Instant Pot Sweet Potatoes- this method shows you how STRAIGHTFORWARD it is to make reliable sweet potatoes right inside of your instant pot or pressure cooker.

Instant Pot Sweet Potatoes are speedy, unfussy and flavor-packed! Using your instant pot or pressure cooker to cook sweet potatoes will reduce the cook time in half compared to baking and they turn out perfectly every time with little effort.

Since sharing my guide for making Instant Pot Baked Potatoes, I figured that we should also explore sweet potatoes in the instant pot. Turns out, the whole process is exactly the same….only with a different potato!

Why worth repeating this dish

Unfussy: All you need to do for instant pot sweet potatoes is toss the potatoes in the pressure cooker and cook them to perfection! There are only few key ingredients needed and not many steps to follow, which makes this reliable for even beginner cooks.
Pleasing taste and texture: Sweet potatoes cooked in the instant pot turn out deliciously soft, sweet, and fluffy.
Versatile: Baked potatoes are the reliable vehicle for all of your go-to toppings! Add any seasonings and toppings that you’re craving. They taste great paired with a variety of meals or enjoy them as the main dish, stuffed with chili.

What you’ll need

There are many ways to dress up a sweet potato, but there’s truly only one essential ingredient for this dish: whole sweet potatoes!

Sweet potatoes: It’s dependable to use 4 medium or large sweet potatoes that look to be the same size. This way they will cook evenly. The outside should be somewhat smooth and evenly shaped without cuts, cracks, or blemishes. Small sweet potatoes also work well but gather to shorten the cook time.
Water: 1 cup of water is needed to create the steam that will build up and pressurize the cooker.
Flaky salt & pepper: Optional, to flavor the sweet potatoes once cooked. Feel free to also add dried or fresh herbs for more flavor. You can also sprinkle on your go-to seasoning and/or spice blends.
For serving: my regular way to enjoy a sweet potato is simply with a little butter and cinnamon! A drizzle of honey or maple syrup also goes a long way. Yum! I also have a flavor-packed recipe for black beans stuffed sweet potatoes that you need to try (it’s reliable loaded up with sour cream, chives or green onions and a little bit of cheese).

How for this method

This is more of a how-to than an actual recipe. Once you’ve learned how to use your Instant Pot to cook sweet potatoes, it will be your go-to cooking method. Here are the simple steps:

Prep: To make sweet potatoes in the instant pot, we’re going to start by scrubbing the potatoes clean and then poking each one about 6 times with a fork to help them vent while cooking.
Add the water and seal: Place the trivet into your instant pot (the one that came with it) and pour in the 1 cup of water. Place the potatoes on top of the trivet. It’s okay to stack them if needed. Put the top on and seal the instant pot.
Cook: Cook on manual HIGH pressure for 16 minutes (if your potatoes are sightly smaller, go for 14 minutes and if your potatoes are extra large, go for 18 minutes). When the instant pot is done cooking, let the pressure naturally release which will take about 8-10 minutes. You’ll know it’s done when the metal pin has dropped.

Helpful tips

Serving option: When I’m in the mood for a simple sweet potato with brown sugar, I like to place the cooked potatoes on a baking sheet and spray them with cooking spray. Then, I broil the potatoes for about 3-4 minutes (making sure to watch carefully) to lightly crisp up the skins.
Size of sweet potatoes: Cook time can vary depending on the size of your potatoes. If they end up underdone, you can cook the potatoes for an additional few minutes.
Use the trivet: Be sure to use the trivet, so the potatoes are not sitting in the water and becoming soggy.

Frequently asked questions

Storage and make ahead

These instant pot sweet potatoes are great for meal prep! Cook a batch at the beginning of the week, so you have sweet potatoes to heat up for lunch or use in various recipes!

Storing in the refrigerator: Place the cooked sweet potatoes in an airtight container and store in the fridge for 5-7 days.
Freezing: Place in a freezer-safe container or bag and freeze for up to 6 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Reheating: Easily reheat in the instant pot by adding water under your trivet and cooking for 3 minutes. You can also reheat the sweet potatoes in the oven for 10 minutes at 400 degrees F and in the microwave with 30-second intervals. Be careful with the microwave method because they can become overly dry.

Sweet potato recipes

I’m a huge fan of sweet potatoes and I have so many savory recipes to try! Only type “sweet potato” into the search bar of my blog and it’ll pull up all of my sweet potato recipes! Here are some of my favs: