Creamy Mashed Sweet Potatoes

A dish of mashed sweet potatoes topped with butter and ground black pepper.

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5 from 16 votes

Creamy Mashed Sweet Potatoes

Make this sweet and savory dish as a side with dinner or as a topping for casseroles or cottage pie.

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Keyword Mashed Sweet Potatoes, mashed sweet potatoes recipe, Sweet Potato Recipe

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 15

Total Time 30

Servings

Calories 367

Author Erren Hart

Ingredients

2 pounds sweet potatoes cut into evenly sized pieces
5 tablespoons salted butter cut into pieces
2 teaspoons brown sugar or 1 tablespoon maple syrup
3 tablespoons cream heavy cream, single cream, or whipping cream
Salt and pepper

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

To Boil

Cut the sweet potatoes into evenly-sized chunks (about 2 inchs or so thick), and transfer them to a large stockpot full of cold water (and 1 tablespoon salt) filled so the water line sits about 1 inch above the potatoes.
Bring the water to a boil over high heat, reduce heat to medium-high (or whatever temperature is needed to maintain the boil) and continue cooking for about 10-12 minutes, or until a fork inserted in the potato goes in easily.
Drain well and allow to sit in the colander a few minutes to make sure all water evaporates.

To Roast

Cut the sweet potatoes into evenly-sized chunks (about 2 inchs or so thick) Coat the cut potatoes with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Pour onto a sheet pan. Roast at 350°F for 30 minutes, then turn and roast for 15-20 minutes more or until potatoes are tender enough to mash. Transfer to a serving bowl.

To Mash

Add the butter and brown sugar to the potatoes and mash. Add cream a little bit at a time to reach desired consistency.
Taste for seasoning and sweetness and add more salt or sugar as needed. Serve hot.

Notes

To Bake Whole And Unpeeled

Adjust oven rack to the upper-middle position of the oven. Place potatoes on a foil-lined pan and bake at 425°F for 45 to 60 minutes or until tender enough to mash. Peel when cool enough to handle and add the flesh to a bowl to mash.

For Best Results:

For less creaminess, the cream can be swapped for milk, sour cream, or buttermilk
When boiling, salt the cooking water well. Sweet Potatoes absorb the water as they cook. If your water doesn’t have any flavor neither will your dish.
Be careful not to overcook when boiling. Overcooking will cause loss of color and cause waterlogging.
Use a fork and not a knife to check for doneness. A fork should slide in easily when cooked. A knife is sharp and will slide in even if it’s not cooked.

Nutrition