Instant Pot Baked Potatoes

Easy recipe for baked potatoes in the Instant Pot! Perfectly soft and fluffy baked potatoes every time. Recipe includes instructions for potatoes of all size. Just add the potatoes and water to the instant pot and let it do all the work!

Can we all agree that the Instant Pot just makes life easier? You just set it and forget it. The best part is that it cooks everything so quickly! My two favorite things to make in the Instant Pot are chicken breasts and baked potatoes. I know, not very exciting, but it never lets me down. The chicken is always fork tender, and baked potatoes always come out so soft and fluffy.

I've had my Instant Pot for years, so mine is the basic model, so you can imagine my excitement when I saw that the Instant Pot now has an attachment you can buy to turn your Instant Pot into an air fryer! I don't have space for another gadget (sorry air fryer) but I can make room for an air fryer attachment. I'm going to keep an eye out for a sale come Black Friday!

Also, I was just scrolling the Instant Pot website and did you know that they now sell air purifiers!! 🤯 I'm not sure that buying an air purifier from a kitchen appliance company would be my first choice lol.

Anyways, let's get back to baked potatoes in the Instant pot!

How to Make Baked Potatoes in Instant Pot.

1. Place the trivet in the instant pot. Use the wire trivet that came with your instant pot and set it in the bottom of the instant pot.
2. Pour in cold water. Add one cup of cold water to the instant pot.
3. Place the potatoes on the trivet. Pierce the potatoes all over with a fork, then set the potatoes in the instant pot on top of the trivet.
4. Seal and cook on high pressure. Close the instant pot lid and turn the valve to sealing. Cook on high pressure and let naturally release when finished cooking.

How Long to Cook Baked Potatoes in Instant Pot.

The amount of time is dependent on the size of the potatoes. I recommend using potatoes that are all roughly the same size so they all cook evenly.

For the times below, set your instant pot to high pressure, and when it's finished cooking, let the instant pot naturally release pressure for at least 10 minutes, as the potatoes will continue to cook.

• Small potatoes: 12 minutes
• Medium potatoes: 16 minutes
• Large potatoes: 22 minutes
• Extra large potatoes: 30 minutes

If you're not sure about the size of your potatoes, I recommend adding extra cook time because it's better to have potatoes that are a little over cooked than undercooked.

For reference, a 5 pound bag of russet potatoes at the grocery store typically has large sized potatoes.

Tips for Baked Potatoes in Instant Pot.

Poke the potatoes with a Fork.

When baking potatoes, it's important to pierce the potatoes all over with a fork to allow the steam and pressure to escape, preventing the potatoes from exploding. I typically pierce one potato 4-6 times with a fork.

Use a trivet.

Make sure to use the the wire trivet that came with the instant pot. This way the potatoes aren't sitting directly in the water in the bottom of the instant pot.

Even sized potatoes.

It's important to select potatoes that are all relatively the same size, so that they all cook evenly.

Add one cup cold water.

The water temperature affects the amount of time it takes for the instant pot to come to pressure and ultimately the cook time, so use cold water to prevent overcooking.

Frequently Asked Questions.

How long does it take to soften potatoes in the Instant Pot?

Depending on the size of the potatoes, it takes about 12-30 minutes of cooking time to soften whole potatoes in the Instant Pot.

What is the Texture of Baked Potatoes Cooked in the Instant Pot?

Potatoes made in the instant pot are essentially steamed, resulting in fully, soft potatoes.

What if My Potatoes are Not Fully Cooked?

If your potatoes are not fully cooked after the recommended time and natural pressure release, put the potatoes back in the instant (make sure there's still a cup of water in the bottom), then seal the instant pot and set to high pressure. Cook another 3-5 minutes depending on how undercooked the potatoes are.

How Many Potatoes can You Cook at One Time?

• Small potatoes: I recommend cooking no more than 2 - 3 pounds of potatoes at one time.
• Medium-large potatoes: I recommend cooking no more than 6-8 potatoes at one time.
• Extra large potatoes: I recommend cooking no more than 4 potatoes at one time.

Can I use any Kind of Potato?

Yes! Feel free to use your favorite kind of potato. Russet, red, yellow - they will all work as long as they are relatively the same size.

Can I put foil in the Instant Pot?

Yes, you can put tinfoil in the Instant Pot. But there is no need to wrap potatoes in tinfoil when baking potatoes in the Instant Pot; it would actually take the potatoes longer to cook.

The Instant Pot builds up pressure by creating steam, this steam cooks the potatoes, while keeping them moist.

How much water do you put in the Instant Pot when cooking potatoes?

You want to add 1 cup of water to the Instant Pot when cooking potatoes. The water creates steam, building up pressure in the Instant Pot and cooking the potatoes. The potatoes sit on top of the trivet so they aren't sitting in the water.

What to serve with Instant Pot Baked Potatoes.

Marinated Venison Backstrap

Smoked Chicken Thighs

Beer Cheese Burgers on Pretzel Buns

Wisconsin Bacon Butter Burger

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