Just three ingredients are needed for this incredibly easy and delicious Healthy Mashed Sweet Potatoes recipe! This recipe is vegan, vegetarian, and refined sugar-free.
I'm gonna be honest with you. It kinda feels like cheating to write a whole post for this mashed sweet potato recipe.
But, then I remember how awesome these mashed sweet potatoes are and how you need these in your life.
I started making these about 8 years ago and I get requests for them ALL the time. Every so often, I get the urge to toy with this recipe and add some orange zest, chopped pecans, nutmeg or cinnamon, but I just can't do it because, well, it's just too good the way it is.
Watch Me Make This Recipe
How To Make Mashed Sweet Potatoes
Okay, so let's talk how to make mashed sweet potatoes. What do you need to make these mashed sweet potatoes RN? Just three simple things:
- fresh sweet potatoes (or yams)
- pure maple syrup (can sub with raw honey or coconut sugar -- no brown sugar here, my friends)
- ground cinnamon
See? I told you: E.A.S.Y.
Then, just
(1) steam or boil the sweet potatoes,
(2) combine it with pure maple syrup and ground cinnamon, and then
(3) mash them into mashed sweet potatoes.
So simple!
Do You Have To Peel Sweet Potatoes?
I also like to keep the skin on the sweet potatoes to add in additional fiber and nutrients. Believe it or not, there is a lot of good stuff in the skin so leave it in! If you really don't like the texture, you could puree the sweet potatoes in a food processor to blend it up more.
Big bonus for NOT peeling the sweet potatoes? One less step to worry about! That means not having to slave away at removing the peel from the sweet potato. The skin is completely edible and a great addition to the recipe.
Can You Make Mashed Sweet Potatoes Ahead?
Mashed sweet potatoes reheat perfectly from the fridge so they are a great side to make ahead.
How To Freeze Mashed Sweet Potatoes
To freeze your mashed sweet potatoes, follow these easy peasy steps:
- Allow the mashed sweet potatoes to cool completely (placing in the fridge once cooled to room temperature will help).
- Pack the sweet potatoes into freezer safe bags or containers. If using freezer bags, flatten and remove as much air as possible
- Place into the fridge (if using a bag, you can freeze flat on a rimmed baking sheet, and then store upright once solid.
- Freeze the mashed sweet potatoes for up to 12 months.
How To Reheat Mashed Sweet Potatoes
To reheat frozen mashed sweet potatoes, allow them to thaw in the fridge until no longer frozen. Then, reheat in the microwave, stirring occasionally, for 2-4 minutes until heated through. You can also reheat in a pan on the stove by heating over medium-high heat and cooking, covered until heated through, stirring occasionally.
How To Mash Sweet Potatoes
Whether you're making mashed sweet potatoes into baby food or for a Thanksgiving dinner, I mash my sweet potatoes using any of the following tools:
- potato masher (aka hand masher)
- food processor
- blender
The high speed blender and food processor will make it so all chunks are throughly removed, which is perfect if you're looking for a puree or you like whipped potatoes. It also works perfectly for baby food since it makes sure there are no large pieces. If you can handle a few chunks here and there, you can also mash by hand.
What To Serve With Mashed Sweet Potatoes
This mashed sweet potato recipe is equally welcomed at our table on Thanksgiving or any weeknight because it makes a great side to pork, lamb or turkey. Plus, they add a nice color and texture to a plate. Here are my favorite recipes that go great with mashed sweet potatoes:
Simple Mashed Sweet Potatoes Recipe
*This post may contain affiliate links for products I use often and highly recommend.
Ingredients
- 2 medium sweet potatoes skin on, diced into 2-inch pieces
- 2 tablespoon pure maple syrup (can sub raw honey or coconut sugar)
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- raw pecans, crushed (for topping)
Instructions
- Steam the sweet potatoes until very tender, approximately 15-20 minutes. No need to remove the skin.
- Once tender, transfer to a food processor and puree. Alternatively, you can mash by hand using a potato masher (this won't break up the skin as much, but is still a fine method).
- Once pureed, add the pure maple syrup and cinnamon and mix well. Taste the potatoes at this time to see if you would like it to be any sweeter.
Video
Nutrition
This post contains affiliate links for products I use regularly and highly recommend.
Jojoh
Thank you, Lacey, for this delicious and healthy recipe. We tried it over the weekend and the kids loved it a lot. It's now one more recipe added to our collection.
Lacey Baier
Yay, I'm so happy y'all loved it!!
Maggie
Is it possible to par cook sweet potatoes then finish cooking later? I baked some super large spuds and pulled them before they were done. (I did NOT want to mash these) when I took them out of the foil they were so not done. So now the oven is in service for another dish. I put them in the microwave for 3 mins They felt softish and in my desire NOT to have them smashed to smithereens, I proceeded to peel and cut. The farther I got the more certain I was they weren’t done enough. I went ahead with the saucey part but they reall need to be more tender. Any experienced tips, or do I toss em and start over.
Lacey Baier
Maggie, as long as they're fully softened when it's time to mash, you'll be fine.
Lisa
Hi, I have a stupid question. Mt Husband just found out he has type 2 diebities. I'm trying to learn how to cook for him now since pretty much everything he loved and I know how to cook is "all the fat, all the fun, all the flavor" LOL!! Anyway, he was told he couldn't eat regular mashed potatoes but they said he could have sweet potatoes which he likes at Thanksgiving. So I'm trying to make mashed potatoes with sweet potatoes but when I went to the store there were atleast 3 different types of sweet potatoes. I don't know which one to buy to make these mashed potatoes?? What is the best type of sweet potato for Mashed or does it matter?? I know he likes the orange flesh ones but I don't know which one that is. Can someone help me with my STUPID QUESTION???
Marilyn
There is only one kind of sweet potato. Not yams.
Peel sweet potato, cut into cubes, simmer in salted water till just soft, not mushy!! Pour off water, add few T of real butter, small amount half and half and mash with masher or blender. U can add cinnamon if u want.
Lacey Baier
It's not a stupid question at all! You'll usually see a label for sweet potatoes at the grocery store, and those will have the orange flesh on the inside. They tend to be a bit reddish on the outside.
Stuart Perry
I wonder if you could get away with calling this healthy if you said add white sugar instead of maple syrup
Kona
Maple
Syrup has actual nutrients
Lacey Baier
I try to use as little added sugar as possible. I choose pure maple syrup because it's less refined than white sugar.
Katie West
OMG! Thanks a lot for sharing such an informative page about healthy mashed sweet potatoes. I have read your valuable page and gotten much information. I have learned a lot from you that I did not know before. I confused for choosing the Baby Foods information what would be the best for everything but now my confusion has cleared by your review. I hope your all information help me for my elder sister's baby. Keep it up………..
Lacey Baier
Wow, thanks so much for the sweet comment 🙂
carly
I want to try this recipe tonight, but is the kcal count correct? Only 42kcal for 1 cup? That seems very off.
Lacey Baier
Hi Carly, thanks for pointing that out -- it wasn't accurate, but I've fixed it now. There is an automatic calculation that is sometimes wrong, so it's always smart to follow your gut.
Mark Pope
Sweet-Pea, this was FULL-TILT!!
The cool thing about this recipe is that it can be used as a side or, make a great dessert. Except, sad to say, I have to melt a few marshmallows on top.......sometimes you gotta be a little bad to be GOOD!! haha!
Thanks, Lacey!
Lacey Baier
Woot woot!
Thais
Like be the recipe except PEEL THE POTATOES. I left the skin on and bad strings from the skin still which I almost choked on. I used my ninja to purée it so it wasn't that. Other than that it's very tasty.
Lacey Baier
lol, sorry about that, Thais! The skin has never bothered me and I like the extra nutrients and texture from the skin...but no one likes to choke...;)