Healthy Mashed Sweet Potatoes are the perfect combination of simple and sophisticated. They’re a quick and easy option for weeknight dinners and a great way to elevate your holiday table.
Made with only 3 ingredients, (not including salt and pepper) these savory mashed sweet potatoes are gluten-free, vegetarian, and Whole30 compliant. They’re a healthy alternative to traditional Mashed Potatoes and a go-to for potlucks or holidays.
Sweet potatoes are one of my favorite vegetables because they’re healthy, flavorful, and versatile. If you’re looking for other sweet potato recipes to feature this fall, try my Sweet Potato Casserole or Roasted Sweet Potatoes.
For more healthy comfort food recipes, be sure to check out my Whole30 Mashed Cauliflower and Savory Roasted Butternut Squash Mash.
How To Make healthy mashed sweet potatoes
Ingredients
- Sweet Potatoes — You’ll need 2.5 lbs. of sweet potatoes peeled and diced, which is about 2 large or 4 to 5 medium potatoes.
- Butter — I use salted butter. You can also use ghee as a Whole30 substitution.
- Seasonings — A sprinkle of salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
- Parmesan — To make this recipe Whole30 or Paleo, you can omit the parmesan cheese or use a substitution.
Instructions to make healthy mashed sweet potatoes
Cook and drain the sweet potatoes:
- In a large pot of salted water, bring water to a boil and then add the diced sweet potatoes.
- Cook until the sweet potatoes are fork tender.
Mix and mash sweet potatoes:
- Drain the sweet potatoes and return them to the pot or transfer to a mixing bowl.
- Then, add in the butter, parmesan, and salt and pepper.
- Mash the sweet potatoes to your desired consistency. If you like a chunky texture, use a potato masher or a fork. Stir all the ingredients well. If you prefer a creamier texture, use an electric hand mixer on low speed or a food processor.
Garnish and serve:
- Transfer the mashed sweet potatoes to a serving bowl and top with more butter.
- Add a garnish of fresh herbs if you’d like, then serve and enjoy!
Expert Tips
- Peel and dice the sweet potatoes before you boil them. They will cook faster in small pieces than if you were to leave them whole.
- If you like a chunkier texture, use a potato masher or fork. If you prefer a smoother texture, use an immersion blender or hand mixer.
- Store uncooked sweet potatoes in a cool dry pantry for 7 to 10 days. If you refrigerate them, the sweet potatoes will lose their moisture and they’ll be too dry to use.
- Be careful not to overwork the sweet potatoes. If you mix them too much, it can lead to a sticky texture.
- Add additional flavor with your cooking liquid and boil the potatoes in chicken broth or vegetable broth.
How To Store Leftovers
- To Store: Allow your leftovers to cool and place them in an airtight container. Then, store them in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- To Freeze: This is a great freezer-friendly recipe! Store leftovers in a freezer-safe container or Ziploc bag (freezer bag) and they’ll keep their color, texture, and flavor for up to 3 months.
- To Reheat: Thaw leftovers in the fridge overnight, in a cool water bath, or in the microwave on low power. Then, reheat in the microwave or the stovetop with a splash of liquid to help the texture along.
What To Serve with Healthy Mashed Sweet Potatoes
- Savory protein: healthy mashed sweet potatoes are the perfect side dish for meat with complementary flavors, like my roasted pork tenderloin or easy roasted turkey leg.
- Roasted vegetables: Enjoy all the delicious fall veggies while they’re in season and serve these mashed sweet potatoes with a medley of balsamic roasted vegetables.
- Seasonal salad: This easy fall-inspired brussels sprouts bacon salad complements the flavor and texture of the sweet potatoes so well.
- Thanksgiving dinner: healthy mashed sweet potatoes make a wonderful addition to your holiday table. For a complete Thanksgiving spread, serve it with garlic butter turkey breast, garlic butter green beans, cranberry orange sauce, and gluten-free cornbread.
Recipe Variations
- Roasted garlic: Mix in several cloves (or a whole bulb) of roasted garlic. It’s a simple addition that adds so much depth of flavor.
- Fresh herbs: For a light, fragrant variation, sprinkle in some fresh herbs, such as parsley, fresh thyme, or rosemary.
- Rich and creamy: To make this healthy mashed sweet potatoes even more decadent, add a splash of heavy cream, Greek yogurt, creamy coconut milk or a dollop of sour cream, similar to my creamy savory mashed sweet potatoes recipe.
- Vegan: With just a couple of substitutions, you can easily make this healthy mashed sweet potatoes recipe vegan. Swap out the butter for your preferred plant butter or coconut oil and use nutritional yeast instead of parmesan cheese.
- Sweet: To make it sweet use ingredients like maple syrup, cinnamon, almond milk, brown sugar and top with marshmallows.
Recommended Tools
- Large pot: You’ll need a large pot or Dutch oven to boil the sweet potatoes.
- Colander: Use a colander to easily drain the sweet potatoes.
- Potato ricer: You can use a potato ricer for this recipe, but a hand mixer also works.
Frequently Asked Questions
When you’re shopping for sweet potatoes, look for ones that are small to medium in size, as these will have the best flavor. You’ll also want to choose firm sweet potatoes with smooth skin and no soft spots. To clean them, I recommend using a stiff vegetable brush to loosen any dirt and debris, then rinse them well.
For this recipe, I do recommend peeling and dicing the sweet potatoes prior to boiling. This way, it only takes about 10-20 minutes to cook. A vegetable peeler is my preferred method, but a small paring knife also works well.
You can leave the skin on if you prefer. Just keep in mind that it’ll take longer to cook, and you’ll want to clean the potatoes very well.
You certainly can – Healthy Mashed Sweet Potatoes are a great make-ahead recipe! They’re also a good staple to have on hand for easy weeknight meals like my sweet potato shepherd’s pie or meal-prep lunches like my shrimp cauliflower mash bowl.
Store the mashed sweet potatoes in an airtight container and keep them in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or the freezer for up to 3 months. Then, reheat them in the microwave or on the stovetop with just a splash of liquid.
More Seasonal Side Dishes
Healthy Mashed Sweet Potatoes
Want to Save This Recipe?
Enter your email & I’ll send it to your inbox. Plus, get great new recipes from me every week!
By submitting this form, you consent to receive emails from Primavera Kitchen.
Ingredients
- 2.5 lbs. sweet potatoes about 2 large, peeled and diced
- salt for boiling water
- 3 tablespoon salted butter you can use ghee for Whole30
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1/3 cup Parmesan omit it if you're doing Whole30 or paleo.
Instructions
- In a large pot, bring water to a boil then add sweet potatoes and salt.
- Cook until potatoes are tender.
- Drain cooked sweet potato and add in butter, salt and pepper and Parmesan.
- Mash with a potato masher. Texture will be chunky. If you don’t like the chunky texture, you can use an electric hand mixer blend on low speed. Blend until smoother and creamy.
- Serve warm topped with more butter if desired.
Tips
- It’s faster to boil the potatoes when diced than to leave them whole.
- Use a fork or potato masher for a chunky texture, and an immersion blender or hand mixer for a smooth texture.
- Store uncooked sweet potatoes in a cool dry pantry for 7-10 days.
- Be careful not to overwork the sweet potatoes and make them sticky.
- Boil the sweet potatoes in chicken or vegetable broth for more flavor.
- To store: Place leftover savory mashed sweet potatoes in an airtight container for up to 4 days in the fridge.
- To reheat: You can reheat the mash in the microwave or stovetop with a splash of liquid to help loosen it up.
- To freeze: Freeze mashed sweet potatoes in a freezer-safe bag for up to 3 months.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.
Leave a Comment