Mashed Sweet Potatoes

Name: Mashed Sweet Potatoes
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 60 min
Total time: 80 min
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)

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 different 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.

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! In my opinion they’re even better than regular mashed potatoes. I’m sharing my tricks for the smoothest, creamiest yams that you’ll ever eat. Mashed yams pair well with pork, chicken, ham and turkey.

Mashed Sweet Potato ingredients

Ingredients including sweet potatoes, milk, butter, salt and parsley.

The ingredients for this recipe include sweet potatoes, butter, milk and salt. I like to add a little fresh parsley too for color and flavor, but that’s optional.

How do you make mashed sweet potatoes?

Cook the sweet potatoes, then put them into a bowl or a food processor with milk, butter and salt. Mash by hand, or puree in a food processor until you’ve reached the desired texture. Add any toppings you like such as butter and parsley, then serve and enjoy.

Step by step shots showing how to cook and puree sweet potatoes.

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.
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.
You can make your mashed potatoes up to 2 days before you plan to serve them. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator, then reheat on the stovetop until warm.

You don’t need to peel the potatoes before you roast them as the skins will come right off after the potato is cooked.

Recipe FAQs

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, then drain. You will need to steam potatoes for a similar length of time.

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.

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Sliced ham on a plate with mashed sweet potatoes 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, a dash of black pepper and 3 tablespoons assorted minced fresh herbs such as fresh thyme, parsley or sage. 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. You can also stir a little maple syrup into the potatoes for extra flavor.
Caramelized Apple: Saute 3 peeled, sliced apples in 3 tablespoons of butter, 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon and 3 tablespoons of brown sugar. Pour the apple mixture over the potatoes.

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 to fit their taste. I did this once for a holiday party and it was a huge hit.

No matter how you decide to flavor your potatoes, they’re sure to be a success! This mashed sweet potato recipe will definitely be on my Thanksgiving table this year.

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