Reading Time: 3 minutesThere is no single item in my kitchen that I love more than my Instant Pot. I have had one for many years now and have used it to make nearly every vegetable you can imagine, endless pot roasts, the most delectable chicken, absolutely perfect rice, gallons of yogurt, and my personal paleo chili.
The best thing about the Instant Pot is that, unlike a traditional pressure cooker, you can set it and walk away. And when it comes to making mashed sweet potatoes, it’s far simpler and quicker than boiling. When I make mashed sweet potatoes in my Instant Pot, it takes only the littlest bit of “mashing” to finish the dish, and in the meantime, I’m free to focus on other recipes I’m preparing.
Additionally, mashed sweet potatoes are just darn healthy for you and a great staple to have on hand. I tend to throw all the potatoes I’ve got into the pot and then reheat the leftovers with various meals over the course of a few days. So if you’re doing Sunday night meal prep, you might consider adding an Instant Pot and these super simple mashed sweet potatoes to the menu.
Instant Pot Mashed Sweet Potatoes
Mashed sweet potatoes make an excellent side dish for just about any meal. You can put fried eggs on top of them, eat them alongside a steak, or pair them up with pork. They also reheat easily.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds sweet potatoes
- 2-3 tablespoons butter
- 1 cup water
- Salt to taste
- Coconut milk or almond milk optional
Instructions
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Peel the sweet potatoes. Then cut into one-inch chunks (you don't have to be very precise)
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Pour 1 cup of water into your Instant Pot.
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Set a steamer basket into the Instant Pot.
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Place sweet potato chunks into the basket.
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Close the lid and make sure the vent is also closed. Select the “steam” button. The newest models should default to “normal” and 10 minutes. This is perfect for mashed sweet potatoes.
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When the timer goes off, you can turn off the heat and do a quick release or just let it sit and drop pressure on its own if you're busy with other things.
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Open the lid and remove the cooked sweet potatoes to a large bowl.
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Use a potato masher, spoon, or large fork to partially mash the potatoes.
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Add the butter, and continue to mash the potatoes to your desired consistency.
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If you like your mashed sweet potatoes to be a little more “whipped,” you can add in a small amount of coconut milk or almond milk. I suggest just dribbling it in and not worrying about a specific measurement as it can be easy to overdo (and impossible to undo) and the amount depends too much on personal preference and the texture of the potatoes you have.
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Add salt to taste (along with any other spices you might like; see note below) and do one final mix of the potatoes.
Recipe Notes
For fun, you can experiment with adding other spices to your mashed sweet potatoes. Try any one or more of these ideas:
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- If you want more of a “treat,” toss in some cinnamon and stevia or monk fruit as sweetener
In 2005, she became a student at CrossFit Los Angeles where she met WLC co-founders Andy Petranek and Michael Stanwyck. In only a couple years, she became CrossFit Level III Certified, left her entertainment career, and dedicated herself full time to coaching, serving as the Program Director of CFLA and founder of the CFLA CrossFit Kids program. After seven years as a music editor and then eight years as fitness instructor, Becca segued to her current career — full-time editor and writer.
