Savory Mashed Sweet Potatoes
These incredible mashed sweet potatoes are mixed with herbs, butter and sour cream. No marshmallows or brown sugar in this mashed sweet potatoes recipe!
Updated by Kathryne Taylor on July 10, 2024
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I’m on a mission to stock this food blog with all the holiday recipes you might need, and it’s about time I shared a mashed sweet potato recipe. The problem with most mashed sweet potatoes is that they’re made even sweeter with brown sugar and marshmallows. Sweet potatoes are already plenty sweet on their own!
So, I added savory ingredients to my mashed sweet potatoes to balance out that inherent sweetness. Finely chopped fresh parsley and green onion combined with some sour cream and butter are all you need for incredible savory mashed sweet potatoes.
I don’t know why these basic ingredients create such a stellar flavor combination, but they do. These mashed sweet potatoes took a cue from my baked rosemary Parmesan sweet potatoes (another simple holiday side option) and the quinoa-stuffed sweet potatoes in my cookbook.
Watch How to Make Mashed Sweet Potatoes
More Sweet Potato Recipes to Enjoy
- Black Bean Sweet Potato Enchiladas
- Crispy Baked Sweet Potato Fries
- Pecan Sweet Potato Casserole
- Perfect Roasted Sweet Potatoes
- Sweet Potato, Kale and Chickpea Soup
If you’re looking for regular mashed potatoes (and by regular, I mean my family’s favorite), meet Lucille’s Mashed Potatoes. For more meatless holiday recipes, look no further.
Please let me know how these mashed sweet potatoes turn out for you in the comments! Your feedback means so much to me.
Savory Mashed Sweet Potatoes
These incredible mashed sweet potatoes are mixed with herbs, butter and sour cream. No marshmallows or brown sugar in this mashed sweet potatoes recipe! Recipe yields 6 to 8 side servings.
Ingredients
- 4 pounds sweet potatoes (about 7 small-to-medium), peeled and cut into 1″ 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
- Place the cubed sweet potatoes in a large saucepan or Dutch oven and add enough water to cover by about 1″. Add 1 teaspoon of the salt and bring the mixture to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, until the potatoes are tender (in other words, it’s easy to slide a fork in and out), about 9 to 12 minutes.
- Drain well, then return the potatoes to the pot. Mash the sweet potatoes to your desired consistency.
- Promptly add almost all of the green onion and parsley, reserving a small amount of each for garnish. Add the garlic, and stir to combine. Then stir in most of the sour cream (reserve roughly 1 tablespoon for garnish), all of the butter, and the remaining 1 teaspoon salt. Season to taste with additional salt (I usually add another ¼ to ½ teaspoon) and freshly ground black pepper.
- Transfer the mashed potatoes to a serving bowl and swirl the reserved sour cream onto the top with a spoon. Sprinkle with the reserved green onion and parsley, drizzle the top lightly with olive oil, and finish with a sprinkle of pepper.
- Serve promptly. Leftovers will keep well, covered and refrigerated, for 3 to 4 days.
Notes
Make it dairy free/vegan: I believe you could replace the sour cream with vegan sour cream (recipe also available in my cookbook, page 217). Instead of butter, stir in extra-virgin olive oil, to taste.
*Sour cream alternative: Many are asking if Greek yogurt will work, and yes, I think it will! I just prefer sour cream in savory applications like this.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.
This is now my absolute favorite recipe for sweet potatoes! The flavor combination of the garlic, herbs, & sour cream make these potatoes taste incredible!!
This was okay the first time I made it. But with roasted garlic, less parley and a bit more sour cream it was phenomenal.
As others have said, the flavor profile for this is awesome. I roasted my sweet potatoes in the air fryer because I was lazy and didn’t want to boil them, and it turned out amazing. Will deathly make this again!
I adjusted the ingredients to my taste but didn’t add or omit anything. It was fantastic! I would give it ten stars if that option were available.
Can make this a richer colour by adding paprika.
This was absolutely delicious! Thank you so much for the recipe.
Love this simple recipe. I’m from the Uk so never heard of sweet potato with marshmallow! Loooing forward to trying this with roast chicken
It was delicious. Made with olive oil instead of butter and dill instead of parsley. Thank you
These are really delicious. I didn’t have garlic or parsely but added dried sage. Phenomenal! Thank you!
You’re welcome, Jess!
I made this to accompany calves liver, bacon and onion gravy, it was so good. I think there is even a place for it as a dip similar to houmous
I didn’t think sweet potatoes would taste good with spring onions and parsley so this will definitely be one of my go to mash recipe.
I used a plant based yoghurt instead and omitted the garlic; will try with it next time.
Thank you for your review, Elsa!
My family and I just had this dish. Served with skinless boneless chicken thighs, done in oven, with salt pepper and smoked paprika. Also, Hakurei turnips, sliced and fried up in cast iron, with garlic butter and a quality olive oil. Tops were rinsed and chopped and turnips set aside while tops were fried up in oil and garlic and a small amount of Maggi soy sauce. The tops were then spread apart leaving space in the middle, and turnips reheated with the tops. But, the sweet potato stole the show, absolutely crazy delicious! Thank you so much, for this recipe! A keeper, for sure!
Absolutely delicious! My husband hates sweet potatoes, but loved these. Thanks for the fabulous recipe! I’d give it 10 stars if that were a possibility.
I love to hear that, Browyn! Thank you for your review.
These are absolutely delicious, and I don’t change a thing! Have you ever tried freezing these?
Hi Amy, I’m not sure if this would be a great option to freeze.
I tried freezing these in a glass container with foil and after defrosting, I just remashed them a little and heated them in an oven and they were great! Excellent make ahead for the holidays.
The only change I made was I used greek yogurt instead of sour cream.
I made these mashed sweet potatoes according to the recipe and it was delicious!!!! Thank you for the recipe and I will definitely be making this dish again!
Great to hear, Katy!
Superb! The savory flavor worked great and I added cajun seasoning which really upped the savory element. Thank you.
You’re welcome, Jody!
I needed something to go with Pigs in a blanket. This was so perfect and different. I did add more butter and sour cream. Thank you!!
You’re welcome, Michelle!
These were so good! It really takes mashed sweet potatoes from meh to yum! I don’t eat diary so i used olive oil and two tablespoons of miyokos cashew cream cheese instead of the butter and yogurt. Delicious!
Great to hear, Stephanie!
These savory mashed sweet potatoes are so tasty!! I snuck a taste right after they finished cooking and then I went back for another, and another…They were gobbled up so quick that I wish I had doubled the recipe! Will definitely be making these again soon.
Great to hear, Katie!
I wanted to make this a head how long and at what temperature do I warm it up?
I’d also like to know if you can make ahead and reheat. Thank you.
Temp and time on reheat?
These are the best mashed potatoes I’ve ever eaten! Instead of the green onion I used onion powder. I boiled the potatoes with a bay leaf. I added a pinch of cayenne pepper and also a little milk. Perfection!
Delicious recipe! I slghtly roasted the garlic and leek (instead of green onion). Delicious sweet potatoe mash!
Hi, Just wondering if this recipe freezes? Or will it go watery when thawed… thank you!
I haven’t tried to freeze this. Sorry!
did anyone make this with non-fat sour cream or greek yogurt?
Can this be made the day before and warmed up to serve?
Sure, although I recommend this best right away.
Wow. Just finished making this – what an amazing recipe! I’m from an Indian (South Asian) family who’ve lived in the USA for 50 years. We’re pretty “American-ized” when it comes to the holidays but I wanted to make this for my mom who likes her sweet potatoes Indian style. I did everything as you listed and made the mash, but I reserved about 1 Tbsp butter and in that just lightly sauteed a little garam masala and black pepper – just to bloom – and then mixed through your finished recipe. OMG so good! Every other version goes out the window! Thank you so much!
I liked the Savory Mashed Sweet Potatoes and will make it again however I will add a couple more teaspoons of salt and will at least double the butter.
Excellent recipe and easy to make. My kids love it.
That’s great to hear, Ed! I appreciate your review.
This is the only way I will ever make sweet potatoes again!! I add goat cheese to the recipe and sometimes I sauté the garlic and some shallots and add that but basically the recipe is fabulous!
Not crazy about sweet potato so I wanted a savory recipe. I just made this several minutes ago and the family liked it. It was easy and we had all the ingredients. I substituted creme fraîche for sour cream since we had some and needed to use it. The recipe combination was delicious.
I was not a fan of the garlic, sour cream, and onions mixed with the sweetness of the sweet potatoes. It was like adding garlic and onions to a dessert. I think it would have tasted better plain with just butter or olive oil and maybe a little salt. Was worth a try though!
I’m sorry to hear you didn’t love this variation. I appreciate your feedback, Brady.
These were amazing! My husband doesn’t like sweet potatoes, but he LOVED these. There weren’t any leftovers.
Hooray! That’s great, Lauren.
Love this recipe! Simple but the ingredients add good flavor to the sweet potato. Tangy and refreshing
Fantastic recipe. I am not a fan of mashed sweet potatoes generally because they are too sweet. This version is perfection. Thank you, Kate!! ❤️
You’re welcome, Kate!
Could these be made a day ahead and reheated by baking in a casserole dish?
I haven’t tried it so I can’t say for sure. They are best right away.
Tastes great! Such a nice change from the super sweet!
Thank you for your review, Elizabeth!
Hey!! Wow these are fabulous!! I used them on top of a vegan shepherd’s pie… the mashed sweet potatoes were very plain and I found myself wondering how I could fancy them up… these were perfect, thanks for recipe.
Thank you! My family loved these, and I’m making them again tonight. They’re going into regular rotation.
Thank you for your review, Clare!
Delicious recipe!
Thank you for your review, Larry!
I usually don’t like mashed sweet potatoes but loved this recipe. Used greek yogurt in place of sour cream. Thank you!
You’re welocome, Sue!
This recipe is a winner! My husband loves sweet potatoes (me, not so much) and I wanted something to serve with beef short ribs. These savory sweet potatoes have so much flavor and are easy to make. I will be using this recipe as my go-to side dish for many meat dishes. Thank you!
You’re welcome, Mark!