Mashed Sweet Potatoes are a great source of starchy carbs and fiber, and provide a wealth of micro-nutrients. Per 100 grams, sweet potatoes contain almost all of your recommended daily value of vitamin A (from carotenoids); good amounts of vitamins B5 and B6 as well as manganese; and some amount of all the other dietary vitamins and minerals. Mashed sweet potatoes are the ultimate alternative to traditional mashed potatoes if you are not able to eat them for any reason. Their sweetness pairs well with virtually any protein, and adding a little salt and pepper helps to balance out their flavor. They go well with Pecan Crusted Chicken Breast with Cauliflower Gravy and Bacon Braised Kale.
Purple and Japanese sweet potatoes tend to be less sweet whereas orange sweet potato varieties are very sweet. Orange sweet potatoes also tend to have much higher water content than purple or Japanese varieties which is the main reason for baking these sweet potatoes before mashing rather than boiling. Baking also concentrates rather than dilutes the flavor. Yes, these do take a little longer to make compared to boiling, but the hands-on time is decidedly less without all that peeling and chopping!
Mashed Sweet Potatoes
Ingredients
- 6 sweet potatoes
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375F. Clean sweet potatoes with water and a vegetable brush.
- Place whole unpeeled sweet potatoes on a baking sheet, and bake at 375F for 60-70 minutes, until soft when pierced with a knife.
- Allow sweet potatoes to cool enough to handle. Gently peel of the skin (it should come off very easily) and discard. Place peeled baked sweet potatoes in casserole dish and mash using a wire potato masher. Stir in butter, salt and pepper.
- Place mashed sweet potato back in the oven for 10-15 minutes to heat back up.
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