Today we’re going to look at a delicious take on vegan mashed sweet potatoes. We’ll start with a humble starchy vegetable, add a few simple ingredients, and with the magic of a colander and potato masher, have a super delicious result (with some fiber and Vitamin A as well).
This vegan mashed sweet potato recipe is not only milk and dairy free, but is also top 9 free and top 14 free, making it super inclusive. Don’t let the allergy status fool you though. You’re going to love them. If you need more delicious holiday recipes, be sure to check out these articles.
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Allergy Status
Free From: Wheat/Gluten, Dairy, Egg, Soy, Tree Nuts, Peanut, Fish, Shellfish, Sesame, Top 9 Allergens, Top 14 Allergens, Alliums, Apple, Avocado, Banana, Beans & Lentils, Berries, Buckwheat, Cane/Refined Sugar, Carrot, Celery, Cinnamon, Citrus, Coconut, Cruciferous, Garlic, Latex Cross Reactive Foods (H/M), Legume, Lupin, Mushroom, Mustard, Nightshade, Oat, Onion, Pea & Pea Protein, Potato (Nightshade Variety), Poultry, Red Meat, Rice, Seeds, Squash & Gourd, Stone Fruits, Strawberry, Tapioca/Cassava/Yuca/Manioc, Tomato, Yeast
Friendly To: EOE, GERD, Grain Free, Low Histamine, Migraine Diet (Cleveland Clinic & Johns Hopkins) Paleo, Vegan
- GERD Reminder: Serve a portion size that works for you. With too large a portion, this can be considered a high fat meal.
- Low Histamine Note: If extracts aren’t tolerated, skip the optional maple extract, and be sure to skip the optional black pepper.
Tools to Make Your Mashed Sweet Potatoes
Vegan Mashed Sweet Potato Recipe Ingredients
Part 1 Ingredients
- 900g Organic Sweet Potatoes (32 ounces/2 pounds)
- 3 tsp Sea Salt
- Water (see directions)
Part 2 Ingredients
- 150g Dairy Free Butter OR Vegan Butter of Choice
- 50 – 90mL Milk of Choice (2 – 3 ounces)
- 50g Organic Maple Sugar (6 Tablespoons)
- 1 tsp Sea Salt
Optional Ingredients
- 4.5 – 9mL Maple Extract (this is the one I use)
- Organic Black Pepper to Taste (optional)
Vegan Potato Recipes (some of these recipes would be perfect for a Thanksgiving dinner table)
Important Ingredient Notes & Substitutes
Sweet Potatoes: This vegan sweet potato mash recipe will work with orange fleshed sweet potatoes or purple sweet potatoes. The ratios listed won’t work with Japanese yam (often confused for sweet potato).
Butter: You can use any dairy free butter, vegan butter, or mammal based butter of choice for this recipe. Do not use coconut oil unless you beyond LOVE the taste of coconut. It will work, but you have to love coconut. Like, love letter of appreciation levels of love.
Milk of Choice: You can use any dairy free milk you enjoy including cashew milk, soy milk, rice milk, oat milk, almond milk, and even a homemade milk. Coconut milk from a box (watery type) will work as well, and full fat coconut milk should be fully blended if you plan to use that. Know that full fat coconut milk will have a much more forward taste since coconut cream is present. Make sure you LOVE the flavour of coconut.
Maple Sugar: This is technically an optional ingredient, but you’ll really enjoy the final sweet potato mash if you use it. You can swap for maple syrup, however, you’ll need to start with 2 Tablespoons, mix the mash, then check the consistency. Since maple syrup is a liquid sweetener, it will throw off the creamy texture if you use too much.
You can also swap the maple sugar for date sugar or coconut sugar. I’d personally avoid white sugar and brown sugar, as these can read as too sweet.
Maple Extract: This will have your sweet potatoes reading closer to a minimally sweetened dessert, rather than something you’re used to eating at holiday dinners. Half the tasters say these sweet potatoes are amazing with the maple extract and the other half ate them without the maple. This is the brand that I use.
Vegan Mashed Sweet Potatoes Recipe Directions (with pictures)
To make your easy mashed sweet potatoes, start by washing, peeling, and cubing your sweet potatoes into 1-inch cubes (2.5cm). Place the potatoes in a large pot, then add cold water. Cover the potatoes by about one inch (2.5cm).
Transfer your pot of water to the stove and heat on high heat. Allow the water to come to a full roiling boil. Reduce the heat to medium-high heat and boil for 5 minutes.
Cover with a lid and reduce the heat to medium-low heat. Allow the sweet potatoes to simmer for 10 minutes. Your potatoes should be easy to pierce with a fork when they’re ready. If you like a more firm mashed potato, set your timer for 8 minutes and check on them.
When the potatoes are done to your likeness, drain them in your colander. Return the potatoes to the pot and add the Part 2 Ingredients. If you’ll be using the Optional Ingredients, add them as well. You can use less of the organic maple sugar, but know that it helps boost the flavor of the sweet potatoes in such a lovely way.
Mash well with a potato masher, then sample. You may want to add additional salt if your’re more of a salt-forward person. Alternatively, add a pinch of salt after serving the salt fans, rather than adding it to the whole batch.
That’s it! You’re ready to serve. If you want to be extra fancy, add a pinches of chopped fresh herbs you enjoy.
No Potato Masher?
The good news is that if you don’t have a potato masher, there are different ways you can get the job done, including a handheld electric mixer, food processor, and immersion blender. Use the Table of Contents to jump to the bottom of the post where I outline the different methods. I also outline how to steam and pressure cook the potatoes as well.
More Delicious Vegan Recipes
Here are some amazing recipes you can make to pair with your delicious vegan mashed sweet potatoes. You can also see a lot more options by using the Advanced Recipe Search on RAISE.
- Cheesy Vegan Green Bean Recipe (the perfect side dish for a holiday table)
- Egg Free Pumpkin Bread Recipe (gluten free, vegan, top 9 free)
- Top 14 + Lactose Free Mashed Potatoes (my kids go wild for these vegan + dairy free regular mashed potatoes)
- Easy Vegan Sweet Potato Casserole Recipe
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How to Store Your Leftover Vegan Mashed Sweet Potatoes
This holiday season (or maybe you made these on a random Thursday), if you find yourself with leftover sweet potato mash, transfer it to an airtight container and store in your fridge for storage.
You can also freeze leftover sweet potato mash in a freezer-safe container. However, I strongly suggest you do a test freeze and thaw in a small container to see if you like the texture once it’s been thawed. My kids don’t mind the texture, as it reminds them of pie.
When freezing, use a well sealed container that’s small, and holds an individual portion, rather than freezing everything together. This allows you to grab only what you need/want, and it thaws faster.
To thaw your sweet potato, you can leave it on the counter for an hour at room temperature, then transfer it to a small pot and reheat on medium heat. It’s important that you not add more liquid, unless totally necessary. My small containers of sweet potato take about an hour to thaw out a good amount, but if you use a large air-tight container, it could take longer.
I’ll also add, if your whole family loves this recipe, of course you can freeze leftovers in a much larger container (still well sealed). Then when it’s time to reheat, use a large saucepan instead.
Delicious Ways to Tweak This Mashed Sweet Potatoes Recipe
The base recipe and instructions are pretty straight forward. You’re essentially making a lightly sweetened maple mashed sweet potato, and by keeping it simple, it pairs well with a wide range of proteins and other side dishes (including green bean casserole and cranberry sauce).
However, there are some fantastic sweet and savory ways to change up your sweet potatoes:
- Add organic ground cinnamon and a pinch of organic ground nutmeg for a sweet potato pie vibe everyone will love.
- If you’re feeding people that enjoy a little spice, add chunks of candied ginger along with organic ground cinnamon.
- Add organic ground curry powder (start with a teaspoon and go from there). This imparts a lovely savory flavor your family will enjoy. Garnish with cut chives so it’s extra pretty.
- Use organic canned full-fat coconut milk as your milk of choice. Whilst I have family members allergic to coconut, if you don’t manage a coconut allergy, I think you’ll enjoy the extra creaminess and touch of sweetness that the coconut milk will bring to the table.
Make Pan Fried Mashed Sweet Potatoes
OK, this will take a little extra elbow grease, but it’s the sort of thing that will have people texting you and asking if they can come over for dinner if you happen to be making those pan fried mashed sweet potatoes again, and there may even be a winky face emoji.
First, omit the milk of choice when you make your mashed sweet potatoes. We need them to be pretty firm so it’s easy to manipulate later. Once you have the mashed potatoes formed, line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Transfer the potatoes over and spread in a nice even layer.
Put the whole tray in your freezer and let the sweet potato mass get pretty close to frozen. When you can slice the sweet potato like a weird sheet cake and it holds the shape, it’s ready for action.
Slide the whole piece of parchment paper out of the baking sheet. You can work on your stovetop if it’s a flat top induction, or work on a large counter top. If you don’t do this, it will be much harder to slice.
Using a sharp knife, slice the semi-frozen sweet potato into individual portions your friends and family will be comfortable with. Heat a large nonstick pan on your stovetop on medium-high heat. Add dairy free butter or a cooking fat of choice. Once it’s hot/melted, use a spatula to gently add your sweet potato portions.
Pan fry on both sides to get it nice and golden and crispy. Gently remove the portions and repeat until you’ve pan fried them all. One of the best tips I can give you is to have a plate or two on the side, lined with a paper towel, so you can place the fried portion on it to soak up excess oil/fat after cooking.
I know it was a lot of extra work, but now you have one of those sides that everyone will declare is in their top 5 favorites and you’ll be asked to make it every year for the holidays. Best of luck to you.
Make Coconut Mashed Sweet Potato Pie
OK, for this to work, you have to LOVE the taste of coconut. Also, the good news is, there’s no baking involved, making this nice and easy.
Grab small containers that are perfectly sized for a single portion so anyone in your family can grab a container from the refrigerator and indulge.
Line the base of the container with crushed graham crackers. You could also use a crushed, crunchy cookie (homemade or store-bought). Ooh! You could also make this shortbread cookie recipe and use that as the base. No matter what, just make sure you use something crunchy so it’s not soft on soft, which will give this mini dessert some texture.
When you have your mashed potatoes in the pot for mashing, don’t add butter or milk. Instead, use coconut oil. It’s OK if it’s still solid since the heat from the sweet potatoes will melt it on impact.
Use the same amount of coconut oil as the butter and milk (about 225g/8 ounces). Add extra flavors including ground cinnamon, a touch of ground nutmeg, maybe a little ginger, or even chunks of candied ginger. Just make sure you aren’t making a basic pie.
Load the well mixed mash into the little containers with the crunchy base. Use the back of a spoon to press it in and flatten the top. You can sprinkle crushed cookie on top if you want. ORRRRRR if you’re the kind of family that loves tree nuts, candy pecans or almonds, give them a little crushing, and add those on top instead. Oh man, you have to make this now. There’s no turning back.
OK, with the jars loaded, pop the lids on (I’m assuming you used small jars) and get them into the refrigerator. Allow your mini pies to set in the fridge overnight. The next day, have this on the side with one of your meals (no point in waiting until after dinner).
Woo boy. OK, a good amount of extra work, but the ROI is *chef’s kiss*!! Enjoy.
Answering Your Questions About This Vegan Mashed Sweet Potato Recipe
Can I make this sweet potatoes recipe with a food processor?
Yes, you could make this recipe with your food processor. I’ll tell you up front though, mixing them with an electric hand mixer in a large bowl will be easier. So if you have one, use that instead.
To make these vegan mashed sweet potatoes with your food processor, you’ll need to divide all of the ingredients into batches. There’s a good chance that even with a large food processor like mine, you’ll still need three or four batches to pull it off if you use the full recipe.
Once you have the ingredients divided, add them to the food processor bowl, one batch at a time. Start by pulsing, then turn the machine on in short bursts. The things to know about potatoes is that when over-worked, they can become gluey. The texture is generally off-putting, and you’ll end up wasting your ingredients. So, keep a close eye on the texture, and be sure to sample several times to see how long you should process for.
Is it possible to make this vegan mashed sweet potato recipe in an Instant Pot?
Yes, in fact, I think it’s so cool that you can make mashed sweet potatoes in so many different ways. To use the instant pot, place the cubed sweet potatoes inside, then add enough water to ensure you won’t have a burn error. I’d cover at least half of the sweet potatoes with water.
Pressure cook on high, and start with 10 minutes. Once you’re happy with the potatoes, drain off the excess water using a colander, then return the potatoes to your Instant pot liner.
Add the remaining ingredients and use a potato masher to mash. Since the Instant Pot is basically a huge pot, and the bottom is flat, it’s easy to use it as a mashing vessel. That’s it. You’re ready to pop your sweet potatoes into a cute serving bowl and enjoy.
Can I make this recipe with an immersion blender?
I don’t suggest it, however, it’s also not impossible. If you were to try to make creamy sweet potatoes with an immersion blender because you don’t have a potato masher, I’d start by grabbing a large serving fork and pre-smashing the sweet potatoes. This will give your blender a fighting chance.
I’d also put sweet potato into a tall cylindrical container, and blend in small batches. It will take you longer, but you’ll have a better consistency. After you’ve used your immersion blender and get all the dishes cleaned up, I’d order a potato masher.
Can I steam the potatoes instead of boiling them?
As long as you have a steamer basket or steamer pot large enough, yes. I couldn’t tell you the cook time, so make sure the potatoes are super fork tender before mashing them. You’ll also want to transfer the potatoes to a large bowl or pot with a flat bottom before mashing. This makes the mashing process easier, as a bowl will roll around on you.
Does it matter if I use large sweet potatoes or small sweet potatoes?
Nope, it doesn’t matter one bit. I find that large sweet potatoes are sometimes harder to peel since their shape can get a bit wonky. I tend to purchase medium sized sweet potatoes that look like they’ll be easy to peel.
Is non-dairy milk the same thing as dairy free milk?
If you manage a milk/dairy allergy, it’s important to know that generally, no, they don’t mean the same thing. Nondairy (also written as non-dairy) used to imply that there could be a very small amount of cow’s milk dairy in a product. Dairy free on the other hand means zero dairy. Period.
Whilst the regulation has changed over the years, the US FDA generally has the viewpoint that “non dairy” could contain up to 0.5% of dairy milk derivatives such as caseinate. Dairy free always meant zero milk or milk derivatives.
Anytime you’re at grocery stores and want to purchase plant-based milk but you see the term non-dairy rather than dairy free, contact the brand for clarification. You can also start on their website, as some brands have a robust FAQ.
If you don’t like the answer, or are uncomfortable, do not purchase the milk.
Would this recipe taste good with nutritional yeast?
My kids don’t like nutritional yeast, so they would have me tell you no. Since I’m allergic to all of the foods I create for others, I can’t tell you from personal preference. What I can tell you is this: take a small amount of your mashed sweet potato (a couple of spoonfuls) and add a little nutritional yeast. Mix it up and taste. If you like it, proceed. If you don’t, you’ve only lost a couple of spoonfuls, rather than the whole batch.
Is this a good recipe to add vegan cream cheese to?
I think you’re going for a thicker, richer, creamier consistency. In terms of function, adding cream cheese isn’t an issue. In terms of flavour, you’re knocking at the door of no-bake cheesecake rather than side dish.
I’ve made no-bake cheesecake with vegan cream cheese and sweet potato mash and it was a hit. In your case, you’re going to want to mind your ratios if you don’t want it to eat like dessert. I’d start with 4 ounces (112g) of dairy free cream cheese and go from there.
Should I start with cold water or hot water when boiling the sweet potatoes?
Interestingly, you should start in cold water, and for good reason. Unlike green vegetables with thin cell walls, you can’t add potatoes into boiling water and get the best results.
Since potatoes have a lot more starch, if you add them to boiling water, you end up gelatinizing the starch at the surface much too fast, which will leave you with a mushy exterior that will fall apart in the water. On the other hand, if you start in cold water, it gives the potatoes a chance to come up to temperature at a better rate, which improves cooking.
Starting in cold water will also produce a better end result as you have more even cooking, overall.
Can I use olive oil instead of vegan butter?
In a pinch, yes, you could. Start with 100mL/3.5 ounces, mash, and taste. Since you’re using olive oil, know that you’ll be leaning into a deeper savory flavor. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but be sure to manage your expectations.
If the sweet potato mash is still too stiff, continue to add olive oil, 1 ounce/28mL at a time until you reach the desired consistency.
Could I use white potatoes instead of sweet potatoes?
Rather than try to adapt this recipe, I’d suggest using this mashed potato recipe instead. It’s also vegan, dairy free, gluten free, and top 9/14 free, but I start with white potatoes and show you how to make regular mashed potatoes.
Can I reheat leftovers in the microwave?
Whilst I know this is possible, fun fact, I don’t own a microwave. My kids grew up reheating leftovers in their toaster oven or on the stovetop.
I’d place a portion of leftover mashed sweet potatoes in a glass container and reheat in the microwave with a start time of 60 seconds. You want the mashed potatoes to heat until they’re steaming.
Is it ok to leave the skin on the sweet potatoes?
This is a great question. For a smooth and creamy experience, you’re going to want to peel the sweet potatoes before cooking them. If you’ve ever seen those loaded mashed potato recipes where there are bits and bobs of things mixed in, you could leave the skin on.
If you go that route, you need to scrub the outside well to ensure all dirt has been removed. However, know what you’re getting into. The skin will add a bit of a foreign texture to your mash, so be prepared.
Where can I find more of your sweet potato recipes?
Asa recipe developer and author, it’s such a compliment to have someone ask this. You can find all of my sweet potato recipes on RAISE (membership website). This particular website has a selection of free recipes available, and RAISE has about 800 recipes for users to enjoy.
