Mashed Sweet Potatoes
A weeknight-friendly vegetarian built around sweet potatoes and freshly squeezed orange juice — roughly 55 minutes start to finish, and rated easy to make. You'll find the full ingredient list (with a scaler to change the servings), 6 steps of method, substitutions, and ideas for what to serve alongside.
You'll mainly reach for large pot and saucepan. At easy difficulty across 6 steps, it's a good one for a busy evening. As written, it's meat-free.
What you'll need
Shopping list (2)
Pantry staples (you likely have these)
Diet: vegetarian — no meat or fish, based on every ingredient listed below.
Contains: Dairy
Allergen labels are informational and may not cover cross-contact; verify every package and consult a qualified professional for medical dietary needs. Diet labels are derived from the ingredient list on this page — how we verify diet and allergen labels.
Food-safety and allergen information is general, not medical advice. Follow current guidance from your local food-safety authority, verify product labels, and seek qualified advice for allergies or health conditions.
How to make it
- Peel the sweet potatoes and cut them into evenly sized chunks about 4 cm across so they cook at the same rate.
- Place the chunks in a large pot, cover with cold salted water, bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 15 to 20 minutes until a knife slides through easily.
- Drain the sweet potatoes well and return them to the warm pot, letting them steam dry for a minute to drive off excess moisture.
- Add the butter, brown sugar, orange juice, cinnamon, nutmeg, and a good pinch of salt, then mash until smooth and creamy.
- Taste and adjust the seasoning, adding a little more salt to balance the sweetness or a splash more orange juice to loosen the texture if needed.
- Warm through over low heat for a minute if it has cooled, stirring so it does not catch, then serve hot.
You'll use: Large pot · Saucepan · Steamer
Ingredient substitutions
- Butter
- olive oil (¾ the amount) · coconut oil · margarine
- Brown Sugar
- white sugar + 1 tbsp molasses per cup
Tips & common questions
How long does Mashed Sweet Potatoes take to make?
About 55 minutes from start to finish — an estimate based on the 6 steps and 7 ingredients. Times vary with your kitchen and how much prep you do ahead.
What can I use instead of butter?
Try olive oil (¾ the amount). See the substitutions section above for more swaps.
Can I scale this recipe up or down?
Yes — use the servings control above the ingredients and every quantity rescales automatically (fractions included). Cooking times stay roughly the same; very large batches may need a little longer.
Is Mashed Sweet Potatoes vegetarian?
Its ingredients contain no meat, fish or shellfish, so it is suitable for vegetarians. Check any cheese for animal rennet if that matters to you.
Related recipes
Adapted recipe — rewritten in our own wording from an open-licensed community cookbook, not yet independently kitchen-tested by Consomee. How we source, test & correct recipes.
Mashed Sweet Potatoes is adapted by Consomee from the Wikibooks Cookbook, rewritten in our own wording and used under CC BY-SA 4.0. Photo: Whole Foods mashed sweet potatoes - November 2023 - Sarah Stierch.jpg by Missvain, CC BY 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons. We add the serving scaler, ingredient tools, timing and structure — how we source recipes.