Mashed Sweet Potatoes

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Mashed sweet potatoes make for the perfect sweet and savory side dish. They’re rich, creamy, and pair well with any main course, especially during the holidays. Just gather up four simple ingredients to whip up this easy and delicious recipe.

Mashed sweet potatoes topped with butter.

While classic mashed potatoes are a crowd favorite, don’t overlook its counterpart: sweet potatoes.

Not only do sweet potatoes have a rich flavor, but their luscious texture is irresistible. And when I say irresistible, I mean I can devour half a batch of sweet potatoes in one sitting whether they’re roasted sweet potatoes or baked sweet potatoes.

But when sweet potatoes are transformed into mashed potatoes, it takes them to an entirely new level. With this recipe, the buttery, creamy texture just gets better and better with every bite.

How to prep and cook Sweet Potatoes

While there’s a few options on how to prep and cook sweet potatoes, I find that the easiest process is to peel, dice, and boil. Here’s the breakdown.

  • Peel the potatoes using a hand peeler (my favorite peeler is linked in the recipe notes).
  • Dice the potatoes into large or small cubes.
  • Boil the potatoes until tender, and then place it into a large mixing bowl to prepare for mashing.

Mashed sweet potatoes in a white bowl topped with butter.

How To Mash Sweet Potatoes

Now that you have your sweet potatoes warm and tender, it’s time to get mashing. There are a few ways to do it, but it comes down to the preference in texture.

  • For a chunky style mash which is a mix of creamy and chunky potatoes, it’s best to use a fork or hand masher.
  • For an ultra smooth and creamy consistency, you’ll want to use a hand mixer or food processor. But just remember that there is a fine line between a purée and a perfectly mashed potato. If you purée it too much, then it almost becomes too soft like baby food!

Flavor Variations

You can take your sweet potato mash on a more savory or sweet route, depending on how you want to season it.

  • Garlic & herb: Add minced and sauteed garlic along with a few herbs such as chives, parsley, or thyme into the mix.
  • Candied bacon: Use my baked bacon recipe and brush maple syrup over each piece to give it a sweet and savory flavor. Then crush the bacon bits on top of your mashed sweet potatoes.
  • Smoky and spicy: Add 1/4 teaspoon of chili powder, smoked paprika, ground coriander, and ground chipotle chile pepper into your blend.

Can You Freeze Mashed Sweet Potatoes?

The answer is yes! Just make sure to store them in a freezer safe container or large resealable bag. They can be frozen for up to 5 months.

To reheat them, place the potatoes in the refrigerator overnight to thaw. Then add the mashed sweet potatoes to a casserole dish to reheat in the oven. Bake at 350°F for about 20 minutes until it’s warmed through. If the consistency isn’t creamy enough, you can add a little bit of nut milk into the mixture, and stir thoroughly.

You can also reheat the mashed sweet potatoes in the microwave in 30 second increments.

Mashed sweet potatoes in a white bowl topped with butter.

What To Eat With Mashed Sweet Potatoes

Let’s be honest, mashed sweet potatoes go with just about everything. But here are a few delicious combinations to pair with with them.

More Sweet Potato Recipes

If you’ve got a few more sweet potatoes left, don’t let them go to waste.  Whip up a few of my other delicious sweet potato recipes including:

Mashed sweet potatoes in a white bowl topped with butter.

Mashed Sweet Potatoes

4.94 from 15 votes
Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 20 minutes
Total: 40 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Author: Lisa Bryan

Description

Mashed sweet potatoes make for the perfect healthy side dish recipe. This recipe comes together with just a couple of simple ingredients and it's perfect for the holidays or any day of the week. Watch the video below to see how I make it in my kitchen!

Video

Ingredients 
 

  • 3 pounds sweet potatoes
  • ¼ cup melted butter, or ghee
  • ¼ cup milk, dairy-free milk also works
  • kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • optional: finely chopped parsley for garnish

Instructions 

  • Peel the sweet potatoes with a hand peeler. Then slice and dice the potatoes into 1-inch to 1 ½-inch chunks.
  • Bring a large pot of water to boil on high heat. Place the sweet potatoes into the pot and cook them for 20 to 30 minutes, or until the potatoes are fork tender. Drain the potatoes over a colander.
  • Place the potatoes in a large mixing bowl and mash them with a hand masher or electric beater.
  • Then, pour the butter and milk into the mixture and continue mixing until creamy. Season with salt and pepper.
  • Scoop the mashed sweet potatoes into a bowl, sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve!

Lisa’s Tips

  • To create a more creamier consistency, use a food processor, hand mixer, or stand mixer to blend.
  • To make it dairy-free, you can swap butter for ghee as well as use any type of nut milk.
  • My favorite peeler is a Y peeler. It’s the best for peeling potatoes!

Nutrition

Calories: 198kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 15mg | Sodium: 154mg | Potassium: 573mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 24309IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 62mg | Iron: 1mg
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: how to make mashed sweet potatoes, mashed sweet potatoes, mashed sweet potatoes recipe, sweet potato mash
Did you make this recipe?Mention @downshiftology or tag #downshiftology!

Recipe originally published October 2019, but updated to include new information and a video for your benefit!

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About the author

Lisa Bryan

Lisa is a bestselling cookbook author, recipe developer, and YouTuber (with over 2.5 million subscribers) living in sunny Southern California. She started Downshiftology in 2014, and is passionate about making healthy food with fresh, simple and seasonal ingredients.

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39 Comments

  1. Please disregard my previous comment! That was for the meatloaf that I paired with this amazing sweet potato mash! It was super easy to put together and sooo delicious I added vegan butter and almond milk and blended with a hand mixer and it was so creamy and yummy 😋5 stars

  2. Absolutely Amazing
    Thanks for the tips Lisa
    Makes my job easier 🙌
    Have a wonderful and blessed Thanksgiving day ✨️ ❤️ 😊5 stars

  3. While I love traditional mashed potatoes, I really really love sweet potato mashed potatoes!! It’s such a simple recipe and perfect every time. Thanks Lisa!5 stars

  4. Believe it or not, I’ve been married for 56 years and have never made sweet potatoes from scratch. I’ve made sweet potato casserole using canned but this week will be my first using actual fresh produce. Hated sweet potatoes as a child but love them now. After mashing I will add the always yummy marshmallow and some finely chopped pecans. Saw a recipe where crushed pineapple was added. I always tweak a recipe. Thanks for sharing this one. **

  5. Great recipe! One small point: you say to make it dairy free use ghee. Ghee is clarified butter so still dairy!!4 stars

  6. One of my favorite breakfast options is roasted bell pepper, zucchini, and sweet potato with chicken sausage. I was getting tired of eating the same thing, so today I made mashed sweet potatoes (this recipe), and served it with my bell pepper, zucchini, and chicken sausage. It was delicious! Just that tweak made it taste unique and rich. Thanks! Love the recipe!5 stars

  7. I am a big fan of sweet potatoes so when I saw this recipe I just had to make it for a Friendsgiving! It was so easy to follow, even with doubling the recipe and was big hit! I absolutely loved it and still have some left over as a great side dish for any meal. Thanks Lisa for always creating quality content and recipes.5 stars

  8. Hi Lisa,

    Thank you for these recipes – I made the smoky and spicy version with a bit of hot sauce in to boot! They were lovely thanks again :)5 stars

  9. Never made mashed sweet potatoes before but this was great! Made them tonight for work this week and can’t wait to eat them. Might not make it till Monday LOL.5 stars

  10. Mashed sweet potatoes are a year-round side dish that I just LOVE. These look so good with the large pats of butter on the top.5 stars

  11. Such a classic – I would take sweet over white potatoes any day – especially if they look as tempting as yours!5 stars

  12. I think I might actually like mashed sweet potatoes better than regular mashed potatoes and this recipe is no exception! Simple, easy, delicious and perfect for Thanksgiving!5 stars

  13. I love these mashed sweet potatoes! I’m a bit naughty as I like to sprinkle just the tiniest bit of brown sugar on the top.5 stars