Honey thyme mashed sweet potatoes

The creamiest mashed sweet potatoes ever! Flavored with honey, thyme and butter, these sweet potatoes are the perfect side dish.

Mashed sweet potatoes are a fantastic alternative to classic mashed potatoes for your Thanksgiving table but honestly, they are excellent any time of the year. Impossibly smooth thanks to the help of an immersion blender or food processor, every spoonful is silky, luscious and drop-dead delicious.

Ingredients

Full mashed sweet potatoes recipe can be found in the recipe card.

• Sweet potatoes. 
• Thyme. You can flavor the sweet potatoes with any fresh herbs of your choice. Sage and rosemary also work well.
• Honey. Brown sugar or maple syrup can be substituted.
• Butter. Use a butter alternative if you want this recipe to be vegan.
• Cream. Heavy/whipping. Use coconut milk or cashew cream if you’d prefer to keep this dairy-free.
• Salt and pepper. You could add other spices like nutmeg or cinnamon.

How to make mashed sweet potatoes

1. Cook the sweet potatoes: Peel and chop the potatoes into large chunks. Place in a large pot or Dutch oven and pour in just enough water to cover the potatoes. Place the pot over medium high heat then season generously with salt and add a handful of fresh thyme to the water. Allow to boil for 10-15 minutes until the potatoes are fork tender. Drain and allow to steam for 10 minutes. This is crucial for making sure the sweet potatoes aren’t watery once mashed. You can also steam the sweet potatoes or roast them whole until soft and scoop the flesh out of the skins.
2. Melt the butter: In a large saucepan, melt a few tablespoons of butter, honey, cream and a fresh thyme together. Bring to a simmer then remove from the heat and allow to infuse.
3. Mash: I prefer using a food processor of immersion blender for mashing sweet potatoes for the perfect smooth texture. Because they don’t contain as much starch as white potatoes, using a blender will result in a silky smooth mash and not a gluey one like if you used a blender with white potatoes. Alternatively, use a potato masher or hand mixer. Blend the potatoes until smooth then add a the butter mixture. Stir until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Spoon into a bowl and top with a knob of butter and a few fresh thyme leaves.

Can you freeze mashed sweet potatoes?

Yes, you can. Allow the sweet potatoes to cool completely then transfer to a freezer safe airtight container. Freeze for up to 3 months. The mash can also be made up to 2 days in advance and kept in a sealed container in the refrigerator. Reheat over gentle heat until piping hot then serve.

Sweet potato recipes

1. Candied sweet potatoes
2. Baked sweet potatoes with whipped honey butter
3. Curry roasted sweet potatoes