Perfect Instant Pot sweet potatoes each and every time, with perfect, creamy insides. A time chart based on the width of your sweet potatoes ensures they are perfectly cooked each time.
While I love a baked sweet potato and the convenience of a crock pot sweet potato, sometimes we just need to get it done quickly, right? Enter Instant Pot sweet potatoes. Ready in a fraction of the time, and they come out perfectly creamy, each and every time!
The thing is, there are way too many ‘one size fits all’ Instant Pot sweet potato recipes out there, and can we be real? Not all sweet potatoes are made the same, so why should the cooking method be?
After being constantly disappointed by under-cooked sweet potatoes, I set out to test dozens of sweet potatoes, until I came up with a formula so that you can have perfect sweet potatoes as well.
Reasons you’ll ♡ Instant Pot sweet potatoes
- they cook in a fraction of the time as the oven
- they are perfectly tender and creamy
- they are hands off…set the button and go on with your day while they cook!
Recipe Video
Want to see exactly how to cook sweet potatoes in the Instant Pot? Watch this 1-minute video! You can find more recipe videos on my YouTube channel.
Don’t forget to pin this post to save it for later!
Measure the width of your sweet potatoes
In my experimentation, I discovered that the cook time of your sweet potatoes is completely dependent on the width of your sweet potatoes.
After testing dozens of sweet potatoes, I came up with the following formula:
- small (2 inches or less in width): 15 minutes + 10 minute natural pressure release
- medium (2-3 inches in width): 30 minutes + 10 minute natural pressure release
- large (3-4 inches in width): 60 minutes * + 10 minute natural pressure release
* honestly, depending on what you’re going to use those gargantuan sweet potatoes for, you’re probably better off cutting them into cubes to cook faster
How to cook sweet potatoes in the Instant Pot
A few simple steps stand between you and your perfect sweet potatoes:
- measure (or estimate) the width of your sweet potatoes
- scrub sweet potatoes, and prick with a fork 4-5 times
- place 1 cup of water in the Instant Pot insert (or 1.5 cups for an 8 quart Instant Pot), and place the trivet on top
- arrange your sweet potatoes on the trivet
- place the lid on the Instant Pot and set the valve to ‘sealing’. Pressure cook for the time indicated on recipe card based on the width of your sweet potatoes
- allow pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes, then carefully release the remaining pressure
Ta da! Perfect sweet potatoes
Which Instant Pot works the best?
You can cook sweet potatoes in a 6 or 8 quart Instant Pot with no change to the cook time. The one thing that does change between the two sizes is the amount of water you add to the pot.
- add 1 cup to a 6 quart Instant Pot
- add 1.5 cups to an 8 quart Instant Pot
I have not tested in a mini Instant Pot, and am not sure if the sweet potatoes would fit. If you have tried, would you leave a comment below to let us know how it worked for you?
FAQ
Can I cook regular potatoes using these cook times?
No, regular potatoes require a different cook time. See this post for Instant Pot Baked Potatoes.
Can I stack the sweet potatoes or do they need to be in a single layer?
My testing was done with a single layer, however in theory, you should be able to stack them up without additional cook time. If you find that your sweet potatoes need additional cooking time, you can simply put the lid back on, add more time, and the pot will come back to pressure really quickly.
Is it better to use the ‘steam’ or the ‘manual’ setting to cook sweet potatoes?
I’ve done it both ways, and it worked fine either way. The steam setting simply cooks from full power straight away, since it assumes there is just water in the Instant Pot and there is no risk to burning food in contact with the base.
Wondering how to use up your sweet potatoes?
Whether you use your Instant Pot sweet potatoes as twice baked sweet potatoes, in hummus, breakfast burritos, or any of the recipes, using the Instant Pot to cook them ahead definitely makes your meal prep go a little faster.
- Enchilada Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
- Smoky Sweet Potato Hummus
- Freezer Sweet Potato Taquitos
- Freezer Sweet Potato Waffles
- Taco Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
More Instant Pot Recipes
- 7 Instant Pot Chicken Breast Recipes
- Instant Pot Whole Chicken
- Instant Pot Steel Cut Oats
- Instant Pot Spaghetti Squash
- Instant Pot Chickpeas
PERFECT Instant Pot Sweet Potatoes
Ingredients
- 2-4 sweet potatoes
Instructions
- Measure or estimate the width of your sweet potatoes.
- Scrub sweet potatoes, then prick 5-10 times with a fork.
- Add 1 cup of water to the insert of a 6 quart Instant Pot or 1.5 cups to an 8 quart Instant Pot.
- Add the trivet to the Instant Pot and arrange sweet potatoes on the trivet.
- Place the lid on the Instant Pot, and set the valve to 'sealing'.
- Make sure your Instant Pot is set to 'high pressure', and select manual (or 'pressure cook', depending on your model). Then set the timer depending on the thickness of your sweet potatoes: small- under 2 inches: 15 minutes, medium- 2-3 inches: 30 minutes, large- 3-4 inches: 60 minutes.
- When timer beeps, allow pressure to naturally release for 10 minutes before releasing the rest of the pressure.
- If for some reason your sweet potatoes are not fully cooked through, place the lid back on the Instant Pot and add an additional 5-10 minutes. Your Instant Pot will come back to pressure quickly.
Heather
Your instructions don’t mention whether you are cooking on low or high pressure.
Denise Bustard
Hi Heather, it’s high pressure.
Moriaelini
Thank you for this comprehensive guide! One of my husband & my favorite weekend (and now quarantine) lunches is steamed sweet potatoes with hummus, cheese, taco sauce and a dollop of sour cream. Sounds weird, tastes like heaven. But the sweet taters I get at sprouts come in such varying sizes that it is difficult to parse how long to cook them. This guide is PERFECT.
Denise Bustard
I am so intrigued by your lunch, and am so glad to hear this guide was helpful for you. Thanks so much for your review, Moriaelini 🙂
Stephen
I did three sweet potatoes and followed the instructions to the T. Absolutely brilliant result. Thank you…I am new to Instant Pots and also to cooking in general. So, getting a proper result is most satifyinf.
Denise
Hurray! Happy to hear it worked well for you, Stephen. Thanks so much for reporting back 🙂
Mary Barker-Damour
Hi, I usually boil my sweet potatoes on the stove and then peel them . Can I just put them in the water to boil and then set my meatloaf on the trivet on top of them so it will all cook together. Or will my potatoes by soggy by being right in the water.
Denise
Hi Mary! I have not tried cooking the sweet potatoes right in the water. It is possible they may cook quicker in the water…but if you try it, would you let us know how it goes for you?
Cheryl
Very helpful!! Thank you for taking the time to figure out the timing for all different sizes. Any particular tips on how to freeze these cooked sweet potatoes?
Denise
Hi Cheryl! I am happy you found the post helpful! You can freeze whole sweet potatoes after cooling by wrapping in parchment or foil, then placing in a freezer bag or meal prep container. You can also freeze mashed sweet potatoes in a freezer bag or meal prep container. I have a general 3 month rule for the freezer.
Cindy G.
This is exactly what I needed! I had some large sweet potatoes, and I didn’t want to cut them up first. Sixty minutes was the perfect amount of time. I ate one for dinner, and have two more ready to go for the next two nights. Thanks for taking the guesswork out of it.
Denise
I’m so happy the cook times worked well for you, Cindy! Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a review, I really appreciate it <3
Lori A
Thanks for this great recipe. The pictures and clear instructions are so helpful. I made it last night with some small sweet potatoes, followed the directions as written and they came out perfectly.I put a small slit in each one with a paring knife and had no problem with exploding potatoes. Nice!
Denise
Hi Lori! I’m so happy to hear you found the post helpful and that you ended up with perfect sweet potatoes! Thank you so much for reporting back 🙂
Valerie
Question…every time my husband cooks his sweet potatoes and adds the extra time, they blow up. Any ideas? He uses a fork to poke holes in them and also puts the cup of water in.
Denise
Hi Valerie! I’m so sorry, I’ve never personally had this happen. Sometimes the skin spilts but I’ve never had one explode. Other than poking holes, I’m at a loss. You are cooking on manual high pressure and not a different Instant Pot setting? Are you using an Instant Pot or a different type of pressure cooker?
Victoria Pearson
This happened to me as well, using large sweet potatoes at 60 minutes, I think next time I will try them at 40-45 minutes instead!
Donna coulson
My sweet potatoes are too large can I cut them up to fit the pot?
liz
Yes, you can half them if they are large and do 15 HP and 10 min NR.
Denise
Yes, if they are too large to fit the pot, consider what your end goal is for them. I would halve or even cube. Good luck!
Pam
Thank you so much! I just cooked the sweet potatoes that I’ll be using in my sweet potato casserole for tomorrow’s Christmas dinner. I measured them, followed your timing instructions, and threw them in my IP. I got busy doing other things, and before I knew it they were done. They were so soft and moist, and the skins just came off in sheets with a little tug of a fork. They mashed up beautifully and are now in my fridge awaiting all the fixings that will be added for this favorite holiday dish. Perfect! [2 1/2 – 3″ potatoes, cooked 35 minutes, 10 min NR = VERY soft potatoes — perfect for mashing, but too soft to serve whole and stuffed]
Denise
Hi Pam! Isn’t the Instant Pot so convenient! So happy to hear you enjoyed this method. Thanks for taking the time to leave a review!
Meg
Science! Thanks for taking the time to see how long different sizes need to cook. I normally smoke mine. Making for thanksgiving tomorrow and my smoked ones were too small. Needed to add more, so thank you for taking some of the guesswork out of the equation.
Denise
I’m so happy you found this post helpful, Meg! I hope you had a very happy Thanksgiving.
Barbara McNichols
Great post especially since different size potatoes were addressed! Problem is, I want the potatoes firm enough to peel and slice (1/2 – 3/4″) for a holiday casserole, rather than soft enough to mash or eat as though baked in the jacket. Any timing recommendations for that? Kind of a newbie to IP cooking so I am unsure. Thanks in advance!
Denise
Hi Barbara! I’m so happy you found this post useful. I am not sure if these potatoes would work sliced in a casserole; since the Instant Pot steams them, they do end up quite moist. I worry they would be too soft to slice. Good luck!!
Marie Clifton
I don’t want to mess up your ratings for such a great post! But I have a question- I cook small white potatoes whole frequently in my IP and get the burn notice frequently. Has this happened to you? I am using at least one cup of water. The potatoes come out perfectly steamed but …. Thank you for any input you can provide! I just know at an hour for the big potatoes that came in my bag I will hit the burn setting.
Denise
Hi Marie! I actually have not perfected cooking regular potatoes in my Instant Pot yet, but if you are getting the burn warning, I’d definitely add more water. You can add probably 2 cups or more, so long as they are on the trivet and not in the water, they should cook as intended. I hope this helps!
Robin
Do you know if these times work for white potatoes as well? My husband loves sweet potatoes, but I don’t like them. I was wondering if I can cook white potatoes and sweet potatoes at the same time in the pressure cooker.
Denise
Hi Robin, I haven’t actually cooked white potatoes (whole) in the Instant Pot. Here’s a post on how to do it. Long story short, it’s going to depend on the size of your potatoes and sweet potatoes 🙂
Robin
Thank you Denise! I appreciate you taking the time to look. I am going to try cooking both at the same time using your method.
Melissa
Thank you so much for the extra and very useful tips about cooking times. I love the pics showing the different sizes and specific cooking times based on times. So helpful and made my instant sweet potato experimentation tonight a hit!
Denise
I’m so happy it helped! Thanks for reporting back, Melissa!
Betsy
Will the sweet potato need extra time if it’s peeled and wrapped in aluminum foil?
Denise
Hi Betsy! I don’t know how the sweet potato would cook unpeeled…it might need less time?
Roxann Romano
I would not take peel off. You loose vitamins and nutrients.
Lauren Nolan
I just got an instant pot and am trying to find ways to incorporate sweet potatoes into my diet (I’ve never been a fan) This post helped SOOOO much! Thank you!!!
Denise
I’m so happy it was helpful for you, Lauren! Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a review 🙂
Michelle
This is my go to recipe for sweet potatoes! They come out perfect every time!
Denise
So happy you enjoyed! Thanks so much for your review!
Amy
Can you stack sweet potatoes to cook them, or should they be in a single layer as shown?
Denise
Hi Amy! It should be fine to stack them, and if you find they aren’t done, put the lid back on and add a few minutes, your Instant Pot should come to pressure really quickly 2nd time around! Hope you enjoy!
Jane
Thank you! Pwedwxr! My go to website. 🙂
Jane
That is supposed to say “PERFECT”. lol
Denise
LOL! Thanks, Jane!
Diane
Thank you for taking the time to do this. The one-size-fits-all approach definitely does not work. I appreciate all the effort that went into this, and for the list of recipes.
Denise
You are so very welcome, Diane! I hope you have success with these cook times 🙂
Henry
I can’t believe it, somebody who makes sence!
I read your post on making sweet potatoes in an Instant Pot. Makes total sense.
I haven’t tried it yet, but I’m going to tonight.
I’m sure it will work out perfectly
I’ll report back with results. I am sure they will turn out great!.
Thank you Denise for taking the time to do the job right!
.
Denise
LOL! I’d love to hear how they work out for you Henry!
Henry
They worked out PERFECTLY Denise!!!
Denise
Yay! Thanks for letting me know, Henry 🙂
Anne
Maybe I missed it – should the sweet potatoes be pierced as they should for oven bakknf+
Denise
Hi Anne! I’ve done it both ways and it doesn’t seem to matter.
Regina
This is a fantastic tutorial! I’ve also tried some instructions that left me with half-cooked sweet potatoes. I bet I’ll have much better success with your tips.
Denise
I’m kind of glad to hear I’m not alone on that, Regina! I hope these time frames work for you 🙂
Angela
Hello Madam,
Do I need to add extra water or more than 60min if I fill the IP to the top with various sizes of sweet potatoes?
Denise
Hi Angela! You should not need to add extra water but you may need to alter the cook time if you fill it right up. Let me know how it goes for you!