These super easy and healthy mashed sweet potatoes are the perfect whole food comfort food.
They’re super easy to put together and make an excellent, healthy side dish for your next gathering or weeknight dinner.
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What you’ll love about this recipe:
- CREAMY – You’ll love this version too because the sweet potatoes are silky smooth, slightly sweet with maple syrup and cinnamon. And they have a nice crunch on top from the chopped nuts.
- HEALTHY – We love this mashed sweet potato recipe because it’s incredibly easy to put together. And it makes a nice healthier alternative to the typical mashed potatoes recipe. Those are great too! But sometimes, you want the added benefits of the sweet potatoes or a variety at the holiday table.
- INEXPENSIVE – This recipe is a great budget friendly addition to your Thanksgiving meal!
Ingredients
- sweet potatoes
- unsalted butter
- ground cinnamon
- salt
- pure maple syrup — can substitute for raw honey or coconut sugar if preferred
- heavy cream can sub with sour cream
- top with chopped raw pecans or walnuts, optional but highly recommended!
Instructions
Peel and cut sweet potatoes into 1-inch cubes. Add to a large pot and add enough water so that they are covered by about one inch of water.
Bring the water to a boil, reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until the potatoes are fork tender, about 10 to 12 minutes.
Drain well, and then return the potatoes to the pot. Or if you plan to use a food processor, add them directly to the processor bowl (highly recommend using a food processor for ultra smooth and silky texture).
If you don’t have a food processor, use a potato masher to mash the sweet potatoes. And use an immersion blender or hand mixer to give it the creamy texture you desire.
Add the butter, cinnamon, salt. Mash the sweet potatoes with a potato masher until the desired consistency is reached. If using a food processor, pulse until the desired puree consistency is reached.
Stir in the maple syrup to the sweet potato mixture until desired sweetness is reached. For extra creamy sweet potatoes, stir in the heavy cream. You can substitute with sour cream, milk, or half-and-half. Serve with extra butter for extra richness if desired.
Top with chopped raw pecans or walnuts, optional but highly recommended. This will give a nice crunchy texture to the finished sweet potatoes.
How to store leftovers
This recipe can be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator for a couple of days. Just be sure to reserve the chopped nuts until you’re ready to serve. If you have leftovers, store in an airtight container for about 3-4 days in the fridge. Heat up in a baking dish in a preheated 350 degree oven until warmed through.
More favorite holiday sides
Here’s a few of our favorite recipes that we think you’ll love too! These recipes make excellent pairings for the holidays!
FAQ (frequently asked questions)
Yes, it sure can! Just substitute the butter and cream with a dairy-free option to make it vegan friendly.
You could cook and mash the sweet potatoes and store in a freezer safe container for easy meal prep. However, I wouldn’t recommend adding the rest of the ingredients for storage in a freezer. Add those ingredients after thawing out the frozen sweet potatoes.
By skipping the brown sugar and marshmallows that are typically served over mashed sweet potatoes during the holidays. This version with real food ingredients and real maple syrup are a much healthier alternative!
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Healthy Mashed Sweet Potatoes
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 pounds sweet potatoes peeled (about 5 to 6 small-to-medium)
- 3 tablespoons butter unsalted
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
- 2-3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 3-4 tablespoons heavy cream
- chopped raw pecans or walnuts for topping. optional, but highly recommended.
Instructions
- Peel and cut sweet potatoes into 1-inch cubes. Add to a large pot and add enough water so that they are covered by about one inch of water.
- Bring the water to a boil, reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until the potatoes are fork tender, about 10 to 12 minutes. Drain well, and then return the potatoes to the pot. Or if you are using a food processor, add them to the processor bowl (highly recommend using a food processor for ultra silky smooth texture). If you’re doing this by hand, use a potato masher and stand mixer or stick blender.
- Add the butter, cinnamon, salt to the sweet potatoes. Mash the sweet potatoes with a potato masher until the desired consistency. If using a food processor, pulse until the desired consistency is reached.
- Stir in the maple syrup until desired sweetness is reached. For extra creamy sweet potatoes, stir in the heavy cream. Can be substituted with sour cream, milk, or half-and-half. Serve with extra butter if desired.
- Top with chopped raw pecans or walnuts, optional but highly recommended for some crunch.
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