Instant Pot Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Rich, creamy and full of garlic, Instant Pot Garlic Mashed Potatoes are the best side dish. These pressure cooker mashed potatoes with garlic go with everything, whether you’re serving them with midweek meals, Sunday supper or holiday dinner! The recipe easily doubles for a crowd, too.
Oi, Gente!
Mashed potatoes are one of those side dishes that pair with literally anything.
They’re easy to make all year long, but of course, they make a special appearance over the holidays and count as one of the BEST side dishes on my book!!!
Why I love this recipe:
This Instant Pot Garlic Mashed Potato recipe is very decadent and rich. The garlic hits you in the face… in the best way.
In addition to being fantastic right out of the Instant Pot, these Better than Steakhouse Garlic Mashed Potatoes also reheat well, so you can use the leftovers in other meals, and you can even make them ahead of time for the holidays!
Be sure to watch the video to see how to make them, as well as see how delightfully creamy they are.
Truly, this recipe makes me so happy, and I hope you like it as much as I do!
Beijinhos xx
Perfect to pair with with: Baked Lime Salmon, Baked Chicken Legs, Grilled Turkey Breast, Rotisserie Style Brazilian Chicken, Ribeye Steak Marinade!
Ingredients and Tools
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Make sure to scroll all the way down to the recipe card to get the exact amount of ingredients and the instructions to make this recipe perfectly!
- Yukon gold potatoes — these naturally buttery, waxy potatoes are the best type of potato to make mashed potatoes.
- Garlic — 10 cloves!!! That was not a typo. You need this much to make the most rich and lovely garlic mashed potatoes. Trust me.
- Heavy Cream — this adds creaminess and richness to the mash. Also known as heavy whipping cream or double cream, it’s a must-have for this wonderful recipe.
- Unsalted Butter — this contributes to richness, moisture and delicious buttery mouthfeel. We’re going to use 6 tablespoons, plus some extra for topping. You can always add more if you like, too!
- Fresh chives — this is an optional garnish, but they work well with the garlic, adding complimentary flavor.
- Fresh thyme — also optional, but it adds a subtle layer of flavor to the dish.
- Salt and pepper — kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper are my go-to’s.
You’ll also need:
- Instant Pot or another pressure cooker: make sure it’s at least a 6 qt. model because you don’t want to overfill your pot
- Liquid measuring cup
- Potato peeler
- Strainer
- Potato Masher or Ricer
How to Make Garlicky Mashed Potatoes in the Instant Pot
Prepare the potatoes. Wash and peel your potatoes, then slice them in half or quarters if they’re too big. (If there are small ones, you can leave them whole.)
The idea is to have the pieces roughly around the same size so they cook evenly…
Place them in a large bowl with cold water to prevent them from browning while you prep the rest of the ingredients.
Prepare the rest of the ingredients. Peel and mince the garlic, measure the cream and the butter, too.
Saute the garlic. Using the saute function of your Instant Pot to melt half of the butter. Add the garlic and saute until golden brown.
Pour the cream and the thyme into the pot. Bring to a gentle simmer (you do not want to bring to a boil!), then remove the cream from the pot and reserve.
Cook the potatoes. Add the potatoes to the pot and cover with water. Season liberally with salt, close and seal the pot and set it to the steam function for 10 minutes.
Once the cook has finished, let the Instant Pot naturally release pressure for 5 minutes before (carefully) doing a quick release of the pressure. Then open up the pot and drain the potatoes.
How to mash or rice your potatoes to the perfect texture
To mash or to rice? Decisions, decisions!
To make lumpy mashed potatoes:
Put the potatoes back in the Instant Pot and mash them with a potato masher.
If there is any water residue in them (there will most likely be!), you can turn the pot to saute to evaporate that extra liquid just for a few moments…
Pour the cream mixture and the rest of the butter and stir until combined.
To make perfectly smooth (and lump-free) mashed potatoes:
This is how I like mine and what I’ve shown in these photos.
To do this, use a potato ricer (as shown in the video) and rice the potatoes back into the pot.
Keep in mind that when you rice the potatoes, some water may actually come out of the potatoes, and that’s fine.
As mentioned above, just turn the pot to saute to evaporate that extra liquid just for a few moments… and then pour the cream mixture and the rest of the butter.
Whichever method you choose to use to mash your potatoes, just make sure you mash them immediately while they’re hot so they mash easier.
Taste test and adjust for salt. You can also add more butter if you like your mashed potatoes even creamier!
You can also melt a couple tablespoons of butter and pour on top of the final potatoes. This helps prevent your mash from drying out.
Garnish the garlicky Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes with chives for a complimentary flavor and pop of color.
How to store mashed potatoes:
Let the potatoes cool and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
How to reheat mashed potatoes:
Place the mashed potatoes in a pot over medium heat. You can splash in a little milk or cream and butter, too. Stir often and heat until cooked all the way through.
Make it a holiday meal!
- Brazilian Christmas Rice
- Dry Brine Spatchcock Turkey
- Baked Asparagus with Parmesan
- Cachaça Cranberry Sauce
- Ham with Pineapple Sauce
- Brazilian Collard Greens with Bacon
- Farofa – Toasted Cassava Flour
FOR MORE BRAZILIAN FOOD INSPO, BE SURE TO FOLLOW ME ON
Instant Pot Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Ingredients
- 2 pounds of yukon gold potatoes peeled and halved/quartered
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter divided, plus more for topping
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 10 cloves of garlic, minced approximately 2 tablespoons
- 4 sprigs of fresh thyme
- fresh chive for garnish
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Using the saute mode of your Instant Pot, melt 2 tablespoons of butter.
- Add the minced garlic and saute until golden and fragrant.
- Immediately pour in the cream and the thyme. Bring it to a simmer. When it simmers, transfer the cream into a cup or bowl and set it aside for later.
- Add the potatoes to the Instant Pot. Cover them with water and season liberally with salt. Close and seal the Instant Pot. Set it to steam function for 10 minutes.
- After the 10 minutes are up, let the pot naturally release pressure for 5 minutes before opening it.
- Safely release any remaining pressure from the pot, then open it and strain the potatoes. Remove the thyme sprigs from the cream mixture.
For Lumpy Mash
- Add the potatoes back to the pot and set the pot to saute to remove any excessive moisture trapped in the potatoes and begin to mash with a potato masher. When excess water has evaporated (no more than 1-2 minutes), you can turn the pot off and pour in the cream and the remaining butter. Continue to mash until you reach desired consistency.
For Smooth Lump Free Mash
- Rice the potatoes back into the pot with a potato ricer. Set the pot to saute to remove any excessive moisture trapped in the potatoes and stir with a wooden spoon. When the excess water has evaporated (no more than 1-2 minutes), you can turn the pot off and pour in the cream and the remaining butter. Stir to combine.
Serve & Garnish:
- Add the garlic mashed potatoes to a serving bowl and pour about a tablespoon or two of melted butter and sprinkle the chives on top.
