Instant Pot Smashed Potatoes

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This Instant Pot Smashed Potatoes recipe uses baby red potatoes, savory bacon, and parmesan cheese for a tangy, cheesy, fun twist on traditional mashed potatoes. Make easy-loaded red potatoes using baby reds for quick smashed potatoes any night of the week. These Instant Pot red potatoes will be a hit at the dinner table.

A platter of instant pot potatoes ready to serve.

The trusty, versatile potato has long been a mealtime favorite. And thanks to the Instant Pot, it’s now easier than ever to make a variety of potato dishes in a flash with barely any effort.

These little potatoes are steamed in the pressure cooker and then topped with more cheese and fresh chives to create the perfect loaded red potatoes side dish!

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Why Use an Instant Pot to Make Smashed Potatoes?

Boiling potatoes on the stovetop means hefting a pot of boiling water in the kitchen. And it’s the last thing you want to do during the warm days of summer.

Learn more about pressure cooking and the Instant Pot in my Instant Pot Basics post.

Pressure cooking, on the other hand, requires only a fraction of the water. It steams the potatoes to cook them to perfection effortlessly.

If you are unfamiliar, a pressure cooker is a sealed pot with a valve that controls the steam pressure inside. As the pot heats, the liquid inside forms steam, raising the pot’s pressure. This high-pressure steam has two major effects:

Quickly raise the boiling point of the water in the pot. Typically water-based foods cooked on the stove, like soups and steamed veggies, can only get as hot as boiling water (which is 212°F). However, because the Instant Pot uses the steam’s pressure, the boiling point gets as high as 250°F. Food cooks much faster with this higher heat.
Forces liquid into the food. Pressure cooking with steam increases the temperature and helps to tenderize foods more thoroughly and quickly.

Essentially, foods cooked in a pressure cooker are infused with flavor and taste better. And that’s exactly what happens in this Instant Pot steamed potatoes recipe! Each bite bursts with savoriness from the chicken broth.

Not only are the insides of red potatoes cooked in the Instant Pot delicious, but the pressure cooker’s extra-high heat also causes the potato’s exterior to caramelize.

The result is a terrifically tender, slightly crispy smashed potato. Loaded with tangy parmesan cheese, salty bacon, and fresh chives, it’s a hearty, gluten-free side dish that is guaranteed to make everyone at the table happy!

Little Potato Company's dynamic duo ready to serve.

New to Instant Pot Cooking?

Read this first! How to use the Instant Pot 101 is for those new to pressure cooking. how to use Instant Pot pressure cooker is terrific for new and seasoned Instapot users.

If you love to cook mashed potatoes, you may check out our other recipes that can be cooked in an Instant Pot like mashed potatoes recipe Instant Pot, red potatoes Instant Pot recipe, and Instant Pot garlic potatoes.

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions

Sautéing bacon pieces in the Instant Pot ready to pressure cook.

Here is everything you need to make the easiest, cheesiest turkey breast tenderloin Instant Pot:

Bacon
Garlic
Small red potatoes
Chicken broth
Parmesan cheese
Green onions

Kitchen Tools Needed

Instant Pot (or any electric pressure cooker)
Potato masher

How to Make Instant Pot Smashed Baby Red Potatoes

This satisfying side dish only requires a few steps and is ready in less than 30 minutes. Diced potatoes in Instant Pot are perfect for making on a busy weeknight or enjoying as part of a big family Sunday dinner.

Here is the easy prep for making cheesy, savory smashed baby red potatoes in the Instant Pot:

First, cook chopped bacon in the Instant Pot using the saute function. Deglaze the sheet pan chicken thighs recipe broth, add the potatoes, and close and seal the lid. Cook on high pressure for 8 minutes.
Once done, do a quick release to vent the steam. Open the lid, slightly smash the potatoes, and stir some parmesan cheese.
Then, transfer the smashed red potatoes to a serving dish. Top with the remaining cheese and chopped fresh green onions.

A pot showing Instant pot steamed red potatoes ready to pressure cook.

Recipe FAQs

How do I make vegetarian Instant Pot smashed potatoes?

To make savory meat-free smashed red potatoes, substitute the bacon for 1 tablespoon of butter and swap chicken broth for vegetable broth.

Can I use potatoes other than red potatoes?

Yes! I prefer baby red potatoes to make Instant Pot steamed smashed potatoes because I love their earthy flavor. But feel free to use chopped yellow Yukon gold potatoes or even Russet potatoes if you like.

What main dishes do steamed Smashed Potatoes go well with?

You can enjoy these delicious instant pot parmesan potatoes with nearly any meal! Try them as a side dish with baked chicken tenderloins, saute chicken breast, buttermilk brined pork chops, or braised beef.

What if I don’t have a pressure cooker?

Make this smashed potato dish on the stovetop by boiling the potatoes in water. Cook the bacon using whatever method you prefer most (fry in a skillet, cook in a microwave) while the potatoes boil. Drain the potatoes when done and lightly smash with a masher.

Then, add some of the parmesan and chopped bacon, and stir. Cover the pot with a lid to allow the cheese to melt slightly. Place on serving dish, and add more cheese and green onions before enjoying.

Instant Pot loaded red potatoes on a platter ready to serve.

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