These easy mashed sweet potatoes are creamy and buttery with a hint of maple syrup, and made with just a few simple ingredients.
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Sweet potatoes are one of the most popular sides in our house, and mashing them is an easy way to dress them up for a weeknight dinner or a holiday.
I like to bake the sweet potatoes whole instead of boiling them. Baking adds a deeper caramelized flavor to the mash. And it's easier than peeling and chopping them raw, since the skins come off easily once they're baked.
You can bake them a day ahead, too. It's a great make-ahead shortcut for meal prep or a special occasion.
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Ingredients you'll need
- Sweet potatoes: Look for medium ones, about the size of your hand. Try to get them about the same size so they bake in the same amount of time.
- Ghee: For a rich buttery flavor. You can substitute butter if you prefer.
- Cashew milk: Adds creaminess. Almond milk or any milk you like works as well.
- Maple syrup: Use pure maple syrup for the best maple flavor.
- Sea salt: Balances the sweetness. I like a sprinkle of coarse sea salt on top too.
Kitchen tools
- Baking sheet: - Use a sheet pan that's large enough to fit the sweet potatoes in a single layer.
- Parchment paper: For easy cleanup. The sugars run out of the sweet potatoes as they bake and stick to the pan, and no one wants to wash that.
- Saucepan: I mash them in the saucepan on the stove so they heat at the same time.
- Potato masher: A double-layer masher mashes and rices them at the same time.
How to make mashed sweet potatoes
Cook the potatoes: Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the sweet potatoes, the sheet pan in so they aren't touching. Bake for 1 ½ hours, until they're soft when you squeeze them.
For more tips on baking them, see my baked sweet potatoes in the oven. And if you'd rather not turn on the oven, try my crock pot sweet potatoes or Instant Pot sweet potatoes. You can even peel, cut and boil them until tender if you prefer.
Let the sweet potatoes cool enough so you can handle them. You can also stop here, refrigerate them, and finish them up later. (I bake mine the night before.)
Make the mash: Peel the skins off with your fingers, then cut the sweet potatoes into chunks and add them to a saucepan.
Add the ghee, cashew milk, maple syrup, and sea salt, starting with a little less of each. (You can always add more, but you can't take it out.) Mash over low heat until creamy and hot.
Taste, and add more maple syrup or salt if you like.
How to serve them
Serve them plain, or drizzle a little maple syrup over the top and sprinkle with coarse sea salt.
Try them with an simple roast turkey breast or lemon garlic roast chicken. And for Thanksgiving, here are more of my easy gluten-free Thanksgiving recipes.
Variations
Here are a few ways to change it up.
- Warm spices Stir in a little cinnamon or pumpkin spice for more fall flavor.
- Savory: Leave out the maple syrup and mash in a few cloves of roasted garlic with chopped fresh thyme or other soft fresh herbs.
- Smoky: Chipotle chili powder or smoked paprika compliments the sweetness.
- Sweet Potato Casserole: With a pecan crumble topping, it's always one of the first dishes to go at Thanksgiving.
Storing and reheating
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.
I like to reheat them in a 350°F oven until they're warmed through. You can also use the microwave or the stove. Stir in a splash of milk if they need it.
More easy mashed sides
Dairy-Free Mashed Potatoes with Garlic Olive Oil - Creamy and full of garlic flavor with just 5 ingredients.
Easy Slow Cooker Mashed Potatoes - These cook, mash and keep warm in the crock pot, so they're a great hack for busy holidays or any time you're serving a crowd.
Mashed Cauliflower with Garlic and Truffle Oil - With a bag of frozen cauliflower in the freezer, you can have this garlicky truffle mash on the table in 10 minutes.
Easy Mashed Sweet Potatoes
Ingredients
- 4 medium sweet potatoes (about 2.5 lbs)
- ½ cup ghee or butter, melted
- ½ cup cashew milk or milk of choice, room temperature
- 2 tbsp. maple syrup to taste
- ½ tsp. sea salt to taste
- Optional garnish: maple syrup and coarse sea salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Wash and dry the sweet potatoes. Then place them on the sheet pan so they aren't touching.
- Bake for 1 to 1 ½ hours, until they're very soft when you squeeze them.
- Let the sweet potatoes cool until you can handle them. Peel and cut into chunks.
- Add the sweet potatoes to a saucepan with the ghee, cashew milk, maple syrup and sea salt, starting with a little less of each. Mash with a potato masher over low heat until creamy and hot.
- Taste and add more maple syrup or salt if you like. Garnish with a drizzle of maple syrup and a sprinkle of coarse sea salt.
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