Instant Pot Baked Potatoes—make fluffy, moist baked potatoes in your Instant Pot without foil and in just a few minutes!
Related: SLOW COOKER baked potatoes recipe
Instant Pot Baked Potatoes
Each week in 2020 I’m sharing a recipe inspired by one of the 50 states. So far I’ve covered Alabama, Louisiana, Utah, Minnesota and Colorado. Today’s recipe is inspired by the gem state: Idaho.
Fun fact! I was born in the state of Idaho. I lived there for the first 3 years of my life. My grandma lives in Idaho and has for my whole life. My mom grew up on the family egg farm and now I do commercials for them from time to time. My fondest summer memories come from the long drive to Idaho to visit Grandma and Grandpa and my cousins who lived there. I have lots of wonderful memories from Idaho.
Idaho is famous for a few things: the cult classic Napoleon Dynamite, it’s beautiful mountains and scenery and of course potatoes. I know you all have a bag of Idaho potatoes at your home right now like I do! According to idahopotato.com, “Idaho’s growing season of warm days and cool nights, ample mountain-fed irrigation and rich volcanic soil, give Idaho Potatoes their unique texture, taste and dependable performance.”
So to celebrate Idaho I thought I would share the method of how to make Instant Pot baked potatoes with you today. Now some of you are saying “if the potatoes are cooked in the Instant Pot they aren’t ‘baked’ potatoes.” And technically you are correct. However these steamed Instant Pot potatoes are served the same way as oven baked potatoes and so I will continue to call them baked potatoes even though they are not baked.
I love making baked potatoes in the Instant Pot because they are:
- faster than the oven
- fluffy and moist
- don’t require foil
- you can pile in as many potatoes as will fit (even past the max fill line)
Baked Potato Topping Ideas
Instant Pot baked potatoes are perfect for a baked potato bar! Get all the fun toppings lined up in cute bowls (I like these ones*) and then keep the potatoes warm in your Instant Pot on the warm setting until everyone has eaten. Some ideas for topping are:
- crumbled bacon
- grated cheese
- cheese sauce
- steamed broccoli
- chili
- sour cream
- plain yogurt
- butter
- salt and pepper
- chives
- green onions
- cubes of ham
- chunks of chicken
- taco meat
- salsa
- cottage cheese
- everything bagel seasoning
How to Make Instant Pot Baked Potatoes
Start by pouring 1 ½ cups of water into the bottom of your Instant Pot liner. This amount will be the same regardless if you’re using a 3, 6 or 8 quart pot or how many potatoes you put into the pot.
Place your trivet in the bottom of the pot. I used the metal trivet* that came with my Instant Pot.
Wash your potatoes and prick each one with a fork about 6 times. Line up the potatoes vertically on top of the trivet. By cooking the potatoes vertical I believe they get more fluffy and delicious. You can also pile them horizontally into the pot. If you do so please put the thickest potatoes in the bottom and the smaller potatoes on top. I fit 11 medium size Russet potatoes in my pot. If possible, use potatoes of similar size. The thicker the potato, the longer it takes to pressure cook.
Pressure cook the potatoes for 25 minutes. And then use a 5-15 minute natural pressure release. The closer you get to 15 minutes the more moist the potatoes will be. But if you’re in a pinch you can quick release the potatoes and it will be just fine!
If you like a crispy skin rub a little olive oil on the potato and put it under the oven broiler. Turn it a few times until it is dry and crisp. Alternately you could use the Mealthy Crisplid* for this part.
Serve up your baked potatoes with your favorite toppings! I like butter, sour cream, salt and pepper, cheese and bacon crumbles.
More Recipes to make with Idaho Potatoes…
Instant Pot Cheesy Potatoes and Sausage
Instant Pot Potato Cheese Soup
Instant Pot Beef and Cheddar Potatoes
Want more tried and true Instant Pot recipes?
Like this recipe for Instant Pot baked potatoes? Receive FREE daily Instant Pot recipes and tips in your email box. Sign up by filling out the gray form below. Other ways to follow: join the 365 Days of Instant Pot Recipes Facebook group and subscribe to my YouTube channel where I share Instant Pot stuff with you weekly.
Instant Pot Baked Potatoes
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 55 minutes
Print Recipe
Pin RecipeDescription
Make fluffy, moist baked potatoes in your Instant Pot without foil and in just a few minutes!
Ingredients
- Desired number of Idaho russet potatoes (you can fit up to about 15 medium size russet potatoes in the 6 quart Instant Pot)
- 1 ½ cups water
Instructions
- Pour 1 ½ cups water into the bottom of your Instant Pot liner. Place a trivet in the bottom of your Instant Pot liner.
- Wash the potatoes and poke each one about 6 times with a fork. Line up the potatoes vertically in your Instant Pot (see picture above). Then lay any extra potatoes on top.
- Cover the Instant Pot and secure the lid. Make sure the valve is set to sealing. Set the manual/pressure cook button to 25 minutes (if your potatoes are HUGE you may need more time but 25 minutes should be enough for most potatoes).
- When the time is up let the pot sit for 5-15 minutes and then move the valve to venting. Remove the lid.
- Optional step: If you like a crispy skin rub a little olive oil on the potato and put it under the oven broiler. Turn it a few times until it is crisp.
- Serve up your baked potatoes with your favorite toppings!
Notes
I used my 6 quart Instant Pot Duo 60 7 in 1*.
The amount of water will be the same regardless if you’re using a 3, 6 or 8 quart pot or how many potatoes you put into the pot.
You can fill the potatoes past the max fill line because they aren’t liquid it will be just fine.
*Karen Petersen is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.
Would like to answer the question about the vertical potatoes if you’re only cooking 2, I slightly lean them against the side of the pot and carefully put on the top. And by the way they were freaking delicious!
Thanks Stacy for your tip! Glad you liked them 🙂
I would set the end in a custard cup and cook as directed.
I recently purchased the Mealthy CrispLid. How long would you cook the potatoes and at what temperature?
I would cook for 3 minutes at 500 then flip them (use tongs) and do 3 minutes on other side. Use the fryer basket and get rid of the water that’s in there. Work in batches if necessary 🙂
Do you have a “trick” for doing the potatoes vertical if you’re only cooking 2 potatoes?
I have the same question.
Hi Kim, if you’re only doing 2 potatoes you can just lay them horizontally. They will cook perfectly!