed Potatoes
- Smooth: For lump-free mashed potatoes, I recommend a potato ricer. Once you pass the cooked potatoes through, they will practically melt together as you stir in the flavorings.
- Rustic: To have chunkier mashed potatoes, use a potato masher. This is also the best method if you want to leave the peels on.
- Whipped: For super-light and airy mashed potatoes, use a hand mixer. Be careful with this method! If you whip for too long the potatoes will get gummy.
FAQs
Are Yukon or russet potatoes better for mashed potatoes?
Yukon and russet potatoes are both popular choices for making mashed potatoes, but they have their differences and advantages when it comes to texture and flavor. Ultimately, your preference will depend on the type of mashed potatoes you prefer.
Yukon Gold Potatoes: Yukon Gold potatoes have a smooth, thin skin and a yellow, creamy interior. They have a buttery flavor and a slightly waxy texture, which makes them ideal for mashed potatoes that are rich and flavorful.
Advantages:
- Naturally buttery flavor, reducing the need for extra butter or cream.
- A slightly waxy texture allows for creamier mashed potatoes.
- The yellow color gives a visually appealing, golden appearance.
Russet Potatoes: Russet potatoes, also known as Idaho potatoes, are larger and have thicker, rougher skin. Their starchy interior makes them perfect for fluffy and light mashed potatoes.
Advantages:
- High starch content, resulting in a fluffier and lighter texture.
- Absorbs flavors well, allowing for customization with seasonings and ingredients.
- Generally, more affordable and widely available.
Both Yukon Gold and Russet potatoes can be used for making delicious mashed potatoes.
If you prefer a rich, buttery, and creamy texture, Yukon Gold potatoes are the better choice. On the other hand, if you like your mashed potatoes to be light and fluffy, russet potatoes are the way to go. You can even experiment with combining the two types of potatoes to achieve a balance of both textures and flavors.
Are there any types of potatoes that you can't mash?
While most types of potatoes can be mashed, some varieties may not yield the best results in terms of texture and flavor. Potatoes with a high water content or waxy texture may not be ideal for mashing, as they can become gluey or gummy when overworked.
For example, fingerling potatoes are not typically used for making mashed potatoes due to their waxy texture. When mashed, these potatoes can become dense and heavy instead of light and fluffy.
However, it's important to note that you technically can mash any type of potato, but the quality of the mashed potatoes may vary depending on the variety. For the best results, it's recommended to use potatoes like russets or Yukon Golds, which have a more suitable texture and flavor profile for creating delicious mashed potatoes.
Tools
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- Instant Pot
- Potato masher, potato ricer, or hand mixer
Creamiest Instant Pot Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 pounds yellow potatoes
- ½ cup broth
- 8 cloves garlic peeled and smashed
- ¼ cup unsalted butter sliced and divided
- 2 teaspoons sea salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 4 ounces cream cheese cubed
- 2 tablespoons half and half plus more as needed
Instructions
- Peel your potatoes and cut them into cubes. Pour the broth in the inner pot to your Instant Pot.
- Add the potatoes, smashed garlic, 1 tablespoon of butter, salt, and pepper.
- Place the lid on your Instant Pot and seal it. Set your Instant Pot to MANUAL HI pressure for 8 minutes.
- When the time is up, do an instant release. Add the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter. Using a potato masher, mash the potatoes to the desired consistency.
- Add the cream cheese and half and half and stir until the cheese is melted and fully incorporated.
- Add more half and half as desired to reach the desired consistency.
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