How to Boil Potatoes in The Instant Pot?

Want to learn how to make perfect boiled potatoes using the Instant pot? Let me share what I have learnt so far about boiling potatoes. Potatoes have heavy starch content, so I don't really like boiling them. I prefer steaming the potatoes using the instant pot, on pressure cook mode.

There is no way to hide my love for potatoes. And I love to have boiled potatoes in the refrigerator at all times. It makes life very easy to decide on meals on busy days. Some things I always meal prep are rice, cut vegetables, ginger-garlic paste, boiled beets, hard-boiled eggs, boiled potatoes, and chutneys.

It's All About the Size

You have to be mindful of changing the cooking time according to the potatoes you choose to cook in the instant pot. Whether you use Yukon gold potatoes, Russet potatoes, or red potatoes. They all vary in sizes, hence the cook time for each will be different. I have mentioned all the timings in the recipe card below.

Why Boil the Potatoes?

There are many recipes that you can make using the boiled potatoes. And I bet almost every member in your family love potatoes. So having them meal prepped is a great idea in my opinion to make a potato salad, add them to egg curry or add them to chaat recipes.

What Can You Do with Cooked Potatoes?

There are so many recipes you can make using cooked potatoes. I like to add them in my salads, roast them, and serve them with whipped yogurt to my daughter, or use them in Chaat recipes. If you know me, you know I love chaat! So having, cooked potatoes, chutneys, and a can of chickpeas is a must in my home.

Few more recipes ideas,

How to Cook Baby Potatoes?

I like to steam the baby potatoes, using a steamer basket in the instant pot. One thing I like to make sure, is to choose the baby potatoes of the same size. I like to pressure cook 1lb of baby potatoes with manual pressure for 5 minutes. You want to do a quick pressure release 5 minutes after the cooking is done.

You can make spiced baby potatoes, roasted bombay baby potatoes, or smashed potato salad!

Here's How to Do it

Scrub the potatoes well, and keep them aside. In the steel insert pot, add water. Place a trivet in the inner pot, and place the potatoes on top of it.

As I mentioned, I like to steam the potatoes over, boiling them. Because this way the potatoes don't have any extra water content, and I can use them for any recipes.

Close the Instant Pot lid. Make sure that the vent is at the sealing position. Now press Pressure Cook, manually set the timer for 12 minutes. I am using Yukon Gold Potatoes.

You can let the pressure release naturally, for 5 minutes. And then, do a quick pressure release. Open the lid carefully. Pierce a fork and check if the potatoes are done. This recipe cooks the potatoes perfectly every time.

Yukon Gold Potatoes, Russet Potatoes and Red Potatoes

Yukon Gold Potatoes -

These are my favorite kind, and literally an all-purpose potato. These potatoes are starchy and bigger than the red potatoes, and work great for cooking, baking, mashing and stuffing.

When to Use - You can use these potatoes in any recipe. I love to use them in salads, mashed potatoes, roasted potatoes, aloo parathas, aloo tikki, etc.

Red Potatoes

These potatoes are slightly smaller, less starchy and thin skinned potatoes. They work great for roasting and baking or adding in the curries.

When to Use - You can use these potatoes, for roasting, baking, potato salad, curries, etc.

When Not to Use - I don't like to mash these potatoes, since they can taste gluey.

Russet Potatoes

These potatoes are also an all-purpose potato. They are starch, and a bit drier than Yukon gold potatoes, and red potatoes. They are thick skinned potatoes and usually I like to take out their skin.

When to Use - These work great, for frying, baking and mashing. My favorite way to enjoy these potatoes is frying or baking them.

When Not to Use - These potatoes may fall apart. So I don't use them in recipes where you need them to hold their shape like diced potato salads, and aloo curries.

Do I Need to Pierce or Poke the Potatoes before Boiling?

My answer is yes, and no. I think it is a great practice to pierce the potatoes to let the steam out while cooking. And even cook them evenly.

While having said this, I always forget to pierce the potatoes. This will lead to the skin opening up. And sometimes your potato may fall apart. But, I am yet to have a potato fall apart yet.

Peel the Potatoes Before Cooking

I don't bother to peel the potatoes before boiling them. The skin comes off easily after the potatoes are boiled.

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