Instant Pot Baked Potatoes

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Instant Pot Baked Potatoes come out perfectly soft and fluffy every time without having to turn on the oven. Add your favorite toppings, and make these the ultimate side dish!

Now, I know potatoes in an Instant Pot aren’t technically baked. Because, a pressure cooker uses high pressure heat to cook.

Whereas, baking uses dry direct/indirect heat to cook. So, two completely different cooking process.

However, for the purposes of simplicity, we’re calling them Instant Pot “baked potatoes.” It’s the same concept we use for our Crock Pot Baked Potatoes.

The baked potato on a plate with chives and sour cream.

How to cook whole potatoes in a pressure cooker?

First, start by washing and drying the potatoes. You want to remove all that dirt and crud.

Next, place the stainless steel liner into the pot, along with the trivet. Then pour in the water.

After that, lay the potatoes into the pot and place the lid on the machine. Make sure the rubber seal is properly seated before you put the lid on.

Then, once the lid is on, seal the valve and set the machine to cook on high pressure for 30 minutes.

Last, when the timer goes off, allow for a 10 minute natural release. Carefully open the valve, take off the lid, and serve the pressure cooker potatoes.

That’s it, the recipe is done! Kim and I hope you enjoy these potatoes in a Instant Pot and wish you all the best 🙂

Collage style photo showing how to make instant pot baked potatoes.

Why cook potatoes in an Instant Pot?

Well, the answer is quite simple. It’s faster and consistently creates a perfectly cooked potato.

Also consider that some people may not own an oven or a microwave. Several people mention that they take their Instant Pot camping, too, so this is a great recipe to have on hand.

Our oven has been out of commission for a while now, and we’re waiting for a part to be delivered. We prefer Instant Pot baked potatoes to microwave potatoes.

If you prefer sweet potatoes, or would like to learn how to make them in a pressure cooker. Then check out our Instant Pot sweet potatoes recipe.

Why does it take these potatoes so long to cook?

For this particular recipe, we used large potatoes. They aren’t jumbo sized, but they aren’t small either. For this reason, it takes them about 30 minutes give or take.

Kim and I tried a lot of Instant Pot baked potatoes recipes. But, they never came out properly cooked. They were always under cooked and still raw in places.

After testing numerous cook times, the thirty minute mark, with a ten minute natural release created potatoes that were done all the way through.

Do the potatoes need to be wrapped in foil?

When you’re cooking potatoes in the Instant Pot, they don’t need to be wrapped in foil. Make sure to wash them well. I like to sure a vegetable scrubber, then pat them dry. Place then on the trivet and cook! No foil needed.

Instant pot baked potatoes on a plate with sour cream and chives.

Instant Pot Baked Potatoes Recipe Tips:

  • For our recipe, Kim didn’t poke holes in the potatoes. You can if you want to, it shouldn’t change anything.
  • The baking potatoes we used were two and half to three inches wide. If your potatoes are larger or smaller you may need to adjust the cook time (more for larger, less for smaller).
  • Want to make a potato bar, then slice some butter, shred some cheddar, and use some pre-cooked bacon to make awesome toppings for your taters.
The cooked potato topped with sour cream, butter, and onions.

Instant Pot Baked Potatoes

5 from 3 votes
Print Pin
Author: John
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Natural Release: 10 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Servings: 4 Potatoes

Ingredients

  • 4 large potatoes, Idaho or russet, 2.5 to 3 inches wide
  • 1 cup water

Instructions
 

  • Pour 1 cup of water into the stainless steel insert of the Instant Pot. Add the trivet, then lay the potatoes onto the trivet.
    4 large potatoes
    1 cup water
  • Close the lid, ensure the valve is set to “sealing,” and press the manual (pressure cook) button. Adjust the time to 30 minutes.
  • After the time is up, allow a 10 minute natural pressure release before opening the valve to release any remaining pressure.
  • Top the potatoes with your favorite toppings and serve hot.

Nutrition

Serving: 1potato | Calories: 164kcal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 0.2g | Saturated Fat: 0.1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.01g | Sodium: 16mg | Potassium: 897mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 4IU | Vitamin C: 42mg | Calcium: 27mg | Iron: 2mg

Notes

The calories listed are an approximation based on the ingredients and a serving size of one large potato. Additionally, the calorie count does NOT include the sour cream, diced green onions, etc. seen as toppings in the photos. Actual calories will vary.
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