These whipped sweet potatoes are light, creamy and flavored with brown sugar and island spices. It’s the perfect side dish for holiday gatherings, but simple enough for weeknight dinners too. Try it with my island-inspired glazed ham or blackened mahi mahi!
I’m island-blooded, carb-committed, and sweet potatoes stay on heavy rotation in my house. If you’re ever in the mood for sweet potatoes without all the shenanigans, you need to give this recipe a try!
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Lighter than traditional sweet potato casserole — but every bit as delicious.
- Island inspired but familiar — spices like nutmeg, ginger, and allspice add a warm but familiar twist, while coconut milk gives the sweet potatoes a light and airy texture.
- Time saving — there’s no baking involved! Just boil the potatoes on the stovetop for about 25 minutes, until they’re soft enough to be mashed.
Ingredients you’ll need
- 3 pounds sweet potatoes — look for the ones with brownish-reddish skin and orange flesh.
- Brown sugar — you can use light or dark, either works fine.
- Canned coconut milk — if you’re not a fan of coconut or want them a bit richer, use heavy cream or half and half instead.
- Salted butter — you can also use unsalted to cut down on sodium, or use vegan butter or margarine if you don’t eat dairy.
- Warm spices — ginger, nutmeg, and allspice are my island spices of choice but cinnamon can be used too. You don’t have to go out and buy a bunch of spices, just use what you have on hand. Hack: use pumpkin pie spice which combines each of these ingredients, if you don’t want to buy them individually.
- Vanilla extract — real is best but imitation works too, I won’t judge!
- Optional: fresh thyme and extra butter for garnish.
Step by-step directions
All steps with photos are laid out here. If you’re just looking for the ingredients and directions, scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom.
Step 1: Peel the sweet potatoes and cut them into 1.5-inch cubes.
Step 2: Place them in a pot, cover with water, and bring to a boil. Cook for 25 minutes, or until very soft.
Step 3: Fully drain the sweet potatoes and place them in a large mixing bowl. Add the butter and sugar, and start mashing (a regular potato masher works great for this step). Continue mashing until the butter has fully melted into the potatoes.
Step 4: Slowly add the coconut milk and whip the potatoes until smooth and creamy using a whisk or spatula. Then add ginger, nutmeg, allspice, and vanilla. Continue whipping until smooth, and everything is fully combined. Add a few pinches of black pepper and a touch of salt if needed.
Step 5: Transfer the sweet potatoes to a serving dish, and use a wooden spoon or a spatula to spread them out evenly. Top with fresh thyme and a slice of room temperature butter (optional).
Tips for the best whipped sweet potatoes
- For best results, make this dish last or keep the potatoes hot until you’re ready to mash them. You can keep them hot by leaving them in the hot cooking water, covered with a lid, then drain and mash just before serving. If the water cools too much, just warm it up by bringing it to simmer.
- If you don’t have an electric mixer, you can easily make this recipe by hand, using a whisk or silicone spatula.
Serving suggestions
Sweet potatoes are perfect for Sunday dinner and holidays, but simple enough to make during the week! Below are a few of my favorite dishes to pair them with.
- Lemon roasted chicken or roasted turkey breast
- Meat dishes like roast pork shoulder or glazed ham
- Blackened mahi mahi
- Other side dishes like smoked turkey collard greens, skillet mac and cheese, or cornbread stuffing
Storing and reheating leftovers
- Store leftover sweet potatoes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Reheat in a baking dish in the oven for 10–15 minutes at 350°F. You can also use a steamer (just line it with foil and watch for excess moisture) or in the microwave.
If you loved this recipe please be sure to leave a 5 star rating and comment below! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Whipped Sweet Potatoes
Equipment
- potato masher
- stand mixer, handheld beater or whisk
Ingredients
- 3 lbs orange-fleshed sweet potatoes peeled and diced into 2 inch pieces
- 2 teaspoon salt
- 6 tablespoon salted butter
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ½ cup canned coconut milk
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon ground allspice
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- salt and pepper to taste
- fresh thyme for garnish
Instructions
- Peel the sweet potatoes and cut them into 1.5-inch cubes.
- Place them in a pot, cover with water, and bring to a boil. Cook for 25 minutes, or until they're very soft.
- Drain the sweet potatoes well and place them in a large mixing bowl. Add butter, brown sugar, and mash (using a regular potato masher) until the butter has melted into the potatoes.
- Slowly add coconut milk and whip until smooth and creamy, using a whisk or spatula. Then add ginger, nutmeg, allspice, and vanilla. Continue whipping until fully combined. Add a few pinches of black pepper and touch of salt if needed.
- Transfer the sweet potatoes to a serving dish and top with fresh thyme and a slice of room temperature butter (optional).
Notes
- For best results, make this dish last or keep the potatoes hot until you're ready to mash them. You can keep them hot by leaving them in the hot cooking water, covered with a lid, then drain and mash just before serving. If the water cools too much, just warm it up by bringing it to simmer.
- If you don't have an electric mixer, you can easily make this recipe by hand, using a whisk or silicone spatula.
- For a richer version of this dish, replace the coconut milk with heavy cream, or half and half.
- Store leftover sweet potatoes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Reheat in a baking dish in the oven for 10–15 minutes at 350°. You can also use a steamer (line it with foil and watch for excess moisture) or in the microwave.
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