Not sure which side to bring to Thanksgiving? Need a simple vegetable dish for dinner tonight? Do you like traditional foods with a bit of a twist? These easy and creamy Mashed Sweet Potatoes are for you!
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Delicious sweet potatoes, no marshmallows needed.
Skip the gobs of brown sugar and marshmallows in favor of maple syrup and Greek yogurt to make your mashed sweet potatoes extra creamy. Now you’ll have more room for Pumpkin Pecan Pie!
This recipe has a touch of chipotle chili powder for smoky heat, balanced by the maple syrup for sweetness. The combination is fantastic, and it makes these mashed sweet potatoes versatile enough to be an excellent option outside of the holiday season.
Another perk of these easy mashed sweet potatoes is that they can be made in advance. Reheat them in a casserole dish in the oven or gently on the stovetop. I’ve got full instructions in the recipe card below!
Tip!
No room on the stove or in your oven? Check out these Instant Pot Mashed Sweet Potatoes instead.
Key Ingredients
You’ll find the full list of ingredients in the recipe card below, but here are some notes to keep in mind.
- Sweet Potatoes. Use orange or red sweet potatoes here. Purple and white sweet potatoes are starchier and less sweet than their orange and red cousins. This means they don’t mash into the same creamy, dreamy consistency you get with orange and red sweet potatoes.
- Half-and-Half. A must for rich and creamy mashed sweet potatoes.
- Spices. For smokiness, I used chipotle chile powder. For coziness and warmth, I used nutmeg and cinnamon. Make sure your spices are fresh and fragrant for optimal flavor.
- Greek Yogurt. I used Greek yogurt as a healthy swap, but you can use sour cream instead if you prefer.
- Maple Syrup. Instead of making mashed sweet potatoes with brown sugar, I opted to use maple syrup. It naturally sweetens the potatoes and elevates their flavor.
5 Star Review
“Very easy and tasty recipe! Will definitely be making it again!”
— Kyla —
How to Make Mashed Sweet Potatoes
Prep and Boil the Potatoes. While Garlic Mashed Potatoes can be a skin-on or skin-off affair, sweet potato skins are thicker and not very pleasant in mashed potatoes. While I don’t mind leaving the skin on when making baked Sweet Potato Fries, when it comes to mashing, peeling is a must. Cut them into similarly sized chunks, then boil until tender and drain.
Season. Add the half-and-half and spices to the cooked sweet potatoes.
Mash. Don’t overdo it, or they’ll be weird and gummy. We want fluffy here!
Stir and Finish. Add the yogurt (or sour cream), maple syrup, and butter. Again, don’t overwork the sweet potatoes. Garnish and ENJOY!
Recipe Variations
- Vegan Mashed Sweet Potatoes. Use vegan yogurt and butter in place of the dairy and swap the half-and-half for full-fat coconut milk to make this recipe vegan.
- Savory Mashed Sweet Potatoes. Want your sweet potatoes to lean a little more savory? Skip the maple syrup, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Add garlic powder and additional fresh thyme or rosemary.
- Potato and Sweet Potato Mash. Start with the savory mashed sweet potatoes variation above and swap half the sweet potatoes with Yukon gold potatoes.
- Mashed Sweet Potatoes With Marshmallows. If you insist. Fold a handful (or two) of mini marshmallows into the sweet potatoes after adding the yogurt, syrup, and butter. (You might want to cut back on the syrup too!)
What to Serve with Mashed Sweet Potatoes
If you’re serving these sweet potatoes for Thanksgiving, set them on the table with the Thanksgiving Turkey, Cranberry Orange Sauce, and Cornbread Stuffing. Delish! For a weeknight, here are some ideas:
- Chicken. You can’t go wrong with simple recipes like Baked Bone In Chicken Breast or Air Fryer Chicken Thighs.
- Pork. Plate your sweet potatoes with Instant Pot Pork Tenderloin or Breaded Pork Chops.
- Vegetables. Fall veggies like Roasted Brussels Sprouts go particularly well with these mashed sweet potatoes.
Mashed Sweet Potatoes
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Ingredients
- 4 pounds sweet potatoes about 6 potatoes
- 4 teaspoons salt divided
- ½ cup half-and-half
- ½ teaspoon chipotle chile powder (reduce to 1/4 teaspoon if sensitive to spice; increase to 3/4 to 1 teaspoon for more of a kick)
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ⅓ cup whole milk plain Greek yogurt
- 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter diced
- Chopped fresh thyme
Instructions
- Peel the sweet potatoes and cut into 1-inch cubes. Place in a large saucepan and cover with cool water so that the water covers the potatoes by 1 inch. Add 1 teaspoon salt. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Continue simmering, adjusting the heat as needed, until the sweet potatoes are fork-tender, about 10 to 12 minutes. Drain, then return the potatoes to the pot.
- Add the half and half and chipotle chile powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and remaining 3 teaspoons salt.
- Mash to your desired consistency.
- Immediately add the Greek yogurt, maple syrup, and butter. Stir until evenly combined. Taste and adjust spices and salt as desired.
- Transfer to a serving bowl and top with thyme. Enjoy warm.
Video
Notes
- TO STORE: Refrigerate sweet potatoes in an airtight storage container for up to 4 days.
- TO REHEAT: Rewarm leftovers in a Dutch oven on the stovetop over medium-low heat, in a casserole dish in the oven at 350 degrees F, or in the microwave.
- TO FREEZE: Freeze leftovers in an airtight, freezer-safe storage container for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
- TO MAKE AHEAD: Up to 2 days in advance, peel, cut, and boil the sweet potatoes. Refrigerate them in an airtight storage container until you’re ready to finish the recipe.
- For easy mashed sweet potatoes any night of the week, make a big batch and freeze leftovers in an ice cube tray. Transfer the frozen sweet potato cubes to a freezer-safe ziptop bag. Grab sweet potato cubes as desired and cook directly from frozen.
Nutrition
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Very easy and tasty recipe! I cut the recipe in half since it’s just my husband and I at home, and there was still enough leftover for another couple of meals. I did cut down on the maple syrup. Will definitely be making it again!
Great to hear, thanks Kyla!
Delicious! We love these sweet potatoes. I added a bit more cinnamon and maple syrup coz I like it to be sweeter.
Yay, thank you Athena!
Made this today for Canadian Thanksgiving, and am definitely anxious to make it again in November! Delicious!
So glad you enjoyed it, Danielle! Thank you!
I am a big fan of sweet potatoes so when I saw this recipe I just had to make it for Friendsgiving! It was so easy to follow, even with doubling the recipe and was a big hit! I absolutely loved it and still have some left over as a great side dish for any meal. Thanks Erin for always creating quality content and recipes.
Makes me so happy to hear, thank you Judith!
My husband loves sweet potatoes (me, not so much) and I wanted something to serve with beef short ribs. These sweet potatoes have so much flavor and are easy to make. I will be using this recipe as my go-to side dish for many meat dishes. Thank you!
So great to hear! Thank you Pauleen!
HOORAY! Thanks for sharing Pauleen!
Love this recipe! Simple but the ingredients add good flavor to the sweet potato. Tangy and refreshing! I think I might actually like this mashed sweet potato better than regular mashed potatoes. Thank you for the recipe!
Glad to hear you enjoyed it, MyleneG!
This worked exactly as written, thanks!
Thank you for taking time to leave a review Danielle! It is SO helpful!