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Mashed Sweet Potatoes Topped with Butter and Roasted Garlic
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Mashed Sweet Potatoes

This tasty mashed sweet potato recipe is more than a recipe; it's two recipes! Let me show you how to make both sweet and savory mashed sweet potatoes. These are fantastic, seasonal side dishes that will surely steal the show. And, they're perfect for the holidays.
Course Side Dish, Sides
Cuisine Southern
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings 6
Calories 297kcal
Author Imma

Equipment

  • Saucepan
  • Large bowl
  • Hand mixer

Ingredients

Sweet Mashed Potatoes

  • 3 pounds (1.4 kg) sweet potatoes
  • ¼ cup melted butter or ghee
  • cup heavy cream
  • 3 tablespoons maple syrup or honey
  • ½ teaspoon allspice
  • ¼ teaspoon nutmeg spice
  • salt to taste
  • pecans for garnishing

Savory Mashed Potatoes

  • 2 medium or 1 large garlic head
  • 1 teaspoon oil
  • 1-2 sprigs of thyme
  • 1-2 teaspoons salt (divided - for seasoning the boiled sweet potatoes and the other for the mashed sweet potatoes)
  • 3 pounds sweet potatoes
  • 2-3 ounces softened butter
  • ¼ -⅓ cup sour cream (room temperature)
  • ½ cup or more warm milk
  • salt and freshly ground black pepper or white pepper to taste
  • chopped parsley or thyme for garnishing

Instructions

  • Rinse, peel, cut the sweet potatoes into chunks, then add to a medium saucepan. The water should cover the sweet potatoes by at least an inch. (Add ½-1 teaspoon of salt if making savory mashed sweet potatoes).
  • Bring it all to a boil over high heat and then reduce the heat. Cook until tender and sweet potatoes are easily pierced with a fork, about 12 minutes or more, depending on the potatoes' size.
  • Drain water and simmer for about one more minute or until water has evaporated from the potatoes. Choose Sweet or Savory.
  • Baking Method: Wash sweet potatoes and remove any blemishes or dark spots. Pierce each sweet potato several times with a fork. Then wrap with aluminum foil. Bake at 400°F for about 50–60 minutes or more or until a fork easily presses into the center. Let it cool slightly.  Once sweet potatoes are cool enough to handle – remove skin or scoop out sweet potatoes. Place in a large bowl. Choose Sweet or Savory.

Sweet Mashed Potatoes

  • Add potatoes to a mixing bowl, mash the potatoes using a handheld mixer. Then add butter, heavy cream, maple syrup, allspice, nutmeg, and salt. Adjust seasonings to suit your tastebuds with more spices.
  • Serve warm.

Savory Mashed Potatoes

  • Cut the top ¼” to ½” off of a whole head of garlic, so that each individual clove should be visible. Make sure every garlic clove is exposed.
  • Place the head of garlic on foil paper together with the thyme. Drizzle the top of the garlic with a bit of oil, about 1 teaspoon. Wrap it up and place it in the oven to roast for about 30 minutes or more. It should be soft, fragrant, and golden. Let the garlic cool, then squeeze individual cloves out of the skin. Set aside.
  • Transfer sweet potatoes into a large bowl. Then, add softened butter, sour cream, roasted garlic, and black pepper.
  • Start mixing using a hand mixer while adding warm milk as you go until the sweet potatoes are soft and fluffy. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve warm and garnish with thyme or parsley.

Notes

  • Calculated nutritional value is for mashed sweet potatoes.
  • Sweet potatoes don't ripen like other veggies and fruits, so there's no such thing as overripe sweet potatoes. They reach their sweet spot between six and eight weeks after harvest. Try not to overcook them.
  • Removing sweet potatoes peel after boiling is easy, but leave them too long, and they get too soggy, making them a bit harder to peel.
  • You can store sweet potatoes for a month in a dry, dark place. Don't refrigerate sweet potatoes unless they're already cooked.
  • Avoid bruised, mushy, or damaged sweet potatoes; look for smooth, brightly colored root veggies.
  • Please keep in mind that the nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary significantly based on the products used in the recipe.

Nutrition

Serving: 233g | Calories: 297kcal | Carbohydrates: 53g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 20mg | Sodium: 225mg | Potassium: 806mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 15g | Vitamin A: 3277IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 81mg | Iron: 2mg