Mashed Sweet Potatoes make the very best Thanksgiving side dish! This family favorite recipe is creamy, savory, and has the best touch of sweetness that always hits the spot. It’s super quick and easy to make in just 30 minutes!
Mashed Sweet Potatoes
While mashed sweet potatoes and Sweet Potato Casserole are a classic Thanksgiving side dish, they taste so good you’ll want to enjoy them all year round! The flavor and consistency is so sweet and creamy that this recipe is bound to become a staple. Plus, the natural orange hue also adds a gorgeous pop of color to any dinner spread. From Roast Turkey and stuffing to glazed ham and brussel sprouts, this mashed sweet potatoes recipe is sure to compliment everything. Oh, and they’re made with your standard kitchen staples that you may already have on hand!
Need some side dish inspiration? Try this easy Classic Mashed Potatoes, my favorite Stuffing Recipe, or Winter Salad to elevate and complete your meals.
What’s the difference between sweet potatoes and yams?
Sweet potatoes are root vegetables and yams are tubers. Yams are much starchier and are not as sweet as sweet potatoes and have higher carb levels. Yams are longer and have more of a bark-like texture to their skin and taste closer to regular potatoes or yucca. Sweet potatoes are rounder in the middle and taper on either end and have a higher sugar content. They can have similar coloring though, so don’t feel too bad if you happen to mix them up in the grocery store! Texture and taste will let you know which is which when you really get down to it.
How To Make Mashed Sweet Potatoes
- Heat. Fill a large pot with water and heat on high until boiling.
- Prep. Scrub the sweet potatoes to remove any residual dirt before adding them to the water. Boil for 20-30 minutes. Turn them a few times throughout to ensure even cooking. Potatoes are done when stuck with a knife and the potato slides cleanly off. If the knife is stuck in any way, continue boiling.
- Drain. Drain the water from the potatoes and let them cool on a cutting board. Once they’re cool enough to handle, peel them and add them back to the pot.
- Do the mash. Use a potato masher or a hand mixer to mash the potatoes until smooth and fluffy.
- Whip and season. Stir in the butter pieces until melted. Now add your heavy cream, brown sugar, minced garlic, cinnamon, and salt. Whip the potatoes on medium speed for about 1 minute or until all the ingredients are combined. Scrape down the sides for any missed portions, adjust salt (or other seasonings) to taste, and whip once more for about 30 seconds.
- Serve. Serve with additional butter and garnish with fresh sage or parsley. Enjoy!
Storing Mashed Sweet Potatoes
Have holiday leftovers? These mashed sweet potatoes can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge and will stay fresh for 5 days.
Ingredients Notes for Mashed Sweet Potatoes
- Brown sugar – For added sweetness over savory, add in more brown sugar and drizzle with honey or maple syrup.
- Garlic – If you want more of a savory flavor as opposed to sweet, feel free to up the garlic, add in some onion powder, and throw in another dash or two of salt.
- Heavy cream – No heavy cream on hand? You can substitute it with whole milk. The potatoes won’t be quite as dense and creamy but it does work well as an alternative. Of course you can try dairy free options but they tend to be much thinner so use sparingly.
- Butter – You can use salted or unsalted butter for this recipe.
Enjoy!
~Nichole
Mashed Sweet Potatoes
Ingredients
- 6 Pounds of Sweet Potatoes
- 1 Stick of Butter cut into pieces
- 1 Cup of Heavy Cream
- 3 Tablespoons of Brown Sugar
- 2 Cloves of Garlic finely minced
- 1 teaspoon of Ground Cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon of Salt plus more to taste
Instructions
- Heat a large pot filled with water over high heat until boiling.
- Scrub the potatoes clean then add them to the water and boil for 20-30 minutes, turning them a few times so they cook evenly.
- Check to see if they are done but sticking a knife all the way through one of the potatoes. If the potato slides off easily then they are done, if they hold onto the knife at all, continue boiling until they slide right off the knife.
- Drain the water from the pot and let the potatoes cool on a cutting board.
- Once they cool enough to handle, peel the potatoes and add them back to the pot.
- Use a hand mixer or masher to mash the potatoes until they are smooth and fluffy.
- Stir in the butter until melted then add the heavy cream, brown sugar, garlic, cinnamon, and salt and whip for 1 minute on medium speed.
- Scrape down the sides of the pan, adjust salt to taste, then whip for another 30 seconds.
- Serve with pats of butter and fresh sage for garnish if desired.
