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These mashed sweet potatoes are creamy, buttery, and made with cream cheese for a rich, smooth texture. Instead of adding brown sugar or marshmallows, this savory version lets the natural sweetness of the potatoes come through. The cream cheese adds a little tanginess that works especially well with the butter and salt.

With only four ingredients, this is an easy side dish for Thanksgiving or Christmas, but there’s no reason to save it just for the holidays. The potatoes cook on the stovetop, and everything is mashed together in the same saucepan, so there’s very little cleanup.

Ingredients

Sweet potatoes: You’ll need four sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed. Choose potatoes that are similar in size and cut them into even pieces so they cook at the same rate. If you prefer using your Ninja Foodi or Instant Pot, I also have instructions for pressure cooker sweet potatoes.
Cream cheese: Four ounces of cream cheese make the potatoes creamy without needing milk or heavy cream. Let it soften at room temp while the potatoes cook so it’s easier to incorporate.
Butter: Two tablespoons of butter add richness. I use unsalted butter so I can control the seasoning.
Salt: Start with ½ teaspoon of salt. You can always add more after mashing if needed.

How to Make Mashed Sweet Potatoes with Cream Cheese

Prepare the potatoes. Peel the sweet potatoes and cut them into evenly sized cubes.
Boil until tender. Place the cubed sweet potatoes in a large saucepan and cover with cold water, about 1 inch above the potatoes. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and cook for 15–20 minutes, or until the potatoes are easily pierced with a fork.
Drain the potatoes. Drain well and return the sweet potatoes to the warm saucepan.
Add cream cheese and butter. Add the softened cream cheese, butter, and salt. Mash with a potato masher until everything is combined and the butter and cream cheese have melted into the potatoes.
Serve warm. Taste and adjust the salt if needed. Serve immediately while the potatoes are hot and creamy.

4 collage images on how to make at home mashed sweet potatoes stovetop.

Can You Make Mashed Sweet Potatoes Ahead of Time?

Yes. You can prepare mashed sweet potatoes ahead of time and refrigerate them in a covered container for up to 3–4 days.

When you’re ready to serve, reheat them gently in a saucepan over low heat, stirring occasionally. If they’ve thickened in the refrigerator, add a small splash of milk while reheating until they’re creamy again.

For Thanksgiving, making the potatoes ahead can help free up stove space when you’re preparing the rest of the meal.

Savory and Sweet Ways to Serve Mashed Sweet Potatoes

I like keeping this recipe simple because the cream cheese already gives the potatoes plenty of flavor. If you want to add something extra, try chopped chives, grated Parmesan, or freshly ground black pepper.

For a sweeter finish, a little maple syrup or cinnamon can be added to individual portions without changing the entire batch.

If you prefer more texture, my garlic Parmesan smashed sweet potatoes are boiled, smashed, and roasted until the edges brown, then finished with garlic butter and Parmesan.

For a traditional holiday side with brown sugar, pecans, and marshmallows, try my Crock Pot sweet potato casserole. It’s a good option when you want to keep the oven available for other Thanksgiving dishes.

5 from 3 votes

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