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My Instant Pot Turkey Breast is the perfect solution to an easy Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner. Potatoes cook underneath the turkey, soaking up the drippings! This makes for the creamiest mashed potatoes you will ever eat and the juiciest turkey breast ever.
Ready in under an hour with minimal prep and only one pot to clean, this easy turkey breast recipe is a holiday lifesaver and so delicious. We guarantee you’ll want to make turkey and potatoes this way every year!
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Equipment
- Instant Pot pressure cooker
- Aluminum foil
- Electric hand mixer
What could be easier than a turkey Instant Pot recipe? I love this recipe for how simple and yet so delicious it is. Now and then I’ll make this for Sunday dinner.
Ingredients
Turkey Breast
- Turkey rub: Use our turkey rub recipe
- Turkey breast: We use a 3-4 lb. breast
- Turkey stock
- Sea salt
- Garlic powder
Mashed Potatoes
- Russet potatoes
- Milk
- Butter
- salt and pepper to taste
Best Seasoning for Turkey
- Paprika
- Garlic Powder
- Chicken Bouillon Flavoring
- Sugar
- Dry Mustard
- Black Pepper
Follow our step-by-step instructions on how to make the best turkey rub.
What makes this pressure cooker turkey breast recipe so special is the turkey rub and the fact that the potatoes cook under the turkey in the pot.
Instant Pot Turkey and Potatoes
Not only are you making your main course, but one of the most important side dishes, too: the mashed potatoes and even the turkey gravy!
They are so deliciously creamy and packed with flavor from the turkey drippings. When I first gave this recipe a try, I was blown away by how incredible the potatoes are along with the juicy turkey breast. I know you’re going to love this recipe!
How to Cook Turkey Breast in the Instant Pot
- Peel and evenly dice russet potatoes. Add to a 6 qt. Instant Pot with turkey stock, salt, and garlic powder, making sure the potatoes are completely submerged in the liquid. Place the trivet into the pot.
- Season turkey breast using turkey rub. Pat the rub all over.
Then, place the turkey on top of the trivet in the Instant Pot. To make it easier to lift the turkey out of the pot when it’s done cooking, fold aluminum foil into two strips and wrap around the handles of the trivet. - Cook on high pressure for 30 minutes, then do a natural release for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes is up, release any pressure left in the pot and remove the turkey.
- Place your turkey under the oven broiler for 2-3 minutes to brown and crisp the skin. Set aside.
- Drain most of the liquid from your Instant Pot, but leave a little bit at the bottom. Add milk and butter to the pot with the potatoes. Save the liquid you drain from the potatoes to make turkey gravy!
- Beat potatoes with an electric hand mixer until smooth and creamy. Serve together with turkey and gravy, and enjoy!
FAQs
I used a 4-pound turkey breast and cooked it on high pressure for 30 minutes, then I did a natural release for 20 minutes. It came out amazingly moist and delicious!
Since this recipe cooks the turkey and the potatoes in the same pot, I used the same exact timing as the turkey, high pressure for 30 minutes, then do a natural release for 20 minutes. Make sure to dice the potatoes in small even pieces. Approximately 1 inch.
It’s best to let your turkey thaw prior to using the instant pot. The extra time you would have to pressure cook the turkey breast, may dry it out.
For tips on thawing turkey in time for Thanksgiving, take a look at my guide on How to Thaw Turkey!
Family Foodie Recipe Tips
- Make sure the potatoes are diced small and even size and completely submerged in the turkey stock before cooking so they cook properly.
- Don’t drain all of the liquid when draining the potatoes. You want to leave a little at the bottom of the pot to mix in when you mash them.
- To make it easier to lift the turkey out of the pot when it’s done cooking, fold aluminum foil into two strips and wrap around the handles of the trivet.
Save the drippings after you drain them from the potatoes. You can use them to make the gravy!
Gravy from Turkey Drippings
Yes, you can even make the gravy using our Instant Pot Turkey Breast recipe! Save the drippings when you drain the potatoes.
- Pour turkey drippings into a measuring cup, bowl, or fat separator. Skim the fat from the drippings using a spoon; you may have to wait a few minutes for it to separate to the top.
- Add at least 4 tablespoons of turkey fat to your Instant Pot on saute mode. If you don’t have enough fat, you can substitute the rest with butter. Whisk in ¼ cup flour and cook down until it forms a roux, about 2 minutes.
- Mix the skimmed drippings (make sure there is no remaining fat!) with turkey stock until you have 2 cups worth of drippings. Pour the drippings into the pot and reduce to thicken, stirring frequently.
- When the mixture thickens to your liking, remove it from the heat and season with salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy!
Side Dishes for Turkey
Naturally, the best side dish for this turkey breast recipe is the mashed potatoes it cooks with! Here are some of our other favorite Thanksgiving and Christmas side dishes you can pair it with:
- Creamed Corn Casserole
- Instant Pot Sage Sausage Stuffing
- Chorizo Cornbread Stuffing
- Fresh Green Bean Casserole
- Southern Sweet Potato Casserole
The Best Turkey Recipes
- Best Thanksgiving Turkey
- Turkey Tetrazzini Recipe – perfect for turkey leftovers!
- Boneless Turkey Roast
- Air Fryer Turkey Breast
- Grilled Turkey Recipe
- Smoked Turkey
- Turkey Sliders – always a favorite at my house!
Make your leftovers into Turkey Carcass Soup, the best turkey noodle soup!
Give our Popular Thanksgiving Dishes a try for even more ideas!
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📋 Recipe
Instant Pot Turkey Breast and Potatoes
Equipment
- Aluminum foil
- Electric hand mixer
Ingredients
- 3-4 lb. turkey breast
- 1 cup turkey stock
- 1 lb. russet potatoes peeled and diced evenly
- 1 tsp. garlic powder
- 1 tsp. salt
- ½ cup milk
- 2 Tbsp. butter
Turkey Rub Recipe
- 1 serving turkey rub recipe
Optional: For Gravy
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
Instructions
- Peel and evenly dice russet potatoes. Add to a 6 qt. Instant Pot with turkey stock, salt, and garlic powder, making sure the potatoes are completely submerged in the liquid. Place the trivet into the pot.
- Season turkey breast with turkey rub. Pat the rub all over.
- Place the turkey on top of the trivet in the Instant Pot. To make it easier to lift the turkey out of the pot when it’s done cooking, fold aluminum foil into two strips and wrap around the handles of the trivet.
- Cook on high pressure for 30 minutes, then do a natural release for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes is up, release any pressure left in the pot and remove the turkey.
- Place your turkey under the oven broiler for 2-3 minutes to brown and crisp the skin. Set aside.
Make the Mashed Potatoes
- Drain most of the liquid from your Instant Pot, but leave a little bit at the bottom. Add milk and butter to the pot with the potatoes. Save the liquid you drain from the potatoes to make turkey gravy!
- Beat potatoes with an electric hand mixer until smooth and creamy. Serve together with turkey and gravy, and enjoy!
Make the Gravy
- Pour turkey drippings into a measuring cup, bowl, or fat separator. Skim the fat from the drippings using a spoon; you may have to wait a few minutes for it to separate to the top.Add at least 4 tablespoons of turkey fat to your Instant Pot on saute mode. If you don’t have enough fat, you can substitute the rest with butter.Whisk in ¼ cup flour and cook down until it forms a roux, about 2 minutes.Mix the skimmed drippings (make sure there is no remaining fat!) with turkey stock until you have 2 cups worth of drippings. Pour the drippings into the pot and reduce to thicken, stirring frequently.When the mixture thickens to your liking, remove it from the heat and season with salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Make sure the potatoes are diced to an even size and completely submerged in the turkey stock before cooking so they cook properly.
- Don’t drain all of the liquid when draining the potatoes. You want to leave a little at the bottom of the pot to mix in when you mash them.
- To make it easier to lift the turkey out of the pot when it’s done cooking, fold aluminum foil into two strips and wrap around the handles of the trivet.
- Save the drippings after you drain them from the potatoes. You can use them to make the gravy!
Mike says
How does this recipe change for an 8 qt Instant Pot?
Em Beitel says
Hi Mike! You should be able to follow the recipe exactly as-is in an 8 qt. Instant Pot. We just used a 6 qt. Thank you for your question!
GrannySandy says
Can I make this with a turkey breast roast, (3 pound)? Do I have to change the cooktime at all? Also, can I leave the roast frozen or thaw it? Thank you for your time.
Em Beitel says
Hi there – thank you for your question! Yes, you can use a turkey breast for this recipe! For a 3 pound turkey breast, the time should be approximately the same. We recommend thawing the turkey breast. If you use a frozen turkey breast then the time should be increased by approximately a half hour.
Cindy says
For a 5lb Turkey would I cook it for 50 minutes? Using 10 minutes per lb formula + natural release time of 20 minutes.
Em Beitel says
Hi Cindy! That is correct. Please enjoy, and thank you for your question!