We’re in love with these mashed sweet potatoes! This recipe is quick, simple, super creamy, and absolutely delicious! These are on the savory side, you’ll love them.
If you love sweet potatoes, you will love this easy recipe! Mashed sweet potatoes are just as easy as making traditional mashed potatoes. Sweet potatoes already have a silky smooth texture, which makes them incredibly delicious when you mash them! Our readers have called this recipe “a real winner!”
These incredible mashed sweet potatoes are on the savory side, but I’ve shared a sweet variation below the recipe. If you prefer roasted potatoes, don’t miss our roasted sweet potatoes made with coconut oil, which makes them incredibly delicious.
Key Ingredients
- Sweet potatoes: Sweet potato mash is best with red, orange, or purple sweet potatoes (not the tan varieties). They’re naturally sweeter and creamier. I also prefer small to medium sweet potatoes, which are less starchy than the really large ones!
- Salt: Make sure that you salt your cooking water for sweet potatoes (I say the same thing when making regular mashed potatoes).
- Bay leaf: These are savory mashed potatoes, so I add one bay leaf to the cooking water with my sweet potatoes.
- Butter: A must when making mashed potatoes. I love mashing some into the sweet potatoes and adding a little bit on top for serving. For a toasty flavor, substitute brown butter!
- Cinnamon: I add a hint of cinnamon (just 1/8 teaspoon), which adds a little warmth. Trust me!
- Sour cream or cream: These are optional, but I love making my sweet potato mash creamy. Tangier sour cream is my favorite, but a splash of cream does the job nicely.
How to Make Mashed Sweet Potatoes
For the best mashed sweet potatoes, I peel them and chop them into chunks. Then, I toss them in a pot with water, a good pinch of salt, and a bay leaf for a little extra flavor. (Sometimes, I’ll swap the bay leaf for a sprig or two of fresh thyme or rosemary!) Bring it to a simmer and cook until they’re nice and tender.
A potato masher gives you a creamy texture with some nice bits, or if you want super smooth, silky mashed sweet potatoes, use a food processor. Some of our readers prefer the food processor since it’s quick and gives you a super smooth texture. I actually like the chunkier texture of hand mashing, but do what works for you!
Also, I prefer this recipe on the savory side, so as I’m mashing, I stir in butter, a dash of cinnamon, some black pepper, a bit more salt, and a dollop of sour cream or regular cream. It’s seriously so good! That said, I’ve shared a sweet option in the tips section below the recipe if you think that’s more to your taste.
Easy Mashed Sweet Potatoes
- PREP
- COOK
- TOTAL
These easy mashed sweet potatoes are savory, but you can add a few extra ingredients for a sweeter version. See our notes in the tips section below.
Watch Us Make the Recipe
You Will Need
3 pounds (1360g) sweet potatoes, scrubbed clean, 5 to 6 medium
1 ½ teaspoons fine sea salt, plus more to taste
1 bay leaf
3 tablespoons butter
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 tablespoons sour cream or heavy cream, optional
Optional toppings: finely chopped parsley or chives and fresh ground black pepper
Directions
1Peel sweet potatoes and cut them into 1-inch cubes.
2Place cubes in a large pot. Cover with water (about 1 inch above the sweet potatoes). Add salt and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until tender and easily pierced with a fork, 10 to 12 minutes. Drain.
3Return the sweet potatoes to the pot and mash with a potato masher to your desired texture. Or, add them to a food processor bowl and pulse to the desired texture.
4Add butter, cinnamon, black pepper, and a pinch of salt. For extra creamy sweet potatoes, stir in sour cream or heavy cream.
5Top with extra butter and chopped fresh herbs (optional).
Adam and Joanne's Tips
- Storing: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 6 months. Thaw frozen mashed sweet potatoes overnight in the fridge before reheating the next day. Reheat in a saucepan over low heat or microwave, stirring occasionally until warmed through.
- Sweet Mashed Sweet Potatoes: Add 2 tablespoons of brown sugar or maple syrup to the cooked potatoes before mashing. We also like to increase the cinnamon by 1/4 teaspoon. Serve with extra maple syrup on top, and if you enjoy nuts, add a handful of toasted pecans or walnuts.
- Roasted garlic: Mash in 4 to 5 cloves of roasted garlic.
- The nutrition facts provided below are estimates.
very easy
I meant nutritional information if I used plain Greek yogurt instead of sour cream and 1 TBS Natural no sugar added maple syrup. I actually made it this way and it was sooooo good! Thank you so much.
Hi Merri, The nutritional information has been provided for the original recipe. You will need to calculate any changes or ingredient substitutions to the recipe.
This was delicious. I was wondering if you have nutritional information for this recipe. Thank you
Hi Merri, The nutritional information for the original recipe is provided below the directions.
Yumm, I did the sweet potatoes in the microwave, then scooped out flesh and mashed them. Added the cream, pepper, salt, cinnamon and brown sugar. Before heating in oven, I sprinkled walnuts on top followed by some maple syrup. I found it a little too sweet, ( note to self, either brown sugar or syrup, not both…lol) Ive always been requested to do a sweet potato puff …..was looking for something new….this was it! Served at family dinner tonight, and 25 year old son absolutely loved the walnuts on top….a nice easy flavorful crunch. Do not omit ( if no allergies )
I made this. It was extremely easy to make in the Food Processor. I love it. I’ll make it again, although I added more cinnamon and 1/2 cup of granulated sugar.
love this
This was a winner! I went with the sweet version (brown sugar and cinnamon) and it turned out absolutely delicious. Also reheated well and maintained its creamy and smooth consistency. I never knew that making mashed sweet potatoes would be so easy.
Great veggie side dish. I doubled it because I had 6 lbs of sweet potatoes. I ended up using sour cream and omitted the cinnamon.
absolutely loved it.
First time I made mashed sweet potatoes. So glad I tried these. They were delicious, easy to make, and reheated well. Will make again.
After trying this it will now be my go-to recipe for mashed sweet potatoes ! I’m not usually a fan of bay leaves but l put one in the water while boiling them . I did sprinkle with brown sugar before mashing and added the optional sour cream . l questioned putting the cinnamon in but it was amazing ! You’ve got to try this recipe !! Thanks for sharing ! ?