Might I suggest a different way to serve sweet potatoes this Turkey Day? Skip the mashed white potatoes. Skip the sweet potato casserole. And instead, knock out two birds with one delicious stone, and make yourself a beautiful bowl of mashed sweet potatoes! Easy, delicious, and still super festive.
Mashed sweet potatoes with brown butter and vanilla is not just a side dish; it’s a comforting and flavorful twist on a classic favorite. This delightful combination elevates the humble sweet potato to a whole new level.
What do I need to make this mashed sweet potato recipe?
To make this Thanksgiving side dish, you’ll need:
- Sweet potatoes
- Unsalted butter
- Vanilla extract
- Milk (cow’s milk or your favorite plant-based milk)
- Salt and black pepper
Uh…vanilla in mashed sweet potatoes?
One of my favorite things about sweet potatoes is that they straddle the line between savory and sweet. That independent spirit is what makes sweet potatoes a wonderful pair to all kinds of flavors. Here, I used nutty, rich browned butter and high-quality Nielsen-Massey Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla Extract to make the sweet potatoes sing. The vanilla’s aromatic warmth complements the earthy sweetness of the sweet potatoes.
You can use a different vanilla extract, but I promise you won’t be sorry if you opt for the real stuff over imitation! The flavor is better, and a little real vanilla extract will go a long way!
What’s this about brown butter?
Brown butter is simply butter that has been cooked until its milk solids turn golden brown, imparting a toasty and nutty essence to the dish. The brown butter adds a layer of complexity to the flavor of this side dish.
If you’ve never browned butter before, it’s one of those kitchen things that sounds really fancy and complicated, but is super simple (and honestly, super impressive). Butter is amazing “raw,” but when cooked over low heat until it starts to brown, it gets this nutty, rich, toasty, and caramel flavor to it that is out. of. this. world.
You can add it to sweet or savory dishes to give a nice slow-roasted flavor—without slow-roasting. Yes, browning butter adds an extra step (and lordy, if you’re pressed for time and stressed on turkey day, skip it – no one will know!), but the added flavor is totally worth it in my opinion.
How do I cook and mash sweet potatoes?
Mashed sweet potatoes come together in pretty much the same fashion as regular mashed potatoes. Peel and chop the sweet potatoes. Boil until tender. Mash and add in butter, milk (whole milk, soy milk, almond milk, etc.), and salt. Serve.
How long are the leftovers good for?
Store any leftover mashed sweet potatoes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days.
Want more easy Thanksgiving sides like this one?
- Green bean casserole with fresh green beans
- Fresh cranberry orange sauce
- Parmesan roasted cauliflower
Brown Butter Mashed Sweet Potatoes
Brown butter adds a touch of nuttiness to sweet potatoes. And that pairing makes for very tasty Mashed Sweet Potatoes—in only four ingredients!
Ingredients
- 4 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and quartered
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2–1 cup milk (animal or plant)
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Place the sweet potatoes in a large stock pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil over high heat, and continue boiling until fork tender—about 10 minutes. Drain sweet potatoes.
- Return the empty pot to the stove over medium-low heat. Add in the butter. Cook butter until it is a light caramel color, stirring constantly to prevent burning.
- Add the sweet potatoes back into the pot, and use a potato masher to mash until smooth. Remove from heat. Add in the vanilla, 1/2 cup of the milk, plus salt and pepper to taste. Continue mashing. Add in more milk if necessary to achieve the desired consistency.
Notes
- Unsalted and salted butter both work just fine for the recipe, just adjust your seasoning accordingly when mashing the sweet potatoes.
- If you're using a dark pot, you might need to spoon out a bit of the butter into a white dish to check the color while it is browning.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 72Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 78mgCarbohydrates: 16gFiber: 3gSugar: 5gProtein: 2g
At Wholefully, we believe that good nutrition is about much more than just the numbers on the nutrition facts panel. Please use the above information as only a small part of what helps you decide what foods are nourishing for you.
This post is sponsored by Nielsen-Massey Vanillas. To learn more about Nielsen-Massey, visit their website or follow along on Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest. All content and opinions are my own.
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