Mashed Sweet Potatoes

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 4 simple ingredients to whip up this easy and delicious recipe.

Mashed sweet potatoes topped with butter.

While 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 or baked!

But when sweet potatoes are transformed into mashed potatoes, it takes it to an entirely new level. With this recipe, the butteriness and creaminess 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!

Sweet Potato Mash 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 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 Potatoes

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

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

4.92 from 12 votes
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Author: Lisa Bryan
Mashed sweet potatoes make for the perfect healthy side dish recipe. It comes together with just a couple simple ingredients and it's perfect for the holidays or any day of the week.

Ingredients

  • 3 pounds sweet potatoes
  • 1/4 cup melted butter , or ghee
  • 1/4 cup milk, dairy-free milk also works
  • salt and pepper , to taste
  • parsley , finely diced

Instructions 

  • Bring a large pot of water to boil on high heat.
  • Peel the sweet potatoes with a hand peeler.
  • Dice the potatoes into chunks and place them into the pot. Cook the potatoes for 20-30 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
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26 comments on “Mashed Sweet Potatoes”

  1. I love sweet potatoes. I made this yesterday and it was delicious !5 stars

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

  3. I’ve made this recipe a few times now and it’s always great5 stars

  4. 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

  5. Fantastic, works perfectly!!

  6. 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

  7. 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

  8. How big is a serving size?

  9. Hi Lisa
    Does this keep for the whole week in the fridge ? I want to make it but I only cook for 1. 

  10. 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

  11. 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

  12. Such an easy and delicious side dish for the holidays!5 stars

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

  14. 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

  15. 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

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