It's quick and easy to cook whole potatoes in the Instant Pot. Use the tender, steamed potatoes for mashed potatoes, potato salad, snacking, fries in the air fryer and any recipe that calls for pre-cooked potatoes.
Wash and scrub potatoes well. Remove any sprouts or bad spots.
Place wire trivet or steamer basket in Instant Pot insert.
Add 1 cup of water to Instant Pot.
Place all potatoes on top of trivet/steamer basket, layering if necessary.
Cover with Instant Pot lid, turn vent to "Sealing". Then, press "Steam" button and decrease time based on how large your potatoes are. For medium gold potatoes (pictured), steam for 10 minutes.
Let pressure naturally release for 10 minutes. Then, open vent with a utensil (be careful of the hot steam!). Potatoes are ready! If you prepared these for later use, allow potatoes to cool, then refrigerate for up to 5 days.
How long to cook whole potatoes in the Instant Pot?
Tiny bite-sized baby potatoes: Steam for 1 minute, natural release for 10 minutes
Small potatoes: Steam for 5-7 minutes, natural release for 10 minutes
Medium potatoes: Steam for 10-12 minutes, natural release for 10 minutes
Large potatoes: Steam for 15-20 minutes, natural release for 10 minutes
Notes
You can steam less potatoes at a time, you don't have to steam a whole 5 pounds, but that is the max that will fit in the 6-quart Instant Pot.All varieties of potatoes I've used here in the Southern United States steam well in the Instant Pot. You can use russet, gold, yukon gold, red or white. Just follow the size chart above for the timing.Serving size is based on a ½ pound serving of plain, steamed potatoes. So, for 5 pounds of steamed potatoes, this would yield 10 servings.