Mashed Sweet Potatoes
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Savory, not sweet, is the name of the game for this incredibly creamy and festive holiday mashed sweet potatoes.
There is no doubt that you are used to seeing the marshmallow smothered sweet potato bake every year on the table, but this sweet potato recipe goes beyond that for a side dish that embraces the incredible and tasty without the added and unneeded sugar.
Why you will love making this Sweet Potato Recipe
Unique: Every holiday growing up, we seemed to have the same traditional and classic dishes on our holiday plates. It went like turkey, rolls, cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, and corn casserole.
When I became an adult and was in charge of the menu, I changed it up, turning deviled eggs into fried deviled eggs and brown sugar carrots instead of regular oven roasted carrots.
These mashed sweet potatoes are just that. A unique side dish without varying so much from an old-fashioned Christmas meal but giving you something new to taste and love this season while still using simple ingredients.
Not so sweet: Sweet potatoes often get the short end of the stick. They get smothered in marshmallows, brown sugar, and pecans. And while I cannot deny that that makes them delicious, it detracts from the delightful savory flavors that regular sweet potatoes are grown with.
Keeping them super simple with just cream cheese and seasoning, these mashed sweet potatoes rejoice with their simple natural flavors making them a great choice for complementary weeknight dinners or holiday side dishes.
Ingredients
- Sweet potatoes- Choosing potatoes that are all similar in size, peel and cube sweet potatoes, so they boil quickly. If you prefer an alternative method, try pressure cooking sweet potatoes instead.
- Cream cheese – Cream cheese that is left to soften about 15 minutes from the fridge is easier to whisk into recipes.
- Unsalted Butter – Only real butter here, please! Skip the margarine and artificial oil butter and opt for the real thing.
- Salt – You cannot skip the salt to bring out the flavors of the potato, but black pepper is optional.
How to make Savory Mashed Sweet Potatoes with Cream Cheese
- Peel and cube sweet potatoes. While skins on mashed potatoes are often welcome, skins on sweet potatoes can be bitter and tough. You want those to go.
- Place sweet potato cubes into a large saucepan and cover with cold water, making sure water is at least 1″ above the potatoes.
- Heat over medium-high until potatoes are fork-tender, about 15-20 minutes. Drain and return potatoes to pan.
- Add cream cheese and butter, season with salt, and use a potato masher to incorporate the butter mixture well.
- Make sure to mix to melt the cream cheese and butter evenly thoroughly.
- Serve mashed sweet potatoes immediately.
Optional Sweet Potato Flavors
- Still crave a sweet flavor? Serve potatoes with a small bowl of scoopable brown sugar, maple syrup, and a dash of ground cinnamon or wildflower honey on the side. One common sweet potato ingredient also includes a sprinkling of pecans.
- Want to keep this perfect side dish savory? Try grated parmesan, green onion, oregeno, or thyme leaves for some extra flavor on mashed sweet potatoes.
- While the cream cheese and butter do the trick without overpowering the comforting flavor and creamy texture, there are other ways to cream up potatoes, like sour cream, unflavored Greek yogurt, and heavy whipping cream.
- Fresh herbs can bring out the color of these pale orange potatoes. Try some fresh rosemary sprigs to please all the senses and add some extra savory flavors, and as always, extra melted butter is welcome.
Related Sweet Potato Dish Recipes
- Nothing says perfect dessert like the well-known and loved sweet potato pie.
- A great combination of sweet and savory, this maple bacon sweet potatoes recipe is a simple stovetop side dish with crunchy bacon and tender potatoes.
- The Ninja Foodi makes quick work of pressure cooking sweet potatoes.
- Absolutely the best crockpot sweet potato casserole recipe you will find – set it and forget it till dinner.
Mashed Sweet Potatoes with Cream Cheese
Ingredients
- 4 sweet potatoes
- 4 oz cream cheese
- 2 tbsp butter
- ½ tsp salt
Instructions
- Remove cream cheese from the fridge and open packaging. Sit on the counter to soften while proceeding with the rest of the recipe.
- Peel and cube sweet potatoes. Throw away skins. Skins with sweet potatoes are bitter and tough.
- Place cubed potatoes into a large saucepan and cover with cold water, making sure water is at least 1" above the potatoes.
- Heat potatoes over medium high until sweet potatoes are tender when a fork is poked into them, which takes about 15-20 minutes.
- Drain water and return potatoes to pan.
- Add softened cream cheese, butter, and salt and mash together well.
- Mix potatoes to evenly melt the cream cheese and butter.
- Serve immediately while hot.
Notes
- Still crave a sweet flavor? Serve potatoes with a small bowl of scoopable brown sugar, maple syrup, or wildflower honey on the side.
- Want to keep it savory? Try grated parmesan, green onion, or thyme leaves for some extra flavor.
- While the cream cheese and butter do the trick without overpowering the comforting flavor and creamy texture, there are other ways to cream up potatoes like sour cream unflavored Greek yogurt, and heavy whipping cream.
- Fresh herbs can bring out the color of these pale orange potatoes. Try some fresh rosemary sprigs to please all the senses and add some extra savory flavors.
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer: The nutritional data provided here is auto-calculated and intended for your convenience only. As it’s generated via automation, its accuracy may be compromised. For precise nutritional insight, please compute the values utilizing the actual ingredients in your recipe through your chosen nutrition calculator or application.
Did You Make This Recipe?
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Best sweet potatoes I have ever tasted. I added sour cream and let me tell you, I am a believer.
Thanks for sharing this recipe. It’s the exact one my sister made for years but I didn’t have ratio of cream cheese and butter. Only exception is she added mini marshmallows on top and broiled till browned.
I’ve never liked the pecan streusel toppings or brown sugar toppings. Sweet potatoes are sweet enough.
Look forward making this for Christmas.
This is the exact recipe my sister used to make. I couldn’t recall the ratio of cream cheese and butter.
Can’t wait to make it for the holidays!!
Dumb question, can frozen sweet potatos be used or would that alter the consistency?
As long as you defrost and drain of excess water, it *should* be fine.
how much sour cream? do you use the cream cheese still?
I do not use sour cream in this recipe but if you want to add a little bit, there can be a bit of a creamy flavor boost.