Instant Pot Sweet Potatoes (Simply Perfect!)

Instant Pot Sweet Potatoes are the best and quickest way to get this classic side dish on the table. It is so simple to cook entire sweet potatoes in a pressure cooker to get perfectly caramelized and fluffy insides. Use this recipe instead of baking them in the oven to make a casserole, stuff with chicken or pork, or serve them with a bit of butter and cinnamon.

A baked sweet potato that has been cut in half and has salt sprinkled on top.

We LOVE sweet potatoes in our house. They taste so good, plus they’re super healthy.

So you can believe my delight when I discovered how easy it is to make an Instant Pot sweet potato!

No more tearing off tons of pieces of aluminum foil, wrapping each one individually, and then hearing your smoke detector go off because all of the oil hit the bottom of the oven! <– totally happened this past weekend :-O

Nope! You simply toss your unwrapped, un-oiled, no-fuss sweet potatoes in the Instant Pot and watch the magic unfold.

Perfectly fluffy potato flesh that is made entirely in the Instant Pot quickly and easily!

Don’t have an Instant Pot? – Learn how to bake sweet potatoes in the oven, how to make air fryer baked sweet potato, or how to boil sweet potatoes, instead!

Sweet Potato in Instant Pot with steamer basket.

How to Make Instant Pot Sweet Potatoes

The basic steps for making this Instant Pot sweet potatoes recipe are simple to follow:

Get Your Instant Pot

There are a few tools you will need to make them in the Instant Pot:

An Instant Pot. Duh! I have the 6-quart Duo Plus Instant Pot and I find that it is plenty big enough for stews, soups, and sweet potatoes.
A trivet or steamer basket. My personal favorite is the steamer basket, although you will need to purchase this separately from your Instant Pot. The trivet comes with most pressure cookers and works just fine in this recipe!
A long wooden spoon or a really long arm. OK, not totally necessary, but if you’re scared of the pressure release valve a nice long wooden spoon will prevent burning your arm from the steam!

Clean and Pierce

Scrub all of your sweet potatoes until they are squeaky clean.

Pierce each one with a fork 5-6 times. This helps the potatoes to release a bit of steam while cooking in your Instant Pot.

A hand cleans a sweet potato. — Scrub the outsides.

Pressure Cook

Pour 1 cup of cold water in the bottom of a 6-quart Instant Pot.

Place your sweet potatoes in the steamer basket or on a trivet that is placed in the Instant Pot.

Place the lid on the pot, turn the pressure release valve to seal, and set the Instant Pot to High pressure for:

16-18 minutes if medium or small sweet potatoes.
20-22 minutes if larger-sized potatoes.

Let them sit in the Instant Pot 10 minutes after the timer goes off for a Natural Pressure Release.

Meal Prep and Storage Directions

To Prep-Ahead: You can cook these potatoes up to 1 to 2 days before you need them.
To Store: Keep leftover sweet potatoes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 to 5 days.
To Freeze: Cooked sweet potatoes can be tightly wrapped and frozen for up to 8 to 10 months.
To Reheat: Warm these potatoes back up in the oven or the microwave.

FAQs

Do potatoes and sweet potatoes cook at the same rate?

While the size and type of the potato play a role in how long it takes, sweet potatoes typically cook faster than traditional white potatoes, like russets.

How do I know when my sweet potatoes are done?

Sweet potatoes are done cooking when you can easily piece the thickest part of the middle with a fork and the flesh is tender and caramelized.

What is the difference between yams and sweet potatoes?

Many people use these terms interchangeably, there is a slight difference between yams and sweet potatoes. Yams are starchier, brown on the outside, and can grow huge. Sweet potatoes, on the other hand, are a root vegetable with a reddish skin and creamy inside.

Instant Pot baked sweet potato is a healthy vegetable side dish.

Expert Tips and Tricks

Similar size. Be sure to choose sweet potatoes that are roughly the same length and width, so they cook evenly.
Pierced is best. Don’t forget to poke the potatoes so the built-up steam can escape.
Water is essential. Fill the bottom of the pressure cooker with a cup of water or you will get an error.
Prop ’em up. The trivet is essential to keep the potatoes out of the liquid so they steam properly.
Enjoy. You can eat the cooked sweet potatoes right away with a bit butter, salt, pepper, and cinnamon, or get creative and stuff them with your favorite protein. Sweet potatoes are secretly delicious when paired with black beans!

Sweet Potato Recipes

There are so many ways to enjoy sweet potatoes, try one of these simple yet delicious recipes next.

Sweet Potato Casserole, Air Fryer Baked Sweet Potato, Mashed Sweet Potatoes, and Hasselback Sweet Potatoes are PERFECT holiday sides. And Sweet Potato Pie is a must-try dessert.

Or, opt for Sweet Potato Shepherd’s Pie or Sweet Potato Black Bean Burger for a hearty and healthy main dish.

I can’t get enough of these Crispy Baked Sweet Potato Fries, and Sweet Potato Hash Browns are the best way to start your morning.

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