Easy Mashed Sweet Potatoes with Brown Sugar and Cinnamon

These Easy Mashed Sweet Potatoes are a simple yet delicious 4-ingredient side dish for the holidays, and easy enough for weekdays. Made with a touch of brown sugar, butter, and cinnamon.

Quick Summary: These easy Mashed Sweet Potatoes are a simple side dish made by boiling peeled sweet potatoes until fork-tender, then mashing them with butter, dark brown sugar, and ground cinnamon. They're full of fiber and antioxidants, with a touch of added sweetness to bring out their flavor. Perfect for Thanksgiving meal prep or easy weeknight dinners.

Ah, the holidays. As much as my little food blogging heart wants to experiment with things like an Ina-worthy garlic roasted chicken, a spicy corn salad, or a pumpkin flan...the people want what the people want. Stovetop stuffing. Canned corn with too much butter. And canned cranberry sauce. Or at least my family that is. The crowd has spoken.

Two staples that are found at every Cooper Thanksgiving are the ever popular mashed butternut squash and these mashed sweet potatoes. We like our mashed orange vegetables. I love the sprinkle of sweetness and cinnamon that just tastes like the entire month of November in one bite.

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Jump to:

• Why you'll love this mashed sweet potato recipe
• Ingredients
• Instructions
• Expert tips from a dietitian
• What to serve with these mashed sweet potatoes
• FAQs
• Easy Mashed Sweet Potatoes

Why you'll love this mashed sweet potato recipe

• Only 4 ingredients. Most of them you probably have on hand already!
• Make ahead-friendly. Can be made up to 3 days in advance.
• Simple prep. Only a handful of instructions, and no complicated ingredients or steps.
• Full of fall flavor. A touch of added sweetness, and no marshmallows required. Truly brings out the full flavor of the sweet potatoes, with a little extra richness fit for the holidays.

Ingredients

• Sweet potatoes. The star of course! Peeled and cubed for easy boiling.
• Salted butter. To add a touch of richness and creaminess.
• Brown sugar. A little extra sweetness to bring out their natural flavor.
• Cinnamon. Adds warmth and fall flavor and a little bit of sweetness.

Instructions

Start by peeling and cubing 3 pounds of sweet potatoes, and adding to a large pot of cold water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Continue to boil for about 15 minutes, or until potatoes are fork tender.

Drain potatoes and return them to the pot. Add 2 tablespoons of salted butter and 2 tablespoons of brown sugar and ½ teaspoon of ground cinnamon. Mashed with a potato masher or hand mixer until smooth. Transfer to a serving dish and serve hot. Alternatively, let cool and store in the refrigerator in a covered container for up to 3 days.

Expert tips from a dietitian

• Use the right tool. Depending on the texture you want, the masher makes the difference. For a more smooth texture, use a hand mixer. If you like a little more texture like me, opt for a potato masher.
• Invest in a good peeler. The hardest, most time-consuming part of this recipe is peeling all those potatoes. Invest in a good veggie peeler or paring knife to make this job less painful (figuratively and literally.)
• Up the fiber. If you want an extra fiber boost, and don't mind a little extra texture, leave the skins on. Bonus points for not having to peel potatoes (hallelujah!) Just be sure to give them a good scrub first.

What to serve with these mashed sweet potatoes

• Roasted turkey or chicken. Perfect for the holidays, or a plant-based alternative like this tempeh stuffed acorn squash or this vegan bourguignon.
• Vegetable side dishes. If you're like me, the holidays are all about the sides. Serve these with other side dishes like mashed butternut squash or smashed brussels sprouts.
• Reused leftovers. Use the leftovers to whip up something totally different like these sweet potato pancakes or even ice cream!

FAQs

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