Instant Pot Sweet Potatoes

Wondering how to cook sweet potatoes in the instant pot? This easy recipe shows you how to make the perfect creamy sweet potatoes in half of the time it takes to bake or roast them. It’s easy!

Easy Instant Pot Sweet Potatoes

Lately, sweet potatoes have been my jam. I think I’ve had them twice a week for like a month. I’ve made them in a variety of ways to change up the flavor profile. I’ve stuffed them. Spiralized them. Chopped them and put them in a filling. You name it, I’ve done it. As we head into the “fall season” I know all the rage will be sweet potatoes. It is every year, they are a great fall vegetable. 

One of my biggest peet peeves about sweet potatoes is the cooking process. They take forever to make in the oven. So usually my go to cooking methods are either the microwave or the instant pot. It’s a lot faster and I get a consistent result each time, which is key!

Why You’ll Love Using Your Instant Pot

• Easy. Just add a steaming rack, water and the sweet potatoes to your Instant Pot. Then turn it on. That’s it!
• Faster. Your Instant Pot will cook the sweet potatoes faster then if you were to cook them in the oven.
• Perfect results every time. Every time you cook sweet potatoes with this method they’ll come out perfectly tender and ready for your favorite toppings.

How to Cook Sweet Potatoes in the Instant Pot

The first step to this process is to rinse and scrub the sweet potatoes then pierce them with a fork or knife. After all, you always wanna start with clean produce.

Then follow these simple steps to make perfectly cooked instant pot sweet potatoes:

• Prep your tools. Place instant pot steaming rack on the bottom of the instant pot. Add 1 cup of cold water.
• Add the sweet potatoes. Place whole sweet potatoes on the rack, layering if they don’t all fit in a single layer. Close the lid and set the steam release valve to be closed. Next, set instant pot to pressure cooker mode.
• Cook. Pressure cook them on HIGH based on their size. (See below)
• Natural release. Once time is done, do a 10 minute Natural Release.
• Serve. And your favorite sweet potato toppings and dig in!

How Long Does It Take to Cook a Sweet Potato in the Instant Pot?

The amount of time it will take to cook a sweet potato will depend upon its size. Sweet Potatoes come in a variety of sizes, so it makes sense that with those varying sizes there will also be varying cook times. Here is a quick guide:

• Small (2 inches or less wide) – 18 minutes + 10 minute natural pressure release
• Medium (2-3 inches wide) – 25 minutes + 10 minute natural pressure release
• Large/XL Long (3-4 inches wide) – 35 minutes + 10 minute natural pressure release

Tips for Perfect Instant Pot Sweet Potatoes

• Get the same size sweet potatoes, this will ensure all the sweet potatoes are done at the same time.
• Pierce the sweet potatoes with a fork or knife before cooking. The holes will allow the steam cook the sweet potatoes thoroughly.
• Allow at least 10 minutes for a natural release. This really aids to fully cooked fluffy sweet potatoes because of the extra steaming!

Frequently Asked Questions

How many sweet potatoes can I cook at once?

I have had success with 4-6 sweet potatoes at a time. This will partially depend on how large your Instant Pot is, however.

Do the potatoes need to be in one layer?

Nope, you can just pile them in your Instant Pot as shown in the photo above.

Does this cooking time apply to regular potatoes?

No, regular potatoes have a different cooking time in the Instant Pot because they don’t have the same density as sweet potatoes.

Ways to Use Your Sweet Potatoes

Now that you have this base recipe you can add anything you want to these sweet potatoes. These are great for meal prep – cook earlier in the week and top with whatever you want through the week! 

Here are some of my favorite ways to eat sweet potatoes:

• Topped with butter, brown sugar and cinnamon.
• With butter and a pinch of salt.
• Served with sour cream or melty shredded cheese.
• Topped with salsa and guacamole.

You can also use your Instant Pot sweet potatoes to make stuffed potatoes! These are an easy, healthy and filling dinner idea. Here are some of my favorite ways to make stuffed potatoes:

• BBQ Chicken Stuffed Sweet Potatoes with Broccoli Slaw
• Chipotle Beef Barbacoa Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
• Stuffed Tex-Mex Sweet Potatoes
• Easy Vegan Black Bean Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

Bon Appetit friends!

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