Mashed Sweet Potatoes
The best creamy Mashed Sweet Potatoes! This recipe is made with just 4 ingredients, including butter and cream to make them super rich! Ready in less than 30 minutes for the perfect side dish during the holiday season and all year round for family dinners.
This mashed sweet potatoes recipe will definitely become a family favorite at your dinner table. They’re so simple to make with just a handful of ingredients and they pair so well with almost any main entree, from steaks to turkey, chicken, seafood, and more! These are a great substitute for the traditional mashed potatoes and they taste just as good, if not better! Creamy, smooth and so satisfying with every bite.
Why you should make this recipe
- So easy to make. All you need is 4 simple ingredients to make this sweet potato recipe. Then, just peel, boil, stir and serve!
- Incredibly delicious! Savory and ultra creamy, this is the most loved and devoured side dish. It will become a family favorite that’s requested all year round.
- Versatile. This dish goes with a variety of different foods such as fish, beef, chicken, pork, etc. You can pair these potatoes with almost anything or simply snack on them by themselves!
Ingredients needed
This sweet potato mash recipe requires only 4 ingredients to make and is the perfect side dish to any meal. Plus, this recipe is just as easy to make as regular mashed potatoes. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Sweet potatoes. Choose sweet potatoes (or sometimes referred to as yams, depending on the grocery store) with the darker appearance that are firm, smooth and have even-toned skin with orange insides.
- Butter. Adds so much flavor and richness to this dish. You can use either unsalted or salted butter in this recipe. You can also use a plant-based butter, along with dairy-free milk, to make this recipe vegan.
- Heavy cream. We recommend heavy cream to add maximum richness and creaminess to the potatoes. Any milk will work, though. Use almond milk, cashew milk or coconut milk to make these dairy free.
- Salt. To bring out all of the delicious flavor! You can add a dash of black pepper too, if you’d like.
How to make this recipe
When making mashed sweet potatoes you can cook the potatoes by boiling, baking in the oven, or using a pressure cooker. We typically just boil them and here’s the simple process:
For full, printable instructions, reference the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
- Prep potatoes. Once potatoes have been scrubbed clean, peel and cut them into 1-inch cubes. Place into a large pot and cover with cold water.
- Boil potatoes. Bring water to a boil, then reduce to simmer and cook until potatoes are fork tender, about 10 minutes.
- Mash. Drain potatoes completely, then replace back into pot. Mash with butter and enough cream (or milk) to get the desired consistency you want. This might be more or less than the written amount. Sprinkle in salt and pepper (if using) to taste.
- Serve. Spoon mixture into serving bowl, top with more butter and sprinkle with fresh herbs, such as fresh thyme or parsley for presentation. Enjoy!
Expert tips
- Cut potatoes evenly. Before boiling, cube potatoes in similar sizes. This helps them cook consistently.
- Add butter before liquid. For super creamy mashed potatoes add your fat (room temperature butter) before other ingredients. This allows the fat to coat the starch and results in the best mashed potatoes.
- Mashing. This metal potato masher works great to mash up these sweet potatoes. It gives you more control over the consistency and texture (and lasts forever because it’s metal). It’s harder to get a completely smooth texture when you hand mash, so a hand mixer or immersion blender would work as well.
- Don’t over mix. Just like with baked goods over mixing can lead to a gummy consistency.
Frequently asked questions
For a smooth and creamy mash like the one pictured, we recommend peeling them first. Then, so they boil faster, cube them. However, if you prefer a more rustic mash with a little skin, leave it on.
Sweet and regular potatoes are quite similar when it comes to nutrition. The biggest difference is that sweet potatoes contain more vitamin A and regular potatoes have more potassium.
Since we are cubing the sweet potatoes before boiling, these cook quite quickly. They should be fork-tender in about 10 minutes.
Customize this recipe
This mashed sweet potato recipe is easy to customize to be more savory or more sweet. If you’re serving as a side dish with a roast or piece of chicken, you might want your potatoes to be more savory, whereas if you’re making this for Thanksgiving, sweet potatoes are classically made sweeter with brown sugar and cinnamon. Here’s some guidelines going one way or the other:
- Savory. Try boiling and mashing the potatoes with one or two cloves of garlic. Add in the butter and cream and enjoy that sweet, yet savory flavor.
- Sweet. When mashing your fork-tender potatoes, add in 1/4 cup packed brown sugar with 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, along with the directed butter and cream. (Adjust sugar for desired sweetness.)
Storage recommendations
- Make ahead. Boil, bake, or cook the potatoes in a pressure cooker up to 3-5 days in advance. Or make the complete recipe and refrigerate until ready to heat and serve.
- Storing leftovers. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
- Freezing. Seal in a freezer-safe airtight container for up to 4-6 months.
- Reheat. Add the mashed potatoes to a pot on the stove over medium to medium-low heat with a touch more cream or milk. You can also microwave until warm.
If you try this recipe, let me know! Leave a comment and if your family loves it as much as mine does, be sure to give it a five star ⭐️ rating! Also, tag @kimscravings on Instagram with a picture of your creation. Be sure to subscribe to our mailing list to receive more healthy delicious recipes straight to your inbox.
Mashed Sweet Potatoes
Ingredients
- 2 pounds sweet potatoes, about 2 medium to large
- 3 tablespoons butter, plus for serving as desired
- 1/4 cup heavy cream or milk
- 1/4 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
Optional for savory potatoes
- 1-2 cloves garlic
Optional for sweet potatoes
- 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Peel sweet potatoes and cut into 1-inch cubes. Place into a large pot and cover with cold water.
- Bring to boil, then reduce to simmer and cook until potatoes are fork tender, about 10 minutes.
- Drain potatoes completely, then replace back into pot. Mash with butter and enough cream (or milk) to get the consistency you want. This might be more or less than the written amount. Sprinkle in salt to taste.
- Spoon into serving bowl, top with more butter, if you’d like. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- Make ahead. Boil, bake, or cook the potatoes in a pressure cooker up to 3-5 days in advance. Or make the complete recipe and refrigerate until ready to heat and serve.
- Storing leftovers. Keep mashed sweet potatoes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
- Freezing. Seal in a freezer-safe airtight container for up to 4-6 months.
- Reheat. Add the mashed potatoes to a pot on the stove over medium to medium-low heat with a touch more cream or milk. You can also microwave until warm.
Did you make this recipe?
Tag @kimscravings on Instagram and be sure to subscribe to our mailing list to receive more healthy and delicious recipes straight to your inbox!