Insanely Easy Mashed Sweet Potatoes
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Creamy Mashed Sweet Potatoes are enriched with the warm sweetness of brown sugar and a touch of nutmeg. Perfect for holidays or a comforting side dish all year round.
This insanely easy mashed sweet potato recipe makes a perfect Thanksgiving side dish alongside Green Bean Casserole, Fresh Cranberry Sauce, and Wild Rice Stuffing With Cranberries.
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Table of Contents
Why We Love Mashed Sweet Potatoes
This recipe’s comforting, heartwarming flavors and textures will quickly become a favorite.
- Irresistible Sweetness: The combination of brown sugar and butter creates a lusciously sweet and rich flavor that’s hard to resist.
- Warm and Comforting: The addition of nutmeg infuses sweet potatoes with a warm, comforting, and aromatic twist.
- Creamy Perfection: Mashed to creamy perfection, these sweet potatoes have a velvety texture that melts in your mouth.
- Crunchy Elegance: The optional finishing touch of toasted pecans adds a delightful crunch, elevating the dish to an elegant and texturally diverse masterpiece.
- Versatile Delight: Whether served as a side dish for a holiday feast or a cozy weeknight dinner, smashed sweet potatoes are a versatile and delicious addition to any meal.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Mashed sweet potatoes are a satisfying upgrade to a classic potato side dish.
For specific amounts, please refer to the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.
- Sweet Potatoes – Peel and cube sweet potatoes for even cooking and a smooth consistency. (2 pounds is about 6 medium potatoes)
- Milk (Or Heavy Cream) – Warm dairy to avoid cooling the smashed sweet potato mixture.
- Butter – soften or warm butter to avoid cooling potatoes, but avoid melting, which separates the milk solids.
- Brown Sugar – sweet notes of molasses.
- Nutmeg – is a nutty, earthy, and slightly sweet warm spice
- Salt & Black Pepper
- Pecans (optional) – chopped and toasted for a buttery, nutty flavor.
- Fresh Parsley, Rosemary, Or Thyme, Minced (optional garnish)
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How To Make The Best Mashed Sweet Potatoes
Creamy and delicious mashed sweet potatoes with nutmeg are the perfect side dish for any occasion. This easy-to-follow recipe produces tasty results every time.
When you are cooking, you’ll want to use the full recipe at the bottom of the page.
- Boil sweet potatoes and drain well.
- Mash warm potatoes with an electric mixer or potato masher.
- Stir in milk, butter, brown sugar, and nutmeg.
- Mix until well blended, adding salt and pepper to taste.
Tools
And several options to get the mashing done!
- Fork (and strong bicep!)
- Potato Masher
- Hand-held mixer or Stand mixer
- Food Mill
- Potato Ricer
Recipe Notes And Tips
- For every 1 pound of raw sweet potatoes, you can use 2 large, 3 medium, or 4 small sweet potatoes.
- Drain the potatoes thoroughly using a colander to remove excess moisture.
- When using an electric mixer, avoid overdoing it – you don’t want to create a puree.
- Use a food processor or potato ricer for a velvety texture instead of an electric mixer for a smooth and lump-free result.
- Opt for a fork or hand masher for smashed sweet potatoes with a chunkier texture.
- Ensure the milk and butter are warmed before adding them to the hot potatoes.
- Add the milk gradually until you achieve your desired consistency.
How To Store Mashed Sweet Potatoes
This side dish is best enjoyed when it is fresh.
Refrigerate/Leftovers
Store leftover cooled sweet potatoes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days.
Freeze Sweet Potato Mashed Potatoes
Frozen mashed sweet potatoes can have a different texture when thawed. However, they should taste just fine when reheated. Vacuum seal them or press plastic entirely over the surface to avoid exposure to air.
Reheat – Warm gently on the stovetop or microwave until heated.
Recipe FAQs
Lately, the words smashed or mashed seem to be used interchangeably when it comes to sweet or regular mashed potato recipes. Mashed potatoes have a smoother, uniform texture, whereas smashed potatoes retain a chunkier, more “rustic” consistency. Both options offer unique ways to enjoy sweet potatoes’ natural sweetness.
You can get creative with leftover mashed sweet potatoes by incorporating them into other dishes like a breakfast hash, turkey wrap, or sweet potato pancakes.
To cook sweet potatoes for mashing, peel and cut them into evenly sized pieces. Then boil the potato chunks until they are fork-tender, just like you do for regular or make-ahead mashed potatoes. Then drain and mash them for a delicious side dish.
Mashed sweet potatoes can go from delicious to dismal and tough for more than one reason. First, do not store sweet potatoes in the fridge; it changes the cell structure and creates a tough potato.
When you whip or blend the cooked orange tuber too much, starch is released, and they can also become gummy.
Variations and Additions
Here are a few simple and tasty variations and additions, guaranteed to add a delicious twist to your mealtime routine.
- Swap brown sugar with maple syrup for an extra depth of sweetness.
- Use a pinch of cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes for a subtle, spicy kick.
- For a sweet and aromatic note, mix in a teaspoon of vanilla extract.
- Add a bright, citrusy twist with a bit of orange zest.
- Feel free to skip the fresh herb and instead garnish with a sprinkle of cinnamon.
- For savory sweet potato mashed potatoes, skip the brown sugar and nutmeg, and garnish with fresh herbs.
- Depending on your menu, you can use coconut milk instead of regular milk for tropical undertones.
- Go old school for the littles and press a few mini marshmallows on their servings.
Like This Recipe?
I’d love to hear what you think! Leave a review below and let me know how you liked the recipe!
Easy Mashed Sweet Potatoes
Insanely Easy Mashed Sweet Potatoes are enriched with the warm sweetness of brown sugar and a touch of nutmeg. This easy-to-follow recipe produces tasty results every time. Perfect for holidays or a comforting side dish all year round.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds (about 6 medium) sweet potatoes peeled and cubed
- 1/2 cup milk (or heavy cream), warm
- 4 tablespoons butter, softened or melted
- 2-3 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons chopped toasted pecans (optional)
- fresh parsley, rosemary or thyme, minced for (optional garnish)
Instructions
- Start by bringing a generously salted pot of water to a boil. Add the cubed sweet potatoes and lower the heat to medium-low, allowing them to gently simmer until they become tender (about 20 to 30 minutes).
- Once they're done, drain well and return the sweet potatoes to the pot.
- Mash warm sweet potatoes with an electric mixer or potato masher
- Stir in milk, butter, brown sugar, and nutmeg.
- Mix until all ingredients are well blended, adding salt and pepper to taste.
- Spoon into a serving bowl, and garnish with the chopped pecans, additional butter, parsley, rosemary or thyme, if desired.
Notes
- 1 pound of raw sweet potatoes is: 2 large sweet potatoes, 3 medium sweet potatoes, or 4 small sweet potatoes.
- If you like smooth mashed potatoes, use an electric mixer until smooth (careful not to puree), if you prefer chunky mashed potatoes, use a fork or hand masher.
- Use a colander to allow the potatoes to drain well.
- Add milk a little at a time until you reach your desired consistency.
- Brown sugar can be adjusted to your taste.
- Make sure the milk and butter are warm before adding them to the hot potatoes.
- You can skip the parsley, and garnish with a sprinkle of cinnamon.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 127Total Fat: 7gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 16mgSodium: 191mgCarbohydrates: 14gFiber: 1gSugar: 5gProtein: 2g
Nutrition information is estimated based on the ingredients and cooking instructions as described in each recipe and is intended to be used for informational purposes only. Please note that nutrition details may vary based on methods of preparation, origin, and freshness of ingredients used and are just estimates. We encourage, especially if these numbers are important to you, to calculate these on your own for most accurate results.
Hi there, I'm Cheryl!
As a wife, mom, and caffeine enthusiast, my journey has taken me from bustling mornings with my family to sharing delicious recipes, home care tips, and heartfelt decorating insights with wonderful readers like you. My love for baking, photography, and tidiness shines through every post I craft. Dive into my world and discover the art of homemaking, one tidy moment at a time. Read more...
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