Instant Pot Potato Salad Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How long do you boil potatoes in an instant pot? ›

– Small potatoes (3 to 5 ounces), cook at high pressure for 8 minutes. – Medium potatoes (6 to 8 ounces), cook at high pressure for 10 minutes. – Large potatoes (9-12 ounces), cook at high pressure for 12 minutes. Naturally release pressure for 10 minutes, then open the valve to release any remaining pressure.

Don't Undercook (or Overcook) the Potatoes

Poke them with a fork after the water has boiled for 5 minutes (or, if steaming, after 15 minutes). Don't wait until they fall apart when pierced with a fork.

If you'd like to add a little extra color and texture to your salad, leave the skins on. Just be sure to scrub them thoroughly with a vegetable brush before you cook them.

Dense potatoes don't absorb seasonings easily, so you'll need to salt the water liberally so that the water the potatoes do drink up also carries in seasoning. And because potatoes are so timid in flavor, they need that salt to bring them out of their shells. Pour some salt in, then keep going.

Prepare Instant Pot – place a trivet in the pot and add 1 cup cold water. Scrub Potatoes – thoroughly wash the potatoes. Pierce Potatoes – poke the potatoes all over with a fork. Pressure Cook – Cover with lid and set the valve to the 'sealing' position.

Waxy potatoes are generally considered the best for classic potato salad because they retain their shape, you don't have to peel them, and they have a smooth texture. People who prefer a creamy potato salad that soaks up dressing like a sponge, though, opt for a starchy potato.

Drop a whole russet into the pot and by the time the outside has cooked through, the inside will still be raw. Larger potatoes should be cubed to ensure they cook evenly (peeled first if desired). Smaller potatoes tend to have thin skins and can be boiled whole, no peeling required.

Here's a simple way to cook your potatoes for a better texture — no pot of boiling water required! To eliminate the problem of water-logged potatoes in potato salad, steam them (don't forget to keep an eye on the water level so the pan doesn't burn dry). Once they're cooked through, slice them into smaller pieces.

How long should you boil potatoes? ›

In general small or cubed potatoes will take about 10 to 15 minutes to boil, while larger, whole potatoes will take between 20 to 25 minutes. To check potatoes for doneness, insert a knife into one. If it slides in without much effort, you're good to go!

If it's a potato salad, be sure to let the potatoes cool (the starch cells close up) before adding any dressing or salad mixture. Warm potatoes will soak up the liquids. Taste an hour after mixing and see if the spices need tweaking. Mashed potatoes do the same thing if you add in the garlic or cheddar cheese too soon.

Excess starch can make potatoes gummy or gluey.

Rinsing potatoes with cold water prior to boiling helps remove excess starch. Rinsing with hot water immediately after boiling can remove even more starch.

But the path to good, homemade potato salad is not always an easy one. Overcooked potatoes might turn your salad into a mash, or a thick, uninteresting salad dressing may leave your salad bland. You may even encounter the dreaded undercooked tuber, ruining an otherwise perfectly good salad.

It takes about five minutes to boil water in the Instant Pot. However, this time may vary depending on the size of your pot and the amount of water that you're boiling.

In general small or cubed potatoes will take about 10 to 15 minutes to boil, while larger, whole potatoes will take between 20 to 25 minutes. To check potatoes for doneness, insert a knife into one. If it slides in without much effort, you're good to go!

The potatoes need to be processed in a weighted pressure canner at 10 pounds pressure for 35 minutes for pint jars and 40 minutes of quart jars if you live at an altitude of 1,000 feet above sea level or less (Image 3).

Boiled Potatoes Time Guide

Peeled, cubed potatoes cut into small, one-inch pieces should cook in 10 to 12 minutes, once the water reaches a boil. Larger pieces (about 2 inches across) may need longer, around 15 minutes. Medium whole potatoes should boil 20 minutes before they'll be tender.