These mashed sweet potatoes are a delicious sweet and savory side dish! Perfect for the holidays, they're easy to make with 7 simple ingredients.
If mashed sweet potatoes have never made an appearance on your dinner table, now’s the time to change that. They’re just too delicious to not have in your side dish rotation, especially in the fall. These mashed sweet potatoes have a beautifully creamy texture, and I season them with salt, pepper, and a little maple syrup to create a rich flavor that’s part savory, part sweet.
But maybe best of all, this mashed sweet potato recipe is SO easy to make! It calls for 7 ingredients, and the stove takes care of most of the work for you. It’s a perfect side dish to serve at a holiday meal (you can even make it ahead!), but it’s so simple, comforting, and flavorful that I hope you’ll find yourself making it for regular dinners, too.
Mashed Sweet Potatoes Ingredients
My favorite thing about this recipe is that it really lets the sweet potatoes shine. Unlike in a sweet potato casserole or some other mashed sweet potato recipes, you won’t find any marshmallows or brown sugar here. I just add a touch of maple syrup to bring out the sweet potatoes’ naturally sweet flavor.
These simple ingredients do the rest of the work:
- Butter – For rich, buttery flavor.
- Milk – Any kind you like! Almond milk and whole milk are two of our favorites here, but any unsweetened dairy or non-dairy milk would work great.
- Salt and pepper – They bring savory balance to these mashed sweet potatoes.
- And fresh thyme leaves – For garnish! I list them as optional, but I love the earthy depth of flavor they add to this recipe.
Find the complete recipe with measurements below.
How to Make Mashed Sweet Potatoes
I used to make mashed sweet potatoes by baking them and then blending them in a food processor.
But after some experimentation, I came around to making them the same way I make my mashed potatoes: by boiling the potatoes on the stove and then mashing them by hand.
The process is so simple! Here’s how I do it:
Start by prepping the potatoes. Peel them and cut them into 1-inch cubes. Place them in a large pot and cover them with cold water by 1 inch. Stir a tablespoon of salt into the water to season the potatoes as they cook.
Then, boil them. Bring the water to a boil and cook until the potatoes are tender, 10 to 15 minutes.
Next, drain and mash the sweet potatoes. Drain off the water and return the potatoes to the pot. Add the butter, milk, maple syrup, salt, and several grinds of pepper. Use a potato masher to mash until the potatoes are smooth and well combined with the other ingredients.
Finally, season to taste and serve! Transfer the mashed sweet potatoes to a serving bowl and load them up with your desired garnishes. We love them with more butter and fresh thyme leaves on top.
Variations
- For a sweeter flavor profile, skip the thyme. Top the potatoes with a dusting of cinnamon instead.
- For a more savory mash, reduce the maple syrup to 2 tablespoons and stir in 2 grated garlic cloves.
- For richer mashed potatoes, fold in 1/4 to 1/2 cup sour cream.
- Or go all in on the fresh herbs! Fold 2 teaspoons minced rosemary into the mash and garnish with fresh parsley and/or thyme.
Storing Leftovers
These mashed sweet potatoes keep well in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Reheat them in the microwave or in a covered baking dish in a 350°F oven.
You can also freeze them!
How to Freeze Mashed Sweet Potatoes
To freeze mashed sweet potatoes, allow them to cool to room temperature. Then, seal them in a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months.
Allow them to thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating in the microwave or oven.
More Sweet Potato Recipes to Try
If you love these easy mashed sweet potatoes, try one of these delicious sweet potato recipes next:
Or for more holiday recipes, check out these 50 Thanksgiving Side Dishes!
Mashed Sweet Potatoes
Ingredients
- 3 pounds sweet potatoes, about 5 large or 6 medium, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pats, plus more for serving
- ½ cup milk, warmed
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon sea salt, plus more for cooking the potatoes
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Fresh thyme leaves, optional, for garnish
Instructions
- Place the sweet potatoes in a large pot and cover with cold water by 1 inch. Stir 1 tablespoon salt into the water.
- Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to maintain a gentle boil. Cook for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are easily pierced with a fork.
- Drain the potatoes and return to the pot. Add the butter, milk, maple syrup, salt, and several grinds of pepper. Use a potato masher to mash until smooth and well combined.
- Season to taste and serve topped with more butter and fresh thyme leaves, if desired.
I have made this dish for years. Simple, flavorful. I always make it ahead of time then bake at 350 to warm it up. Not just for holidays. It’s a year round dish in our household.
This mashed sweet potato recipe looks so yummy and easy to make! Perfect for a holiday side dish.
I added only Margarine it was delicious thankyou
Would this complement French Chardonnay
Used thyme as the herb, subbed milk for sour cream. The best sweet potato mash I’ve had!
How many cups approximately is the finished product?
This recipe is why I began to follow Love and Lemons. I had no idea of the potential of sweet potatoes … and it opened up a whole new world for me. After we would pull out the meat of the sweet potato for any one of a few recipes, we would save the skins for our beloved pooch. Those skins are very healthy for dogs … and she could never get enough of them. Thank you L&L.
I’m so glad you’ve been loving the recipes!
Do these freeze and reheat well?
Can you make these ahead and reheat?
yep! Just give it a stir before you serve.
I have a couple of sweet potatoes that won’t make it to Thanksgiving, so I’ll try this tonight.
me too- will leave a comment after I make this.
yep, this works for me, all in and not just Thanksgiving!