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Home » Instant Pot

Instant Pot Baked Potatoes

March 22, 2021 By Lorena Grater

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Close up of a baked potato topped with sour cream and chopped parsley with text overlay for Pinterest.

This Instant Pot Baked Potatoes recipe is the easiest way to get fluffy, perfect baked potatoes every single time. And with everything happening in one place — your Instant Pot — clean up is a breeze! This is one for your Instant Pot Basics collection.

Baked Potatoes topped with sour cream and chopped parsley.

The Best Baked Potatoes Are Not Made In The Oven But In The Instant Pot

Need an easy lunch? Meal prepping? Looking for an easy weeknight meal? These Instant Pot Baked Potatoes are it! They’re delicious served simply with butter, salt, and pepper, but you can dress them up however you like. I love to load them with sour cream, coarse sea salt, and fresh-cracked black pepper. Chili, pulled pork, picadillo, and even quinoa with some raw veggies would be delicious, as well!

This pressure cooker method is much faster than the traditional way of baking them in the oven or even cooking in your slow cooker. You can have perfectly fluffy baked potatoes ready in about half an hour!

Why You Should Measure Your Potatoes Before Cooking

It may sound silly to say you need to measure the circumference of your potatoes before cooking them in the Instant Pot, but hear me out! This is a crucial step to ensuring you end up with perfectly cooked, fluffy potatoes each and every time. Depending on their circumference, you’ll need to adjust the cooking time on your Instant Pot:

  • 7- inch circumference = 12 mins HP + NPR
  • 7.5-inch circumference = 13 mins HP + NPR
  • 8-inch circumference = 14 mins HP + NPR
  • 8.5-inch circumference = 15 mins HP + NPR
  • 9-inch circumference = 16 mins HP + NPR
Photo collage of russet potatoes being washed and diameter measured.

Ingredients

  • Russet Potatoes — Wash thoroughly before cooking, as they won’t be peeled. Try to get evenly sized potatoes to ensure they are all evenly cooked in the Instant Pot.
  • Water — You only need 1 cup of water for the 3-quart and 6-quart Instant Pot to get to pressure and 2 cups for the 8-quart. The pressure cooking method creates a locked environment that seals in steam to even cook whatever’s inside.
  • Toppings — Garnish with sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper, then add whatever toppings you like!

How To Make Instant Pot Baked Potatoes

Making baked potatoes in the Instant Pot is hands down the BEST and easiest way. Just follow these simple steps:

  • Prep the Potatoes — Wash your russet potatoes thoroughly with a scrub brush and water. Dry well. Then, measure the circumference of each and average that out to know how long you’ll need to cook them in the Instant Pot. (See list above for measurements and cooking times.) Poke them all over with a fork. This allows the steam from the potatoes to escape during cooking.
  • Prep the Instant Pot — Place the trivet attachment inside of your Instant Pot insert. This keeps the potatoes from resting in the water and getting soggy. Pour in the water, and rest potatoes on the trivet. They should not touch the water.
  • Cook the Potatoes — Secure the lid to your Instant Pot, turn the valve to the “sealing” position, and set your device to cook on high pressure. Set the time for the necessary amount of time, depending on the average potato circumference. Once they’re done cooking, do nothing and wait for full natural pressure release.
  • Remove the Potatoes from the Instant Pot — Use kitchen tongs to remove the potatoes from the pressure cooker and set on a platter.
  • Garnish — Top with your favorite toppings like sea salt, black pepper, ghee, chili, or pulled pork. Serve, and enjoy!
Photo collage of instant pot cooking process for baked potatoes. Step-by-step photo instructions.

Toppings

  • Ghee or butter
  • Sour cream
  • Chives
  • Green onions
  • Sea salt
  • Fresh-cracked black pepper
  • Chili
  • Pulled pork
  • Picadillo
Photo collage of how to cut a baked potato and press it open. Step by step photo instructions.

Storage, Reheating, and Freezing Instructions

  • Store leftover baked potatoes in an airtight container in your fridge for up to 4 days.
  • Reheat in the microwave for 2-3 minutes, air fryer for 1-2 minutes, or oven at 425 degrees for 5-10 minutes.
  • We did not test freezing them, but you should be able to store them in an airtight, freezer-safe container in your freezer for up to 3 months. Allow thawing completely, then reheat in the air fryer or oven. They may dry out, so you may need to add a teaspoon or two of water to the inside to re-fluff. If you try this, let us know how it works in the comments!

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I leave the skin on my potatoes?
Yes! We want to do that for baked potatoes. But if you prefer mashed potatoes, I have a recipe for that, too!

Can this be made vegan-friendly?
Absolutely! Just use dairy-free, plant-based butter, and sour cream, and omit any meat-based toppings. Coconut cream would work well, too! You could also use my Instant Pot Vegan Chili!

What can I top my baked potatoes with?
I like to keep it simple with ghee or butter, sea salt, black pepper, and chives, but the sky is the limit! Chili, pulled pork, and quinoa are great choices!

What type of potatoes should I use?
It’s crucial to use starchy potatoes; not waxy potatoes. Look for a bag that says, “Perfect for baked potatoes.” I recommend russets!

how to make instant pot baked potatoes recipe

More Potato Recipes To Try

  • Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes
  • Grandma’s German Potato Salad
  • Quinoa-Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
  • Red Lentil Sweet Potato Soup
  • Creamy Potato Leek Soup
how to make instant pot baked potatoes recipe

Instant Pot Baked Potatoes

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 12 minutes
NPR: 18 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Servings: 4
This Instant Pot Baked Potatoes recipe is the easiest way to get fluffy, perfect baked potatoes every single time!
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Equipment

  • Pressure Cooker (I like the Instant Pot.)

Ingredients

  • 4 russet potatoes - washed and dried
  • 1 cup water
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Instructions

  • Wash potatoes with a brush, then poke them all over with a fork, then place on the trivet in the Instant Pot.
  • Add 1 cup water (2 cups for the 8-quart), put on the lid and turn the valve to the sealing position.
  • Measure the circumference of the fattest potato and set the Instant Pot to:
    7" circumference = 12 mins HP
    7.5" circumference = 13 mins HP
    8" circumference = 14 mins HP
    8.5" circumference = 15 mins HP
    9" circumference = 16 mins HP
  • Wait for full natural pressure release. Then open the pot and serve your baked potato topped with your favorite toppings.

Nutrition

Calories: 168kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 14mg | Potassium: 888mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 2IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 29mg | Iron: 2mg
Course lunch, Main Course, Side, Side Dish, vegan, vegetarian
Cuisine American
Keyword baked potatoes, instant pot
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Filed Under: Basics, Instant Pot, Sides & Sauces

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Jor says

    March 23, 2021 at 6:42 am

    Looks good! Thank you, Just a safety reminder, in the recipe instructions it doesn’t say to prick all over with a fork. From what I understand this is for safety, as the potato can explode if there is no way for steam to escape.

    Reply
    • Lorena Grater says

      March 24, 2021 at 1:41 pm

      Thank you so much for pointing that out. I had the information in the blog post with photos and all but forgot to add to the recipe card. Poking them is super important, yes. I just corrected the mistake.

      Reply

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