Name: Instant Pot Sweet Potato Pie The Soul Food Way
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 42 min
Total time: 59 min
Ingredients: 1 ½ pound sweet potatoes (washed, scrubbed, and unpeeled (equals about 3 cups when mashed)); 12 oz evaporated milk (1 can); 1 cup light brown sugar; 2 eggs; 5 tablespoons butter (unsalted butter, melted (or vegan butter)); 2 tablespoons vanilla extract; 1 teaspoon ginger (minced); 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg; ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon; ½ teaspoon ground cloves; ¼ teaspoon salt

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Sweet potato pie, a traditional soul food Southern dessert, has become a Thanksgiving must-have for a good reason. It overtakes the typical pumpkin pie in many households, standing proudly as both a delectable dessert and a cherished African American recipe delicacy.

Instant Pot Sweet Potato Pie The Soul Food Way

Can you make Southern sweet potato pie in the Instant Pot?

My go-to method is to use the pressure cooker instead of roasting the potatoes in the oven. So, yes, I’m cooking the most significant ingredient of the pie, the sweet potatoes, in an Instant Pot, transforming what could be a daunting task into a simple pleasure.

Then, I turn to Instant Pot’s modern convection oven, the Instant Pot Omni Plus Oven, to bake the pie. This countertop convenience appliance delights home cooks by speeding up cooking times by at least 20%! These modern methods ensure that holiday desserts are not just about the outcome but also the joyous, stress-free process of making them!

Ingredients

The key ingredients in my signature Black folks’ sweet potato pie are the same for this Instant Pot sweet potato pie variation. A curated selection of soulful seasonings and spices, including cinnamon, nutmeg, ground clove, ginger, and brown sugar, for the perfect sweetness while also yielding a pie bursting with flavor!

Measurements for the recipe can be found in the printable recipe card below.

Sweet potatoes – It’s best to use Jewel, Beauregard, or Garnet sweet potatoes. Learn more about what type of sweet potatoes are best for sweet potato pie HERE.
Evaporated milk – This type of milk selection is intentional and adds a velvety smoothness to the pie.
Light brown sugar – Adds a touch of sweetness with caramel-like flavor because of it’s molasses content.
Vanilla extract – A warm and comforting balance in the pie’s flavor profile.
Nutmeg – Adds a warm, nutty, and earthy balance without being overwhelmingly spicy.
Cinnamon – Cinnamon is necessary for an extra burst of flavor while adding a dash of bright color to the dish!
Clove – Yield a pie with a beautiful aroma, spicy kick, and the perfect amount of sweetness by adding balance to the sugar.
Eggs – Eggs are the binding agent for the pie, ensuring the pie filling holds its shape.
Butter – Adds a smooth, rich flavor to complement the natural sweet potatoes.
Salt – Even though this is a dessert, salt offers the necessary contrast to balance the sweet spice profiles.
Pie crust – Elevates this dish from a sweet potato soufflé to a sweet potato pie because of the simple pie crust encasing.

How to make an Instant Pot sweet potato pie

With today’s modern cooking appliances, you may be surprised to learn that old-fashioned sweet potato pie is now an easy-to-make soul food Southern dessert. I’ve found that pressure cooking in an Instant Pot is the fastest and recommended way to cook and peel sweet potatoes easily, reducing the time to cook them from 40 minutes to under 15!

Step-by-step instructions with guided pictures can be found in the printable recipe card below.

Grease the pie pan so the pie crust does not get stuck on the pie pan while baking.
Use the Instant Pot to pressure cook the sweet potatoes.
Drain the cooked sweet potatoes into a colander.
Peel the sweet potatoes once they have cooled to the touch.
Gather the potato flesh and discard the skin.
Mix the potato flesh, spices, and ingredients at high speed using an electric mixer to make the pie filling.
Pour the filling into the unbaked pie crust.
Bake the pie, preferably in the Instant Pot Omni Plus Oven to save almost a quarter of the traditional oven-cook time.
Let the pie cool for 4 hours before garnishing or slicing.
Serve warm and enjoy! (Sweet potato pie is best served at room temperature or re-warmed by the slice.)

Instant Pot Sweet Potato Pie Recipe The Southern Soul Food Way

Instant Pot mashed sweet potatoes

There’s simplicity in making sweet potato pie with Instant Pot appliances, mainly because cooking the sweet potatoes becomes a drop-in-the-pot-and-walk-away convenience, saving you about half an hour in time.

The potatoes turn out soft and ready to peel and be mashed. It’s almost too effortless and efficient to be real!

How long does it take to make a pie in the Instant Pot?

It’s worth repeating that we’re using the pressure cooker instead of roasting the potatoes in the oven, and the modern Instant Pot oven will replace the traditional oven’s longer cooking time.

By using the Instant Pot electric pressure cooker to cook the sweet potatoes for sweet potato pie, it will take 12 minutes instead of 40. Then, you can save even more time by using the Instant Pot Omni Plus Oven to bake your pie, cutting down the cook time by another 5 minutes.

So overall, Instant appliances will save you at least 35 minutes when making a classic soul food sweet potato pie recipe. For me, that time is priceless when I’m in the kitchen during the holiday season!

How to know when a sweet potato pie is done in the Instant Pot

Another benefit of the Instant Pot oven is precise cooking times. Still, you’ll know the pie is done when it starts puffing in the center, the same way you would know when cooking in a regular large-appliance oven.

How to top your sweet potato pie

Most Southern cooks don’t offer sweet potato pie toppings because this classic dessert holds its own—especially if seasoned the soul food way!

However, there are less than a handful of acceptable toppings, including a dollop of whipped cream, a sprinkle of cinnamon, or a Southern sweet potato pie recipe topped with a decadent layer of homemade cream cheese frosting!

Storing and reheating leftovers

Sweet potato pie should be refrigerated for storage, lasting up to 5 days in the fridge. When you’re ready to serve it again, warm a slice up in the microwave for 10-15 seconds, or reheat your entire pie in the oven on warm for about 30 minutes.

Can you freeze a sweet potato pie?

You can freeze whole sweet potato pie or leftover pie slices for up to three months. Wrap it tightly or seal it in an airtight container.

Easy Instant Pot potatoes for sweet potato pie

Don’t miss out on saving time with modern kitchen appliances like Instant Pot to efficiently cook the most essential ingredient in sweet potato pie—the sweet potatoes! Because sweet potato pie is an essential Thanksgiving dessert recipe, merging tradition with modern convenience is a must today.

The pie’s role surpasses just dessert, serving as a cultural staple for family gatherings and holiday meals. Instant Pot’s modern simplicity, combined with sweet potato pie’s soul food legacy of a flavorful and delicious taste, make this recipe a favorite among both beginner and seasoned cooks.