Mashed Sweet Potatoes

While sweet potatoes usually star in sweet potato casserole on the Thanksgiving dinner table, there are countless recipes that highlight the super spud that deserve their time in the spotlight. One of our favorites? Mashed sweet potatoes. When we’re craving sweet potato flavor with no distractions, we turn to this simple, satisfying side. Blended with plenty of butter and half-and-half, these easy mashed sweet potatoes are creamy while being just sweet enough (turn them savory if you’re missing the classic mashed potatoes). Ready to switch up your Thanksgiving spread this year? Read on for all of our top tips on how to make these mashed sweet potatoes:

Do I need to peel my sweet potatoes before boiling them?
We recommend it. Peeling and cutting your potatoes beforehand will cut down on boiling time and make it super-simple to mash directly after without needing to peel the skin off. While you can leave the skin on whole potatoes while you're boiling them, it'll take slightly longer to cook through and adds more work if you're looking to mash them. Trust us, doing the prep beforehand makes things much easier. 

Do I need to add all the half-and-half?
You might not need to, it's up to you and your potatoes; 3/4 cup was the perfect amount for us, giving our sweet potatoes the ideal silky-smooth texture. But no two sweet potatoes are the same, and if yours are slightly smaller (or slightly bigger), the amount of liquid that you need might vary. To ensure you get the texture you want, start by adding 1/2 cup half-and-half with the butter and maple syrup, then add more, 1 tablespoon at a time, until you reach your ideal consistency.

Mashed sweet potato variations:
We love adding in maple syrup to bring out the natural sweetness of the sweet potatoes, but your options don't stop there. Here are some more options:
— Sweet. If you want to up the sweetness even more, feel free to throw some cinnamon, brown sugar, or pumpkin pie spice into the mix. If you only have honey, feel free to use that instead of maple syrup, but it won’t mix in quite as well.
— Savory. If you're more of a savory fan, stir in some roasted garlic while you're mashing, feel free to up the amount of herbs, or sprinkle on some Parmesan.

Serving ideas.
While these mashed potatoes are the perfect Thanksgiving side dish to serve alongside your roast turkey, green bean casserole, and classic stuffing, you don’t need a holiday as an excuse to make this side. Serve these alongside your favorite fall dinner, like our creamy apple bourbon chicken skillet, autumn kielbasa sheet-pan bake, and our sheet-pan pork chops with apples.

Storage and make ahead:
If you’re looking for a make-ahead Thanksgiving side to help your holiday go smoothly, these mashed sweet potatoes are perfect. Simply make them the night before, store in the fridge in an airtight container, then reheat when you’re ready to serve. When reheating, you may want to add more liquid to loosen it up.

Made these? Let us know how it went in the comments below.