Sweet Potato Recipe

Have you tried mashed sweet potatoes, yet? It’s easy to fall in love with this ultra creamy sweet potato mash made with butter and a hint of cinnamon. These are on the savory side, but I’ve shared a few sweeter variations below. Jump to the Mashed Sweet Potatoes Recipe

Mashed sweet potatoes are just as easy as making regular mashed potatoes. Since sweet potatoes already have a silky texture, they turn into an absolutely delicious mash.

Our recipe below is on the savory side. I love adding a bay leaf to the water when cooking the potatoes for extra flavor and keeping the mash simple with a little butter, cinnamon, salt, pepper, and when I want them to be extra creamy, I add sour cream.

Red and orange-skinned sweet potatoes make the best mashed sweet potatoes (sometimes incorrectly labeled yams in the US). These taste sweeter and have a creamier texture compared to more dry starchier varieties of sweet potato like tan or purple-skinned sweet potatoes.

The skin should be firm and smooth. I also prefer to buy small to medium sweet potatoes since these tend to be a little less starchy compared to the really large sweet potatoes.

To prep sweet potatoes, I use a vegetable brush to scrub any dirt from the peel. If you don’t have a veggie brush or scrubber, you can crumple up a sheet of foil and use that to scrub the potatoes clean.

My preferred method is to simmer them in water — just like I do for regular mashed potatoes. Simmering them on the stove is quick and easy.

I add cubed, peeled sweet potatoes to a large pot and cover them with about an inch of water. I add a generous amount of salt as well as a bay leaf then bring the water to a simmer and cook until tender. The salt makes the potatoes taste incredible and the bay leaf adds a bit of extra flavor. Sometimes, I swap the bay leaf for a sprig or two of fresh thyme or rosemary.

Easy Creamy Mashed Sweet Potatoes

These easy mashed sweet potatoes are on the savory side, but you can add a few extra ingredients for a sweeter version. See our tips in the notes section below for our suggestions. You can simmer, bake, microwave, or use a pressure cooker to cook the sweet potatoes. Our preferred method is to simmer the potatoes since this takes a similar amount of time when using a pressure cooker and when microwaving them and less time than when using an oven. We have included the steps for cooking sweet potatoes in the oven, microwave, and pressure cooker in the article above.

Prep: 10min

Total: 30min

Yield: Makes 6 servings (about 5 1/2 cups)

Serving Size: About 3/4 cup

Nutrition Facts: servingSize About 3/4 cup, calories 257, Fat 6.7g, Saturated Fat 4.2g, Cholesterol 17.4mg, Sodium 711.1mg, Carbohydrate 46.2g, Fiber 6.9g, Sugar 9.5g, Protein 4.1g

Ingredients:

• 3 pounds sweet potatoes, scrubbed clean (5 to 6 small-to-medium)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons fine sea salt, plus more to taste
• 1 bay leaf, optional or a substitute fresh thyme or rosemary sprig
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon or more to taste
• 3 tablespoons sour cream, heavy cream, milk or half-and-half, optional
• Fine herbs and fresh ground black pepper, to taste

Instruction:

1. Peel and cut sweet potatoes into 1-inch cubes. Add to a large pot and add enough water so that they are covered by about one inch of water. Add the salt and bay leaf.
2. Bring the water to a boil, reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until the potatoes are easily pierced with a fork, 10 to 12 minutes. Drain well, and then return the potatoes to the pot. Or if you plan to use a food processor, add them directly to the processor bowl. (A food processor makes extra silky mashed sweet potatoes.)
3. Add the butter, cinnamon, black pepper, and a pinch of salt. Mash the sweet potatoes with a potato masher until your desired consistency. If using a food processor, pulse until your desired consistency.
4. For extra creamy sweet potatoes, stir in sour cream or a splash of heavy cream, milk, or half-and-half. Serve with extra butter and chopped fresh herbs (optional) on top.

Marshmallow-Topped Sweet Potatoes

Cooking sweet potatoes is a staple of many Thanksgiving Day celebrations. Add our sweet potato and marshmallow side dish to your lineup, and wow your family with this quick-prep dish. In just five minutes, you can prep our baked sweet potato recipe, then throw it in the oven, and bake to perfection. Show your kids how to make this sweet potato-marshmallow dish, and start a family tradition that’s sure to last for years to come.

Prep: 5min

Total: 35min

Yield: 8

Serving Size: 1 Serving

Nutrition Facts: calories 240 , Carbohydrate 44 g, Cholesterol 15 mg, Fat 1 , Fiber 3 g, Protein 1 g, Saturated Fat 3 1/2 g, servingSize 1 Serving, Sodium 250 mg, Sugar 20 g, Trans Fat 0 g

Ingredients:

• 3 cans (15-oz each) sweet potatoes, drained
• 1/4 cup butter, melted
• 1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 15 large marshmallows

Instruction:

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Spray 12×8-inch (2-quart) glass baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Place sweet potatoes in sprayed baking dish. Pour butter over potatoes. Sprinkle with brown sugar and salt. Top with marshmallows.
3. Bake at 350°F. for 25 to 30 minutes or until potatoes are thoroughly heated and marshmallows are lightly browned.

Best Ever Roasted Sweet Potatoes Recipe – How to Bake Sweet Potatoes

FAQ

What is the best way to eat sweet potato?

1. A Crispy, Healthy Snack. Try munching on sweet potato chips. …
2. Just Drizzle and Eat! …
3. Add a Twist to Your Sandwiches. …
4. Sweet Potato Pancakes! …
5. The New Potato Salad. …
6. Grill ’em! …
7. Sweet Potato Fries. …
8. Top Your Salad.

What is the healthiest way to cook sweet potatoes?

Is it better to boil or bake sweet potatoes?

Why do you soak sweet potatoes in water before cooking?