Savory Mashed Sweet Potatoes with Buttermilk

These Savory Mashed Sweet Potatoes make for a great healthy and gluten free side dish! It's made with buttermilk, garlic powder, and herbs.

If you're looking for a flavorful holiday side dish, be sure to check out these Buttermilk Mashed Sweet Potatoes! They're easy to prepare and put a twist on classic mashed potatoes.

When we think of sweet potatoes we tend to think of them as, well, sweet. They're often piled high with brown sugar, maple syrup, and marshmallows. Personally, I feel that sweet potatoes are sweet enough and prefer to go the savory with them.

Sweet potatoes are great because they lend themselves to so many different herbs, spices, and flavor profiles and preparations. I love sweet potatoes in everything from tacos to breakfast hash to and soups.

We all know and love classic mashed potatoes but it turns out that their sweeter counterparts can be just as tasty. This recipe is made with boiled sweet potatoes that are mashed with buttermilk, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning.

It makes for a great simple side dish for Thanksgiving or any holiday! They're easy enough to whip up any night of the week and perfect served alongside all kinds of roasted meats, vegetables, or greens.

Jump to:

• Should Sweet Potatoes Be Peeled Before Boiling?
• Ingredient For Savory Mashed Sweet Potatoes
• How To Boil Sweet Potatoes
• Why Use Buttermilk In Mashed Sweet Potatoes?
• How To Make Your Own Buttermilk
• How To Make Buttermilk Mashed Sweet Potatoes
• What To Serve With Savory Mashed Sweet Potatoes?
• How Long Do Mashed Sweet Potatoes Last In The Fridge?
• Can They Be Made Ahead?
• Can They Be Frozen?
• Savory Mashed Sweet Potatoes with Buttermilk

Should Sweet Potatoes Be Peeled Before Boiling?

Sweet potatoes are a naturally sweet underground tuber that are high in vitamins, fiber, and generally considered very healthy.

The great thing about sweet potatoes is that they can be prepared in so many different ways and are incredibly versatile. Sweet potatoes can be boiled, roasted, grilled, fried, sauteed, or stuffed.

Sweet potatoes can be used to make everything from casseroles to desserts. They are inexpensive and easy to find in the produce department of any grocery store.

Whether or not to peel sweet potatoes depends on the cooking method used to make them. Normally, I do not peel sweet potatoes before preparing them because I enjoy the texture that the skins provide.

However, I do recommend peeling sweet potatoes before mashing them because the skins tend to become chewy and tough when boiling. For optimal texture, I recommend peeling the sweet potatoes before boiling them for this dish, as the skins tend to get in the way in a recipe like this.

Ingredient For Savory Mashed Sweet Potatoes

Here's what you'll need to make them.

• 3 lbs. Sweet Potatoes (diced)
• ¾ cup Buttermilk
• ½ tsp. Garlic Powder
• ¼ tsp. Italian Seasoning
• ¾ tsp. Kosher Salt (split)
• ½ tsp. Pepper
• Fresh Herbs for garnish (optional)

How To Boil Sweet Potatoes

This recipe calls for dicing the sweet potatoes and boiling them in a pot of salted water. The process is much the same as boiling any other potatoes.

When boiling sweet potatoes, there are a few tips to employ that will help to ensure optimal taste and texture.

This recipe calls for 3 lbs. of diced sweet potatoes. This amounts to 3-4 large sweet potatoes or 4-6 medium-sized sweet potatoes. The amount of sweet potatoes used depends on their size.

• Make sure that the sweet potatoes are relatively even in size so that they cook evenly.
• It's best to salt the water when boiling sweet potatoes (or any potatoes), as this helps to flavor the potatoes from the inside.
• Make sure to boil the sweet potatoes until they are tender, but not mushy. It's important not to overcook them, as this can lead to sweet potatoes that are watery or gummy and adversely effects the taste.
• Start by boiling the sweet potatoes in cold water. This allows them to cook evenly.
• Measure the sweet potatoes using a kitchen scale to make sure that you are using the correct amount.
• Allow any excess water to drain from the cooked sweet potatoes. This helps to prevent a watery texture.

1. Peel 3 lbs. (it's best to use a kitchen scale to accurately measure the amount) of sweet potatoes using a vegetable peeler (the amount of sweet potatoes used depends on their size).
2. Dice the sweet potatoes into large chunks, making sure that they are relatively the same size to ensure that they cook evenly.
3. Place the diced sweet potatoes into a large pot and fill by 1 inch with cold water. Add ¼ tsp. kosher salt to the pot.
4. Bring the water to a boil. Once boiling, reduce to a low boil and cook for 12-15 minutes, or until the sweet potatoes are soft, but not mushy. They should be easily pierced with a knife or fork.
5. Pour the cooked sweet potatoes into a strainer and allow to sit for a minute or two.

Why Use Buttermilk In Mashed Sweet Potatoes?

The lactic acid in buttermilk provides a nice tangy flavor to mashed sweet potatoes. I love to use buttermilk when making mashed potatoes of any kind because I find that it complements the flavor of the potatoes without overwhelming them.

I find that buttermilk provides a rich flavor and creamy texture while allowing the natural flavor of the sweet potatoes to shine through.

All of the ingredients in this recipe are meant to enhance the flavor of the sweet potato and not to hide it.

It's also lower in fat than heavy cream or many forms of dairy, making for an overall lighter dish.

You can find buttermilk in the dairy section of your local grocery store.

How To Make Your Own Buttermilk

Don't have any buttermilk on hand? You can make your own by simply combining some milk and a bit of lemon juice or white vinegar!

Stir after 10 minutes to combine and then use as you would regular buttermilk.

To make your own buttermilk, Pour 1 Tbsp. of lemon juice or white vinegar into 1 cup of milk.

Allow the mixture to sit for 10 minutes at room temperature.

How To Make Buttermilk Mashed Sweet Potatoes

Once the sweet potatoes are boiled and drained, all that's needed is to combine them with some buttermilk, garlic powder, and spices and then mash until smooth and creamy.

1. Return the cooked and drained sweet potatoes to the pot.
2. Pour ¾ cup of buttermilk over the sweet potatoes.
3. Add ½ tsp. garlic powder, ¼ tsp. Italian seasoning, and ½ tsp. each of kosher salt and pepper to the sweet potatoes.
4. Mash the sweet potatoes with a potato masher until all of the ingredients are completely combined.
5. Adjust the salt and pepper and spice levels to your tastes.

You can use fresh herbs in place of dried herbs if you prefer. Feel free to sub the Italian seasoning for some minced fresh thyme or rosemary.

Alternately, you can sub the Italian seasoning for any herbs (dried or fresh) of choice. Feel free to use chives, sage, or parsley if you prefer.

What To Serve With Savory Mashed Sweet Potatoes?

Savory mashed sweet potatoes are incredibly versatile. They pair well with any type of roasted meat including chicken, beef, ham, or turkey. It's a great side dish to enjoy topped with gravy at Thanksgiving.

They're great served as part of a Thanksgiving or holiday menu paired with homemade green bean casserole, wild rice fennel stuffing, fennel herb stuffing, Au Gratin potatoes, or kohlrabi mash.

They would be delicious alongside bitter greens like kale, Swiss chard, or arugula. Roasted vegetables like these roasted green beans, sesame roasted Brussels sprouts, sweet spicy Brussels sprouts, or maple mustard Brussels sprouts are perfect.

I love them served with wild rice or something like quinoa.

The sweetness of mashed sweet potatoes contrast nicely roasted meats like Red Wine Pot Roast, Instant Pot Pot Roast, or Dutch Oven Short Ribs.

How Long Do Mashed Sweet Potatoes Last In The Fridge?

Any leftover mashed sweet potatoes can be stored for 2-3 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Can They Be Made Ahead?

Yes, these mashed sweet potatoes can be made the day ahead and stored in the fridge until needed.

1. To make them ahead, simply prepare the recipe as directed, allow the sweet potatoes to cool, transfer them to an airtight container, and store in the refrigerator.
2. To reheat, simply place them in a pot on the stovetop and cook on medium-heat until heated through.
3. Feel free to add some extra buttermilk, vegetable or chicken stock, or water to the reheated sweet potatoes to prevent them from drying out.

Can They Be Frozen?

How To Freeze

1. Prepare the recipe as directed.
2. Allow the mashed sweet potatoes to cool completely and place them in a heavy-duty freezer storage bag or freezer-safe container.
3. Label with the date and store up to 3 months in the freezer.

How To Thaw

1. Transfer the sweet potatoes to the refrigerator 24 hours before serving.
2. Reheat the potatoes in a large pot on the stove top. Feel free to add some extra buttermilk, broth, or water if they have dried out a bit.
3. They can also be reheated in the microwave.

Be sure to check out these Buttermilk Mashed Red Potatoes!

Love sweet potatoes? Check out these recipes!

• Sweet Potato Turkey Hash
• BBQ Sweet Potatoes
• Sweet Potato Kale Soup
• Sweet Potato Tacos
• Healthy Sweet Potato Breakfast Bowls
• Southwest Sweet Potato Frittata

Looking For More Savory Sweet Potato Recipes? Don't Miss These!

Baked Sweet Potato Fries

Broccoli, Sweet Potato, and Craisin Hash

Savory Sweet Potato Casserole