Instant Pot Sweet Potatoes

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I love a good baked sweet potato, but when time gets tight, these Instant Pot sweet potatoes come to the rescue. They cook up as fast as Instant Pot baked potatoes, but with mostly hands-off prep (like so many other Instant Pot recipes). Plus, it’s easy to customize them to make a complete healthy dinner!

Ingredients & Substitutions

This section explains how to choose the best ingredients for Instant Pot baked sweet potatoes, what each one does in the recipe, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card below.

• Sweet Potatoes – Choose ones that are roughly the same size, so they cook at the same rate. You can also make this Instant Pot sweet potatoes recipe using white or purple varieties, or even yams.
• Sea Salt & Black Pepper
• Butter – While butter is optional, to me it’s a must for topping! See other topping ideas below.

VARIATION: Change up the seasonings!

Trade salt and pepper for taco seasoning mix, cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice, ranch seasoning, or a spoonful of compound butter (after cooking) to add extra flavor and variety.

How To Cook Sweet Potatoes In The Instant Pot

This section shows how to make Instant Pot sweet potatoes, with step-by-step photos and details about the technique, to help you visualize it. For full instructions, including amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card below.

1. Prep the potatoes. Clean and rinse the sweet potatoes. Poke holes all over with a fork to vent.
2. Place in the Instant Pot. Pour water into the bottom of an Instant Pot. Add a trivet or steamer basket and place the sweet potatoes on top of it.

3. Pressure cook. Set the pressure cooker to Manual (high pressure), close the lid, turn the knob to Sealing, and set the time based on the size of your potatoes. (See time chart below!)
4. Natural release. Allow the pressure to naturally release for 10 minutes, then switch the valve to Venting for the remainder of the release. Open the lid when there is no more steam coming out.
5. Enjoy. Remove and cut a slit in each Instant Pot sweet potato lengthwise. Top with butter (if desired), sea salt, and black pepper, or other toppings of you choice.

Instant Pot Sweet Potato Time Chart

How long to cook sweet potatoes in the Instant Pot depends on their size. Use this handy time chart — this assumes a natural pressure release after cooking:

VARIATION: Make Instant Pot cubed sweet potatoes instead!

For a faster cook time, cut the potatoes into 1-inch cubes and set the Instant Pot to just 3 minutes on High Pressure. It will take 5-10 minutes to come to pressure, then pressure cook for 3 minutes. After time is up, do a quick release instead of waiting for a natural release.

Storage Instructions

• Store: After cooking sweet potatoes in the Instant Pot, place them potatoes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days.
• Meal prep: Cook a batch in advance, allow to cool, and store in individual containers with your favorite chicken or fish entree for easy lunches. (My fave is to add half a sweet potato when I do chicken meal prep.)
• Reheat: Warm up in the microwave, or in the oven at 350 degrees F.
• Freeze: Wrap tightly and freeze whole in a freezer-safe container or zip lock bag for up to 4 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

What To Serve With Instant Pot Sweet Potatoes

Instant Pot sweet potatoes can pair with almost anything! Try some of these ideas:

• Chicken – Enjoy this side with crispy grilled chicken thighs, or whip up some quick and easy air fryer chicken breast or cilantro lime chicken while your potatoes cook.
• Seafood – Serve alongside jerk salmon to balance out the heat, or make a simple meal with seared shrimp or baked tilapia.
• Beef – Pair with a juicy sirloin steak or the best burgers for a hearty meal, or prepare a tender prime rib roast or New York strip for a special occasions.
• Pork – Try savory baked pork chops or a classic pork loin roast with all the trimmings.
• Toppings – Don’t forget about additional toppings! Depending on your preferences, you could top Instant Pot sweet potatoes with shredded cheddar cheese, crumbled bacon, sour cream, or even drizzle with some maple syrup (I prefer zero sugar maple syrup).
• Use In Other Dishes – Mash and use them in a sweet potato casserole, or choose any of the fillings from my recipe for stuffed sweet potatoes. (Cooking the sweet potatoes in the Instant Pot is a faster way to make them instead of baking.)

More Easy Sweet Potato Recipes

Sweet potatoes are one of my favorite nutritious comfort foods! Try these different ways to make them:

Sweet Potato Hash

Mashed Sweet Potatoes

Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

Roasted Sweet Potatoes

5 from 4 votes

Instant Pot Sweet Potatoes (Fast & Easy!)

Perfect Instant Pot sweet potatoes take less than 30 minutes, for an easy side or meal prep. Includes a time chart for different sizes!

Prep: 5 minutes

Cook: 14 minutes

Pressurizing Time 10 minutes

Total: 29 minutes

Author: Maya Krampf from WholesomeYum.com

Servings: 4 (adjust to scale recipe)

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Ingredients

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• 4 7-oz Sweet potatoes (or any size, see step 4) ▢
• 1 tsp Sea salt ▢
• 3/4 tsp Black pepper ▢
• 2 tbsp Butter (optional) ▢

Instructions

Tap on the times in the instructions below to start a kitchen timer while you cook.

1. Rinse the sweet potatoes to ensure the skin is clean. Using a fork, poke holes all over the sweet potatoes to vent.

2. Pour 1 cup of water into the bottom of the Instant Pot (or 1.5 cups if using an 8-quart Instant Pot).

3. Add the trivet and place the sweet potatoes on top of it.

4. Set the Instant Pot to Manual, then select High pressure and set the time:

   * Small sweet potatoes (4-6 oz) – 11 minutes

   * Medium sweet potatoes (7-8 oz) – 14 minutes

   * Large sweet potatoes (9-11 oz) – 17 minutes

   * Extra large sweet potatoes (12 oz or more) – 25 minutes

   It will take about 10 minutes for the Instant Pot to come up to pressure, then the time will start counting down.

5. Allow pressure to naturally release for 10 minutes, then carefully switch the knob to Venting for the remainder of the release. Wait until no more steam is coming out, then twist and open the lid.

6. Remove the potatoes and cut a slit in each potato lengthwise. Top with butter (if desired), sea salt, and black pepper, or other toppings of you choice.

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Recipe Notes

Serving size: 1 sweet potato

Nutritional info does not include optional butter.

Nutrition Facts

Amount per serving. Serving size in recipe notes above.

Calories 172

Fat 0.1g

Protein 3.2g

Total Carbs 40.2g

Net Carbs 34.2g

Fiber 6g

Sugar 8.3g

Nutrition facts are provided as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see our nutrition policy.

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Keywords: Instant Pot sweet potato, Instant Pot sweet potatoes, sweet potatoes in the Instant Pot

Calories: 172 kcal

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