This easy recipe for Instant Pot Baby Potatoes will become a Dinnertime staple in your home! Ready in minutes, these tender baby potatoes are creamy, buttery, and perfect for a quick and healthy side dish.
Who doesn't love their Instant Pot? I don't know about you, but since I brought mine into the house (okay, I have two...) the dinnertime rush has been so much better.
That's because I can prepare side dishes like these baby potatoes or a quick and easy batch of white rice completely hands-free. That means I can focus on preparing the main dish, AND keep my little one entertained. It's been a lot easier, and a lot tastier!
This easy recipe for Instant Pot potatoes is one of my kitchen standards, and I've made it countless times. After a lot of trial and error, I figured out the perfect timing for creamy, perfectly steamed baby potatoes. It's a great side dish for a variety of mains, including salmon, chicken, and definitely steak!
What are Baby Potatoes?
Baby potatoes, sometimes called little potatoes or new potatoes, are the smaller, underdeveloped potatoes that are leftover after the potato harvest.
These smaller potatoes are those that have started to grow, but because of the end of the harvest season, they do not have the opportunity to grow into full-sized potatoes. Because of their tender skins and small size they can easily be prepared (no washing or peeling), and have become extremely popular over the past several years.
Reasons to Love This Recipe:
- The potatoes are perfectly steamed, with a buttery flavor and creamy texture.
- The cook time is far less than larger potatoes, making them the perfect quick and delicious side dish.
- They're great for meal prep. Just batch cook early in the week and reheat as needed.
- It's easy to prepare these potatoes - just a quick wash and then they're ready for the Instant Pot. No peeling or chopping is required!
Ingredients
- Potatoes: This recipe is for baby potatoes, which are sometimes called new potatoes. These are small, baby-sized versions of your favorite varieties of potatoes. A bag of baby potatoes is typically about 1 ½ pounds.
- Salt: I recommend adding a bit of salt to the water in the Instant Pot. This helps season the potatoes during steaming, and you can add more seasoning to your taste once they are done.
- Water: This water is added to the Instant Pot to steam the baby potatoes - 1 cup of cold water for a 6-quart pot and 1 ½ cups for an 8-quart pot. You could use chicken broth if you want extra flavor (omit the salt).
- Butter: These perfectly steamed Instant Pot baby potatoes are even more perfect when drizzled with a little bit of butter. This is optional, but recommended!
- Parsley (optional): For a little color I like to add a few tablespoons of fresh chopped parsley or a small amount of dried parsley.
Equipment
- Instant Pot Pressure Cooker: I've tested both the 6-quart and 8-quart models for this recipe, and it works great in both. My favorite model is the Instant Pot Duo 8-quart.
- Steamer Basket: You'll also need a stainless steel steamer basket, OR you can pile the baby potatoes on a trivet if needed.
How to Cook Baby Potatoes in an Instant Pot
Step one: After you've washed and dried your baby potatoes, add a cup of water to the inner pot of your Instant pot. Sprinkle in the salt and stir it well to dissolve in the water.
Step two: Place the baby potatoes in a steamer basket and lower it into the inner pot of your Instant Pot.
Step three: Secure the lid and switch the valve to "sealing". Set the time for 7 minutes on high pressure and allow the pot to come up to pressure.
Step four: Once the timer beeps to indicate the cooking time is up, carefully switch the valve to "venting" using the long end of a wooden spoon.
Once the remaining pressure is fully released you will see the pin drop, indicating it is safe to open the Instant Pot. Open the lid carefully, away from your face. This should only take a couple of minutes.
Step five: Remove the steamer basket from the Instant Pot using a gloved hand. Drain off the excess water.
Step six: Add the steamed baby potatoes back into the Instant Pot and drizzle in the melted butter, tossing gently to coat the potatoes.
Step seven: Sprinkle in the parsley, and toss gently once again to combine. Add salt and black pepper to your taste. Add the cooked potatoes to a serving bowl and enjoy!
Melting Butter in the Instant Pot
If you want to melt the butter in the Instant Pot (rather than a microwave or stovetop), simply set the pot to the "saute" mode. Once hot, add the butter and swirl until melted.
Once the butter is melted add the baby potatoes and parsley, then turn off the pot and toss to combine.
Expert Tips
- Quick release: This is done to prevent the potatoes from continuing to cook. It's not recommended to do a natural pressure release (allowing the pressure to release without switching the pressure valve), as the potatoes will continue to cook and will become mushy.
- Varieties: Baby potatoes come in a variety of types. Since they are just the small versions of popular types, you can find them as Yukon gold, red potatoes, purple potatoes, yellow potatoes, and white potatoes. Choose your favorite kind!
- Other uses: While these baby potatoes are SO good when steamed and covered with butter (or drizzled with olive oil), you could use them to make mashed potatoes or even potato salad. Just omit the butter and parsley step, and proceed as usual for your recipe.
Storing Leftovers
Transfer any leftover potatoes to an airtight container and store them in the fridge for up to 5 days.
To reheat: place the desired amount of potatoes in a microwave-safe bowl and reheat in 30-second intervals until tender and heated through.
Variations & Substitutions
Without a steamer basket: If you don't have a steamer basket you can use a trivet instead. Place the trivet in the Instant Pot and pile the potatoes on top, keeping them above the water level.
Seasoned: If you want to give these potatoes more flavor, try making them seasoned. Once the cooking time is up, add in olive oil (or butter), garlic powder, onion powder, and some Italian seasoning. Toss to combine, and garnish with parmesan cheese (if desired).
Dairy-free: Substitute the butter drizzled on top of the potatoes for your favorite dairy-free spread, butter-flavored coconut oil, or infused olive oil.
Fingerling potatoes: Follow the same directions and cook time for baby potatoes - they cook at the same rate.
Frequently Asked Questions
While many packaged baby potatoes are likely washed before they hit the shelves, it's a good practice to always wash your produce before preparing it. Simply rinse the baby potatoes under water and then pat dry with a clean kitchen towel.
Baby potatoes do not need to be peeled, as their skin is very thin and tender. This makes it very easy to eat even for small children (although they should be cut into pieces), so there is no need to peel them. They are also very small, meaning peeling would be very tedious work.
Baby potatoes are cooked when they are easily pierced with a knife or fork through to the middle. They should be tender, but still somewhat firm.
It takes about 7-8 minutes to cook baby potatoes in an Instant Pot. Use 7 minutes if you like them a little more firm (or are cooking a small batch), and 8 minutes if you like them slightly mushy.
More Easy Side Dishes
- Instant Pot Broccoli (Fresh or Frozen)
- Air Fryer Baby Potatoes
- Parmesan Crusted Potatoes
- Roasted Asparagus and Carrots
- Easy Funeral Potatoes
If you loved this recipe for Instant Pot Baby Potatoes, let me know by leaving a 5-star review in the recipe card or comment below! You can also tag me on Instagram @dashfordinner.
Instant Pot Baby Potatoes (Perfectly Steamed)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds baby potatoes (24 ounces)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup water
- 2 tablespoons butter melted (optional)
- ½ teaspoon dried parsley or 2 tablespoons fresh (optional)
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Add 1 cup of cool water to the inner pot of a 6-quart Instant Pot. Sprinkle in the salt and stir gently to combine.
- Place a steamer basket (or trivet) in the Instant Pot and add the baby potatoes into the basket in an even layer. It's okay if some rest on top of others.
- Secure the lid on the Instant Pot and set the valve to "sealing".
- Cook on manual pressure for 7-8 minutes (use the longer time for very soft potatoes).
- As soon as the cooking time is up carefully switch the valve to "venting" to do a quick pressure release.
- Remove the steamer basket from the Instant Pot and pour off the water from the Instant Pot.
- Add the potatoes back to the Instant Pot and add in the melted butter, dried parsley, and salt and pepper (to taste).
- Serve immediately.
Notes
Nutrition
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