Easy way to make Mashed Sweet Potato

• Food: Mashed Sweet Potato
• Writer: Lizzie Green
• Content-Type: Food Blog

I’m on a mission to fill this food blog with all of the holiday dishes you’ll ever need, and it’s about time I published a recipe for mashed sweet potatoes.

The trouble with most mashed sweet potatoes is that brown sugar and marshmallows make them much sweeter. Sweet potatoes are already very sweet!

As a result, I seasoned my mashed sweet potatoes with savory elements to counteract the sweetness. To make wonderful savory mashed sweet potatoes, blend finely chopped fresh parsley and green onion with sour cream and butter.

I’m not sure why these simple ingredients combine to make such a fantastic flavor combination, but they do.

These mashed sweet potatoes were inspired by my baked rosemary Parmesan sweet potatoes (another easy holiday side dish) and my cookbook’s quinoa-stuffed sweet potatoes.

Mashed Sweet Potato

Herbs, butter, and sour cream are blended into these wonderful mashed sweet potatoes. There are no marshmallows or brown sugar in this recipe for mashed sweet potatoes! This recipe serves 6 to 8 people as a side dish.

INGREDIENTS

• 4 pounds sweet potatoes (about 7 small-to-medium), peeled and cut into 1″b cubes
• 2 teaspoons salt, divided
• ⅓ cup finely sliced green onion, mostly green parts (from 1 bunch)
• ⅓ cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1 small-to-medium garlic clove, pressed or minced
• ¼ cup sour cream*
• 3 tablespoons butter, cubed
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil

INSTRUCTIONS

1. In a large saucepan or Dutch oven, place the cubed sweet potatoes and enough water to cover by approximately 1 inch. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium-high heat with 1 teaspoon of salt. Reduce the heat to low and cook, uncovered, for 9 to 12 minutes, or until the potatoes are soft (a fork can easily slide in and out).
2. Return the potatoes to the pot after draining well. Mash the sweet potatoes until they’re the consistency you want.
3. Add virtually all of the green onion and parsley right away, leaving a tiny bit for garnish. Stir in the garlic until everything is well combined. Then add the remaining 1 teaspoon salt, the majority of the sour cream (save about 1 tablespoon for garnish), and all of the butter. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste (I generally add another 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoons).
4. Transfer the mashed potatoes to a serving bowl and use a spoon to swirl the saved sour cream on top. Finish with a sprinkling of reserved green onion and parsley, a little drizzle of olive oil, and a pinch of pepper.
5. Serve as soon as possible. Covered and refrigerated leftovers can keep for 3 to 4 days.

NOTES

• HOW TO MAKE IT DAIRY-FREE/VEGAN: I believe you could use vegan sour cream in place of the sour cream (recipe also available in my cookbook, page 217). To taste, replace the butter with extra-virgin olive oil.
• GREEK YOGURT AS A SOUR CREAM ALTERNATIVE: Many people have asked if Greek yogurt will work, and I believe it will! In savory situations like these, I simply prefer sour cream.