Mashed sweet potatoes are an excellent recipe for the holidays! They are perfect for a cozy dinner with family and friends.
We'll share with you one savory mashed sweet potato recipe and a sweet one.
Check out our Best Sweet Potato Recipes
We love sweet potatoes in every shape and form, and when developing this mashed sweet potato recipe, we could not make up our minds about sweet vs. savory.
We just liked both so much!
And so here we'll show you how to make mashed sweet potatoes from scratch with a few simple ingredients, in both a savory and sweet version.
Savory mashed sweet potatoes are perfect as a side dish to pretty much anything, from Thanksgiving and any other winter holiday to cozy weeknight dinners.
The sweet recipe is also great as a side dish, but we prefer it as a dessert because it's so tasty, cinnamony, and it tastes like Christmas in a bowl.
Take our recipe as a guideline and add more or less of the ingredients we mention based on your taste and the consistency of your sweet potatoes. For example, you might need a little more or less butter and milk than us.
Also, you can make this recipe with a potato masher; however, we think the mash turns out smoother and creamier if you blend the potatoes with an immersion blender or in a food processor.
Ingredients
Sweet potatoes
Pick orange-fleshed sweet potatoes. In some parts of the USA, sweet potatoes are labeled yams so you might find them under that name.
Butter
You can use regular unsalted butter or dairy-free/vegan butter for mashed sweet potatoes. Either way, you can add more or less butter based on your taste and desired creaminess level.
Milk or Sour Cream
You can use dairy milk or dairy-free milk. For example, we love to combine sweet potatoes with unsweetened almond milk, but if you prefer another type of milk, feel free to use it.
Alternatively, you can substitute sour cream (regular or dairy-free) for milk. It'll produce creamier mashed potatoes.
Coconut milk is also delicious with sweet potatoes and adds an even creamier texture. However, we prefer to use that for our sweet recipe, which you'll find below.
Add-ins for savory mashed sweet potatoes
Olive oil: we like to add a good extra virgin olive oil for a fruity and mildly nutty flavor. We find that olive oil goes very well with sweet potatoes.
Parsley: our savory mashed sweet potatoes include some freshly chopped flat-leaf parsley, which we think fits perfectly with the flavor of the spuds. Other fresh herbs that go well with sweet potatoes are chives, fresh thyme, or coriander.
Salt and pepper: sea salt (or kosher salt) for taste and freshly ground black pepper for a pleasant aroma.
Garlic: an optional ingredient; however, you can add garlic powder, very finely minced or pressed garlic for an extra tang.
Add-ins for sweet mashed sweet potatoes
Maple syrup: to boost the natural sweetness of sweet potatoes. You can substitute brown sugar, honey, or agave syrup for maple.
Spices: cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg are a must. Clove is optional. All grated or in powder form.
Vanilla extract: once you add vanilla extract to your mashed sweet potatoes, you'll never go back. It's delicious!
Almonds: we add toasted slivered or shaved almonds on top to garnish the mash. They are an important ingredient; they add crunch and a pleasant nutty flavor, so don't skimp on them.
Salt: add sea salt to tie the other ingredients together.
Instructions
Peel and chop the sweet potatoes into 1-inch cubes, and add them to a large pot or dutch oven with water and a teaspoon of salt.
Cover with a lid, bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer uncovered for about 15-20 minutes or until fork tender.
Note: you can also use a pressure cooker or instant pot. It'll take bout 8 minutes.
Drain all the water and mash the sweet potatoes with a potato masher while they are still hot. You can do this in the same pot.
We noticed that sometimes sweet potatoes could be a little stringier, especially if they are not the freshest.
If that's the case, or if you like smoother and creamier mashed potatoes, you can blend the spuds with an immersion blender or with a food processor (we prefer this method to the potato masher). Pulse until you reach your desired consistency.
Savory mashed sweet potatoes
Add butter, milk or sour cream, olive oil, salt, and freshly ground black pepper, and stir with a spatula until well combined. Taste and adjust the ingredients based on your preferences.
Tip: Add more butter for a richer and creamier sweet potato mash. Here we used dairy-free ingredients, and the mash turned out delicious.
Finally, add the chopped flat-leaf parsley, stir one more time, and transfer into a serving bowl.
Sweet mashed sweet potatoes
Add butter, almond milk, grated nutmeg, cinnamon and ginger powder, vanilla extract, salt, and maple syrup to the mashed potatoes.
Stir well with a spatula until well combined, then transfer to a serving bowl, garnish with toasted slivered almonds, a small knob of butter, a drizzle of maple syrup, and a sprinkle of cinnamon. Swirl before serving.
Tip: you can toast slivered or shaved almonds on a small non-stick pan on medium heat for 2 minutes.
Storage
Store leftover mashed sweet potatoes in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Then, reheat in the microwave for 2 minutes.
You can use the leftovers of the sweet version to make a mean sweet potato pie.
Questions
No, there is no need to soak sweet potatoes before mashing. However, you do need to boil them until they are soft.
It depends. To make sweet potato mash, we recommend peeling and chopping the sweet potatoes before boiling them.
More Sweet Potato Recipes
Looking for other delicious sweet potato recipes? Check out our:
- Roasted sweet potato cubes or sweet potato wedges
- Crispy sweet potato chips (oven-baked and deep-fried)
- Amazingly easy homemade sweet potato gnocchi
- Delicious sweet potato muffins
- Air fryer sweet potatoes
- Easiest microwave sweet potatoes loaded with delicious toppings
- Mediterranean lentil sweet potato salad
- Classic sweet potato salad with creamy mustard dressing
- Black bean and corn salad with sweet potatoes
More Vegetable Sides
Looking for more holiday-worthy side dishes? Check out our:
- green bean salad with mustard dressing and crumbled feta
- red cabbage slaw with caramelized walnuts
- steamed artichokes or braised artichokes
- fennel and orange salad
Recipe
Mashed Sweet Potatoes
Equipment
- potato masher for a more a rustic mash
- hand blender or food processor for a creamier and smoother mash
Ingredients
- 4 pounds sweet potatoes peeled and chopped into 1-inch pieces
- 1 teaspoon salt for the cooking water
- 3 tablespoons butter or more to taste (we used dairy-free)
- ¼ cup milk or sour cream (we used almond milk)
ADD-INS FOR SAVORY MASHED SWEET POTATOES
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- ½ cup flat-leaf parsley or chives (finely chopped)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
ADD-INS FOR SWEET MASHED SWEET POTATOES
- 3 tablespoons maple syrup or more to taste
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ginger powder
- ½ teaspoon nut meg grated or powder
- 1 teaspooon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ⅓ cup slivered almonds (toasted on a pan for 2 minutes)
Instructions
- Peel and chop the sweet potatoes into 1-inch cubes, and add them to a large pot with water and a teaspoon of salt.Simmer uncovered for 15-20 minutes or until fork tender.
- Drain well and mash the sweet potatoes with a potato masher while they are still hot. You can do this in the same pot.
- If you like a creamier and smoother mash, blend the spuds with a hand blender or food processor.
SAVORY MASHED SWEET POTATOES
- Add butter, milk (or sour cream), olive oil, salt, and pepper. Mix well till combined. Taste and adjust the ingredients based on your preferences.
- Add parsley, stir one more time, and transfer to a serving bowl. Garnish with more parsley and black pepper.
SWEET MASHED SWEET POTATOES
- Add butter, almond milk, nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger.Then add vanilla extract, salt, and maple syrup.
- Stir well, transfer to a serving bowl, and garnish with toasted slivered almonds, a small knob of butter, a drizzle of maple syrup, and a sprinkle of cinnamon. Swirl before serving.
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