If you love sweet potatoes, you will love this easy recipe! These are just as easy as making regular mashed potatoes. Sweet potatoes already have a silky smooth texture, which makes them incredibly delicious when mashed. These incredible mashed sweet potatoes are savory, but I’ve shared a sweet variation below the recipe!
Key Ingredients
Sweet potatoes: Sweet potato mash is best with red or orange sweet potatoes (not the purple or 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 (the same goes for regular 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. 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. I like savory mashed sweet potatoes, so 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!
Storing Mashed Sweet Potatoes
Mashed sweet potatoes can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or frozen for up to 6 months. Thaw frozen 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.
More Sweet Potato Recipes
Homemade Sweet Potato Fries Coconut Oil Roasted Sweet Potatoes Black Bean and Sweet Potato Tacos Vegetarian Chili with Sweet Potatoes
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 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).
