My kiddos go crazy for regular mashed potatoes, so I was excited to learn that they just as readily eat up mashed sweet potatoes, which offer even more beneficial nutrients and add color and great flavor to our meals. It’s so easy to make a batch of mashed sweet potatoes as a simple weeknight or holiday side dish or addition to other recipes. My stovetop method ensures sweet potatoes that are tender, creamy, and store well for days.
Recipe Highlights
Quick to prep: The longer part of the prep time is simply waiting for the water to come to a boil. During that time, I quickly peel and dice the sweet potatoes. After cooking, the potatoes are easy to mash to the perfect consistency.
Ultra nutritious: After learning that this low-cost veggie serves up so many good-for-me nutrients plus great taste from their natural sweetness, I started adding this simple side to more meals.
Special diet friendly: Sweet potatoes are naturally gluten free, grain free, and dairy free. And in the recipe card, I provide my notes for how to achieve buttery and tender sweet potatoes, even without the butter!
Makes a lot: Two pounds sweet potatoes makes 4 cups of sweet potato mash, which is a generous amount for weeknight dinners or an ideal amount as a holiday side dish.
Ingredient Spotlight: Sweet Potato
There are so many delicious recipes using sweet potatoes on this site, and I’ve been loving them for years. But it wasn’t until recently that I considered just adding a basic side of mashed sweet potatoes to my weekly meal prep. I guess I only thought of them as a fall veggie, but they’re actually available, affordable, and delicious year round.
Since I try to get my most nutrition bang for my buck, sweet potato mash is a simple way to add nutrients and color to my home cooking. They offer so many health benefits, including being an excellent source of fiber, high amounts of vitamin A and vitamin C, as well as important minerals, including potassium, copper, and manganese.
Equipment To Gather
One thing I love about these easy mashed sweet potatoes is that I only need simple ingredients and they don’t require any special equipment.
- Large pot – a Dutch oven or large saucepan also works
- Potato masher – or use a hand mixer
- Colander – for straining out the water
Whipping Up The Perfect Sweet Potatoes
Once my kids learned how to make mashed sweet potatoes on the stovetop, they’ve been helping me make this perfect side dish since it’s so fast and requires just a few steps.
- Boil the water. Bring the water to a boil in a large pot, Dutch oven, or large saucepan over medium-high heat on the stovetop.
- Dice the sweet potatoes. While the water is boiling, peel and roughly chop the sweet potatoes.
- Boil the sweet potatoes. Add the chopped sweet potatoes to the boiling water and cook them until they are tender and can be easily pierced by a fork, which will take about 20 minutes. Drain the sweet potatoes, reserving about ½ cup of the cooking water.
- Mash the sweet potatoes. Using a hand mixer or a potato masher, mash the potatoes to desired consistency. Personally, I mash them really well so they’re ultra creamy and smooth. If desired, add a little butter, cream, or oil to the pot while mashing the sweet potatoes, then season with salt.
For serving size and the complete directions and ingredient amounts, scroll down to the recipe card below. All of our recipes include the nutrition analysis, listing calories (kcals), protein, carbohydrates/carb, fiber, sugar, sodium, cholesterol, and more per serving.
Make These Dairy-Free
It’s easy to make mashed sweet potatoes that are dairy free. Instead of adding butter when mashing the potatoes, use melted coconut oil or olive oil. Or, the mashed potatoes can be made without adding a source of saturated fat at all and still have a creamy delicious taste and texture.
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“So so good!! I just made this for my meal prep and I’m truly looking forward to eating this. I’ve been searching for healthier but tasty alternatives on my journey to a fit lifestyle. This will definitely be added to my rotation….THANK YOU!!”
~ Candace
Ideal Pairings
Mashed sweet potatoes have natural sweetness, but it’s subtle, so I think they pair well with both sweet and savory flavors. I used to think of sweet potatoes only as a perfect Thanksgiving side dish, but have been expanding my use of them since they’re so good for me.
Sweet potatoes are a great match for all kinds of proteins, especially pork (especially these apple cider pork bowls), beef and meatloaf, and chicken. They’re also good with herbs flavors and creamy dairy foods, like heavy cream, butter, and Parmesan cheese. Of course, sweet potatoes also can be taken in a sweet direction, such as the iconic marshmallows on top of old-school sweet potato casserole, or toppings of cinnamon butter or brown sugar.
Storing Leftovers
Store leftover mashed sweet potatoes in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Or freeze them in a freezer safe container or bag for up to 3 months. To reheat, heat the mashed potatoes in a large pot or saucepan over medium-low heat, adding a little more water or broth (or even apple cider) as needed to soften them up again.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, mashed sweet potatoes are a great make ahead recipe since they freeze well. Store them in a freezer-safe container or bag for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then reheat in a pot on the stovetop over medium-low heat, adding a little more liquid (broth or water) as needed to soften them up again.
Mashed sweet potatoes taste good with both sweet and savory toppings. Savory toppings often include salt and black pepper, minced fresh herbs (like fresh thyme or fresh parsley), sour cream, or Parmesan. Sweet toppings are often a drizzle of maple syrup, cinnamon butter or brown butter, or brown sugar.
A favorite variation of mashed sweet potatoes is mashed sweet potato casserole topped with pecans and crispy cooked bacon. I also love using mashed sweet potatoes as a fun variation on shepherd’s pie or to top mini meatloaves made in muffin tins.
Other Sweet Potato Dishes Worth Making
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Mashed Sweet Potatoes Recipe
This delicious veggie when mashed, this simple side dish is a perfect pairing for all types of meals, and also makes a great base for dinner bowls. A great source of fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, sweet potatoes are a simple way to add nutrition to meals.
Ingredients
- 8 cups water
- 2 lbs sweet potatoes, peeled and diced to roughly 2-inch pieces
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, whole milk, half and half, or heavy cream*
- ½ teaspoon fine salt, plus more to taste
- Optional garnishes: chopped fresh parsley, flakey sea salt
Instructions
- In a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, bring the water to a boil.
- Add the diced sweet potatoes to the boiling water, then reduce the heat to medium to maintain a simmer. Cook until the potato pieces are fork tender, 18 to 20 minutes.
- Remove the pot from the heat. Set aside ½ cup of the cooking liquid in a small bowl, then drain the potatoes in a colander.
- Return the drained potatoes to the pot and add the butter or cream (if using) and the salt.
- Using a potato masher or hand mixer, mash the potatoes until you’ve achieved desired texture and consistency, adding in some of the reserved cooking water as needed. Taste and add additional salt as desired.
- Serve mashed sweet potatoes warm.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
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Notes
* For dairy free, omit the butter/cream and mash without the addition of fat, or use 2 tablespoons of olive oil or melted coconut oil in place of the butter or cream.
Nutrition Information
- Serving Size: 1/2 cup
- Calories: 117
- Fat: 3 g
- (Sat Fat: 2 g)
- Sodium: 201 mg
- Carbohydrate: 22 g
- (Fiber: 3 g
- Sugar: 5 g)
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 8 mg
Dietary
Recipe Changelog
- August 2025: We previously published a version of this recipe that called for maple syrup, nutmeg, cinnamon, and candied pecans. Download the previous version here.
The photos in this post were taken by Megan McKeehan.
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I made these for Thanksgiving and I’m definitely making them for Christmas, they taste like pumpkin pie!
Big hit on Thanksgiving! Instead of candied pecans I used toasted pecans.
So so good!! I just made this for my meal prep and I’m truly looking forward to eating this. I’ve been searching for healthier but tasty alternatives on my journey to a fit lifestyle. This will definitely be added to my rotation….THANK YOU!!
I doubled this recipe for a large group and it was good. I used unsalted butter and had to add a bit more salt and spices to it. The candied pecans were really yummy in it
Hi Maria, we’re so glad this recipe was a hit in your home! We agree, the pecans on top really make it sing!
Perfectly light, sweet, and spiced just right. We used butter and the exact proportions listed. Adults and kids both enjoyed it. Thanks for the great recipe!
Hi Gina, we’re so glad you loved this recipe! Thanks for the feedback!