These are the absolute BEST Sweet Mashed Potatoes you'll ever have. They are buttery, creamy, nutty, and have hints of caramel.
Using just four ingredients, they are easy to make and are a wonderful addition to any holiday meal.
But you don't need to wait for Thanksgiving or Christmas to serve this delicious side dish.
Try to serve the mashed potatoes with roasted salmon and roasted broccoli and cauliflower and you've got yourself a yummy, healthy dinner.
Why This Tasty Side Dish Works
While you can't go wrong with our classic Cheesy Mashed Potatoes, it doesn't hurt to have some variety.
And this recipe is a great addition to everybody's side dish collection. It's a perfect blend of yummy, creamy, sweet with subtle nutty flavors.
Our easy Mashed Sweet Potatoes are the perfect side dish to balance a Thanksgiving table full of rich and savory entrees.
For this recipe, we roast the sweet potatoes. Allowing them to develop a caramelized and toasty flavor that you just don't get when boiling them.
Dry sherry is our "secret ingredient". The one that takes this recipe to the next level.
It turns this sweet mash into a "Grown-Up Sweet Potato Mashed". I love classic recipes, especially for Thanksgiving, but classics with a twist make cooking and serving dinner so much more fun.
I love easy recipes like this one. You don't need to add or do much because the main ingredient is so flavorful!
No matter if you're looking for an updated side dish with a fresh twist or you are a fan of sweet potatoes, this is a great recipe to try!
RELATED: Check out our ➡ Honey Roasted Sweet Potatoes!
Why We Love This Recipe
Let's be honest side dishes are often the best part of the meal. And this one is no exception.
EASE. This sweet potato recipe is as simple as it gets! You only need simple ingredients that are easy to find. And all you have to do is bake, scoop, season, and mash.
STRESS-FREE PREP - Mashed sweet potatoes can easily be prepared a day ahead. So if you're planning a big Thanksgiving dinner, this is a great dish to prep on Wednesday and refrigerate overnight. Take it out of the oven about 30 to 40 minutes before you are reheating it in the oven (about 20 minutes at 350º Fahrenheit).
HEALTHY. Sweet potatoes are excellent sources of fiber, vitamins, and antioxidants making this a great dish to stay healthy this holiday season. It also contains fewer calories than regular potatoes, making it one of the quite healthy recipes.
COMFORT. Undeniably delicious, this side dish has all the elements of delicious home-cooked comfort food. It's sweet, creamy, and oh so buttery.
CUSTOMIZABLE. I wanted to keep this recipe very simple and let the sweet potatoes really shine through. However, feel free to add extra ingredients and spices to your liking.
Ingredients
Sweet Potatoes - Of course, they are the star of the show! I used both red-skinned and light-skinned sweet potatoes for this recipe. If you can only find one kind, that's okay, too. But the combination of the two makes a perfectly textured mash.
Tip: Choose medium-sized sweet potatoes because they are the most flavorful.
Butter - We're not shy about butter in this recipe. It makes it so rich, smooth, and creamy.
Sugar - Brown sugar gives the dish a boost of sweetness and caramel flavor.
Dry Sherry - This is the secret ingredient that makes this a "next level recipe". Don't skip it! I've also tried it with bourbon and it's good, too but dry sherry is so much better for this recipe.
Additions, Substitutions, and Variations
- If you like to add an orange twist to this recipe, add a bit of orange zest and fresh orange juice to the sweet potato mash. I don't do for mine, because I think the sherry by itself works wonderfully with the creamy sweet potatoes but it's definitely an option.
- You can also add some herbs and spices like thyme, ground cinnamon, or parsley to add more flavor to the dish.
- Instead of brown sugar, try adding a few tablespoons of maple syrup for more woodsy maple flavors.
- Turn it into a sweet potato casserole! Place the mashed mixture in a shallow baking dish and top with either marshmallows or candied pecans. Then, drizzle with a few tablespoons of maple syrup and bake for a few more minutes. Perfect for those with a sweet tooth.
- If you don't like sherry, you can use bourbon or rum instead. Both work beautifully with sweet potatoes. But my favorite spritz of booze for this recipe is sherry for sure.
- Need to make a vegan option? No problem. Use coconut milk instead of butter and look for a vegan dry sherry brand.
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How To Make This Recipe
- Bake sweet potatoes on a rimmed baking sheet for 50-55 minutes.
- Slice lengthwise in half and scoop out the flesh and put in a large bowl.
- Add brown sugar, melted butter, and sherry. Blend until creamy.
Recipe Success Tips
Make sure to poke holes into the sweet potatoes before baking. This will allow the steam to escape and save you from any 'sweet potato explosions'.
Chose medium sweet potatoes that are uniform in size to make sure they roast evenly. Large sweet potatoes will need more baking time.
Use a fork to check for doneness.
If you do not have a hand mixer, use a food processor, immersion blender, or potato masher instead.
Take note that the consistency of the dish will differ depending on what you use, though. Using a food processor or blender will result in a very smooth, creamy texture. A potato masher will give you a chunkier mash.
How To Store and Keep This Recipe
If you are making this ahead or storing leftovers, it is always a good idea to place the mashed sweet potatoes in an airtight container.
Or you can simply cover your serving bowl tightly with cling wrap. Make sure to consume within 3-5 days. This recipe is also freezer-friendly.
You can store the sweet potato mash in your freezer for up to 6 months. When reheating from frozen, thaw the mashed sweet potatoes in the fridge overnight.
If you find it a little too dry add a little butter or a splash of milk to make it into a creamy mash again.
If You Love This Recipe, Try These!
- Honey Roasted Sweet Potatoes - a reader favorite
- Candied Carrots - don't wait for the holidays to make this recipe
- Mushroom Pie - this recipe will be on our Thanksgiving table this year
- Classic Stuffing - foolproof stuffing recipe
- Bacon Rolls - stuffing wrapped in stuffing
- Candied Sweet Potatoes - a side dish that tastes as sweet as candy
Mashed Sweet Potatoes
Ingredients
- 2 pounds red-skinned sweet potatoes
- 2 pounds light-skinned sweet potatoes
- 1 ½ sticks butter unsalted, melted
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
- ⅓ cup dry sherry
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425º Fahrenheit
- Pierce sweet potatoes in several places with a fork.
- Place on rimmed baking sheet. Bake until tender. About 50-55 minutes
- Cut sweet potatoes lengthwise and scoop the flesh out. Scoop pulp into a large bowl. Add sugar and melted butter and sherry.
- Use a hand mixer and blend until creamy.