Perfect Instant Pot Sweet Potatoes the Easy Way

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How to make easy Instant Pot sweet potatoes to eat whole, mashed, or use in your favorite recipes. Healthy side dish, perfect for casserole!

This time of year gets me thinking about one of my favorite Thanksgiving desserts, my Great Aunt Jennie's sweet potato pie. In order to make all my family's favorite holiday recipes, it's a given that I'll need to cook up a bunch of sweet potatoes.

Now I've found a much easier way to make all the sweet potato purée I need for sweet potato casserole, Aunt Jennie's pie, candied sweet potatoes, and more.

Of course, we can also just make sweet potatoes in the Instant Pot for a healthy side with our meals. Baked or mashed, we can add our choice of toppings and have a hint of the holidays year round.

Making pressure cooker sweet potatoes only takes 2 ingredients, and it's so, so easy to do. It's as easy as scrubbing your potatoes, placing them in your Instant Pot with a little bit of water, and setting it to cook.

Don't you just love an easy side dish? I know I do.

WHERE CAN I FIND THE ACTUAL RECIPE CARD?

If you’d rather skip all of my pressure cooking tips, important info for this recipe, and similar recipe ideas – and get straight to the Instant Pot sweet potato recipe – just scroll down to the bottom, where you’ll find a printable recipe card.

ingredients for Instant Pot sweet potatoes, including sweet potatoes on a wooden cutting board, water, and an Instant Pot

INGREDIENTS YOU'LL NEED:

  • Medium-sized sweet potatoes
  • Water

Keep in mind, all of the ingredient amounts you’ll need are in the printable recipe card below.

KITCHEN TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT YOU'LL NEED:

Scrub Brush – A good potato brush makes all the difference in washing potatoes.

Instant Pot – We use our 8 quart Instant Pot on most occasions.

Steaming Trivet for the Instant Pot – You'll need this to keep the potatoes up out of the water.

WHY COOK SWEET POTATOES IN THE INSTANT POT?

Making sweet potatoes in the Instant Pot definitely has its advantages.

  • It's faster. Baking sweet potatoes in the oven can sometimes take well over an hour, but the Instant Pot will have them ready within 30 minutes.
  • It's easy and convenient. You clean your potatoes, place them in the Instant Pot, and cook; it doesn't get any easier than that!
  • Pressure cooker sweet potatoes have a far better flavor. The Instant Pot creates a perfectly moist inside with a rich, creamy flavor that's simply hard to resist.
pressure cooker sweet potatoes topped with whipped cinnamon butter on wooden cutting board with cinnamon sticks and blue woven placemat

IS IT BETTER TO BOIL OR STEAM SWEET POTATOES?

While boiling sweet potatoes may actually retain more nutrients, it's best to cook sweet potatoes however works best and most efficiently for you.

I actually prefer to steam my sweet potatoes. Boiled sweet potatoes can typically gain a soggy texture that I just don't care for.

Instead I prefer a rich and creamy, melt-in-your-mouth sweet potato, and steaming is the way to go for that. It's quicker, it's easier, and the result is far superior in both flavor and texture.

HOW TO COOK INSTANT POT SWEET POTATOES

Cooking whole sweet potatoes in a pressure cooker requires very little prep time. Be sure to rinse and scrub your sweet potatoes before getting started, so they're ready to go.

Let's walk through the recipe steps…

  1. Add the water to your Instant Pot, and place a steaming trivet down inside.
water and steaming trivet in Instant Pot with sweet potatoes on wooden cutting board
  1. Lay the potatoes on top of the trivet. It's ok to stack the potatoes; the steam in the Instant Pot will cook them thru and thru.
cooking whole sweet potatoes in the Instant Pot on a steaming trivet

HOW LONG TO STEAM SWEET POTATOES IN THE INSTANT POT

  1. Place the lid on the Instant Pot, seal the vent, and press Manual mode, setting to high-pressure cook for about 15 minutes. If your sweet potatoes are larger, they'll need more cooking time.
  2. Allow the pressure cooker to naturally release pressure for 10 minutes.
  3. Then manually release any remaining pressure. Just be careful of the steam, so it doesn't burn your fingers.

Tip: To manually release the valve, I like to use the long handle of a wooden spoon covered in a kitchen towel, with my hand under the towel on the other end of the spoon.

  1. Carefully remove the lid, and remove the sweet potatoes to a cutting board or plates.
pressure cooked whole sweet potatoes with water in Instant Pot
  1. Serve with butter or other toppings of your choice.
steamed sweet potatoes cooked in the Instant Pot, sitting on wooden cutting board and sliced open

HOW TO TELL IF YOUR SWEET POTATOES ARE DONE

It's fairly easy to tell when sweet potatoes are fully cooked. Just poke the sweet potatoes with a fork or table knife; if your fork slides into the sweet potato easily, it's done.

HOW TO STORE AND REHEAT STEAMED SWEET POTATOES

You can refrigerate leftover sweet potatoes in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

To reheat, just pop them into the microwave (in a microwave-safe dish) and heat on high 'til the sweet potato is heated through and through, probably about 2 minutes or so.

HOW TO SERVE BAKED SWEET POTATOES

When it comes to topping your baked sweet potatoes, the sky's the limit. Here are some simple ideas to serve your sweet potatoes in a manner that your family will be sure to enjoy!

  • Spread butter, salt and pepper for a savory snack, much like a regular baked potato. You could even throw on some sour cream and chives!
  • Mix up a quick batch of whipped cinnamon butter to spread on your baked sweet potatoes.
  • Sprinkle some brown sugar and cinnamon with melted butter for an irresistible sweet treat.
  • Throw some marshmallows on top. This would pair wonderfully with the brown sugar and cinnamon, and you could even throw some pecans on top to imitate a traditional sweet potato casserole.
  • Finish them off in the oven with some melted cheese; cheddar, Monterey Jack, Colby Jack, mozzarella, Asiago, and even grated parmesan cheese would all be wonderful candidates. You could even add caramelized garlic and onions and sliced tomatoes to this mixture.
  • Make taco stuffed sweet potatoes! Split the potato open, add your taco meat (taco beef or taco chicken), salsa, cheese, and all of the normal taco fixings.
pressure cooked sweet potatoes on wooden cutting board with cinnamon sticks, on blue woven placemat with white plates, fork, spoon, and small bowl of whipped cinnamon butter

DO SWEET POTATOES AND REGULAR POTATOES COOK THE SAME?

Sweet potatoes cook very differently from regular baked potatoes, and I would not recommend substituting one for the other.

Sweet potatoes are more fibrous and typically contain quite a bit more moisture, which considerably lengthens their cooking time. They are much softer and far creamier with a higher sugar content than that of a regular potato.

On the other hand, regular potatoes have a much drier, starchier flesh, which is why they're almost exclusively reserved for use in savory dishes.

CAN I USE THIS METHOD FOR MAKING SWEET POTATO PUREE FOR CASSEROLE AND OTHER SIDE DISHES?

Yes, you can use this Instant Pot sweet potato recipe to make sweet potato purée. Just follow the recipe all the way to the end, at which point you will need to peel and mash the potatoes into a smooth, creamy purée.

Making mashed sweet potatoes can easily be done in a blender or with a hand mixer.

steamed sweet potatoes and whole sweet potatoes sitting on wooden tray with cinnamon sticks and woven blue placemat

WAYS TO USE PRESSURE COOKER SWEET POTATOES

Sometimes the best recipes are the simplest recipes, such as quick and easy creamy mashed sweet potatoes. Also, this sweet potato breakfast hash makes a killer meal for the family.

Sweet potato chips are a delicious side for burger night, and they're a great alternative to potato chips if you're looking for a bit more variety!

Drenched in a butter and brown sugar sauce, these delicious Traeger grilled sweet potatoes are simply hard to beat.

Perhaps the most unique of all, this sweet potato crunch bread goes great with a steaming cup of coffee, perfect for that late weekend brunch.

GET THE PRINTABLE RECIPE

If you love this Instant Pot sweet potatoes recipe as much as I do, please write a 5 star review, and help me share the recipe on Facebook and Pinterest!

doublie image of Instant Pot sweet potatoes, including top image of cooked sweet potatoes in Instant Pot with water and bottom image of cooked sweet potato sliced open and topped with dollop of whipped cinnamon butter

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Perfect Instant Pot Sweet Potatoes the Easy Way

How to make easy Instant Pot sweet potatoes to eat whole, mashed, or use in your favorite recipes. Healthy side dish, perfect for casserole!
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Course: Instant Pot Recipes
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 4
Calories: 103kcal
Author: Mel Lockcuff

Equipment

  • OXO Good Grips Vegetable Brush
  • The Step-by-Step Instant Pot Cookbook: 100 Simple Recipes for Spectacular Results — with Photographs of Every Step
  • Instant Pot Duo Crisp Pressure Cooker 11 in 1, 8 Qt with Air Fryer, Roast, Bake, Dehydrate and more
  • 22 Pcs Accessories for Instant Pot 6 8 Qt
  • Instant Pot Stainless Steel Official Wire Roasting Rack, Compatible with 6-quart and 8-quart cookers
  • Watkins Gourmet Spice Tin, Pure Ground Cinnamon, 6 oz. Tin, 1-Count

Ingredients

  • 4 medium-sized sweet potatoes
  • 1 cup water

Instructions

  • Rinse and scrub your sweet potatoes before getting started, so they're ready to go.
  • Add the water to your Instant Pot, and place a steaming trivet down inside.
  • Lay the potatoes on top of the trivet. It's ok to stack the potatoes; the steam in the Instant Pot will cook them thru and thru.
  • Place the lid on the Instant Pot, seal the vent, and press Manual mode, setting to high-pressure cook for about 15 minutes. If your sweet potatoes are larger, they'll need more cooking time.
  • Allow the pressure cooker to naturally release pressure for 10 minutes.
  • Then manually release any remaining pressure. Just be careful of the steam, so it doesn't burn your fingers.*
  • Carefully remove the lid, and remove the sweet potatoes to a cutting board or plates.
  • Serve with butter or other toppings of your choice.*

Notes

*Tip: To manually release the valve, I like to use the long handle of a wooden spoon covered in a kitchen towel, with my hand under the towel on the other end of the spoon.
*When it comes to topping your baked sweet potatoes, the sky's the limit. Here are some simple ideas to serve your sweet potatoes in a manner that your family will be sure to enjoy!
  • Spread butter, salt and pepper for a savory snack, much like a regular baked potato. You could even throw on some sour cream and chives!
  • Mix up a quick batch of whipped cinnamon butter to spread on your baked sweet potatoes.
  • Sprinkle some brown sugar and cinnamon with melted butter for an irresistible sweet treat.
  • Throw some marshmallows on top. This would pair wonderfully with the brown sugar and cinnamon, and you could even throw some pecans on top to imitate a traditional sweet potato casserole.
  • Finish them off in the oven with some melted cheese; cheddar, Monterey Jack, Colby Jack, mozzarella, Asiago, and even grated parmesan cheese would all be wonderful candidates. You could even add caramelized garlic and onions and sliced tomatoes to this mixture.
  • Make taco stuffed sweet potatoes! Split the potato open, add your taco meat (taco beef or taco chicken), salsa, cheese, and all of the normal taco fixings.
HOW TO TELL IF YOUR SWEET POTATOES ARE DONE
It's fairly easy to tell when sweet potatoes are fully cooked. Just poke the sweet potatoes with a fork or table knife; if your fork slides into the sweet potato easily, it's done.
HOW TO STORE AND REHEAT STEAMED SWEET POTATOES
You can refrigerate leftover sweet potatoes in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
To reheat, just pop them into the microwave (in a microwave-safe dish) and heat on high 'til the sweet potato is heated through and through, probably about 2 minutes or so.
CAN I USE THIS METHOD FOR MAKING SWEET POTATO PUREE FOR CASSEROLE AND OTHER SIDE DISHES?
Yes, you can use sweet potatoes in the Instant Pot to make sweet potato purée. Follow this recipe all the way to the end, at which point you will simply peel and mash the potatoes into a smooth, creamy purée. This can also be more easily done in a blender.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 103kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 2g | Sodium: 43mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 7g
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