Mashed sweet potatoes are such a delicious, savory change from the usual sweet potato casseroles and sweeter sides. To ensure that these mashed sweet potatoes were not even a little bit reminiscent of baby food, I added plenty of earthy, grown up flavors. Fresh thyme, butter, and rich cream make sweet potatoes taste truly fabulous, and give classic mashed potatoes a run for their money.
Key Ingredients + Swaps
- Sweet potatoes: Look for smooth skin without brown spots or wrinkles. You’ll probably need 5-6 sweet potatoes for this recipe.
- Cream: Heavy cream is best, but half and half or whole milk would be OK in a pinch. Or, to make the mashed sweet potatoes vegan or dairy-free, full fat coconut milk works as a swap.
- Butter: A full stick of butter!! Yum. You could use olive oil, or a dairy-free brand of butter, if you need these to be diary free or vegan.
- Maple syrup: Just a splash of maple syrup, to emphasize the sweet potatoes sweetness.
- Nutmeg: I almost always include a dash of nutmeg when I make savory recipes with cream. Nutmeg’s warmth is so unique, and it’s perfect in a dish like this.
- Thyme: I keep bundles of thyme around my house this time of year, because it’s the herb of the holidays (right up there with sage!). It’s lovely with sweet potatoes.
How To Make Mashed Sweet Potatoes
- Boil the potatoes in salted water until they’re tender.
- Melt the butter into the cream in the stock pot.
- Rice or mash the sweet potatoes into the hot butter mixture. Work gently because overly-worked mashed potatoes can get gluey.
- Season the mashed sweet potatoes with salt, maple syrup, pepper, nutmeg, and thyme and stir gently to combine.
Make Ahead Tips
Holiday hosts, take heart Mashed sweet potatoes can be made up to 3 days ahead of time. Make the full recipe, and let the mashed sweet potatoes cool. Store them in an airtight container until you’re ready to serve them. Reheat over low heat on the stovetop, and add a splash or milk or cream if they need it. You could also spread the mashed sweet potatoes in a covered casserole dish and warm them at 350°F for 20-30 minutes.
More Simple Sweet Potato Sides
More Menu Help, This Way
For more recipe inspiration, follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Pinterest or order our cookbook. We love when you share your meals. Tag us on Instagram using #themodernproper, and we’d love to hear what you think of this recipe in the comments below. Happy cooking!
