Are you Team Savory or Team Sweet when it comes to potatoes? We’re firmly on Team We Just Love Potatoes. Those flexible spuds are good just about any way you cook them, but we have a recipe that will make both savory and sweet potato lovers happy. Our Sweet Potato Mash is made with delicately-flavored sweet potatoes and mashed with delicious savory seasonings to please any potato head.

It’s perfect for your holiday spread (hello, super easy Thanksgiving side!) and it’ll make any weeknight dinner feel special. Plus, it goes well with all kinds of sauces, gravies, or toppings. There’s a lot to love about this recipe.

Sweet Potato Mash ingredients

Sweet potatoes: this one is obvious. What might not be obvious is which variety to reach for. If you have a well-stocked produce department, the choices can be overwhelming. Jewel or Beauregard sweet potatoes are most common and likely what you envision when you think of sweet potatoes. These work well in most applications and will be good options for your mash.

However, if you have access to other varieties and are feeling adventurous, here are some others that you could try:

Hannahs- these look like Jewel potatoes but have an off-white or yellowish interior. They have a lightly sweet flavor and a dry texture that’s perfect for mashing.
Garnets- these have an orange flesh with a pumpkin-like flavor. They can be a fun and seasonal choice for a Thanksgiving mash.
Korean Purples- if you can get your hands on these, definitely try them! They have a slightly nutty flavor that’s complemented by the savory seasoning in this recipe. (Note that this variety is different from the common Purple variety.)
Creamsicles- these are for the ardent Team Sweet devotees. Their flavor is more surgery than most varieties and will up the sweetness of this dish.
Amish Bush Porto Ricos- yes, that’s spelled correctly. These beauties have a lush buttery flavor when cooked.

If you find a variety that’s not mentioned here and want to know if it would be a good choice, you can google the name and find descriptions of its flavor. If it sounds good to you with the seasonings in the recipe, give it a try and let us know how it turned out in the comments below.

Unsweetened non-dairy milk: you can use any type of non-dairy milk as long as it’s unflavored and unsweetened. Soy, oat, almond, cashew, or coconut (from the carton, not the can) will all be good choices. We don’t recommend using low-fat plant milk for this recipe as the fat content of the milk helps make your Sweet Potato Mash creamy (it will say on the label if it’s low or reduced fat). Coconut milk is a great option, but it does have a slight coconut flavor, so only use it if everyone is on board.

Nutritional yeast: (AKA nooch) this non-active slightly cheesy-tasting yeast is used for flavoring all sorts of plant-based dishes and sauces. It provides savory depth to our dish without being overtly cheesy.

Let’s get mashing

To make your Sweet Potato Mash, first wash, peel, and cube the sweet potatoes. If you prefer, you can skip peeling, but you’ll want to leave some lumps when mashing if you do. The size of the cubes is up to you (smaller cubes will cook faster), but try to ensure they’re mostly uniform. We like 1-inch cubes.

Put your potatoes in a large stock pot and cover with water. Fill your pot until there’s about two inches of water above your potatoes. Your pot should be large enough to hold everything and still have two to three inches between the water and the top of the pot. This will make sure your potatoes don’t boil over and make a mess.

Turn the heat to high and bring the water to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat so the water remains at a simmer but not an active boil. Continue simmering until the potatoes are soft, about 15–20 minutes. You can use a clean fork to check if they’re done by piercing larger chunks. If the fork slides in and out with no resistance, they’re ready! Drain your sweet potatoes (discard the cooking water) and transfer to a mixing bowl.

While the potatoes are simmering, you can go ahead and measure all of your dry seasonings into a small bowl and set aside.

Add the non-dairy milk, nutritional yeast, garlic powder, salt, and pepper to your bowl and mash using a potato masher until everything is thoroughly incorporated and the texture is to your liking.

If you like a very fine mash, you can put your drained cooked potatoes into a potato ricer a handful at a time and rice them directly into the mixing bowl with your other ingredients. Then just use a spoon to mix everything together. Be sure to peel your potatoes if using this method.

If you don’t know what a potato ricer is, look it up—they’re amazing and can be used to make applesauce, guacamole, and other things in addition to the smoothest mashed potatoes you’ve ever had.

Taste for seasoning and adjust if needed. Then you can transfer to a serving dish or plate your mash and enjoy! See below for serving and topping suggestions.

Sweet Potato Mash

Makes about 4 cups

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Author: Molly Patrick

Ingredients

▢ 6 cups sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes (800 g / 28 oz once cubed / purchase about 2 lb of potatoes)
▢ ¾ cup unsweetened non-dairy milk (177 ml)
▢ 1 teaspoon nutritional yeast (2 g / if flaked, rub between your fingers to break down to a powder)
▢ ½ teaspoon garlic powder
▢ ½ teaspoon salt
▢ ¼ teaspoon black pepper (about 10 turns)

Instructions

Place the peeled and diced sweet potatoes in a stock pot and cover with water until it reaches about 2 inches higher than the sweet potatoes.
Bring to a boil over high heat then reduce the heat and simmer for 15–20 minutes, or until soft and cooked through.
Drain the sweet potatoes and discard any remaining liquid then transfer the sweet potatoes to a mixing bowl.
Pour the non-dairy milk over the sweet potatoes, then add the nutritional yeast, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Mash with a potato masher until the milk is thoroughly incorporated and the sweet potatoes are mashed to your liking.
Transfer to a serving dish or scoop onto plates. Enjoy!

Yield and reheating

This recipe makes about four cups of mashed potatoes, serving up to eight comfortably as a side. Double the recipe if you’re serving a crowd. You may need to cook and mash in batches depending on the size of your pot and bowl.

Leftover Sweet Potato Mash can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to five days. It also can be made ahead of time and reheated for your holiday feast to help streamline things. Reheat in a pot over medium heat. If your mash is very thick, add water or non-dairy milk a splash at a time until you reach your desired texture. Heat until warmed through, about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Taste with a clean spoon if you’re unsure it’s warm enough. A microwave works well, too.

Serving your mash

This dish is delicious as written, but we’re absolutely on board if you want to add a little pizzazz. Below are some ideas to get you started.

Gravies and sauces

Serve alongside one of these addictive sauces for an over-the-top amazing combination.

Toppings

Any of these would be a perfect addition.

Toasted nuts or seeds (pistachios, walnuts, pecans, or pumpkin seeds would all be yummy)
Dried fruit (cranberries, raisins, etc.)
Pomegranate seeds
Walnut Parm
Chopped herbs like parsley, rosemary, or sage
This Nut Crumble (skip the other parts of the recipe)
Nutty Toasted Oats Topping