A Savory Mashed Sweet Potato Recipe (2024)

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If you love the sweet potato casserole that makes its appearance on Thanksgiving and is topped with bubbling marshmallows and an almost equal sugar to sweet potato ratio, then you may be surprised at the sweet potato’s versatility.

This is a SAVORY side dish. It still has a sweet taste (due to the sweetness of sweet potatoes) but by and by it is savory. No maple syrup. No sugar. No marshmallows.

Jeremy and I have been tweaking this recipe since I can remember. But we finally found it. And we make it at least once a week.

Also, bonus!A sweet potato is loaded with Vitamin C. It is also high in Vitamin A and beta-carotene which is like super food to your skin. Beta-carotene has been linked to fighting the free radicals in our skin which result in aging. The sweet potato is very VERY good to us.

Let’s mash!

Savory Mashed Sweet Potato Recipe

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and grab a baking sheet. Cover the baking sheet with tinfoil (for easy clean-up). (UPDATE: instructions for how to cook these in an Instant Pot are in the recipe card below!)

Grab two sweet potatoes and scrub them. Then lay them on the baking sheet.

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Bake them for 45 minutes. After 45 minutes check them to see if they are oozing juice onto the baking sheet. If they are, they’re done! If not, keep them in there for about 10-15 more minutes.

When they come out let them cool for a little bit.

While they are cooling add 2 cloves of minced garlic and 1 tablespoon of olive oil to a small sauté pan. Sauté the garlic on medium-low heat until it starts to slightly brown and you can smell it! This will take about 3-5 minutes.

We call this liquid gold in our house. Because, I mean…

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Remove the pan from the heat and set aside.

Meanwhile, remove the skin from the potato. It should peel right off, like so:

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There are a variety of ways you can mash these. You can add them to your mixer or use a handheld mixer to whip them up. You can add them to a bowl and use a masher. Or, one of our favorites (which gets them really creamy and smooth), is to use a food mill (and to all you who asked, this is our FAVORITE food mill —> here. We’ve been using it for years!)

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Mash or mix until you reach your level of consistency.

Now it is time to add THE SECRET INGREDIENT!!!

1 tablespoon of FRESH thyme. The thyme is really what brings in a complexity of flavor and adds that savory taste to these mashers. It is so yummy.

Then add 1 teaspoon of salt, 1/4 teaspoon of pepper, 3 tablespoons of butter and the garlic and oil from the sauté pan.

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Give it a good mix. Taste and add more salt or pepper if needed. Or, if you want a bit of heat add 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes.

Serve warm.

We like to serve these with just about anything. Chicken, steak, the best pot roast recipe (all of which we made this past weekend!).

Your body will thank you because you got some nutrition in AND these are paleo 🙂

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A Savory Mashed Sweet Potato Recipe

★★★★★4.6 from 5 reviews
  • Author: Our Savory Life
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 45 minutes
  • Total Time: 1 hour
  • Yield: 4 1x

Ingredients

Scale

  • 2 large sweet potatoes
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 TBS olive oil
  • 1 tsp Salt
  • 1/4 tsp Pepper
  • 3 TBS unsalted butter
  • 1 TBS fresh thyme

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. (For Instant Pot Instructions, see below!)
  2. Place sweet potatoes on a foil lined baking sheet.
  3. Bake for 45 minutes (or until juice from the potatoes are oozing).
  4. Remove from oven and allow to cool.
  5. Meanwhile, saute minced garlic cloves in the olive oil over medium heart until fragrant and turning light brown. About 2 minutes.
  6. Remove the skin from the sweet potatoes and mash (in mixer, with a masher or a food meal) to desired consistency.
  7. Add salt, pepper, butter, thyme and the garlic and oil mixture to the sweet potatoes.
  8. Mix until well combined.
  9. Serve warm.

For Instant Pot

  1. Add steam basket to Instant Pot.
  2. Pour in one cup of water.
  3. Place sweet potatoes in steamer.
  4. Close and lock the lid on the Instant Pot.
  5. Move the vent to “Sealing” position.
  6. Set on Steam setting and program for 15 minutes.
  7. When complete allow IP to depressurize for about 15 minutes.
  8. Move vent to “Venting.”
  9. Remove lid and go back up to step number 5.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1
A Savory Mashed Sweet Potato Recipe (8)
A Savory Mashed Sweet Potato Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How do I make my sweet potato mash thicker? ›

Forget what the mixer chick said, make your mashed sweet potatoes like you would normal mashed potato, then heat up a frying pan/skillet until it's super hot, add a bit of oil or butter as extra lubricant, and throw some mash in it, it will evaporate some moisture and make it thicker, plus give it a slight toasty ...

How do you keep sweet potato mash from getting watery? ›

The solution for watery casseroles is instant potato mash powder or cornflour - slake (mix with a little water) at first or it will go lumpy. Stir well. Alternatively, don't add so much water at first, especially if you're using a slow cooker.

How many sweet potatoes needed for 3 cups mashed? ›

Note: 3 cups sweet potatoes is about 3-4 large sweet potatoes.

How do you make Ina Garten mashed sweet potatoes? ›

Place the sweet potato meat into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and add the orange juice, cream, butter, brown sugar, nutmeg, cinnamon, salt, and pepper. Mix together until combined but not smooth and transfer to a baking dish. Bake the potatoes for 20 to 30 minutes, until heated through.

Do I peel sweet potatoes before boiling? ›

There is not much difference between boiling sweet potatoes with the skins on versus peeling them, but you will get a boost of fiber and potassium if you keep the skin on. The skin also adds a subtle texture to each bite. If you're looking for a smoother mash, peel the potatoes first before boiling.

How to add flavor to mashed potatoes? ›

Garnish With Herbs. Speaking of delicious green things, both woody herbs like sage, rosemary, and thyme, and leafy herbs like dill can add freshness to this starchy side. A herb-based sauce like pesto swirled into mashed potatoes is another way to add vibrant flavor.

How long to boil sweet potato? ›

Bring the water to a boil, then reduce to medium heat and let the potatoes cook 15 to 20 minutes, or until you can easily pierce several pieces (always test more than one) with a knife. Potatoes cut into small pieces will take less time to cook.

Why did my mashed potatoes turn out sweet? ›

Is there anything I can do with them so I don't taste that sweet flavor? A: Someone told you correctly! When potatoes are stored too long, in a too-cold environment (below 41°F) the starches within convert to sugar.

Why does my mash taste watery? ›

If you're staring down at a bowl of white liquid and wondering what went wrong, ask yourself these questions: Did I use soggy potatoes? It's essential to drain and dry your potatoes well after you've cooked them in water. If you don't, all that excess moisture will have nowhere to go once you start mashing.

How long to leave potatoes in water for mash? ›

Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil. Add the potatoes and boil for about 15 mins or until tender. Transfer to a colander and drain well, then return to the pan and set over a very low heat for 2 mins to dry completely. Heat the milk and butter in a small pan, then pour over the potatoes.

Should I rinse canned sweet potatoes? ›

Leaving the syrup on the yams can hamper their taste. Rinsing sweet potatoes of any leftover sugary film will uphold their integrity, giving you the most authentic sweet potato taste and texture.

How many pounds of sweet potatoes to make 3 cups mashed? ›

One pound raw fresh sweet potatoes = 3 cups shredded, cubed or sliced = 1 3/4 cups cooked, mashed. Sweet Potatoes have the ability to slow the pro- gress of macular degeneration.

What does 1 serving of sweet potato look like? ›

“One serving of sweet potatoes is generally about 4 to 5 ounces,” says Mackenzie Burgess, RDN, registered dietitian nutritionist and recipe developer at Cheerful Choices.

What do professional chefs use to mash potatoes? ›

The secret weapon, a good potato ricer (affiliate). This pushes the potatoes into strings, which helps them soak up every bit of the cream and achieve maximum fluffliness.

Why not to boil sweet potatoes? ›

Despite their sweet taste, these potatoes have an intermediate glycemic index (GI) level, meaning they are digested and absorbed fairly slowly, leading to a more gradual increase in blood sugar levels. But, a lot of these benefits, including nutrients and taste, can be lost by boiling sweet potatoes.

Is sweet potato mash better for you than normal mash? ›

Though they can both be part of a healthy diet, sweet potatoes are generally healthier than regular potatoes, partly because of their incredibly high vitamin A content. Sweet potatoes are also lower on the glycemic index, meaning that they are less likely than regular potatoes to make your blood sugar spike.

Why do you need to soak sweet potatoes before cooking? ›

TIPS & TRICKS to Make this Recipe: The main secrets to achieving that incredible crispy texture, is to soak the cut sweet potatoes in cold water for at least 30 minutes. This helps remove the starch from the sweet potatoes so they´re not limp & soggy.

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