Pressure Cooker Sweet Potatoes - Two Ways

Pressure Cooker Sweet Potatoes are ready in less than thirty minutes and perfect for mashed sweet potatoes.  Learn how to cook sweet potatoes in the Instant Pot using two super easy methods.

Much like my Instant Pot Sticky Rice, this recipe is barely a recipe; it's more of a how-to.  I didn't know how to cook sweet potatoes in the Instant Pot either until I discovered these two easy methods.

Typically when we eat sweet potatoes we cut them into fries, sprinkle with seasoned salt, and bake them in the oven.  SO GOOD.  I rarely make mashed sweet potatoes, but with the holidays coming up I wanted to test out the best way to cook sweet potatoes in the pressure cooker and see if I could find ways to save time for recipes like Sweet Potato Casserole or Candied Sweet Potatoes.

Pressure Cooker Sweet Potatoes (Whole)

The first method I tried was cooking the whole sweet potatoes.  Just wash them thoroughly, toss them in the Instant Pot (or pressure cooker of choice) with a cup of water, and cook for 15 minutes.  This method was super easy and took me all of two minutes to prep.  These pressure cooked sweet potatoes are velvety tender and would be perfect split open with a big pat of butter and sprinkling of cinnamon.  This method uses the natural release.

Pressure Cooker Sweet Potatoes (Cubed)

The second method takes the extra steps to peel and cube the sweet potatoes first.  Wash, peel, cube, toss in the pressure cooker with a cup of water, and cook for 8 minutes.  While this recipe requires less cook time, it does obviously require more prep time.  These pressure cooked sweet potatoes cook evenly and cream easily for mashed sweet potatoes.  This method uses the quick release.

I prefer to just toss my sweet potatoes in whole and go on about my business.  Sweet potatoes are way more awkward to peel than regular (russet) white potatoes and more difficult to cube.  You could eat them straight out of the pressure cooker as baked sweet potatoes as well.  Load them up with butter and rosemary - or top them with peanut butter and bananas for a yummy Breakfast Sweet Potato.

When I want to use my cooked whole sweet potatoes to make mashed sweet potatoes, I just split them open and scoop out the insides.  They will be fork tender and the skin will literally just pull away whole.  I don't find it necessary to peel and cube.

Instant Pot Mashed Sweet Potatoes

Use one of the methods above and then add the cooked sweet potatoes to a large bowl.  Use a potato masher to partially mash the cooked potatoes.  Add 2-3 tablespoons of unsalted butter, 2 tablespoons of maple syrup, and ¼ teaspoon of cinnamon OR nutmeg and mash to incorporate until desired texture and consistency.  Taste and season with sea salt to preference.

Find More Recipes

This recipe is part of my Instant Pot Recipes for Beginners series. Check it out!