Ready to make perfectly cooked sweet potatoes every time? Instant Pot Sweet Potatoes take minutes to make and ensure the fluffiest texture. Try this method for a simple and healthy side dish!

sweet potatoes cut up with butter on top

What’s To Love About Instant Pot Sweet Potatoes

Most days, we all just need a simpler way to get a complete meal on the table and the Instant Pot and slow cooker can help so much! By using the Instant Pot, I can often prepare sides in a pinch when I don’t have time to use the stove, oven, or slow cooker.
I love using the Instant Pot for simple vegetables because if it’s easy to cook them and stay hands-free, I’ll prepare them more regularly! The Instant Pot is an almost foolproof method for cooking sweet potatoes with the best texture.
Because the Instant Pot relies on moisture to build pressure, the sweet potatoes always result in a creamier texture than cooking through other methods.
I love sweet potatoes in general because they are packed with vitamins, minerals, and fiber. This veggie helps satisfy cravings for both sweets and carbs, but with lots of healthy benefits!
Cooking sweet potatoes in the Instant Pot is an easy way to create a side dish or the base for lots of delicious toppings. (Have you tried my Stuffed Sweet Potatoes recipe?) A perfectly cooked sweet potato is so versatile!

Ingredients Needed

These Instant Pot Sweet Potatoes only take a few minutes to prepare on their own. You can eat them with a slice of butter or create a dish with your choice of toppings! All you need are:

Sweet potatoes – Unlike the slow cooker, most household pressure cookers come in one standard size which works for 4 medium sweet potatoes. You could also use 2 large potatoes, but you may need to cut them in half to reduce the length.
Water – Pressure cookers depend on liquid (water in this case) to create cooking pressure.

How To Make Sweet Potatoes In The Instant Pot

Wash and scrub the sweet potatoes. It is helpful to use a vegetable scrubbing brush if you have one.
Add water to the bottom of the Instant Pot and place the trivet or basket into the pot.
Add the sweet potatoes on top of the trivet or in the basket.

Cover, seal, and set the Instant Pot to high pressure for 20 minutes. (See notes about potato size variation.)
When the cooking has completed, perform a quick release according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
Let the potatoes cool for a few minutes before removing from the Instant Pot.
Serve the potatoes topped with butter and salt, a pinch of brown sugar, or as desired.

What To Serve With Instant Pot Sweet Potatoes

Instant Pot Sweet Potatoes make an excellent, easy side dish because you can serve them with as few or as many toppings as you like! Simply plate the potatoes and slice down the middle. Top them with:

butter and a sprinkle of brown sugar
butter and pink Himalayan salt (my absolute favorite way to eat these!)
shredded cheddar cheese or a fiesta blend
sour cream and sliced green onions
leftover steamed or sautéed veggies such as broccoli, cauliflower, mushrooms, or peppers

Instant Pot Sweet Potatoes are also a fantastic vehicle for shredded meats such as chicken or pork, or with black beans and other veggies. You can make an entire meal out of the potato in a bowl!

If you simply need an excuse to serve sweet potato sides, try one of these classic entrées to make an incredible meal!

Storing and Reheating

You can store leftover cooked sweet potatoes in the fridge for up to 3-4 days or even in the freezer. When I freeze them, I like to remove the skin and place the potatoes in an airtight bag with all the air removed.

Reheat potatoes in the microwave or on a warm setting in a toaster oven. If you slice the potatoes or mash them down first, they may reheat more evenly.