This Savory Mashed Sweet Potatoes recipe is a great addition to your holiday table and is made in just 40 minutes! Savory sweet potatoes are the perfect side dish to pair with that Thanksgiving turkey but also any meal throughout the year.
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Most mashed sweet potato recipes are filled with added sugar or even topped with marshmallows. I'm here to say sweet potatoes are sweet enough! My preferred method is just adding a couple of simple ingredients like fresh herbs and spices. Bringing savory flavors to this naturally sweet vegetable is the perfect combination. Oh, and my favorite ingredient, Greek yogurt, to enhance the creamy texture.
Mashed potatoes are at the top of my list of favorite holiday side dishes. These savory mashed sweet potatoes might just hit my top three this year and they may even pull ahead of regular mashed potatoes. If you like this easy savory side dish and need more delicious side dishes, try my old fashioned mac and cheese, garlic mashed potatoes, and maple brussels sprouts. A holiday meal is not complete without these star-studded side dishes.
🌟Why You'll Love this Recipe
- Pantry staples. This easy recipe is made with ingredients already found in your home.
- Versatile. This savory sweet potato recipe can be altered to your taste or dietary needs.
- Creamy. These creamy mashed sweet potatoes will be a favorite at the dinner table.
🥘Ingredients
- Sweet potatoes. Use regular sweet potatoes peeled and cut into 2-inch cubes.
- Garlic cloves. Fresh minced garlic cloves. Use garlic powder in a pinch.
- Butter. Unsalted butter.
- Yogurt. Unsweetened plain Greek yogurt.
- Herbs. Use finely chopped fresh rosemary and fresh parsley.
See the recipe card below for the remaining ingredients and quantities.
📖Substitutions & Variations
- Yogurt. Add a touch of whole milk or cream instead of yogurt. Sour cream will also work.
- Is the sweetness of sweet potatoes not enough for you? That's okay! Try adding a bit of pure maple syrup. You only need a tablespoon or two to enhance the sweetness.
- Dietary needs. These mashed sweet potatoes can easily be made vegan. Opt for vegan butter and yogurt to add that touch of texture or omit all altogether.
- Added texture. Add candied pecans on top for a little bit of crunch and a touch of sweetness.
- Bacon. Add some bacon bits or crumbled bacon to this easy savory sweet mash for some added salty goodness.
🔪How to Mash Sweet Potatoes
Step 1: Add the cubed sweet potatoes to a large saucepan or dutch oven, cover with 1 inch of water and add kosher salt.
Step 2: Cover the pot and cook until the water boils for about 25 minutes. Drain the water from the pot.
Step 3: Add all the remaining ingredients to the pot, use your potato masher to mash and combine.
Step 4: Mix until creamy and fluffy. Serve and enjoy!
💭Recipe FAQs
No! I usually only soak potatoes before frying or roasting as it helps to make them crispier. There's no need to soak them when you're mashing them.
If you find that your sweet mash is a bit watery after mashing, put it back on the stove on medium-low heat. The heat will cook off the extra moisture.
For the preferred smooth texture it is recommended to peel the sweet potatoes.
👩🏻🍳Chef Tips
- Uniform cutting. A uniform cut in the cubed sweet potatoes will ensure there's an even cook and smooth texture.
- Mash when hot. Using a potato masher straight after straining results in a smoother and creamier finish.
- Melted butter. Use room temperature or slightly melted better to make distribution easier.
- Know when your potatoes are done. Use a fork to test your sweet potatoes. The potatoes are done if there's no resistance and the fork can easily slide in and out.
- Season to taste. I'm a firm believer in tasting and seasoning as my heart desires. If you feel like you need more salt... add the salt!
🥗Serving
These savory mashed sweet potatoes pair well with almost any main entree. Whether it's a holiday dinner or just a weeknight dinner, the best sweet potato mash is a great option.
Try them this holiday season with my Air Fryer Ham or Cornish Hen recipe.
If you're a sweet potato lover check out these other sweet potato recipes:
Roasted Sweet Potato Quinoa Salad
🥣Storage & Reheating
Leftover sweet mashed potatoes can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Reheat servings in the microwave or on the stovetop.
For freezing, allow the sweet potatoes to cool completely. Store in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Allow the sweet potato mash to thaw completely in the fridge before heating up in the microwave or on the stovetop.
More Holiday Recipes
Did you make this recipe? Please leave a 5-star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating & comment below to let me know how it came out. Thanks for visiting!
🍳Recipe
Savory Mashed Sweet Potatoes
Equipment
- Cutting board
- Large pot or Dutch oven
- Potato Masher
Ingredients
- 5 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces
- Water
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 3-4 garlic cloves, minced
- ¼ cup butter
- ½ cup yogurt
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons fresh chopped rosemary
- 2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley
Instructions
- Add the cut potatoes to a large pot or Dutch oven and cover with water. Season with Kosher salt.
- Cover and let the potatoes boil over medium-high heat until tender, about 25 minutes.
- Drain the water from the pot.
- Add all of the ingredients to the pot with the potatoes and mash until creamy and very soft.
- Serve and enjoy.
Video
Notes
- A uniform cut in the cubed sweet potatoes will ensure there's an even cook and smooth texture.
- Using a potato masher straight after straining results in a smoother and creamier finish.
- Use room temperature or slightly melted better to make distribution easier.
- Use a fork to test your sweet potatoes. The potatoes are done if there's no resistance and the fork can easily slide in and out.
- Season to taste. I'm a firm believer in tasting and seasoning as my heart desires. If you feel like you need more salt... add the salt!
- Leftover sweet mashed potatoes can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Reheat servings in the microwave or on the stovetop.
- For freezing, allow the sweet potatoes to cool completely. Store in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Allow the sweet potato mash to thaw completely in the fridge before heating up in the microwave or on the stovetop
Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates. Actual nutritional content will vary with brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes and more.
Tammie Russell says
This was so easy to make! The fresh herbs added so much flavor…my family loved them!
Sarah Hill says
Hi Tammie, happy to hear both you and your family enjoyed the potatoes! I love the fresh herbs and yogurt in this recipe 🙂