Mashed Sweet Potatoes (One Pot)

Classic, homemade, quick and easy mashed sweet potatoes recipe, made with simple ingredients in one pot on stovetop. This 30 minute side dish is rich, smooth, creamy.

These super creamy mashed sweet potatoes are sweet and creamy with a hint of cinnamon and ginger that really takes them over the top. They are a must-make for every Thanksgiving feast, along with some of these other classic Thanksgiving holiday sides:

• One Pot Thanksgiving Turkey Stuffing
• One Pot Homemade Cranberry Sauce
• One Pot Creamy Mashed Potatoes
• One Pot Homemade Brown Gravy

How to make easy one pot mashed sweet potatoes recipe from scratch? 

1. Peel and chop sweet potatoes.
2. Boil them until tender.
3. Add spices, butter, honey, milk and whip everything together.
4. Garnish and serve warm.

How do you make healthy mashed sweet potatoes?

To make a healthier version, replace butter with coconut oil or vegan butter. Replace whole milk or half and half with low fat milk or vegan milk.

How long does it take to boil sweet potatoes to mash?

This takes about 15-20 minutes. Potatoes are ready when they can easily be pierced with a fork.

What is the best way to mash sweet potatoes?

I like to use a hand-held electric mixer or you can also use a traditional potato masher.

Do I need to peel sweet potatoes for mashing?

Yes, they must be peeled or else they add a weird gritty texture at the end.

What is the difference between sweet potatoes and yams?

In the united, States, sweet potatoes and yams are considered to be the same thing.

However, in reality, a sweet potato and yam are different root vegetables, even though they look similar. True yams have a cylindrical shape and a brown, bark-like skin, just like a sweet potato but the flesh is white, purple, or even reddish in color.  These are not easily found in American grocery stores.

However, many American grocery stores tend to label dark skinned sweet potatoes as yams.

Mashed sweet potatoes (brown sugar and pecans)

Omit the honey altogether. Mash the sweet potatoes and transfer them to an oven-safe dish. Sprinkle 2 tablespoon brown sugar and pecans on top and broil in the oven for 5 minutes until sugar is fully melted. Let it cool until sugar hardens and then serve.

Mashed sweet potatoes with marshmallows

There are 2 ways:

1.  You can mix in ½ cup mini marshmallows in the mashed potatoes.
2. Or you can sprinkle marshmallows on top of the mashed potatoes and broil for 5-10 minutes in the oven until they are toasted.

Vegan mashed sweet potatoes

Replace butter with coconut oil or vegan butter. Replace whole milk with almond milk or soy milk. Replace honey with maple syrup or brown sugar.

Roasted/baked mashed sweet potatoes

Instead of boiling the potatoes, some people prefer to bake or roast them in the oven for 20 minutes at 400 degrees and then whip them with the spices. The classic way is to boil them though.

Crockpot mashed sweet potatoes

Add all the ingredients in a slow cooker and cook on high for 2-3 hours or low for 5-6 hours until potatoes are tender. Then, whip everything together until smooth.

Garlic mashed sweet potatoes/ Savory mashed sweet potatoes

This would be a savory version where you can add in some finely chopped fresh Italian herbs like basil, parsley, chives, sage, oregano as well as garlic powder or fresh roasted garlic.

Tips and techniques

• Cut potatoes into small cubes because they will cook faster.
• Adjust the amount of honey and spices, based on your preference.
• The spices are optional but they take this simple side dish over the top top and adds warmth to it.
• The amount of milk can be adjusted based on how thin or thick you like your mashed potatoes. Everyone has their own preference. I recommend that you start off by adding a small amount first and then add more, as necessary.
• To make these potatoes super creamy, use half and half or a combination of whole milk and heavy cream. I don't recommend using fat free milk or 2% milk because it doesn't make it as creamy.

More one pot side dishes

• One Pot Creamy Grape Salad
• Oven Roasted Green Beans (One Pan)
• Oven Roasted Broccoli (One Pan)
• Oven Roasted Asparagus (One Pan)
• Quick Oven Roasted Tomatoes (One Pan)

Recipe