Instant Pot Hash Browns

5 from 43 votes

Make Instant Pot hash browns in minutes! Learn how long to cook diced potatoes in the Instant Pot for crispy, flavorful breakfast potatoes.

Prep Time5

Cook Time10

Total Time15

Course: Breakfast, Side Dish, Entree

Cuisine: American

Keyword: One Pot Meal, 30 minute meals, Instant Pot, instant pot potatoes, breakfast potatoes, instant pot hash browns

Servings: servings

Calories: 181kcal

2 pounds potatoes 10-12 medium sized potatoes (red, Yukon Gold, or other thin skinned variety), diced in 1/2-inch pieces. Or, substitute with a 32-ounce bag of frozen diced potatoes or potatoes Obrien
1 large bell pepper any color
1 small yellow onion or white onion
4 slices bacon or turkey bacon
1 teaspoon all-purpose seasoning use one with black pepper for a kick of flavor!
½ teaspoon paprika substitute with 1/4 teaspoon of cayenne pepper for a bit of heat

Pour 1 cup of water into the pressure cooker pot. Place steamer basket into the Instant Pot.
Add potatoes to the steamer basket. Twist on the Instant Pot lid and seal lever, if needed. Set manually to cook for 5 minutes on high pressure.
While the potatoes are pressure cooking, remove seeds from bell pepper and peel the onion. Dice the vegetables in small, similar sized, bite sized pieces. Cut the bacon slices into 1/2-inch pieces.
Once pressure cooking is complete, perform a quick release of pressure by twisting or pushing the sealing lever to release the pressure.
Carefully remove the steamer basket from the Instant Pot (use potholders or gloves to protect your hands).
Set the steamer basket with the potatoes aside in a clean sink to let any liquid drain from it. Discard the water from the pressure cooker inner pot.
Press the cancel button, and set the Instant Pot to sauté.
When the pot is hot, add the chopped bacon. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the fat renders down.
Add the potatoes, bell pepper, onions, and seasonings to the pot. Add a tablespoon of cooking oil if needed. Sauté for 5-7 minutes, or until potatoes are crispy.
To make breakfast potatoes extra crispy, skip sauteing and instead, use an Instant Pot air frying lid (instructions below).

Instead of sautéing the breakfast potatoes to make them crispy, use an air frying lid attachment (or regular air fryer).
Set to air fry at 350ºF and cook for 5 minutes or until golden and crispy.

The main reasons they get mushy is from overcooking. After cooking, remove them from the pot to prevent further cooking. Letting them continue to steam will cause mushiness.

Recipe Variations:

Instant Pot breakfast recipe with scrambled eggs: After sautéing the breakfast potatoes, bell pepper, and onion, toss them to a serving platter. Melt 1 tablespoon of butter or olive oil in the inner pot of your Instant Pot, then add beaten eggs. As the eggs begin to set, push them to the center of the pot until they are cooked to your preference.
Crispy breakfast potatoes with cheese: Sprinkle 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese evenly over the crispy potatoes, bell pepper, and onion in the pressure cooker. Let the cheese melt over the mixture (without stirring), then remove and serve. This works best if you first air fry your Instant Pot breakfast potatoes, so they’re extra crispy.
Cheesy hash: Stir in cream of chicken soup and bake for a creamy, comforting dish.
Instant Pot funeral potatoes – Add a crispy corn flakes topping and bake until golden.

Storing Instructions:

Crispy breakfast potatoes can be refrigerated for up to 4 days and are easy to reheat in any of the following ways: using the sauté setting in your Instant Pot, in a skillet on the stovetop over medium heat, and a preheated 350°F. oven.
You can freeze them for up to 3 months and reheat them in a similar manner without significantly altering their texture or consistency! For maximum crispiness, thaw in the fridge overnight, then air fry at 350ºF for 3 minutes.