Mashed Sweet Potatoes
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Creamy, buttery, and lightly sweet, these mashed sweet potatoes are the kind of comforting side dish everyone loves to pile high on their plate.
The best mashed sweet potatoes, in my book, start with baked sweet potatoes—not boiled. Baking gives them a light, fluffy texture, while boiling can make them dense. It takes about an hour but is mostly hands-off, giving you time to focus on the rest of the meal or just relax. Once they’re tender, mash them with maple syrup, butter, and a little fresh thyme—it’s all you need to make their flavor shine.
Mashed sweet potatoes pair well with brisket, pork tenderloin, turkey, or even a store-bought rotisserie chicken. They can also be made ahead and reheated in the microwave, making them a stress-free side dish for any meal!
“Truly the best sweet potatoes I remember in over fifty years of good eating…a keeper.”
What You’ll Need To Make Mashed Sweet Potatoes
- Sweet Potatoes: Baking caramelizes their natural sugars, making the mash extra delicious. And don’t be fooled by labels—those “yams” in the store are almost always sweet potatoes!
- Unsalted Butter: Adds that creamy richness we all love in mashed sweet potatoes.
- Pure Maple Syrup: A touch of caramel-like sweetness that takes the flavor up a notch.
- Milk: Makes the mash smooth and velvety.
- Fresh Thyme: A pop of earthy freshness that pairs perfectly with the sweet potatoes.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-By-Step Instructions
Begin by pricking the sweet potatoes a few times each with a fork. Bake for 60 to 75 minutes, or until they give easily when you squeeze them.
While the sweet potatoes bake, melt the butter in a medium saucepan. Add the maple syrup, milk, salt and pepper.
When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, cut them in half and scoop the flesh out into the butter mixture. Mash with a potato masher or fork.
Transfer the potatoes to a bowl, add a pad of butter, and sprinkle with thyme.
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Mashed Sweet Potatoes
Ingredients
- 3 pounds medium-sized sweet potatoes (3 or 4)
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 6 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- ½ cup milk
- 1½ teaspoons salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- Fresh thyme leaves, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (174°C) and set an oven rack in the middle position. Line a baking sheet with foil for easy clean-up.
- Prick each sweet potato 3 to 4 times with a fork. Place on the prepared baking sheet and bake until tender, 60 to 75 minutes; turn the potatoes over halfway through baking.
- Meanwhile, melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the maple syrup, milk, salt and pepper. Turn off the heat and set aside.
- When the sweet potatoes are cooked and cool enough to handle, cut them in half. Holding them in one hand with an oven mitt, scoop the warm flesh out into the pan with the butter mixture. Over low heat, mash the potatoes with a potato masher or fork until smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Transfer to a bowl and sprinkle with fresh thyme (if using). Serve hot.
Notes
Nutrition Information
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Gluten-Free Adaptable Note
To the best of my knowledge, all of the ingredients used in this recipe are gluten-free or widely available in gluten-free versions. There is hidden gluten in many foods; if you're following a gluten-free diet or cooking for someone with gluten allergies, always read the labels of your ingredients to verify that they are gluten-free.
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I made these two days before Thanksgiving and they were the most popular dish on the table. Since I decided to use the light yellow sweet potatoes instead of the darker orange ones, I was a little concerned that they may discolor. So after cooling I put them in airtight container with a piece of plastic wrap directly on the potatoes. They did not discolor and were just as good two days later!
-Mary Johnson
What is the best alternative to make this dairy free?
Paula
Hi Paula, You could use a dairy-free milk or broth.
Used oatmilk and dairy free butter both times I have made this, and came out amazing each time!
I have a daughter who REALLY wants marshmallows on her thanksgiving sweet potatoes. Is it possible to add marshmallows to this and, if so, how/when do you suggest adding? Thanks so much.
Hi Suzanne, I suppose you could fully prepare these, put them in a baking dish, top them with marshmallows, and stick under the broiler for a few minutes. Hope that helps and happy Thanksgiving!
Perfect. Thank you. Can I make them today for tomorrow’s holiday? So appreciate your responsiveness.
Sure! You can reheat them in the microwave or on the stove (and add a little milk if they need thinning out). Enjoy! 🙂
I made this recipe last night for the first time, so fantastic! I did tweak the recipe a little bit—I made it with half of the butter (3 tablespoons) and omitted the maple syrup—as I was making this dish for a family member who has had a gastrectomy.
I so love your recipes Jenn! I drop your name everywhere, and have introduced several people to your site!
❤️
What a delicious combination of flavors! Many sweet potato recipes are too sugary, masking their natural flavor. This one is perfect. I love the fresh thyme, maple syrup and butter combination. The ratio is just right, none overpowered the potato. I wouldn’t change a thing!
These potatoes are delicious. I love the maple syrup in this recipe. They are so much better than the traditional mashed sweet potatoes that I am accustomed to. ☺️
My plan was to bring this dish to a pot luck. Since I had a number of sweet potatoes I tried the recipe using one large sweet potato. I was disappointed in the texture of the sweet potato after it was mashed. There were fine threads of potato amid the mashed . Could the potatoes be boiled instead? Any reason for those fine, yet coarse threads? Curious. Thank you.
Hi Darlene, sorry that the texture wasn’t quite right for these. My guess is the culprit is having used a really large potato. I just looked online and read that larger sweet potatoes can sometimes be stringy. Hope that helps!
This is so simple, and so satisfying. I love sweet potatoes cooked in any way but this is especially good for me. I don’t always have fresh thyme in the winter so I just leave it out. Make sure you use real maple syrup for the best flavor. This is great with ham, pork, chicken, really, any kind of meat. Delicious!
While all of Jenn’s recipes are fabulous, I continue to return to the Mashed Sweet Potatoes with Maple Syrup & Thyme. I brought it to last Thanksgiving’s gathering and the hostess asked for the recipe. I was glad to share. This dish is simple, but oh so good. Even the marshmallow- topping -lovers had to agree they’d give up their gooey addition for this dish. I made it as is, no substitutions. It was a perfect accompniment to the traditions turkey and all the trimming. My “trimming” took the cake, or in this case, the sweet potatoes!
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Have you ever prepared ahead and reheated in the oven rather than on the stove? I have them prepped for tomorrow but am hoping I can just pop them in the oven…
That should be fine, Carey.
Hi, Jen! Is it possible to replace the male syrup with honey?
Sure, that should work. Hope you enjoy!