Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes Recipe - Crunchy Creamy Sweet (2024)

FAQs

Should you use milk instead of water for instant mashed potatoes? ›

Most instant potato varieties call for you to combine the potatoes with water, but if you want your potatoes to taste a bit more indulgent, use milk instead. Whole milk will yield delightfully rich potatoes, but 2 percent milk works well too.

Throwing in a cold stick of butter and a splash of milk straight from the refrigerator will immediately cool down some of the spuds, which will prevent a creamy, smooth mash. If you take the time to slowly heat milk or heavy cream and butter in a small saucepan on the stove, you'll have much better results.

Add a Thickening Agent

This is the most common way to thicken mashed potatoes. You can use what you have on hand: Flour, cornstarch, or powdered milk are all solid options that are probably already in your pantry. Potato flour and potato starch would work as well.

Whether you're making instant mashed potatoes or real ones, you can basically put anything you want in them. I actually use cream cheese and half-and-half most of the time. If you don't have milk, you can use water, any kind of broth, half-and-half, melted butter, sour cream, mayonnaise, plain yogurt, kefir…

Thick-skinned varieties like russets will give you the fluffiest results. Steer clear of waxy red-skinned potatoes, which turn gluey when mashed. If it's too late to make the swap, change course and roast the potatoes tossed with oil, garlic and some fresh rosemary if you have it, instead of boiling them.

As already discussed, pastiness is caused by too much potato starch being worked into the mashed potatoes. The main way we combat this problem is by rinsing away starch, both before and after cooking potatoes for fluffy mashed potatoes. Rinsing off starch means that there is less of it that can end up in the dish.

Once there is too much starch in your mashed potato mixture, the texture will quickly turn from fluffy to gummy.

Russet potatoes: Best for light and fluffy mashed potatoes

Russets are high in starch, which results in fluffier mashed potatoes. To make the most of your russets, peel them and then boil the potatoes before draining them off. “You really want to get as much water out of there as possible,” Mash Garcia said.

Those same add-ins—chopped fresh herbs like chives or parsley, chopped cooked bacon, crumbled blue cheese, roasted garlic cloves and so on—will enhance the instant variety as well. Butter (not margarine) is a must, as is sour cream. Instant potatoes offer a couple of additional variables for you to play with.

Instant mashed potato flakes typically thicken almost instantly when you mix them with hot water or milk. You'll notice the thickening process happening within a minute or two of stirring.

What happens if I put too much milk in mashed potatoes? ›

Runny potatoes can happen for a few different reasons. Too much liquid: This is the most common reason. In the mashing process you may have added too much milk or broth. Boiled too long: Boiling your potatoes for too long can make them water-logged, which (you guessed it) can contribute to runny mashed potatoes.

Regardless of the technique, remember not to overwork the potatoes. Starch is released when potatoes are mashed, smashed, or whipped, and, if too much starch is released, the potatoes are gummy and unappealing.

Note: For a creamier mashed potato, stir in additional hot water or milk. Less salt can be added if desired. Note: All microwaves vary and heating times may have to be adjusted. Combine water, salt, and margarine* according to chart below in microwave-safe serving bowl.

Heat water, milk and margarine* according to the chart below in a sauce pan to a boil. Remove from heat and stir in Idahoan REAL Premium. Let stand one minute. Mix with fork and serve.

When making mashed potatoes, which is better, milk or water? Milk! Water will thin them too much and kill any flavour added. Stock can be used if you want to use half the amount of milk/cream the recipe calls for.

Pour 1 c (240 mL) of water and 0.5 c (120 mL) of milk into a large microwave-safe bowl. Stir in 1/4 teaspoon (1 g) of salt and 1 1/2 tablespoons (21 g) of butter or margarine. Substitute the milk with chicken stock, vegetable stock, or extra water for a dairy-free option.