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You are here: Home / Recipes by Category / Side Dishes/Vegetables / Instant Pot Salt Potatoes

Instant Pot Salt Potatoes

June 6, 2019

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Purple, yellow, and white potatoes on a white plate with a creamy sauce

Instant Pot Salt Potatoes are creamy on the inside, perfectly salty on the outside, and are proof that a few simple ingredients can make a serious impression.  Ten minute side dish staple right here!


Purple, yellow, and white potatoes on a white plate with a creamy sauce

What can I say, I'm a salty girl.  I love salt.  Well seasoned food is a must on my plate and the salt shaker is always within reach at my table.

Today's recipe for Instant Pot Salt Potatoes is just about the greatest thing to ever happen to my “easy side dish” repertoire.

WHAT ARE SYRACUSE SALT POTATOES?

Before we go any further and you think I'm a crazy person when you see the amount of salt asked for in this dish, let me explain the origin of this recipe.

Salt potatoes originated in Syracuse, New York in the 1800s when Irish salt miners' daily diet included small, unpeeled potatoes boiled in a salty brine.  They continue to be a staple in Syracuse, regularly served at fairs and barbecues.

Using this “salt brine” method, unpeeled potatoes form a delicious salt crust on the outside and become unbelievably creamy on the inside.  Trust me, to truly say you've lived your ultimate life, you need to experience that “pop” when you bite into one of these salty babies.

WHY YOU WILL LOVE INSTANT POT SALT POTATOES

  • Imagine creamy mashed potatoes wrapped in a firm, salty shell . . . better than potato chips, I swear!
  • Takes about 1 minute to prep and will be ready to eat in less than 15 minutes, 14 of which are hands off.
  • The dips!  So many possibilities!  You could have a party centered all around Salt Potatoes and bowls of ranch, melted butter, sour cream, BBQ sauce, etc.  Invite me!
  • It's a side dish that will go with anything.  ANYTHING!

HOW TO MAKE THE BEST INSTANT POT SALT POTATOES

  1. Pour warm water and salt into the pot and swirl to dissolve
  2. Add your baby potatoes; add garlic and herbs if desired; cook
  3. Drain potatoes and set aside to dry and form the salt crust

step by step collage of how to make instant pot salt potatoes

Salt lovers, meet the love of your life.

Purple, yellow, and white potatoes on a white plate with a creamy sauce

WHAT TO SERVE WITH SALT POTATOES

  • Sour Cream and Chive Dip (my favorite, recipe below)
  • Plain ol' melted butter – go for flavorful Kerrygold Butter (find it lots cheaper at the grocery store)
  • Herb Butter
  • Healthy Nacho Cheese Sauce
  • Romesco Sauce – three cheers for this one!

MORE WAYS TO SERVE SALT POTATOES

All fancy aside, you can simply eat them with a fork and a bowl of your favorite dip, but imagine these other possibilities:

  • Arrange on a platter, drizzle with melted butter, top with a sprinkle of fresh herbs
  • Thread them on a skewer for a backyard BBQ with a variety of dips
  • Spritz with a bit of oil and crisp them under the oven broiler or in an Air Fryer

FLAVOR VARIATIONS FOR SALT POTATOES

To add extra depth of flavor to your potatoes, add a few cloves of garlic to the pot water and woody herbs like rosemary, thyme, oregano, and/or sage.  This gives the potatoes great flavor, but be aware, if you add more than a sprig, the herb flavor becomes quite overpowering, and I personally didn't enjoy it.

Any way you flavor them, I'll guarantee these potatoes are going to be a hot item at your next meal!  If you enjoy salty nuts, potato chips, salted chocolate, etc, Salt Potatoes are definitely for you.

Enjoy!

Purple, yellow, and white potatoes on a white plate with a creamy sauce

EXTRA TIDBITS

IS SALT GOOD FOR YOU?

As with many food health related topics, salt is a hot debate when it comes to “healthy vs unhealthy”.

Salt has been accused of causing or exacerbating certain conditions such as heart disease and high blood pressure.

The problem with many of the studies is that the results of how sodium affects each individual vary quite a bit, potentially increasing blood pressure and bloating in one individual and not in another.

Salt, however, is essential to properly functioning bodies and has many health benefits to include proper digestion, neurological communication, sufficient hydration, etc.

A very simplistic conclusion in my opinion to the salt debate is that it affects everyone differently and the diagnosis and treatment for all can't be put into a small box recommendation of “no more than 6 grams of sodium per day.”

Recommendations can vary greatly depending on age, weight, diet, activity level (think office job vs hot, sweaty outdoor job), and many other health factors.  A good way to determine the amount of salt that is best for you is to listen to your body as well as your personal doctor's recommendations.

My personal recommendation for everyone is to avoid highly processed foods that so commonly contain incredibly high amounts of sodium.  Instead save that extra sprinkle of salt for your homemade creations, where you can salt and adjust to your personal taste.

Purple, yellow, and white potatoes on a white plate with a creamy sauce

HEALTHIEST SALT

Another great debate: Is one type of salt actually better for you than another?  Absolutely!

The standard table salt is processed to give it a fine, non-clumping texture, but doing this strips it of natural minerals and often times additives are added to keep it from clumping.

Unrefined Natural Salt/Sea Salt, however, contains naturally occurring minerals and electrolytes that support our bodies needs.

In my home, I have a cupboard full of the Real Salt Brand unrefined kosher and sea salt that I use exclusively for seasoning my meals once they are served.  I have goals to use it exclusively, but for recipes like these Salt Potatoes that use a higher amount of salt, I don't hesitate to use regular, less expensive table salt.

I'd love to hear what your salt routine looks like!  Let me know in the comments below.

For a great article all about refined vs unrefined salt read What is the Best Type of Natural Salt.

KOSHER SALT VS TABLE SALT

Have you ever had a recipe card that asked for a specific type of salt, like kosher salt, but all you have is fine salt?  Does it matter?  It absolutely does.

Table salt is finely ground while kosher salt is a larger granule so the amounts would need to be measured differently to avoid over or under salted food.  Think of it like an apple that is cut into large slices vs diced into small pieces.  One cup of each would not be the same weight.

Here is a handy Salt Conversion Chart to keep on hand when such an occasion arises.

Is that more than you ever wanted to know about salt?  I personally find it quite fascinating, food nerd and all!  Tell me your thoughts below in the comments.

TOOLS/INGREDIENTS USED TO MAKE INSTANT POT SALT POTATOES

  • Instant Pot
  • Real Salt
  • Kerrygold Butter
Print

Instant Pot Salt Potatoes

Purple, yellow, and white potatoes on a white plate with a creamy sauce

★★★★★

4.5 from 2 reviews

Instant Pot Salt Potatoes are perfectly salty on the outside and creamy on the inside.  Easy, fast side dish for any meal.

  • Author: Marci
  • Prep Time: 2 minutes
  • Cook Time: 7 minutes
  • Total Time: 15 minutes
  • Yield: 6 servings 1x
  • Category: Side Dish
  • Method: Pressure Cooker
  • Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Scale

Ingredients

  • 1 cup salt (table or kosher will both work)
  • 6 cups warm water (warm enough to dissolve the salt)
  • 3 pounds baby potatoes (Yukon, red, purple or all three)
  • 3 cloves garlic, smashed
  • Optional: A sprig each of rosemary and thyme

Sour Cream and Chive Dip

  • 1 cup sour cream (may substitute with plain yogurt)
  • 1/4 cup chopped chives
  • pinch of salt and pepper

Instructions

  1. Add salt and warm water to the pressure cooker pot.  Swirl the water until the salt dissolves.
  2. Add potatoes, herbs (if desired), and garlic; stir.  The potatoes should be fully submerged, if not, add extra water.
  3. Secure the lid and turn pressure release knob to a sealed position.  Cook at high pressure for 7 minutes.
  4. While the potatoes cook, prepare the Sour Cream and Chive Dip by combining the ingredients in a small bowl.
  5. When pressure cooking is complete, use a quick release.  
  6. Drain the potatoes.  Let them sit for a few minutes until the skins are dry and you can see a salt crust on them.
  7. Serve hot with Sour Cream and Chive Dip.  Melted butter or ranch also make great dips.

Notes

  • If you have an air fryer, throw the cooked potatoes in there for a few minutes to crisp the skin a bit – it’ll blow your mind
  • Sour Cream and Chive dip can be prepared 1-2 days in advance and tastes even better that way
  • If you can’t find baby sized/one bite potatoes, larger will work, you will just need to increase the cooking time

Keywords: instant pot, salt potatoes, easy side dish

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Tags: chives, garlic, red potatoes, rosemary, sour cream, thyme, Yukon gold potaoes
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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Sigrid Trombley says

    March 14, 2020

    What a wonderful, easy and speedy recipe – for a side dish or for a quick lunch as it was today. I cooked only 1 lb of potatoes – there are only two of us. I used Yukon Gold potatoes but it would be fun to try different varieties. We didn’t find these to be too salty at all. I’m not sure why a previous reviewer thought they were too salty. She speculated that since she used only a pound of potatoes that might be the problem. However, we only used a pound as well. I added 3 smashed cloves of garlic and 1/2 teaspoon each of dried rosemary and thyme. Next time I’ll use more.

    Reply
    • Marci says

      March 15, 2020

      Sigrid, Aren’t they great!? I love how the salt is on the outside, then the texture inside is so creamy. Your add-ins are a great idea too. I buy already roasted garlic from the store and will throw those in sometimes. Thank you for your feedback 🙂

      Reply
  2. Sandra Stimson says

    December 13, 2019

    These potatoes sound like the Papas Arugadas I’ve had in the Canary Islands except they are cooked in an open pan (apparently it used to be sea water so no salt required) until all the water had evaporated and the salt is left on the potatoes. There they are served with Mojo Rojo (red spicy garlicky sauce) or Mojo Verde (green coriander and garlic flavoured sauce) – so much tastier than chips! Cant wait to try this method out with my one pot. I love your recipes so much Marci I’ve asked my son for your latest recipe book for Christmas 🤞🏻😊

    Reply
    • Marci says

      December 13, 2019

      Sandra, OH wow!!! That sounds amazing! I’m going to have to look up how to make this one. And thank you for your sweet comment. I love having you here 🙂

      Reply
  3. Renee Halm says

    June 7, 2019

    I have a big bag of russets in my kitchen right now. How long do you think I’d have to increase the cooking time for larger potatoes? I want to try these today!

    Reply
    • Marci says

      June 8, 2019

      Renee, I’ve never tried it with a large potato, like baked potato size. I wouldn’t cut it into smaller pieces because I think it would be too salty. But now you have me curious what it would be like to have a large, salted, “baked” potato. It would probably be amazing! I would think 15-20 minutes to cook a large one through. Let me know if you try it, I wrote it down as ideas I want to try 🙂

      Reply
  4. Shelley S says

    June 6, 2019

    Well those were amazing! Got your email this morning and thought “why not, potatoes for breakfast!” . I used four stars only because they were too salty…even though I LOVE salt. Having said that I probably had less than 3lb of potatoes so maybe my potato to salt ratio was off? I always think kosher salt is “more salty” flavored… Next time I will try with table salt. Didn’t have fresh herbs so used 1tsp dried rosemary and 1tsp dried thyme. I think it still made a difference. Yummy. Absolutely will do again!

    ★★★★

    Reply
    • Marci says

      June 7, 2019

      Shelley, Haha, that was record timing for how quick someone made a recipe after I posted it! I’m glad you could enjoy them! The outside of the potato is definitely salty so if it was a bit strong for you, try cutting the salt down for sure. I tend to be a salty lovin’ girl!

      Reply
  5. Karen says

    June 6, 2019

    Well, thank you! I have actually always wanted to know how to make salt potatoes–can’t wait to try them!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Marci says

      June 7, 2019

      Karen, it can’t get easier than this method!

      Reply

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