Not only are Instant Pot baked potatoes ready to eat in minutes, but making baked potatoes in an Instant Pot rather than an oven saves time and money — a win-win! These potatoes are delicious and endlessly versatile, and have been a staple for us ever since my son Kell was diagnosed with Celiac disease.
I had already been cooking several everyday foods in my Instant Pot, so baked potatoes were a natural addition to my rotation of Instant Pot recipes. It can take a while to cook potatoes in the oven, but that’s not a problem when you’re using the Instant Pot. Russet potatoes soften in as little as 12 minutes, and red potatoes cook even more quickly!
In this post, you’ll learn just how easy it is to make Instant Pot baked potatoes. They’ll make a great addition to your Sunday night steak dinner, or even a quick weeknight chicken dinner, for that matter! As much as we love traditional oven-baked potatoes, we’ve come to love these Instant Pot potatoes too.
Perfect Instant Pot Baked Potatoes (Recipe)
You’ll need:
- Russet potatoes
- Fork
- Metal rack for Instant Pot
- 1 cup water
Directions:
Scrub the potatoes clean, pat them dry, then prick each one several times with a fork. Set the metal rack in the bottom of the Instant Pot, place the potatoes on the rack, then pour 1 cup of water into the bottom of the pot. Seal the lid on the Instant Pot and set the valve to Sealing.
Pressure cook the potatoes on high pressure for 12-20 minutes. (The cooking time will vary based on the size of your potatoes. Cook small potatoes closer to 12 minutes, medium potatoes for 16 minutes, and really big potatoes for closer to 20 minutes.)
When the potatoes are done, use the quick pressure release valve on the lid to depressurize the pot, then remove the potatoes and serve. They come out perfect every time!
Serving Suggestions For Instant Pot Baked Potatoes
Set up a baked potato bar for a super quick and easy weeknight dinner! Set up a lazy Susan and fill it with small dishes of your favorite potato toppings, like homemade butter, sour cream, chopped chives, bacon bits, shredded cheese, and maybe even some Instant Pot Chili if you’re feeling extra hungry!
FAQs About Making Baked Potatoes In The Instant Pot
How Many Potatoes Fit In An Instant Pot?
The number of potatoes you can cook at once depends entirely on the size of the potatoes and the capacity of your pressure cooker. But as a point of reference, I can generally cook around 6-8 medium russet potatoes at a time in my 6 quart Instant Pot.
You can place the potatoes on top of each other in the pot, as long as you leave some space between them so that steam can circulate throughout the pot. (Arrange subsequent layers of potatoes at right angles.) Also, try to make sure that all the potatoes you’re cooking are roughly the same size, so they finish cooking at the same time.
Do Potatoes Cook Faster In Aluminum Foil?
Not in an Instant Pot! In fact, wrapping your potatoes in foil before pressure cooking them may actually slow down the cooking process. (The reason why some people wrap potatoes in foil before oven baking them is to keep the skin tender, but the steam in the pressure cooker will keep the potatoes plenty moist and tender!)
Can I Make Instant Pot Baked Potatoes With Crispy Skin?
The potatoes will always come out with a tender skin, but it’s easy enough to crisp up the skin, if that’s how you like it! Once the potatoes are cooked, just arrange them on a baking sheet and pop them in your oven, toaster oven, or air fryer for a few minutes. (I recommend spritzing the outsides of the potatoes with olive oil beforehand!)
Is There A Way To Cook Baked Potatoes Faster In An Instant Pot?
It’s already a pretty quick process, but if you want to shave a few minutes off, add boiling water to the bottom of the pot, rather than cold or room temperature water. The pot will come to pressure a bit faster, since the hot water will take less time to get steamy.
What If I Don’t Have A Metal Rack?
All Instant Pots come with a metal rack, but if you can’t find yours, you would use a silicone or metal trivet, a steamer basket, or any heat-safe rack that will fit in the pot.
Does The Cooking Time Change For Yukon Gold Potatoes?
The cooking time for potatoes has more to do with size than variety. It may take just 12 minutes for small potatoes like reds, Yukon Golds, reds, and so on, but large potatoes like russets can take up to 20 minutes. It’s something you have to experiment with (and you can always microwave slightly under-done potatoes for minute if you undershoot it!)
My free printable Instant Pot “cheat sheet” can give you a better idea of how long to cook baked potatoes and many other foods! I have one taped inside one of my kitchen cabinet doors for easy reference, but there’s also a mobile-friendly version for those who’d rather keep it on their phones.
Will This Recipe Work For Sweet Potatoes Too?
Absolutely — Instant Pot sweet potatoes are delicious, and you don’t have to make any changes to method or recipe listed above.
What’s your favorite way to make baked potatoes?
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