I think there’s a very strong possibility that homemade mashed potatoes are the actual definition of comfort food, which makes these Instant Pot buttermilk ranch mashed potatoes pure comfort food EXCELLENCE.

They’re creamy, fluffy, and taste like perfection thanks to the buttermilk and ranch combination.

Buttermilk ranch mashed potatoes with melted butter and chives on top.

Even better, the Instant Pot makes mashed potatoes unbelievably EASY. Plus, we’re sharing a simple potato prepping trick that will save you even more time!

Preparing the potatoes

Do you usually peel the potato skins before mashing? I know some people prefer skins-on, but silky smooth and creamy mashed potatoes require no skins in our book!

Here’s the thing about the Instant Pot: you don’t have to peel the potatoes before cooking. In fact, you don’t even have to cut them.

The Instant Pot cooks the potatoes whole, then you can slide the skins right off before mashing. Incredible, right? We think so too.

Let’s make buttermilk ranch mashed potatoes

Our Instant Pot buttermilk ranch mashed potatoes are creamy, smooth, and extra rich, thanks to buttermilk, sour cream, and butter. YUM.

To make these easy mashed potatoes, you will need:

potatoes, scrubbed clean
water
butter
buttermilk
sour cream
Ranch seasoning mix
green onions (or chives)

As for special equipment, the only items you really need are an Instant Pot and a masher or electric hand mixer.

Here’s how to make them (but don’t forget to scroll to the bottom of the page to see the full recipe!):

Prepare the potatoes- Use a sharp knife to make a couple of punctures in each of the scrubbed potatoes.
Cook the potatoes- Pour the water into the pressure cooker, place the wire insert inside, then stack the potatoes on top of the rack. Cook on high pressure for 18 to 28 minutes (this will vary based on the size of potatoes you use — all the details are in the recipe below!).
Remove from Instant Pot. Release the pressure from the Instant Pot. Remove the potatoes and let them cool slightly. Remove the rack and water from the Instant Pot.
Mash the potatoes- Slide the skin off of the potatoes and place them back inside the Instant Pot. Add the butter, buttermilk, sour cream and ranch seasoning. Mash the potatoes with a masher or electric hand mixer. Taste and adjust. Top with green onions and butter, if desired.

Buttermilk ranch mashed potatoes in an instant pot.

recipe tips and tricks

As we mentioned above, the cooking times will vary depending on the size of potatoes you use. Here’s a breakdown of what works best for these Instant Pot mashed potatoes:

Small potatoes – 18 minutes
Medium potatoes – 22 minutes
Large potatoes – 28 minutes

Also, please do not forget to puncture the potatoes with a knife before cooking! We like to make 2-3 punctures in each potato to prevent the potatoes from exploding when they cook (this sounds extreme and the chances of this occurring are low, but it really can happen!).

Overhead photo of a bowl of buttermilk ranch mashed potatoes.

There you have it- Instant Pot buttermilk ranch mashed potatoes! So creamy, rich, and flavorful – it’s delicious enough to plan a whole meal around!

And here are some of our favorite ways to enjoy this delicious side dish:

Serve it alongside our Instant Pot Tri Tip and Vegetables! There’s nothing like a classic meat-and-potatoes dinner, and this one will be a hit with the whole family.
Have you tried our Sous Vide Ribeye Steak yet? It’s a great way to get your ribeye to the perfect temperature, and these buttermilk ranch mashed potatoes would pair wonderfully!
Instant Pot Baby Back Ribs with our buttermilk ranch mashed potatoes are truly a match made in heaven. 🙂 I know you’ll think so, too!

I hope you love these buttermilk ranch mashed potatoes as much as we do! It’s an incredible side dish, it’s kid-friendly, and it’s just good, old-fashioned comfort food at its best!

SOME OTHER RECIPES WE ARE SURE YOU WILL LOVE:

Chicken Tortilla Casserole is a go-to casserole recipe for us, mainly because it’s the best combination of flavors and is ALWAYS a loved dish at the dinner table.
Cheesy Shrimp and Grits are a cajun-style comfort food dish made with a spicy Creole sauce! Flavorful and a lovely combination of textures!
Country style pork ribs in the oven, aka our foolproof recipe to getting the most perfectly tender, fall-off-the-bone pork ribs!

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Instant Pot Buttermilk Ranch Mashed Potatoes

Buttermilk ranch mashed potatoes are creamy, rich, and delicious. This recipe uses an easy-peel trick. Cook the potatoes with the skin on. After they finish cooking, the skin just slips right off.

5 from 2 votes

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Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 22

Total Time: 32

Servings: to 10 servings

Calories: 269kcal

Author: Dahn Boquist

Ingredients

3 to 4 pounds potatoes scrubbed clean
1 cup water
6 tablespoons butter melted
2/3 cup buttermilk at room temperature
1/2 cup sour cream room temperature
1 packet Ranch seasoning mix
3 green onions thinly sliced (or a small bunch of chives)

Instructions

Use a sharp knife to make 2 to 3 punctures in each of the potatoes.
Pour the water into the pressure cooker and place the wire rack insert inside the pot.
Stack the whole, unpeeled potatoes on top of the rack.
Secure the lid and place the valve in the sealed position.
Cook on high pressure for 18 to 28 minutes depending on the size of the potatoes (see notes).
Allow the Instant Pot to release pressure naturally for 10 minutes then release the rest of the pressure manually.
Remove the potatoes from the pot and let them cool slightly so you can handle them. Remove the rack and pour the water out of the Instant Pot.
Slide the skin off the potatoes and return them to the inner pot of the Instant Pot.
Add the melted butter, buttermilk, sour cream, and ranch seasoning.
Use a potato masher or electric hand mixer to mash the mixture. Do not over-mix.
Taste and add salt and pepper if desired. Add additional sour cream or buttermilk if you want the mashed potatoes thinner.
Top with green onions or chives and additional butter.

Notes

Cooking times for different potato sizes:

Small potatoes (7 to 10 ounces) 18 minutes
Medium potatoes (11 to 14 ounces) 22 minutes
Large potatoes (15 to 17 ounces) 28 minutes

Make a couple of punctures in each of the potatoes so they do not explode when they cook. The odds of it happening are probably low but it really can happen.