Instant Pot sweet potatoes come out fluffy and perfectly cooked every time—no guessing, no checking, and no oven needed. Just set it and forget it; it’s way easier than traditional baked sweet potato methods.
What You Need
Round up your ingredients and pieces of equipment.
Check out how I make perfect Instant Pot Rice and Instant Pot Pasta, too!
Instant Pot Sweet Potato Recipe Ingredients
All you’re going to need are your whole sweet potatoes!
Medium sweet potatoes: I choose ones about 8 oz each in weight. You’ll need to adjust the time of the recipe for small sweet potatoes or large sweet potatoes.
Full quantities listed in the recipe card at the bottom of the article.
Substitutions and Variations
You can use this same method for other types of potatoes – Swap sweet potatoes for russet, Yukon gold, or purple potatoes.
- Adjust cook time based on size and type, with russets generally needing a shorter cooking time.
- Or, check out my fluffy microwave baked potato recipe or easy crockpot potatoes.
Tools to Grab
All you’ll need is your Instant Pot and a trivet to keep your sweet potatoes out of the water.
How to Make Instant Pot Sweet Potatoes: An Easy Guide
Here is my method to flawless Instant Pot sweet potatoes:
Prepare the Sweet Potatoes
Rinse the sweet potatoes thoroughly (scrub ’em if you can), but leave the skin on and avoid piercing them. Cooking them whole helps retain moisture and flavor.
Set Up the Instant Pot
Pour 1 cup of water into the Instant Pot and place the metal trivet inside. This keeps the sweet potatoes elevated, preventing them from sitting in water.
Arrange Sweet Potatoes in Instant Pot
Lay the sweet potatoes in a single layer on the trivet. Avoid stacking them to ensure they cook evenly. Pop on the lid of your pressure cooker and seal.
Pressure Cook Sweet Potatoes
Here’s the timing guide:
- Small (6 oz or less): 15 minutes on high pressure
- Medium (8 oz): 20 minutes on high pressure
- Large (10-12 oz): 30 minutes on high pressure
- Extra Large (14+ oz): 40 minutes on high pressure
Let Pressure Release Naturally
Allow the Instant Pot to naturally release pressure for 10 minutes before manually opening the valve. This helps prevent splitting and ensures a consistent texture. I recommend this vs a manual release.
Test for Doneness
Pierce with a fork—if it glides in easily, they’re done. If not, cook for an additional 5 minutes and use a quick release.
5 Common Mistakes When Making Instant Pot Sweet Potatoes
Cooking sweet potatoes in the Instant Pot is super simple – try avoid these trip-ups:
1. Piercing the skin before cooking: Unlike baking, sweet potatoes in the Instant Pot don’t need to be poked. Keeping the skin intact helps them steam properly and retain moisture.
2. Skipping the trivet: Placing sweet potatoes directly in water can lead to uneven cooking and a mushy texture. Always use the metal trivet to elevate them above the liquid.
3. Overcrowding the pot: Stacking or cramming too many sweet potatoes together can result in uneven cooking. Arrange them in a single layer for the best results.
4. Releasing pressure too soon: A quick release can cause the skins to split and the insides to become gummy. Let the pressure naturally release for at least 10 minutes before opening the valve.
5. Not adjusting cook time for size: Sweet potatoes vary in size, and so should your cook time. Using a one-size-fits-all approach can leave some undercooked or others too soft. Adjust the time based on weight for perfect results.
Make Ahead and Storage
Cook sweet potatoes in advance for easy meal prep. Once cooled, store them whole or mashed for quick use in meals.
- Keep cooked sweet potatoes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Store them whole with the skin on to maintain moisture.
- For longer storage, peel and mash the sweet potatoes before freezing. Freeze in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge.
Reheating Instant Pot Sweet Potatoes
Warm in the microwave for 1-2 minutes, in the oven at 350°F (175°C) for 10-15 minutes, or on the stovetop with a splash of water to restore texture.
How to Serve this Instant Pot Sweet Potatoes recipe
Pressure cooker sweet potatoes are a perfect side dish for your favorite meats like:
- Juicy pork chops oven baked, my air fryer pork loin, or this recipe for tender air fryer beef roast.
- Try them as a side to my air fryer chicken thighs or these honey garlic lemon pepper chicken thighs.
- Use them as a base for sweet potato casserole topped with marshmallows, or turn them into instant pot mashed sweet potatoes by removing skins and following my go-to mashed potato recipe.
- Use them in your baking! Like these heavenly sweet potato cupcakes.
You can also serve them as an easy lunch – top them with sour cream and green onions, black beans, leftover chili, cheese, or maple syrup, butter and cinnamon.
Final Notes, Pro Tips + Science-Based Secrets
As a food scientist, these are my key points on pressure cooking your sweet pots:
- For extra fluffiness, Let them sit for 5 minutes before slicing.
- For easy meal prep: Cook in advance and refrigerate whole for up to 5 days.
- Estimate the potato size that will fit comfortably into the bottom of your instant pot, or cut them in half.
FAQs About Instant Pot Sweet Potatoes
Just skimming through? These are the queries I most often come across:
No, there’s no need to pierce the skin. Keeping them whole helps retain moisture and prevents them from splitting.
It’s best to arrange them in a single layer for even cooking. If you must stack, add a few extra minutes to the cook time.
A fork should slide in easily. If they’re still firm, cook for another 5 minutes and do a quick release.
Overcooking can lead to a mushy texture. If you prefer firmer sweet potatoes, reduce the cook time slightly next time.
Other Easy Instant Pot Recipes You’ll Love
- Instant Pot Roast Beef (Melt-In-Your-Mouth!)
- Ultimate Instant Pot Potato Soup
- Fall-apart-tender Instant Pot Pork Loin
- Instant Pot Pulled Pork (Quick and SO Soft!)
- Perfect Instant Pot Chicken Soup
Instant Pot Sweet Potatoes (Perfect Every Time!)
Ingredients
- 4 medium sweet potatoes about 8 oz each
- 1 cup water
Instructions
- Prep the Potatoes: Wash the sweet potatoes well but don’t peel or poke holes—they cook best whole with the skin intact.
- Add Water & Trivet: Pour 1 cup of water into the Instant Pot. Place the metal trivet inside to keep the sweet potatoes from sitting in the water.
- Arrange the Sweet Potatoes: Place the potatoes on the trivet in a single layer. They should not be stacked for even cooking.
- Set Cooking Time: Small (6 oz or less): 15 minutes on High PressureMedium (8 oz): 20 minutes on High PressureLarge (10-12 oz): 30 minutes on High PressureExtra Large (14+ oz): 40 minutes on High PressureLet the pressure naturally release for 10 minutes before opening the valve. This keeps them from splitting and ensures even texture.
- Check for Doneness: A fork should slide in easily. If they aren’t soft enough, cook for 5 more minutes and quick release.
Notes
- For Extra Fluffy Texture – Let them rest for 5 minutes before cutting. For Mashed
- Sweet Potatoes – Peel and mash while warm with butter, salt, and a splash of milk or cream.
- For Meal Prep – Cook ahead and store whole in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This is the perfect recipe – worked like a charm 🙂