Mashed Sweet Potatoes
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These savory mashed sweet potatoes are made with butter and seasonings for a creamy, flavorful side dish that’s anything but sugary. Easy to make, great for leftovers, and perfect for Thanksgiving dinner or everyday meals.
THE SWEET POTATOES FOR PEOPLE WHO DON’T LIKE SWEET POTATOES
I have a confession: I thought I disliked sweet potato dishes until I realized that what I actually didn’t like was sweet sweet potato dishes. Don’t get me wrong, there is a time and a place for sweet potato pie, and you won’t see me turning down a helping of my sweet potato crunch, but the whole marshmallow + sweet potato situation? It’s not for me. And before this realization, I’d only ever seen mashed sweet potatoes in the same space as marshmallows and so it was a big “NO” from me.
It seems silly to say type (?) now, but once I started treating sweet potatoes the same way I treat traditional mashed potatoes, this side dish totally changed for me. As it turns out, though sweet potatoes obviously have a natural sweetness to them, we can prepare them in a way that complements that sweetness rather than capitalizes on it, and the results are absolutely delicious.
(Did you know we were about to get this deep about sweet potatoes? Welcome to the life of a food content creator.)
Be forewarned, though, that once you make savory mashed potatoes, there may never be going back to the white/yellow ones (though there’s always room for both at my table, especially at Thanksgiving). This recipe has quickly become a favorite of ours for weeknight meals (seen here with turkey tenderloin that we feel similarly about) because it’s so quick, makes great leftovers, and can be everything from a side dish to the base of a soup or addition to a grain and veggie bowl.
INGREDIENTS YOU’LL NEED
This is such a simple recipe, in ingredient need and method. Technically, you need 7 total ingredients, but two of them are salt & pepper and another is water. Do we count water? No. So it’s basically 4 ingredients.
Aside from those ingredients already mentioned, you’ll need sweet potatoes (not yams!), unsalted butter, your milk of choice, and some brown sugar (or maple syrup).
CAN I MAKE THIS RECIPE DAIRY FREE?
Yes, you can absolutely keep these mashed sweet potatoes free from dairy! Simply use your favorite nondairy butter and milk, just be sure you’re not using a sweetened or flavored milk. I suggest almond milk or soy milk for the most neutral taste.
HOW TO MAKE MASHED SWEET POTATOES
I cannot express how simple this process is: peel, cut, boil, mash. From start to finish, we’re talking under an hour, and the longest time spent is preparing the sweet potatoes and waiting for the water to boil.
Prepare the sweet potatoes: wash and peel your potatoes, remove any yucky spots, and then chop them into (roughly) 1″ pieces. This doesn’t have to be perfect, just try to keep most pieces the same size. The pieces will go right into a large pot.
Boil the sweet potatoes: next up, add cold water to the pot so the potatoes are covered by about 1 inch, then bring the water to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the temperature so the potatoes cook in a gentle boil.
WHY ARE WE STARTING WITH COLD WATER?
You’ll be tempted to bring the water to a boil while you’re preparing the potatoes, but try to resist the temptation! Starting with cold water lets the potatoes cook slowly, ensuring even cooking so the outside cooks at the same rate as the inside. Tossing sweet potato pieces into boiling water can zap the outside, leading to mushy insides. I know, we’re mashing them. But there’s a difference between “cooked and mashed” and “mushy.” And the latter is very unappetizing.
Mash the sweet potatoes: drain the cooked potatoes, then add the rest of the ingredients and mash everything together to your liking. I am a chunky ‘tater kind of gal, so I like to keep some texture in my mashed sweet potatoes. Your end texture is entirely up to you!
That’s it! Your sweet potatoes are ready to go.
SERVING FOR THANKSGIVING? PAIR WITH MY FAVORITE SIDES!
I like to round out my Thanksgiving plate with turkey tenderloin, cornbread stuffing, green bean casserole, and cranberry sauce, but be sure to check out my best Thanksgiving recipes for a full picture.
JUST MAKING THIS FOR A WEEKNIGHT MEAL?
Consider your favorite main protein and zesty cucumber salad or blueberry quinoa kale salad (or the apple version!).
Savory Mashed Sweet Potatoes
Ingredients
- 3 pounds (1360g) sweet potatoes1
- 1 Tablespoon + 1 teaspoon salt divided
- ¼ cup (57g) unsalted butter cut into 4 slices
- ½ cup (120mL) milk any; warm or room temperature
- 3 Tablespoons (38g) firmly packed light brown sugar2
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Wash and peel the potatoes, then cut them into approximately 1" cubes. Place cut potatoes in a large heavy-bottomed pot.3 pounds (1360g) sweet potatoes1
- Add cold water to a level that covers the sweet potatoes by about 1" of water, then add 1 Tablespoon of salt to the pot and stir briefly to combine.1 Tablespoon + 1 teaspoon salt
- Turn the heat to high and bring the water to a boil (note that this will take awhile since you are starting with cold water in a large quantity). Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium or medium-low to maintain a gentle boil, then cover the pot and cook for about 10 minutes, or until a fork pierces the potatoes easily.
- Drain the potatoes and return them to the pot. Add the butter, milk, brown sugar, remaining 1 teaspoon of salt, and black pepper, then use a potato masher to mash until the mixture is smooth (or your preferred texture) and well combined.1 Tablespoon + 1 teaspoon salt, ¼ cup (57g) unsalted butter, ½ cup (120mL) milk, 3 Tablespoons (38g) firmly packed light brown sugar2, ½ teaspoon black pepper
- Taste the mashed sweet potatoes and add more seasoning to taste and serve immediately. Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 5 days. Potatoes freeze well, up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight and re-mash or even use a hand mixer for a few seconds to bring the potato texture back to life.
Notes
- Sweet potatoes: be sure you’re using sweet potatoes and not yams. You can usually find them in 3 pound bags, but if you’re acquiring them loose, you’ll want 5 to 6 medium size sweet potatoes.
- Brown sugar: you could also use pure maple syrup (3 Tablespoons is 45mL).
Nutrition Disclosure
All nutritional values are approximate and provided to the reader as a courtesy. Changing ingredients and/or quantities will alter the estimated nutritional calculations.