Instant Pot Baked Potatoes

Instant Pot Baked Potatoes is the easiest way to enjoy a fluffy, tender baked potato in record time! Regardless of the size of your potato, this recipe will walk you through the step-by-step process to guarantee fork-tender, creamy baked potatoes–without the need to turn on the oven!

Looking for more Instant Pot Potato Recipes? Don’t miss my recipes for Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes, Instant Pot Potato Soup, Instant Pot Potato Corn Chowder, and Instant Pot Potato Salad.

Instant Pot Baked Potato on white plate topped with butter, salt, and pepper.

Turinys:

Don’t you agree that a classic baked potato is one of the most perfect side dishes? From London broil to blackened chicken to a pan-seared steak, baked potatoes complements just about any main course.

But on busy nights, I don’t have a lot of time to bake potatoes. And on hot summer nights, the last thing I want to do is turn on the oven to make baked potatoes.

The Instant Pot solves those issues by making perfect baked potatoes in record time without heating up the kitchen.

Kristen’s Key Tips for Instant Pot Baked Potatoes

Russet potatoes make the BEST baked potatoes, as they have a high starch content, which yields a pillowy, fluffy interior.
Always start with cold water. Use cold tap water, not warm or hot water, as the temperature of the water will change the time it takes the Instant Pot takes to come to pressure, which changes the cook times.
Use a trivet to keep the potatoes from being submerged in the water as they cook. No trivet? Ball up some tin foil and place it right into the water in the inner pot and lay your potatoes on top of the foil.
Stack the potatoes. It will not impact the cooking time if you make 1 or 6 baked potatoes.
Size Matters! Cook time is based on size of potatoes, so be sure to select potatoes similar in size and follow the guidelines provided to ensure accurate cooking time.
Allow for a natural pressure release. It is important to allow the pressure to release naturally to keep the potatoes intact and finish cooking.

How to Make Baked Potatoes in the Instant Pot

The following tips are provided to help you achieve perfect results. You will find the ingredient quantities and detailed instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Prepare Instant Pot. Pour 1-½ cups of cold tap water into the inner pot and insert the trivet.
Prepare Potatoes. Scrub the potatoes well and prick the potatoes several times with a fork or knife to allow steam and pressure to escape the potatoes as they cook.
Pile the potatoes on trivet. Place the prepared potatoes onto the rack inside the inner pot.
Pressure Cook. Place the lid on the inner pot and be sure the vent knob is sealed. Set the cooking time to HIGH pressure and adjust the time according to the size of your potatoes.
Let the Pressure Release Naturally. Allow the pressure to release naturally for at least 10 minutes. This just means to DO NOTHING and leave your instant pot alone. If after 10 minutes the pressure has not released fully, you can turn the valve to the venting position to release any remaining pressure.
Serve. Cut the potato open, season with salt and pepper and serve with toppings of choice.

Baked potatoes inside Instant Pot on metal trivet.

Instant Pot Baked Potato Cook Times

While I have provided timings based on the diameter and/or weight of your potato, don’t stress over having to be exact. Most potatoes sold in bulk bags at the grocery store are medium-sized. Those sold in bulk bins are typically large, and those sold at warehouses (like Costco) are extra large.

Small Potatoes: 12 minutes (2-3 inches in diameter/5-7 ounces)
Medium Potatoes:16 minutes (3-4 inches in diameter/8-10 ounces)
Large Potatoes: 22 minutes (4-4.5 inches in diameter/11-13 ounces
Extra Large Potatoes: 26 minutes (5 inches in diameter/15-16 ounces)

4 potatoes of various sizes on cutting board with text overlay stating size and cooking time: extra large: 26 minutes, large: 22 minutes, medium: 16 minutes, small: 12 minutes.

Serving Suggestions

Baked potatoes are great served classically with butter, sour cream, cheddar cheese, chives and/or crumbled cooked bacon but there are so many more delicious ways to use Instant Pot Baked Potatoes.

Storage Instructions

Store: Allow the Instant Pot Baked Potatoes to cool fully and then store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Reheat: Reheat the potatoes by placing them on a rack in the instant pot over 1.5 cups of cold water and cook on high for 3 minutes. Alternatively, microwave one potato at a time on a heat-safe plate for 1 to 2 minutes or reheat the potatoes in a 400 degree F oven for 15-30 minutes until warmed through.

Recipe FAQs

What if my potatoes are not cooked fully?

Just like ovens, the way an instant pot cooks can vary. If your potatoes are not fully cooked after the suggested cook time, place the lid back on the inner pot and cook for 2-5 minutes longer on high pressure. Take note of that added time so you can adjust the cooking time in the future.

How many baked potatoes can you pressure cook at a time?

You can cook as few as 1 potato or up to 8 potatoes in a 6-quart instant pot, and up to 8 potatoes in an 8-quart instant pot. However, if you are working with extra large potatoes, I would not cook more than 6 potatoes at a time.

How can I make the skin of the baked potato crispy?

While Instant Pot Baked Potatoes, have the same texture of oven baked potatoes, they don’t have the same crispy exterior as an oven-baked potato. You can achieve that texture by broiling or quickly baking the potatoes. Simply place the pressure-cooked potatoes onto a rimmed baking pan, brush with olive oil or melted butter, sprinkle with kosher salt, and bake at 400-degrees F for 10 minutes or place under broiler on high for 2-3 minutes per side.

What about high altitude?

If you are cooking at a higher altitude, you will need to adjust the cooking time. Refer to my Instant Pot Altitude Guide for guidance.

More Staple Instant Pot Recipes

If you enjoyed this easy method for making Instant Pot Baked Potatoes, I would love for you to leave a comment and review below.

Instant Pot Baked Potatoes

Make fluffy, fork-tender potatoes in the Instant Pot, or any electric pressure cooker, every single time using this recipe for Instant Pot Baked Potatoes.