Easy Mashed Sweet Potato Recipe (2024)

Creamy and delicious while both sweet and savory, this mashed sweet potato recipe is easy to make and is the perfect side dish to accompany any weeknight dinner. And if you're looking for sweet potatoes for Thanksgiving, this recipe is deliciously irresistible! A true crowd pleaser!

Sweet potatoes are one of my favorite root vegetables. Not only are they healthy, but they also taste amazing and are extremely versatile. They're tender, sweet, and delicious and they work extremely well in so many recipes like these Sweet Potato and Kale Patties.Sweet potatoes can be baked, mashed, boiled, or roasted, and can either be sweet, savory, or both. Personally, I love a good sweet potato that has been mashed. You're going to love this version because they are both sweet and savory!

🛒 Ingredients You'll Need

The main ingredients you need to make these sweet potatoes taste both sweet and savory are butter and brown sugar. I use salted butter to help cut the sweet a little. I add a cinnamon stick, whole cloves, and brown sugar while I'm boiling the sweet potatoes. This adds a depth of flavor you won't find in other recipes. The ground cinnamon and clove are used in the sweet potato glaze.

🔪 Mashed Sweet Potatoes Step-By-Step Instructions

First, peel the sweet potatoes. Rinse and drain.

Add the diced potatoes to a large pot. Bring the large pot of water to a boil. Add the 2 whole cloves, 1 cinnamon stick, and brown sugar to the pot. Preparing them this way helps both the spice and sweetness really penetrate into the vegetable while they boil.

They will be done after about 20 minutes of boiling. They need to be almost falling apart. Using a colander, drain the potatoes. Discard the cinnamon stick and whole cloves. Pour the potatoes into a large bowl and set aside.

Now it's time to make the spice glaze. In a small saucepan, melt the butter along with the salt, ground cinnamon, and ground clove. For a little kick, add a dash of black pepper.

Once the butter mixture is well mixed, pour over the cooked sweet potatoes and then mash the sweet potatoes. Top with some chopped pecans for added crunch and dig in!

👩‍🍳 Storing Leftovers

Similar to storing regular mashed potatoes, store any leftover mashed sweet potatoes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Reheat in the microwave until warm, about 2-3 minutes.

You can also freeze mashed sweet potatoes. After you've smashed the sweet potatoes and once they've changed completely cooled, add the mixture to a plastic sealable bag and flatten. Lay the bag flat in the freezer and store for up to 3 months. When you're ready reheat, place the bag in the refrigerator to thaw. Once it is completely thawed, warm them up in the microwave, in the oven, or on the stovetop.

🙋 Frequently Asked Questions

🥔 More Potato Recipes You'll Love

I love potatoes and I'm constantly making new recipes to try out different variations. I grew up on these Homemade Mashed Potatoes. My mom made them at least 4 nights a week to pair with chicken or pork. They are easy to make and taste so good that I still make them for my family. I also love these Slow Cooker Herb Roasted Garlic Potatoes because they require no effort at all on my end. I add the ingredients to the slow cooker and let it do all the hard work. The flavor of these little gemstone potatoes is out of this world delicious!

These Zesty Italian Potatoes are an excellent choice when serving burgers or a BBQ pulled chicken sandwich. These seasoned potatoes are full of flavor, have a crispy texture, and super easy to make! And if you smoke meat, then try smoking these Garlic and Herb Smoked Potatoes! They pair perfectly with my smoked turkey breast or smoked ham!

Update Notes: This post was originally published in November 2017, but was re-published with updated step-by-step instructions, pictures, and FAQs in September 2021.