What Type Of Potatoes Cook The Best In An Instant Pot?

The Instant Pot is a miraculous device that deserves its own public holiday. Since gaining popularity in 2016, the Instant Pot has made pressure cooking a walk in the park. By using the trivet or rack inside the pot, and adding water or liquids, along with the ingredients you wish to cook, you can speedily create meals that would usually take double or triple the cooking time. While it's easy to get wrapped up in the genius of this technology, it's also important not to forget about the ingredients you're throwing in. For any hearty dish, the best place to start is potatoes.

If you're unfamiliar with different varieties of potatoes, it may be handy to acquaint yourself with some of the basics. When it comes to using an Instant Pot, the best potatoes to use are Yukon gold, red, or russet potatoes. Each has its strengths and can be utilized in different potato dishes. Yukon golds produce a delicious buttery flavor, while russets are known for their abundance of starch, which helps produce fluffy potatoes. Red potatoes also have a buttery flavor, along with a dense texture. When preparing mashed potatoes in the pressure cooker, it's recommended to use Yukon gold or russet varieties. A mixture will be ideal, as you'll get the buttery flavor from the Yukon golds and the fluffy texture of the russets. What's next — potato salad, baked potatoes, or roasted?

Baked potatoes are the ideal comfort food, yet the cooking time is always slightly off-putting (let's not even get into microwaving baked potatoes). Luckily, the Instant Pot makes baked potatoes that are fluffy and soft within 30 minutes. For this, russet potatoes are ideal. As previously mentioned, their texture is intrinsically pillowy, and once steamed in the pressure cook, they yield the best results for a light and airy mash.

Additionally, you can use any of the potato varieties mentioned above when making potato salad. The only essential advice is that these potatoes should all be sliced to a similar size and shape. This will ensure the potatoes cook the same throughout — you don't want a potato salad that combines overdone and undercooked potatoes.

Lastly, if roasted potatoes pull on your heartstrings but the wait time isn't worth the anticipation, then say thank you again to the Instant Pot. In terms of potatoes, Yukon gold is the clear choice. They cook into a beautiful, crispy golden texture but are waxy enough to hold their shape. Simply steam the potatoes in the Instant Pot the same as you would for potato salad, and then toss them in the oven with a bit of olive oil and seasoning until crispy.

Whether you're choosing Yukon gold, red, or russet, there are some potato considerations you must be aware of before putting anything in the Instant Pot. First off, if you're baking potatoes, ensure the potatoes are pierced all over. When your potatoes are under that much pressure, explosions can occur. Ideally, these small punctures should be 1 inch apart, as it will prevent the skin from tearing open.

Next, if it's common for your vegetable box to have some ingredients that have been stored for a while, it might be time to ask how age can impact the cooking of your potatoes. Older potatoes have a lower moisture content than fresher varieties; as a result, they will take longer to cook as the Instant Pot has to rehydrate the potato. Factor this into your cooking time.

Finally, if you have a potato that's sprouted, discolored, or mushy when raw, you may want to consider throwing it out. Do not submit your Instant Pot, or your tummy, to torture by attempting to eat these.

To get the best out of your potatoes in the Instant Pot, carefully consider which variety you use. It'll pay off in taste and texture.