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Home » Side Dishes » Mashed Sweet Potatoes

Published: October 13, 2020 Last Modified: October 13, 2020 By Sara 33 Comments

Mashed Sweet Potatoes

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Mashed Sweet Potatoes Recipe | Sweet Potato Mash | Sweet Potato Side Dish #sweetpotato #fall #thanksgiving #sidedish #glutenfree #dinneratthezoo

These mashed sweet potatoes are ultra creamy and are the perfect accompaniment to chicken, meats and fish. You can flavor your mashed sweet potatoes in multiple ways and I’m providing instructions to make multiple flavor variations.

Mashed potatoes are a common dinner time occurrence, but in my opinion, mashed sweet potatoes are underrated and should be part of everyone’s regular dinner rotation! They’re also perfect for holiday meals.

These mashed sweet potatoes are ultra creamy and are the perfect accompaniment to chicken, meats and fish. These mashed sweet potatoes are ultra creamy and are the perfect accompaniment to chicken, meats and fish.

A bowl of mashed sweet potatoes topped with butter and parsley.

These mashed sweet potatoes are a simple dish, yet they pair so well with almost any main course! I’m sharing my tricks for the smoothest, creamiest yams that you’ll ever eat.

How do you make mashed sweet potatoes?

This is a basic recipe that includes sweet potatoes, butter, milk and salt. That’s it! But you can customize your mashed sweet potatoes with countless flavoring options to dress them up. Cook the potatoes, then put them into a bowl or a food processor with the rest of the ingredients. Mash by hand, or puree in a food processor until you’ve reached the desired texture. Add any toppings you like, then serve and enjoy.

Sliced cooked potatoes, butter and milk in a bowl.

How do you cook sweet potatoes?

I like to roast my potatoes whole, then remove the peels and slice them. You can also boil or steam chunks of sweet potato if you prefer, but I find that roasting the potatoes is the easiest way to get the job done. If you prefer to boil the potatoes, cook cut them into 2 inch pieces and cook for about 15-20 minutes or until tender. You will need to steam potatoes for a similar length of time.

Tips for the perfect dish

  • Since I typically roast whole potatoes, I look for potatoes that are similar in size and shape so that they cook at the same rate.
  • You don’t need to peel the potatoes before you roast them as the skins will come right off after the potato is cooked.
  • If you’re choosing to boil or steam your potatoes, you’ll want to peel them before they go into the water.
  • This dish will stay fresh in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. It can also be frozen for up to 2 months for later use.

How do you mash sweet potatoes?

There are many ways to mash sweet potatoes, it just depends on the texture you’re looking for. I typically use a food processor for a super smooth mash, but it’s really up to you.

  • Fork: Use a fork for the coarsest mashed sweet potatoes.
  • Hand Mixer: Use a mixer for lighter mashed potatoes with some smaller chunks
  • Potato Masher: Use a potato masher for a traditional mash which includes some chunks.
  • Food Processor: Use a food processor for the smoothest, silkiest mashed sweet potatoes.

Mashed sweet potatoes on a plate with sliced ham and green beans.

Flavor Variations

You can serve your potatoes as-is, or add any number of toppings to create sweet and savory flavor profiles.

  • Candied Bacon: Prepare the potatoes as directed. Cut up 8 slices of bacon into pieces and cook it in a frying pan. Stir in 1 tablespoon brown sugar and cook for 2 more minutes. Top mashed potatoes with candied bacon and serve.
  • Garlic and Herb: Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a pan. Add 2 teaspoons minced garlic and 3 tablespoons assorted minced fresh herbs. Mix the garlic and herb butter into the sweet potatoes.
  • Brown Sugar Brulee: Place the sweet potatoes in a baking dish and sprinkle with brown sugar. Broil until the sugar has melted. Let sit until the sugar hardens, then serve.
  • Caramelized Apple: Saute 3 peeled, sliced apples in 3 tablespoons of butter and 3 tablespoons of brown sugar. Pour the apple mixture over the potatoes.

A bowl of smashed sweet potatoes topped with candied bacon.

You can even set up a mashed potato bar and put out plain mashed potatoes with a variety of toppings such as brown sugar, mini marshmallows, herbs, flavored butters and more. Your guests can assemble their own creations. I did this once for a holiday party and it was a huge hit.

Mashed sweet potatoes topped with caramelized apples.

No matter how you decide to flavor your potatoes, they’re sure to be a huge hit! This dish will definitely be on my Thanksgiving table this year.

More sweet potato recipes

  • Sweet Potato Casserole with Marshmallows
  • Maple Roasted Sweet Potatoes
  • Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes
  • Sweet Potato Hash
  • Sweet Potato Buddha Bowls

Mashed Sweet Potatoes Video

A bowl of mashed sweet potatoes topped with butter and parsley.
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4.95 from 17 votes

Mashed Sweet Potatoes

These mashed sweet potatoes are ultra creamy and are the perfect accompaniment to chicken, meats and fish. You can flavor your mashed sweet potatoes in multiple ways and I'm providing instructions to make both sweet and savory versions.
Course Side Dish
Cuisine American
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Servings 6
Calories 286kcal
Author Sara Welch

Ingredients

  • 3 lbs sweet potatoes
  • 1/3 cup milk
  • 5 tablespoons butter melted
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • cooking spray
  • 1 tablespoon chopped parsley optional
  • pats of butter optional

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Scrub the sweet potatoes and prick them with a fork.
  • Coat a sheet pan with cooking spray and arrange the sweet potatoes on the pan.
  • Bake for 1 hour or until potatoes are tender. Let cool slightly then peel off the skins, or cut the potatoes in half and scoop out the insides.
  • Place the potato, milk, butter and salt in the bowl of a food processor. Process until smooth and creamy. If you prefer a coarser texture, you can mash your potatoes by hand with a masher or fork.
  • See post text for different flavor variation options.
  • Serve, topped with pats of butter and/or parsley if desired.

Nutrition

Calories: 286kcal | Carbohydrates: 46g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 26mg | Sodium: 407mg | Potassium: 782mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 32490IU | Vitamin C: 5.4mg | Calcium: 86mg | Iron: 1.4mg
Tried this Recipe? Tag me Today!Mention @DinnerAtTheZoo or tag #dinneratthezoo!

This post was originally published on October 7, 2018 and was updated on October 13, 2020 with new content.

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    Comments

    1. Amanda says

      October 22, 2020 at 3:52 pm

      5 stars
      Sweet potatoes in the fall is my favorite, this came out perfect!

      Reply
    2. Jen says

      October 19, 2020 at 5:42 pm

      5 stars
      I made these ahead and then just reheated them and thy came out perfect!

      Reply
    3. Janice says

      August 27, 2020 at 12:33 pm

      5 stars
      This is THE BEST sweet potato puree recipe out there – absolutely loved the roasted taste in the puree. So easy, so good! Thank you!

      Reply
    4. Becky says

      October 25, 2019 at 10:00 am

      Have you ever tried with the bacon without the brown sugar?

      Reply
      • Sara says

        October 25, 2019 at 11:54 am

        Yes that will also work!

        Reply
    5. Ana Wall says

      October 21, 2019 at 1:45 pm

      Can I boil instead of bake?

      Reply
      • Sara says

        October 21, 2019 at 8:48 pm

        Yes that’s fine!

        Reply
    6. Deb says

      September 21, 2019 at 2:19 pm

      5 stars
      My family loves this recipe and I make it all year long!

      Reply
    7. Karen says

      April 16, 2019 at 6:47 am

      Hi,
      Can I make this ahead, and if so how to heat them up

      Thanks,
      Karen

      Reply
      • Sara says

        April 17, 2019 at 1:43 pm

        Yes you can make them ahead, you can reheat in a covered dish in the microwave or oven, or on low heat in a pan on the stove top.

        Reply
        • Ange says

          October 27, 2019 at 5:40 pm

          I make ahead and put them in the slow cooker crock in the fridge, then drop them in the slow cooker on low for a couple of hours.

          Reply
    8. Liliana Peters says

      March 31, 2019 at 3:09 pm

      5 stars
      It’s become my favorite recipe. Very yummy.

      Reply
    9. J says

      February 28, 2019 at 9:00 am

      5 stars
      I don’t generally care for sweet potatoes, but for health reasons we are trying to eat fewer regular potatoes. I find that if I make this recipe and add parsley and chives, it is savory enough that I love it. I used to make a regular potato for me, and sweet potatoes for my family, but now I can simplify life and make one side dish instead of two. Thank you!

      Reply
      • Sara says

        February 28, 2019 at 11:07 am

        So happy to hear you enjoy it, thanks for reporting back!

        Reply
    10. Liz says

      December 23, 2018 at 5:41 pm

      5 stars
      My favorite way to make sweet potatoes! Will be Trying the candied bacon topping for Christmas dinner!! Do you think these would taste similar if I mixed sweet potatoes and yams together? Sent hubby to store for sweet potatoes and he wasn’t sure which to buy so got both sweet potatoes and yams!

      Reply
      • Sara says

        December 23, 2018 at 9:30 pm

        Yes it’s totally fine to mix the two together!

        Reply
    11. Lisa says

      November 19, 2018 at 8:40 am

      Can you make these without milk? I can’t drink cow’s milk.

      Reply
      • Sara says

        November 19, 2018 at 9:22 am

        Yes you can substitute a non-dairy milk like almond milk or soy milk.

        Reply
    12. Nicole says

      October 12, 2018 at 10:39 am

      This looks so good! My son use to absolutely love sweet potatoes when he was a baby. I’ll have to try this recipe out for him and see how he likes it. Thanks for sharing!

      Reply
    13. Dianna says

      October 11, 2018 at 10:01 pm

      I love this recipe! I can’t wait to make this recipe at Thanksgiving this year.

      Reply
    14. Barbara Ritzman says

      October 10, 2018 at 1:46 am

      5 stars
      All of those are so yummy. My sister makes these awesome for Thanksgiving with walnuts, pineapple and marshmallows.

      Reply
    15. Yona Williams says

      October 9, 2018 at 11:03 pm

      I love mashed sweet potatoes as a side for ham. I like adding butter and cinnamon to make them more like a dessert when I’m craving something sweet.

      Reply
    16. Nancie says

      October 9, 2018 at 2:48 pm

      I’m a big fan of sweet potatoes. This recipe sounds quick, easy, and delicious. I’ve saved it to my pocket to make later.

      Reply
    17. Athena says

      October 9, 2018 at 2:02 pm

      When I was younger, I hated sweet potatoes. Now? I can’t get enough of them! I feel like I have been missing out my whole entire life!

      Reply
    18. Sophia says

      October 9, 2018 at 1:17 pm

      4 stars
      Sweet potatoes are my favorite! I eat them all the time. This is a great blog post that I will definitely be pinning and referring back to when it comes time to cook.

      Reply
    19. blair villanueva says

      October 8, 2018 at 9:36 pm

      5 stars
      wow I love eating mashed potatoes (including sweet potatoes!) as substitute for rice. They are healthy and affordable as well.

      Reply
    20. Victoria R Sconion says

      October 8, 2018 at 7:20 pm

      5 stars
      I like the different topping you put on top of this. Sweet potatoes are a huge hit in my house. After all these years, I never thought to make mashed sweet potatoes. I’ll definitely be adding this to my meal planning.

      Reply
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