These make-ahead breakfast potatoes are seasoned and sautéed in the Instant Pot, then pressure-cooked until tender. Store them in the refrigerator until ready to use, then brown in a skillet for crispy, flavorful potatoes any time.
These potatoes are a great option when you want a morning side without the extra prep. Starting them in the Instant Pot builds flavor early, so all that's left to do is brown them before serving. That final skillet step adds the perfect texture, soft on the inside with crispy edges.
These potatoes are ideal for everything from casual weekend breakfasts to holiday brunch spreads alongside tofu scramble and vegan french toast, or buttermilk pancakes.
To Brown and Crisp the Potatoes
After the potatoes are done pressure cooking, you've got two great options for browning them-the skillet or the air fryer.
If you're planning to cook them in a skillet, it's best to refrigerate the potatoes first. Letting them chill for at least an hour helps them firm up. To cook the cooled potatoes, heat some oil or vegan butter in a skillet, spread the potatoes out in a single layer, and let them cook undisturbed for a few minutes before flipping.
To brown the potatoes in the air-fryer, there's no need to wait. You can cook the potatoes right away after pressure cooking. Just toss them with a little oil, spread them evenly in the basket, and air-fry at 400ºF for about 10 minutes. Give the basket a shake halfway through so they get crispy all over. Super quick, super easy, and perfect if you're short on time or just want a fast breakfast.
Both methods give you delicious Instant Pot breakfast potatoes!
Tips for the Perfect Potatoes
- Crisp them after pressure cooking: For that classic breakfast potato texture, finish them in a skillet or air fryer.
- Cool the potatoes: After pressure cooking, refrigerate the potatoes for at least 1 hour. This helps them firm up so they keep their shape and crisp up perfectly in the skillet. If you're going to air-fry them, they can be cooked right away.
- Potatoes O'Brien: Sauté bell peppers and onions in a separate pan until softened. Once the potatoes are golden brown and crispy, stir in the cooked veggies. Cook for another minute or two to let the flavors come together. This keeps the potatoes crisp while giving you classic, flavorful potatoes O'Brien.
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Recipe
Instant Pot Breakfast Potatoes
Ingredients
For the Potatoes
- 2 pounds potatoes, yukon gold, red, or russets
- 2-3 Tablespoons refined coconut oil, or neutral oil of choice
- ¾ cup water, or vegetable broth
Seasonings
- 1 Tablespoon nutritional yeast
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
- Himalayan pink salt to taste, I use about ¾ teaspoon
- Pepper to taste
Veggies for O'Briens
- neutral oil for sautéing, I use refined coconut oil
- 1 small onion
- 1 green bell pepper
Instructions
Steam in the Instant-Pot
- In a small bowl combine the seasonings and set aside.
- Dice the potatoes into evenly sized ½-inch cubes. Dry the cubed potatoes with a kitchen towel or a few paper towels to remove excess moisture.
- Add the potatoes and oil to the Instant Pot. Using the sauté function, cook them just until they start to soften, about 5 minutes, stirring frequently and adding the seasonings toward the end. The potatoes may stick a little-don't worry! Any sticking will come up after pressure cooking, adding extra flavor to the potatoes.
- Once the potatoes begin to change texture, press the cancel button. You don't want to over-sauté them; they will also be pressure-cooked.
- Pour in the water or broth, but don't mix.
- Secure the lid and make sure the steam vent is set to "Sealing". Set the Instant Pot to low pressure for 2 minutes.
- When done, carefully quick-release the steam vent. The potatoes might be undercooked, but they'll finish cooking and crisp up when reheated in the skillet.
- Gently scoop out the potatoes and spread them across a baking sheet to cool for about 5 minutes. Then chill in the refrigerator for at least an hour, or until the next morning.
Cook in the skillet
- Remove the chilled potatoes from the fridge.
- Add 1-2 Tablespoons of oil to a large non-stick skillet. Sauté the potatoes for 10-15 minutes or until they are golden brown and crispy.
- For O'Brien's: While the potatoes cook, add onions and bell peppers to a medium skillet. Sauté over medium heat until the veggies have softened. About 7-10 minutes. Mix the veggies with the potatoes and serve immediately.
Cook in the Air-Fry
- Cook the potatoes right away after pressure cooking, or chill in the fridge until you're ready to cook them.
- To air-fry the potatoes, toss them with a little oil, spread them evenly in the basket, and air-fry at 400ºF for about 10 minutes or until browned and crispy. Give the basket a shake halfway through.
Notes
- Make ahead: The pressure-cooked potatoes keep well for up to 4 days in the refrigerator.
Nutrition
**Nutritional info is provided as an estimate based on the ingredients I used and for convenience and as a courtesy only.**
More Vegan Breakfasts
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Hilary
The recipe doesn’t say how to cook the veggies, yet they’re in the photo and on the ingredients list :(
Marlena Luna
The veggies are sautéed in a pan. The instructions for cooking them and browning the potatoes is below the IP instructions.
Julie
can this recipe be doubled? Thanks
Marlena Luna
Yes, the recipe can be doubled. But, keep the cook time the same. Enjoy, Julie!
Bry
These look great! I never considered making potatoes like this before, but it’s a great idea! For the second option of making to eat at once, what would you recommend doing with veggies? Sauté at the beginning in IP or add after potatoes have sautéed a bit first? Thanks! ^_^
Marlena Luna
Thank you, Bry! I suggest adding the veggies last. Leave the softer veggies on top of the potatoes and out of the water to steam. You can probably mix harder veggies in with the potatoes, after sautéing. Let us know how it turns out! :)
Tasha Crawford
The upper comments say HIGH pressure but the recip says LOW pressure - we t w low & hope they come out for Easter Sunday brunch! The sure look & sound amazing
Marlena Luna
Hi Tasha! For these breakfast potatoes, LOW PRESSURE per the recipe is correct. Low pressure will partially cook the potatoes and sautéing will finish the cooking process. The above note refers to high pressure if you plan on enjoying the potatoes right away, instead of sautéing them the next morning. Hope that helps and they were delicious! :)
Heather
I made these last night for dinner with scrambled eggs and gravy. This is truly one of the most delicious potato recipes I have made.
Si good it is now a weekly staple.
Marlena Luna
That's great to hear Heather! I'm so glad you enjoyed the recipe! :)