Your holiday table is incomplete without these mashed sweet potatoes. A hint of maple syrup and bold spices elevate the natural caramel flavors, and guests will be diving in for seconds.
Recipe Science
- To perfectly caramelize sweet potatoes, cut them into small 1/2″ pieces. Increased browning enhances their naturally sweet flavor.
- Sauté the diced sweet potatoes in butter for a nutty, butterscotch flavor from the browned milk solids.
- Steam the potatoes; don’t boil. The gentle heat softens pectin and hydrates starches, tenderizing the flesh without diluting the taste.
Jump To a Section
Featured Comment 4
“Wow – just made these mashed sweet potatoes. I have been making them for years and they have been ok but now I realized I have been missing out on how special this dish is thanks to you Jessica! This recipe is easy and wow – the taste is incredible! Can’t wait for everyone to try them for Thanksgiving.”—Marissa
Why It Works
A big bowl of classic mashed potatoes is always the perfect side dish to have on the dinner table. But why not try a colorful twist to delight your guests? Most recipes boil the sweet potatoes, which creates soggy pieces diluted in flavor and loss of water-soluble vitamins and minerals. To avoid this, I use a more straightforward method requiring only one pot.
Start by sauteing small pieces of sweet potato in butter. Yes, you read that right. The fat flavors the spuds and prevents the starches from getting pasty when mashed. Next, steam the potatoes until fork tender. I use the same pot—no extra dishes or wasting water. The pieces will crush easily, and the dish will finish with velvety cream and fragrant spices. You may want to double the recipe for Thanksgiving, as it disappears fast!
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Sweet Potatoes: For the most stunning appearance, select a type of sweet potato with bright orange flesh. My top choices are Beauregard, Garnet, and Jewels for their sweeter taste and tender texture. Peel the sweet potatoes, then cut them into 1/2-inch pieces.
- Butter: The fat is used to saute the sweet potatoes, caramelizing the surface and adding richness to the dish.
- Water: Moisture is needed to steam and tenderize the potatoes before mashing.
- Cream: Heavy cream contains at least 36% milkfat, adding richness to the dish.
- Sweetener: If desired, add a small amount of maple syrup to enhance the sweet taste of the potatoes.
- Seasoning: I add bold spices to the potatoes for dimension. I like cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.
See the recipe card below for all ingredients and measurements (US and metric).
Ingredient Substitutions
Try switching up your next batch of mashed sweet potatoes with these delicious suggestions:
- Sweet Potato Swaps: If you prefer white-fleshed varieties, go for Japanese White, also called Satsumo-Imo, Oriental, or Murasaki. They have a nutty sweetness and aren’t as dry and starchy as Hannahs. Once mashed, you can adjust the consistency with more liquid since the composition differs between varieties.
- Water Substitutes: Use vegetable stock or broth, or add a little miso paste for a more refined, savory taste.
- Cream Alternatives: Use half-and-half or whole milk. The higher the milkfat, the thicker the consistency will be. For a hint of tanginess, use sour cream or yogurt. Use canned coconut milk, almond milk, or cashew milk for a dairy-free alternative.
- Sweeteners: Try brown sugar, honey, agave, coconut sugar, or granulated sugar. You don’t have to add any extra sweetener if you don’t want to. Chef’s choice!
- Seasoning Options: Add some pumpkin pie spice, ginger, allspice, cardamom, or cloves. It makes it taste like a sweet potato casserole. Herbs like fresh thyme, rosemary, tarragon, dill, or chives are a nice addition.
How to Make Mashed Sweet Potatoes
Step 1: Brown the Surface
Saute the sweet potato pieces in butter over moderate heat. The maltose sugars on the surface will lightly brown, and you can smell the caramel aromas. Cook until the surface is lightly browned and the potatoes are fragrant, stir frequently to prevent sticking, about 5 to 7 minutes.
The key is frequent stirring to cook the spud’s surface while preventing the sugars from sticking to the pan and burning. I recommend using a heavy-bottomed large pot like a Dutch oven with a cover to make the mash.
Ingredient Chemistry: The smaller surface area of the potatoes gives more opportunity to develop a golden brown color and deeper flavor on the surface. The result is more flavorful potatoes! In addition, the cooked milk solids from the butter create a nutty butterscotch flavor, similar to browned butter.
Step 2: Cook the Potatoes
I’m a big fan of steaming sweet potatoes instead of boiling them. The trapped hot and moist heat softens the hard pectin in the cell walls and hydrates the starches. I do this for my Instant-Pot mashed potatoes, as the pressure cooker creates a similar environment. Boiling is effective but makes the sweet potatoes mushy and weak in taste.
Tips for Perfect Execution: Instead of using a separate vessel, add just enough water to the sauteed sweet potatoes and cover. The steam generated on the stovetop will make them tender in about 10 minutes.
Step 3: Mash the Sweet Potatoes
Use a potato masher to crush the cooked sweet potatoes for a simple rustic texture. I like to leave little pieces for flavor bursts, so it’s not entirely smooth.
Experimentation Encouraged: If you want a light whipped texture, add the potatoes to a food processor and pulse until a puree forms. The sheer from the blades helps to break up any fibrous pieces.
Step 4: Add the Flavoring
Add heavy whipping cream to give the mashed sweet potatoes a creamy texture. Turn off the heat if you don’t want the dairy to curdle.
The potatoes should already be quite sweet, but I add a bit of pure maple syrup or brown sugar in addition to the spices for molasses notes to enhance the caramel taste.
Pro Tip: This is a great make-ahead recipe for the holidays. Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days.
Frequently Asked Questions
They both contain fiber, protein, carbohydrates, B vitamins, and ascorbic acid from vitamin C. Sweet potatoes contain amylase enzymes, and regular potatoes like russets do not. This adds more sugars from maltose when cooked but still has a low glycemic index. If using orange-fleshed sweet potatoes, each serving will contain more vitamin A. Purple potatoes are the healthiest as the dark pigment delivers more phytonutrients.
To develop the best taste and texture, I use two techniques: sauteing and steaming. The dry-heat cooking of the butter helps to caramelize the sugars on the cut sides of the potato. When temperatures in the hot pan and the covered pot reach between 140 to 170ºF (60 to 77ºC), this triggers the activity of the amylase enzymes in the potatoes. It breaks down the amylose and amylopectin starches in the cell walls, converting them into maltose. The result is sweeter bites!
Do not boil! Instead, saute the pieces to coat them in a protective fat layer, then steam. The flesh will absorb enough water to hydrate the starches, so they swell and get fluffy, and the pectin in the cell walls will soften. This prevents the texture from being too watery and diluted in flavor.
Yes! Substitute the butter with olive oil, avocado oil, coconut oil, or margarine. Use canned coconut milk instead of heavy cream or whole milk.
Serve This With
If you tried this Mashed Sweet Potatoes recipe, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below!
Mashed Sweet Potatoes
Ingredients
- 2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into ½" pieces
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup water
- ½ cup heavy whipping cream, or whole milk
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup, or brown sugar (optional)
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
Instructions
- Brown the Surface – Heat a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Immediately add the butter. Once melted, add the sweet potatoes and salt. Cook until the surface is lightly browned and the potatoes are fragrant, stirring frequently to prevent sticking, about 5 to 7 minutes.
- Cook the Potatoes – Carefully add the water and stir. Cover and reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook until the potatoes are fork-tender, about 10 to 13 minutes. Stir every 5 minutes to prevent sticking and burning on the bottom of the pot. Turn off the heat.
- Mash – Use a potato masher to crush the sweet potatoes into a smooth puree with some small chunks. Alternatively, add to a food processor and pulse until smooth.
- Add Flavor – Add the heavy whipping cream, maple syrup (if using), cinnamon, and nutmeg. Stir to combine. Adjust the seasonings to taste. Add more water or vegetable stock if a thinner consistency is desired. Rewarm mashed sweet potatoes if needed.
Recipe Video
Notes
- Recipe Yield: About 4 cups
- Serving Size: ½ cup
- Using pumpkin pie spice: Add ½ teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice instead of cinnamon and nutmeg.
- Using vegetable stock: Add unsalted vegetable stock instead of water for a savory taste.
- Make it Dairy-Free and Vegan: Use margarine, olive oil, avocado oil, or coconut oil instead of butter. Substitute heavy whipping cream with canned coconut milk.
- Make it Paleo: Use olive oil, avocado oil, or ghee instead of butter. Use coconut milk instead of cream.
- Storing: Cool and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Reheating: Cover and microwave on high setting in 30-second increments until hot, stirring in between. On the stovetop, stir and warm over medium-low heat until hot. Add water if needed to make it less thick.
Nutrition Facts
Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000-calorie diet. All nutritional information is based on estimated third-party calculations. Each recipe and nutritional value will vary depending on the brands you use, measuring methods, and portion sizes per household.
Recipe Resources
Marissa Meyers says
wow – just made these mashed sweet potatoes. I have been making them for years and they have been ok but now I realized I have been missing out on how special this dish is thanks to you Jessica! This recipe is easy and wow – the taste is incredible! Can’t wait for everyone to try them for Thanksgiving 🙂
Jessica Gavin says
Yay! So glad that you gave this version a try and enjoyed the results!
WANDA says
LOVE YOUR RECIPES. CHECK ALL OF THEM. MAKE SOME
THANK YOU
Jessica Gavin says
Thank you, Wanda!