Easy Mashed Sweet Potatoes
We’re in love with these mashed sweet potatoes! This recipe is quick, simple, super creamy, and absolutely delicious! These are on the savory side, you’ll love them. If you love sweet potatoes, you will love this easy recipe! Mashed sweet potatoes are just as easy as making traditional mashed potatoes. Sweet potatoes already have a silky smooth texture, which makes them incredibly delicious when you mash them! Our readers have called this recipe “a real winner!” These incredible mashed sweet potatoes are on the savory side, but I’ve shared a sweet variation below the recipe. If you prefer roasted potatoes, don’t miss our roasted sweet potatoes made with coconut oil, which makes them incredibly delicious. Key Ingredients Sweet potatoes: Sweet potato mash is best with red, orange, or purple sweet potatoes (not the tan varieties). They’re naturally sweeter and creamier. I also prefer small to medium sweet potatoes, which are less starchy than the really large ones! Salt: Make sure that you salt your cooking water for sweet potatoes (I say the same thing when making regular mashed potatoes). Bay leaf: These are savory mashed potatoes, so I add one bay leaf to the cooking water with my sweet potatoes. Butter: A must when making mashed potatoes. I love mashing some into the sweet potatoes and adding a little bit on top for serving. For a toasty flavor, substitute brown butter! Cinnamon: I add a hint of cinnamon (just 1/8 teaspoon), which adds a little warmth. Trust me! Sour cream or cream: These are optional, but I love making my sweet potato mash creamy. Tangier sour cream is my favorite, but a splash of cream does the job nicely. Sweet potatoes: Sweet potato mash is best with red, orange, or purple sweet potatoes (not the tan varieties). They’re naturally sweeter and creamier. I also prefer small to medium sweet potatoes, which are less starchy than the really large ones! Salt: Make sure that you salt your cooking water for sweet potatoes (I say the same thing when making regular mashed potatoes). Bay leaf: These are savory mashed potatoes, so I add one bay leaf to the cooking water with my sweet potatoes. Butter: A must when making mashed potatoes. I love mashing some into the sweet potatoes and adding a little bit on top for serving. For a toasty flavor, substitute brown butter! Cinnamon: I add a hint of cinnamon (just 1/8 teaspoon), which adds a little warmth. Trust me! Sour cream or cream: These are optional, but I love making my sweet potato mash creamy. Tangier sour cream is my favorite, but a splash of cream does the job nicely. How to Make Mashed Sweet Potatoes For the best mashed sweet potatoes, I peel them and chop them into chunks. Then, I toss them in a pot with water, a good pinch of salt, and a bay leaf for a little extra flavor. (Sometimes, I’ll swap the bay leaf for a sprig or two of fresh thyme or rosemary!) Bring it to a simmer and cook until they’re nice and tender. A potato masher gives you a creamy texture with some nice bits, or if you want super smooth, silky mashed sweet potatoes, use a food processor. Some of our readers prefer the food processor since it’s quick and gives you a super smooth texture. I actually like the chunkier texture of hand mashing, but do what works for you! Also, I prefer this recipe on the savory side, so as I’m mashing, I stir in butter, a dash of cinnamon, some black pepper, a bit more salt, and a dollop of sour cream or regular cream. It’s seriously so good! That said, I’ve shared a sweet option in the tips section below the recipe if you think that’s more to your taste. Easy Mashed Sweet Potatoes PREP 10 mins COOK 20 mins TOTAL 30 mins PREP 10 mins COOK 20 mins TOTAL 30 mins These easy mashed sweet potatoes are savory, but you can add a few extra ingredients for a sweeter version. See our notes in the tips section below. Makes 6 servings (about 5 1/2 cups) Watch Us Make the Recipe You Will Need 3 pounds (1360g) sweet potatoes, scrubbed clean, 5 to 6 medium 1 ½ teaspoons fine sea salt, plus more to taste 1 bay leaf 3 tablespoons butter 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon 3 tablespoons sour cream or heavy cream, optional Optional toppings: finely chopped parsley or chives and fresh ground black pepper Directions 1Peel sweet potatoes and cut them into 1-inch cubes. 2Place cubes in a large pot. Cover with water (about 1 inch above the sweet potatoes). Add salt and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until tender and easily pierced with a fork, 10 to 12 minutes. Drain. 3Return the sweet potatoes to the pot and mash with a potato masher to your desired texture. Or, add them to a food processor bowl and pulse to the desired texture. 4Add butter, cinnamon, black pepper, and a pinch of salt. For extra creamy sweet potatoes, stir in sour cream or heavy cream. 5Top with extra butter and chopped fresh herbs (optional). 1Peel sweet potatoes and cut them into 1-inch cubes. 2Place cubes in a large pot. Cover with water (about 1 inch above the sweet potatoes). Add salt and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until tender and easily pierced with a fork, 10 to 12 minutes. Drain. 3Return the sweet potatoes to the pot and mash with a potato masher to your desired texture. Or, add them to a food processor bowl and pulse to the desired texture. 4Add butter, cinnamon, black pepper, and a pinch of salt. For extra creamy sweet potatoes, stir in sour cream or heavy cream. 5Top with extra butter and chopped fresh herbs (optional). Adam and Joanne's Tips Storing: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 6 months. Thaw frozen mashed sweet potatoes overnight in the fridge before reheating the next day. Reheat in a saucepan over low heat or microwave, stirring occasionally until warmed through. Sweet Mashed Sweet Potatoes: Add 2 tablespoons of brown sugar or maple syrup to the cooked potatoes before mashing. We also like to increase the cinnamon by 1/4 teaspoon. Serve with extra maple syrup on top, and if you enjoy nuts, add a handful of toasted pecans or walnuts. Roasted garlic: Mash in 4 to 5 cloves of roasted garlic. The nutrition facts provided below are estimates. Storing: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 6 months. Thaw frozen mashed sweet potatoes overnight in the fridge before reheating the next day. Reheat in a saucepan over low heat or microwave, stirring occasionally until warmed through. Sweet Mashed Sweet Potatoes: Add 2 tablespoons of brown sugar or maple syrup to the cooked potatoes before mashing. We also like to increase the cinnamon by 1/4 teaspoon. Serve with extra maple syrup on top, and if you enjoy nuts, add a handful of toasted pecans or walnuts. Roasted garlic: Mash in 4 to 5 cloves of roasted garlic. The nutrition facts provided below are estimates. Nutrition Per Serving Serving Size About 3/4 cup / Calories 257 / Total Fat 6.7g / Saturated Fat 4.2g / Cholesterol 17.4mg / Sodium 711.1mg / Carbohydrate 46.2g / Dietary Fiber 6.9g / Total Sugars 9.5g / Protein 4.1g AUTHOR: Joanne Gallagher We’re Adam and Joanne, a couple passionate about cooking and sharing delicious, reliable recipes since 2009. Our goal? To inspire you to get in the kitchen and confidently cook fresh and flavorful meals.More About Us